Timm VanDer Gugten Insists Glamorgan Can Still Clinch Home Tie Despite First One Day Cup Defeat

By Gareth James

Glamorgan’s Timm van der Gugten is confident the county can still clinch a home

semi-final in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup, despite suffering their first defeat of the tournament.

Australian international Peter Handscomb rescued Leicestershire from 59 for five with a superb 103 to set up a winning score against previously unbeaten Group B leaders Glamorgan and keep the defending champions in contention for the knock-out stages.

Chasing 272 after seamer Van der Gugten had taken 5 for 49, Glamorgan were all out for 262, with Foxes left-arm spinner Liam Trevaskis their star man with the ball, taking 4 for 54 to go with the 47 he made with the bat in a vital 103-run partnership with Handscomb for Leicestershire’s seventh wicket, although ex-Glamorgan man Roman Walker ran him close, taking the last three wickets for figures of 3 for 40 to seal a nine-run victory.

OHHH TIMMY TIMMY! ❤️

TVDG strikes again, this time getting the big wicket of Ajinkya Rahane! Leicestershire Foxes 45-4 after 8.5 overs. #LEIvGLA#OhGlammyGlammy pic.twitter.com/QOmsjpxzkA

— Glamorgan Cricket (@GlamCricket) August 11, 2024

Veteran Colin Ingram top-scored for the Welsh side with 68. His dismissal to Trevaskis with 75 still needed from 55 balls looked to have swung the balance heavily towards the home side, but a List A career-best 61 from Dan Douthwaite took the contest into the penultimate over.

“It was a topsy-turvy game, we were on top at the start, then they batted really well,” said Van der Gugten.

“We thought 270 was about par, but they bowled really well before it got down to the end and we couldn’t quite steal it away from them even though Dan was striking it really well.

“It was my first 50-over five-for for quite a while, so it’s nice to get in the wickets but we’ve bowled well as a unit in the competition.

“Having the chance to get a home semi-final still under our control is a good feeling going into the last game.”

Defeat in Leicester tonight by 9 runs.

Top effort from the boys, as Glamorgan still top Group B going into the final game at Sophia Gardens on Wednesday against Yorkshire Vikings. #OhGlammyGlammy pic.twitter.com/D5CXLoAgzc

— Glamorgan Cricket (@GlamCricket) August 11, 2024

The result puts Lewis Hill’s side on 10 points, one behind Glamorgan and Warwickshire – who also surrendered their unbeaten record against Yorkshire – and two ahead of Gloucestershire and Yorkshire.

Both Glamorgan, who take on Yorkshire in Cardiff in the final round of group matches on Wednesday, and Warwickshire, who face eliminated Nottinghamshire at Rugby School, are already sure of at least a quarter-final place.

Leicestershire, who travel to Bristol to meet Gloucestershire, have the potential to finish in any of the top three places – or be knocked out on net run-rate.

The one shadow over their celebrations after this victory was an injury to Handscomb suffered while batting, after which he did not field in Glamorgan’s innings and may make him a doubt for Bristol.

Needing to score at 5.44 per over, Glamorgan – missing top scorer Eddie Byrom through injury – lost both openers in first nine overs to all-rounder Ian Holland, Tom Bevan helping a leg-side delivery into the hands of short fine leg before Will Smale’s attempt to clear the leg-side fence only picked out the man at deep square. They were 43 for 2 from 10.

https://twitter.com/GlamCricket/status/1822596756351127930

Leicestershire’s attack was depleted by injuries and Hundred call-ups, yet by the halfway stage of their innings at 108 for 4, they seemed not so much to be biding their time as making hard going of what was required.

They had lost Sam Northeast to a return catch tamely chipped back to Trevaskis for 31, the same score at which Kiran Carlson, showing signs of frustration, had holed out to deep midwicket off Tom Scriven. The rate needed was up to 6.56.

Billy Root was caught behind square on the reverse sweep off Trevaskis, Asa Tribe holing out to deep midwicket, a third wicket for the left-arm spinner. Ingram, who hit two sixes and seven fours, reached his fifty from 48 balls and needed to be there at the end if Glamorgan were to win, so little wonder there were loud celebrations among the home players when Trevaskis had him leg before sweeping.

Douthwaite’s four fours and four sixes kept Glamorgan in the hunt but after Walker bowled Van der Gugten and had Andy Gorvin caught at backward point in the space of four deliveries, he was the hero again as Sol Budinger patiently waited for the ball to come down at deep midwicket and Douthwaite’s brave effort came to an end.

An epic finish.

With 31 to win, Glamorgan were seven down but lost two wickets in three balls, only for Dan Douthwaite to smash four boundaries to take them to within nine runs.

But Leicestershire's Roman Walker proved to be the hero, taking the final three wickets to win it. pic.twitter.com/Y3XI8R58ck

— Metro Bank One Day Cup (@onedaycup) August 11, 2024