Cricket

Marnus Labuschagne's Glamorgan stint culminated in a thrilling tied County Championship match against Gloucestershire, where the Welsh side narrowly missed out on a world-record run chase. Set a daunting target of 593, Glamorgan fought valiantly, with Labuschagne and Sam Northeast scoring centuries.As the match entered its final over, Glamorgan needed two runs to win. Mason Crane played out four dot balls before taking a single, leaving No. 11 Jamie McIlroy with the task of scoring the winning run. However, McIlroy's swing at Ajeet Dale was caught by James Bracey, who had removed his glove in anticipation of a bye."It was an incredible game," Labuschagne reflected. "We got close, but we just couldn't get one more."The match marked Labuschagne's final County Championship appearance for Glamorgan this season. He will now return to Australia for Queensland's pre-season before potentially returning to England for the ODI series in September.Labuschagne's Glamorgan stint has been a successful one, with the Australian scoring 468 runs at an average of 58.50 in four first-class matches. He has also made a significant impact in the T20 Blast, showcasing his fielding prowess with a spectacular catch."It's been a good opportunity to review my game and work on some technical things," Labuschagne said. "I'm feeling confident and ready for the challenges ahead."Labuschagne's next assignment could be the Sheffield Shield season for Queensland, depending on how multi-format players are managed around the white-ball series against Pakistan in November. The first Test against India starts in Perth on November 22, a prospect that Labuschagne is eagerly anticipating.

Glamorgan's valiant pursuit of a world-record run chase ended in a thrilling tie against Gloucestershire in a captivating Vitality County Championship Second Division match at Cheltenham.Set a daunting target of 593, Glamorgan's hopes rested on skipper Sam Northeast and overseas star Marnus Labuschagne. The pair forged a 153-run partnership, with Northeast reaching his century and Labuschagne falling just short of his.Despite the loss of Labuschagne, Glamorgan remained determined. Chris Cooke and Northeast extended the partnership, with Northeast reaching his 150 and setting a new record for the highest fourth innings score in English first-class cricket.As the tension mounted, Gloucestershire's bowlers fought back. Matt Taylor dismissed Northeast, and Ajeet Singh Dale removed Tim van der Gugten. With 32 runs still needed, Mason Crane and Tom Gorvin came together.Gorvin departed, but Crane remained resolute. He dominated the strike, scampering a single off the penultimate ball to leave last man Jamie McIlroy needing just one run to win. However, McIlroy edged Singh Dale's final delivery to wicketkeeper James Bracey, who took his tenth catch of the match.The tie earned both sides 11 points, with Glamorgan setting the highest fourth innings score in any first-class game played in England and the third highest worldwide. The match also marked the first tied game in English county cricket in six years.

Gloucestershire's Miles Hammond and Cameron Bancroft showcased their batting prowess on the second day of the Vitality County Championship Division Two match against Glamorgan at the Cheltenham Festival. After being dismissed for 179 in their first innings, Gloucestershire found themselves trailing by 18 runs. However, Hammond and Bancroft's brilliant centuries turned the tide in their favor.Hammond, a Cheltenham native, played an enterprising innings, reaching his half-century off just 53 balls. He continued to flourish, hitting three sixes and 17 fours in his 121-run knock. Bancroft, the Australian opener, provided solid support, scoring an unbeaten 159 from 221 balls. The duo put on a mammoth 201-run partnership for the third wicket, silencing Glamorgan's hopes.James Bracey joined the party, contributing an unbeaten 90 off 117 balls. Together with Bancroft, he added 170 runs for the fourth wicket, extending Gloucestershire's lead to a commanding 370 runs.Earlier in the day, Glamorgan resumed on 133 for 7, trailing by 46 runs. Mason Crane played a crucial role, scoring a defiant 44 to help his team take the lead. However, Beau Webster's impressive bowling figures of 5 for 17, including four maidens, ended Glamorgan's innings on 197.Gloucestershire's bowlers, led by Webster and Marchant de Lange (3 for 44), put in a strong performance, dismissing Glamorgan for a modest total.With two days remaining in the match, Gloucestershire is in a dominant position. Hammond and Bancroft's centuries have put them in a strong position to secure a victory and boost their hopes of promotion to Division One.

