Tye heroics secure a tie
ANDREW Tye hit two off the final ball to ensure Gloucestershire claimed a dramatic tie in their Vitality Blast clash with Glamorgan at Cardiff.
Needing three off the last delivery bowled by Lukas Carey, the Australian drove down the ground to secure a share of the spoils.
Glamorgan were favourites to win the match with two overs remaining as Gloucestershire needed 33 to chase 173, but Tye took 19 off Marchant De Lange and then helped get 13 from Carey.
Tye, having been dropped by Colin Ingram after offering a simple chance to the South African at mid-off, finished with an unbeaten 38 off 18 balls to deny Glamorgan their first win of this season’s competition.
Needing to score at 8.65 runs an over as they set about chasing Glamorgan’s 172 for five, Gloucestershire lost Miles Hammond to the first ball of the innings when he was deceived by Andrew Salter’s off-spin and struck a straightforward catch back to the bowler.
Two overs later the visitors lost their second wicket, when James Bracey was caught off De Lange on the midwicket boundary.
Gloucestershire were 46 for two after six overs, but in the next Michael Klinger edged Dan Douthwaite’s fifth ball to the wicketkeeper.
After 10 overs Gloucestershire required a further 100 runs and Ian Cockbain raised their spirits by taking 14 from Graham Wagg’s third over before the batsman was caught off Salter for an aggressive 40.
With five overs left, the visitors required 57, but Salter struck twice in three balls to dismiss Ryan Higgins and Jack Taylor.
Glamorgan were favourites, although Tye had other ideas and secured his side a point.
The hosts, who were put in on a true pitch, were given a rapid start by David Lloyd and Fakhar Zaman with the pair ending the powerplay on 59 for without loss.
The partnership was broken in the ninth over when Lloyd, who had scored 35, attempted to pull Benny Howell to midwicket but got a leading edge where Klinger held on to a swirling catch at extra cover.
Glamorgan were 81 for one at the halfway stage, and in the next over Zaman reached fifty from 37 balls which included a six and eight fours.
However, in the following over, the Pakistani opener was caught off Higgins on the long-on boundary for 58.
Five runs later, Glamorgan lost their third wicket when Ingram, who scored 12, lofted Tom Smith to the long-off boundary where Cockbain judged the catch perfectly.
With five overs remaining, Glamorgan were 121 for three and Chris Cooke immediately launched Higgins for six and followed up by striking three more maximums off Smith and Howell.
With four balls remaining, Billy Root was run out for 20, then Jeremy Lawlor two deliveries later for two to leave Cooke undefeated on 42 from 21 balls.