Rudolph, Donald lead the charge as Glamorgan stay top ofT20 group

HALF-CENTURIES by Jacques Rudolph and Aneurin Donald coupled with a frugal twoover stint of one for 12 by Craig Meschede helped Glamorgan extend their leadership of the NatWest T20 Blast south group with an emphatic 25-run win over Kent.

Rudolph’s captain’s knock of 77 not out from 52 balls saw Glamorgan post 199 for 2 on an excellent Canterbury pitch – a pursuit that proved too tough for Spitfire’s despite Joe Denly’s 68 as the hosts fell well short with a 20-over total of 174 for four.

Looking for their fourth south group win, Kent’s chase started with panache when Joe Denly straight drove Michael Hogan’s fourth delivery for a straight six.

At the other end Daniel BellDrummond went for three, dragging the ball on to middle stump in attempting to cut Lukas Carey’s third delivery of the afternoon to bring in Spitfires’ skipper Sam Northeast with only 21 on the board.

Denly clattered hit the ropes three times as Graham Wagg’s first over of left-arm seam went for 13 to move past the 300-run milestone in this year’s Blast, yet Kent were still 10 behind the visitors come the end of the powerplay.

Northeast upped the tempo with a swept six against Colin Ingram’s wrist spin and, with spin at both ends, Denly repeated the dose against Andrew Salter to keep Kent ticking at eight-an-over.

Hitting to the shortest boundary on the Old Dover Road side of the NEWBRIDGE suffered an uncharacteristic six-wicket defeat against Brecon in Division One of the Thomas Carroll South East Wales Cricket League at the BSA Playing Fields – after being bowled out for just 49.

Brecon won the toss and put Newbridge into bat where they struggled, with only Cael Jones (22) reaching double figures.

James Mitchell stole the spotlight with a five-wicket haul while Sam Williams claimed 3-15 and Richard ground, Northeast cleared the ropes again against Ingram as did Denly over extra cover against Wagg as Spitfires reached 93 for one at the mid-point of their reply.

After taking a wicket and conceding only two in his opening over, Carey leaked 17 in his second over as Northeast cantered to a 28-ball 50 with four sixes.

Northeast (60) holed out to deep mid-wicket when targeting another six off Marchant de Lange to end a second-wicket stand of 89 and bring in left-hander Alex Blake, but Denly continued serenely, lofting Wagg for a third maximum in a 36-ball halfcentury.

Blake (4) chipped to long-off in Craig Meschede’s first over to be replaced by all-rounder Jimmy Neesham, Lovering bagged 2-2 as Newbridge barely built up a lead.

Brecon knew victory was within their grasp and, despite losing four wickets, went on to comfortably see out the win with 11 from Matt Williams guiding them to 50-4.

The defeat leaves Newbridge without a win in three games and looking over their shoulder at Malpas, who are now two points off the summit after chalking up their seventh win on the bounce by beating Croesyceiliog but suddenly the boundaries dried up and, with 36 required from the last five overs, Kent slipped behind the Duckworth/Lewis/Stern rate for the first time.

Wagg had his revenge by having Denly (68) caught on the ropes at deep mid-wicket and Kent’s outside victory hopes went with him.

Bowling first after winning the toss, Kent made two changes to the side that beat Somerset on Friday night. Having suffered a recurrence of a thigh injury New Zealand paceman Adam Milne was replaced by Calum Haggett, while veteran offspinner James Tredwell was preferred to rookie left-armer Imran Qayyum.

Glamorgan made a watchful start through openers Jacques Rudolph and Aneurin Donald, who opened their side’s boundary account in the third over when Matt Coles leaked 15 runs.

Jimmy Neesham also conceded 15 from his second over as Glamorgan completed their powerplay overs without alarm in reaching 62 without loss.

Taking a low risk approach to batting by keeping the ball on the turf with proper cricket strokes, the visiting openers complimented each other superbly and kept the board ticking just as nicely.

Donald was first to his 50 from 30 balls only to lose his middle stump when playing across the line to Haggett’s very next delivery that made it 88 for one.

Glamorgan under dangerman Colin rules.

Visitors Malpas were inserted and set Croesy a tough challenge as they racked up the runs to finish on 249-8 after a revised 40 overs.

Lewis Morgan led the way with 73 in 63 balls while Michael Martin hit 51, which included six fours.

In reply, Croesy looked determined and put up a strong fight with Luc Kear smashing four fours and three sixes on his way to 56 while Duckworth-Lewis