Marchant de Lange's all-round brilliance propelled Gloucestershire to a spirited fightback on the opening day of their Vitality County Championship Second Division clash against Glamorgan at Cheltenham.The South African all-rounder's unbeaten 46 and record-breaking 75-run stand with Ajeet Singh Dale rescued Gloucestershire from a precarious 88 for 8 at lunch to a respectable 179 all out. De Lange then returned with the ball to claim 2 for 21, leaving Glamorgan trailing by 46 runs with three first-innings wickets remaining.Timm van der Gugten was the star performer for Glamorgan, claiming season-best figures of 5 for 59. However, his efforts were matched by Gloucestershire's Beau Webster, who produced a stunning three-wicket burst in 12 balls.Kiran Carlson top-scored for Glamorgan with 37, but the Welsh county still faces an uphill battle to avoid defeat.Gloucestershire's batting woes continued after their heavy defeat to Yorkshire earlier in the week. Cameron Bancroft, Ollie Price, Ben Charlesworth, and Graeme van Buuren all fell cheaply, leaving the home side reeling at 49 for 5.Miles Hammond and Webster provided a brief respite, adding 36 for the sixth wicket. But van der Gugten's return triggered a collapse, removing Hammond and Webster in quick succession.Marnus Labuschagne's introduction with the ball gave Gloucestershire a glimmer of hope, but Matt Taylor's dismissal left them on the brink of disaster.However, de Lange and Singh Dale had other ideas. The last wicket pair unleashed a flurry of boundaries, posting a quickfire 50 in 47 balls to give Glamorgan's bowlers a headache.Singh Dale eventually departed for 32, but de Lange remained unbeaten on 46, his aggressive approach lifting the spirits of the Gloucestershire crowd.Buoyed by their lower order's heroics, Gloucestershire kept plugging away with the ball. Taylor had Eddie Byrom caught at mid-on, Akhter claimed the prized wicket of Labuschagne, and de Lange induced Billy Root to edge behind.Gloucestershire then passed up an opportunity to dismiss Carlson on 11, but Webster made amends by removing Northeast and Cooke in quick succession.De Lange struck a crucial blow shortly before the close, persuading Carlson to hook a delivery straight to Hammond at deep fine leg. Glamorgan still trail by 46 runs, but Gloucestershire will be confident of completing a victory on day two.

Northamptonshire's hopes of salvaging a draw against Glamorgan in their Vitality County Championship clash hang in the balance after a tense final session in Cardiff.Glamorgan, resuming on 111 runs ahead, extended their first-innings lead to 211 thanks to a late-order resurgence led by Mason Crane (56*), James Harris, and Andy Gorvin. Crane, enjoying his most prolific season as a batter, shared a 63-run stand with Harris, while the final wicket partnership between Crane and Gorvin added a further 53 runs, taking Glamorgan's total to 490 all out.Northamptonshire's second innings got off to a solid start with a 59-run opening stand between Emilio Gay and Ricardo Vasconcelos. However, Glamorgan's bowlers gradually gained control, with Gorvin dismissing Gay for 24 and Prithvi Shaw edging to Chris Cooke for 23.Vasconcelos remained resolute, reaching 99 before falling LBW to Crane in the final session. Crane also accounted for Rob Keogh first ball, leaving Northamptonshire four wickets down and level with Glamorgan's first-innings score.Luke Procter (55*) and Lewis McManus guided Northamptonshire to the close without further damage, but the visitors still face an uphill battle to save the game. They will resume on the final day with a slender 25-run lead and six second-innings wickets in hand.Glamorgan, buoyed by Crane's leg-spin brilliance, will be eager to push for victory and secure valuable points in their pursuit of promotion.

Glamorgan's Marnus Labuschagne and Kiran Carlson led a dominant batting performance against Northamptonshire in their Vitality Championship match in Cardiff. The duo's impressive partnership of 140 runs propelled Glamorgan to a commanding position, leaving them 111 runs ahead at the close of day two.Labuschagne, the Australian Test star, top-scored with a well-crafted 93, while Carlson contributed a valuable 71. Chris Cooke also chipped in with a crucial 58 as Glamorgan amassed a formidable 390 for 8.Northamptonshire's bowlers struggled to contain Glamorgan's batsmen, with Luke Procter's 3 for 36 being the only notable return. The visitors missed a few chances in the field and were unsuccessful with several close lbw appeals.Glamorgan's innings began steadily with Billy Root and Eddie Byrom putting on 63 runs for the first wicket. However, the introduction of Liam Patterson-White's spin proved decisive as Byrom was caught at slip. Root followed soon after, trapped lbw by Justin Broad.Labuschagne and Carlson then took control, punishing the Northamptonshire bowlers with their aggressive approach. They ran well and scored at a brisk pace, putting pressure on the fielders. Labuschagne looked set for a century but was eventually dismissed by Broad's inswinging delivery.Sam Northeast and Carlson departed in quick succession, but Timm van der Gugten and Cooke steadied the ship with a 68-run partnership. Van der Gugten's aggressive 41 took Glamorgan into the lead, while Cooke's patient fifty further extended their advantage.James Harris and Mason Crane saw Glamorgan through to the close with the lead past three figures. The pitch in Cardiff has historically flattened out as the match progresses, but Glamorgan's substantial lead gives them a strong chance of securing victory.

