Statistical Preview: Glamorgan

Derbyshire face Glamorgan in their first home game of the 50 overs competition hoping to improve on the eight-wicket defeat to the Welsh county in 2022.

Heritage Officer David Griffin previews the match.

Derbyshire first played Glamorgan in a limited overs fixture in a Gillette Cup quarter final at Cardiff in 1969 winning by nine wickets en route to the final. Harold Rhodes took four wickets for only 18 runs in 12 overs as the home side struggled to make 117 before David ‘DHK’ Smith made 49 not out to see Derbyshire home with 16 overs to spare.

This latest fixture will be the 52^nd scheduled between the sides in one day cricket, Derbyshire winning 28, Glamorgan 17, with two games abandoned and three ending in a ‘No Result’.

There was also one tied game, at Derby in 1999 which was remarkable for many reasons. With an injury-stricken squad, Derbyshire were forced to re-register former players Simon Base and Frank Griffith, although only Griffith played. Glamorgan scored 207 for eight with Glenn Roberts taking a career-best four for 23.

Following a Duckworth-Lewis intervention, Derbyshire required 206 from 44 overs although at 39 for four it seemed unlikely that they would anywhere near that target. However, Ian Blackwell made a magnificent 97 with three sixes and six fours but was caught behind off the final ball of the match leaving Derbyshire 205 all out.

The biggest surprise was reserved for spectators some five minutes after the game ended when the PA announcement declared the result of the match was a tie. Most present, including the players, thought that Glamorgan had won.

With several close finishes over the years – three matches were won by one wicket and another by one run – these two counties have served up some thrilling games, but pride of place must go to the Benson and Hedges Cup semi final at Swansea in 1988.

In front of a large and hostile crowd at St Helen’s Glamorgan won the toss and asked Derbyshire to bat first on a damp and overcast morning.

Derbyshire’s captain, Kim Barnett made 43 before being run out, and Bruce Roberts 44, but the innings lacked real fluency and a total of 217 for eight in 55 overs seemed to most present to be slightly below par.

Glamorgan’s openers set off at a canter, adding 58 for the first wicket before Barnett introduced the occasional off breaks of his fellow opener, Peter Bowler, who immediately made a breakthrough.

Even with Michael Holding, Ole Mortensen, Devon Malcom, Paul Newman and Allan Warner at his disposal, Barnett recognised that Glamorgan could not be contained; if they batted 55 overs they would win, so his only option was to attack.

He brought Holding back and the great West Indian obliged by removing  Glamorgan’s star player Matthew Maynard who was adjudged to have been bowled when a delivery struck him on the head, dislodging his batting helmet which then fell onto the stumps.

Unfortunately, the weather intervened when the game was at an absorbing stage, and play ended with Glamorgan on 130 for five.

With two spare days available for this eventuality, the players returned on the Thursday, only for the rain to be so heavy that no play was possible and when they did eventually get underway on the Friday it was not until mid-afternoon.

Malcolm was superb, bowling 11 overs and conceding only 25 runs, but Holding demonstrated why he was rated as a world great taking five for 31 and easing his way to the Gold Award.

Derbyshire’s highest innings total against Glamorgan is 251 – three times; all out at Checkley in a game they won by 29 runs in 1991; for nine at Derby in 1995 when they won by one wicket; and for three at Cardiff in 2003 to earn a win by seven wickets.

Glamorgan made their highest team total of 277 for six at Ebbw Vale in 1984 which saw them triumph by 124 runs.

Derbyshire’s last one day win over Glamorgan came at Derby in April 2009, before any member of the current playing staff had played for the county.

Derbyshire players have scored six one day hundreds against Glamorgan with Phil Sharpe’s 111 not out at Chesterfield in 1976 being the first hundred for Derbyshire in the shorter format of the game. Those two overseas greats, John Wright, at Cardiff,  and Peter Kirsten, at Swansea, made hundreds in 1979, while Barnett and John Morris both scored 100 not out to lead Derbyshire to an emphatic victory at Heanor in 1989.

Meanwhile, the highest individual innings came from Chris Bassano who scored 121 at Cardiff in 2003 while Barnett carried his bat in making an unbeaten 90 at Newport in 1988, the highest score by any Derbyshire player performing this feat in one day cricket.

There have been five century partnerships for Derbyshire, the highest being 191 for the third wicket between Bassano and Andrew Gait at Cardiff in 2003. The highest at home was between Barnett and Morris at Heanor in 1989 when they added 182 for the second wicket.

When John Wright and Alan Hill put on 151 for the first wicket at Cardiff in 1979, Hill’s contribution was just 44.

Aside from Holding’s memorable five wickets at Swansea in 1988, the other bowlers with a five wicket haul against Glamorgan include Dominic Cork, who destroyed the visitors with six for 21 at Chesterfield in 1997. Having dismissed Glamorgan for 103, Cork then opened the batting and scored 33 as his side won by eight wickets.

Graeme Welch took five for 22 at Derby in 2001 when Derbyshire won by four wickets.

In the field there has only been one instance of two Derbyshire fielders both taking three catches in the same List A game. This came against Glamorgan at Cardiff in 2003 when Michael Hewson and Michael Di Venuto snared three apiece in Derbyshire’s emphatic seven wicket win.

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