Morgan century leaves Mitchell reeling in defeat
Worcestershire 163 & 393 lost to Glamorgan 280 & 278-5 by 5 wickets
DARYL Mitchell admits to feeling “hurt” when Worcestershire lose – but that didn’t worry Glamorgan’s record-breaker Owen Morgan.
He became the first nightwatchman to score a century for the Welsh county, who sealed only their second County Championship win of the season with a well-earned fivewicket success at New Road.
The Swansea-born 22-year-old made 103 not out as his side stormed to their 277-run target with almost 18 overs to spare.
“Not in my wildest imagination did I think I’d be there at the end,” he said after hitting the winning boundary in a victory which put a big dent in Worcestershire’s fading promotion hopes.
Glamorgan’s win, which lifted them clear of the foot of the table, was particularly disappointing for New Road skipper Mitchell, who has struggled to click into consistent run-scoring form in the Championship this summer.
He said: “Any game, whether it’s white ball or red-ball cricket, it hurts to lose. But as captain I think, obviously, that the result is more important than your own form.
“Since taking over the captaincy I think the highs are probably higher. You get a real buzz from winning games, perhaps slightly more than if you’re just in the ranks. But, on the flip side of that, the lows are lower.
“There are always questions of ‘what more could I have done’; what bowling changes could I have made; what different fields could I have set and how better could I have influenced the game. So, you’re always questioning yourself and it does hurt whenever you lose a game of cricket.”
Opener Mitchell, who is in his benefit year at New Road, accepts his tally of Championship runs this season is below-par. The 32-yearold adding: “I’d have liked to have scored a lot more runs in red-ball cricket in particular, but you’re busy, you’re flat out and there may be the odd distraction, but I’m not one to make excuses. I think my form has been down to some poor decisions when batting.
“Fortunately, for the majority of the time this year my runs haven’t necessarily been needed too much. Obviously, with Dolly (Brett D’Oliveira) bursting onto the scene as an opener this year has been fantastic and he’s got my runs for me really at the top. He’s been brilliant and Joe Clarke, Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Tom Fell have been churning out runs as well. So, the lads, as a group, have done reasonably well.”
After 15 wickets fell during the opening day, Glamorgan began day two on 118-5 in reply to the hosts’ 163 off 57.4 overs.
Will Bragg, 75 overnight, fell just two runs shots of what would have been his third Championship century of the season. His side’s fortunes were then boosted by a stand of 75 between Graham Wagg (46) and Mark Wallace (67 not out). Despite a five-wicket haul by Joe Leach, their efforts helped the visitors make 280 off 77.2 overs – a lead of 117.
Worcestershire revived their hopes with a 96-run stand for the third wicket between Fell (65) and Clarke (98).
Clarke, the victim of a brilliant catch on the boundary by Lukas Carey, put on 104 with Ross Whiteley (37) before both batsmen were dismissed in successive deliveries from Wagg, who finished with 5-90 – his first five-wicket haul of the season.
Worcestershire were all out for 393 after a fine 65 not out by Leach; wicketkeeper Mark Wallace equaled Glamorgan’s own record for the most dismissals in a match – nine. It is a record he already jointly shares with Colin Metson.
The visitors, who resumed their victory chase on 16-1 on the final day, reached their target after Morgan had beaten the previous highest score for a Glamorgan nightwatchman which was Metson’s 84 against Kent at Maidstone in 1991.