Northamptonshire's Emilio Gay anchored their batting performance with a composed half-century on the opening day of their Vitality County Championship clash against Glamorgan in Cardiff.Opting to bat first, Northamptonshire posted 279 all out, with Gay's 65 serving as the cornerstone of their innings. Luke Procter and Gus Miller also contributed valuable runs, helping the visitors recover from a mid-innings slump.Glamorgan's bowlers, led by Timm van der Gugten, Andy Gorvin, and James Harris, shared nine wickets among them. However, Northamptonshire's resilience in the face of adversity allowed them to post a challenging total.Harris struck early, dismissing Ricardo Vasconcelos and Prithvi Shaw to leave Northamptonshire reeling at 19 for 2. Gay and Procter steadied the ship with a 90-run partnership, but Gay's dismissal to Gorvin triggered a collapse.Procter and Rob Keogh added 48 runs before Glamorgan's bowlers tightened their grip. Gorvin trapped Lewis McManus lbw, while Liam Patterson-White fell to a catch at point.Miller and Raphael Weatherall combined for a 37-run stand, taking Northamptonshire past 250 and securing their first batting bonus point. Miller's impressive debut innings included two sixes, helping his team reach a potentially formidable total.Glamorgan's openers, Eddie Byrom and Billy Root, negotiated the final seven overs of the day without incident, leaving their side trailing by 243 runs.

Surrey's dominance in the Vitality Blast South Group continued as they crushed Glamorgan by nine wickets at the Kia Oval. The victory was set up by a superb bowling performance, led by Gus Atkinson, Sean Abbott, and Spencer Johnson, who restricted Glamorgan to a paltry 107 for 9.Atkinson struck early, dismissing Kiran Carlson and Sam Northeast in the second over. Abbott then joined the party, removing Colin Ingram in the sixth over. Glamorgan's struggles continued against spin, with Dan Lawrence and Cameron Steel claiming wickets.Ben Kellaway and Dan Douthwaite briefly threatened a recovery, but Johnson and Abbott returned to extinguish their hopes. Chris Cooke, Andy Gorvin, and Mason Crane all fell cheaply, leaving Glamorgan reeling at 84 for 8.Only a late flurry of boundaries from Chris Sole and Jamie McIlroy prevented Glamorgan from being bowled out for under 100.In reply, Surrey openers Dan Lawrence and Dom Sibley launched a blistering attack, adding 53 runs in the powerplay. Lawrence departed for 27, but Sibley continued his onslaught, finishing on 43 not out from 26 balls.Laurie Evans then joined the fray, smashing an unbeaten 31 from 13 balls, including two sixes. Surrey reached their target in just nine overs, securing their sixth win from eight group games.For Glamorgan, it was a disappointing sixth defeat in eight matches, leaving them languishing at the bottom of the South Group standings.

Glamorgan have bolstered their T20 Blast squad with the acquisition of Scotland's pace spearhead, Chris Sole. The 30-year-old joins the Welsh county for the remainder of the group stages, bringing with him a wealth of international experience and raw pace.Sole's inclusion is a significant boost for Glamorgan, who have struggled to find consistency in the Blast this season. The Welsh county currently sits seventh in the South Group, with only the top four teams progressing to the quarter-finals.Sole's arrival is expected to provide a much-needed injection of pace to Glamorgan's bowling attack. The right-armer has been clocked at speeds above 90mph/145kph during his international career and has a proven track record of taking wickets.Glamorgan head coach Grant Bradburn, who previously worked with Sole during his time in charge of Scotland, is confident that the fast bowler will make a significant contribution to the team."To be able to add Chris Sole's high-quality skills, experience, and character into our squad brings an exciting vibe to our team," Bradburn said. "Having worked with Chris previously in Scotland, we know the high value he will bring and I'm sure he will thrive in our environment."Glamorgan's director of cricket, Mark Wallace, echoed Bradburn's sentiments, highlighting Sole's impressive performances for Scotland."We have been tracking Chris for a while, and now that his World Cup campaign is over with Scotland, it's great to be able to bring him in to add some pace to our attack and bolster our seam bowling resources in the Vitality Blast," Wallace said.Sole, who took two wickets at the T20 World Cup, is eager to make an immediate impact for Glamorgan."I'm very excited to be included in Glamorgan's Vitality Blast campaign and can't wait to join the squad at the Oval tonight," Sole said. "Hopefully, I can contribute to some on-field success in the coming weeks."Glamorgan will hope that Sole's inclusion can help them secure a place in the quarter-finals of the Blast. The Welsh county faces a tough challenge in their remaining group matches, but they will be confident that Sole can provide the X-factor that they need to succeed.