Glamorgan edge Northerns in closely contested three-dayer
Northerns – 266 and 105 all out in 27.3 overs (Joylord Gumbie 25, Tadiwanashe Marumani 22, Wessly Madhevere 16; Timm van der Gugten 3/8, Jamie McIlroy 2/20, James Harris 2/21)
Glamorgan – 214 and 161-7 in 45.4 overs (Eddie Byrom 42, Chris Cooke 39*, Thomas Bevan 23; Ainsley Ndlovu 3/59, Wessly Madhevere 2/29, Ernest Masuku 1/19)
Glamorgan won by three wickets
An innings of 39 not out by wicket-keeper Chris Cooke helped Glamorgan to a three-wicket victory over Northerns in a close finish to their three-day match at Old Hararians Sports Club on Monday.
Northerns, having gained a first-innings lead of 52, began the day on 18 for one wicket in their second innings – Prince Masvaure was on five and Joylord Gumbie 12.
They needed to push the score along with a view to a declaration at some time in the afternoon, but their plan never got off the ground properly.
They did indeed keep the score moving along quickly, but wickets fell all too often and they were never in a position to dominate the bowling.
The first five batters in this day all reached double figures, but the highest innings among them was only 25, scored by Gumbie off 30 balls, and the longest by Tadiwanashe Marumani, who batted for 35 balls to score 22.
The middle order slumped after being at one stage 69 for three wickets – five overs later they had eight wickets down for 79, with Timm van der Gugten taking three of the wickets.
Marumani was still there, his aggression tempered, and with Faraz Akram did well enough to take the score to 101 before he was out.
Akram soon followed, and the final total was only 105, leaving Glamorgan needing 158 to win.
Van der Gugten had the bowling figures of three wickets for eight runs in five overs.
Glamorgan opened with David Lloyd, who made 14, and Eddie Byrom, who made the highest score of 42 off 85 balls, batting solidly.
They reached 69 before the second wicket fell, and then it was their turn to suffer a middle-order decline, as five men – Byrom the fifth of them – were out for 94.
At this stage the match was in the balance, but Cooke played the vital innings of 39 not out that saw his team home.
Cautious at first, he saw Dan Douthwaite out for 10 and van der Gugten for 15.
Finally, with Zain-ul-Hassan at the wicket and seven down, he began to open up and took Glamorgan through to victory by three wickets, the final score being 161 for seven.
Ainsley Ndlovu was the most successful bowler with three wickets, but they cost him 59 runs.
