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.