Croft hoping inspired Glam can clinch place
GLAMORGAN coach Robert Croft is hoping their first Championship win of the season can inspire his side to reach the quarter-finals of the NatWest T20 Blast tonight.
The Welsh county secured a welcome four-day victory over Derbyshire at Colwyn Bay this week and now return to the shortest form of the game in a bid to make the last eight.
They take on a Somerset side at the SSE Swalec (7pm) knowing a win will almost certainly guarantee them a place in the quarter finals of the competition as they look to bounce back after T20 defeats to Hampshire and Gloucestershire in recent weeks.
”That win in Colwyn Bay in the four-day game against Derbyshire has given us renewed confidence, and although we know it will be a tough game against Somerset, we will be ready for it,” said Glamorgan head coach Croft.
He has recalled Colin Ingram and Timm van der Gugten to the 13-man squad after they were rested for the Derbyshire game, with Nick Selman also included, but Dean Cosker and Chris Cooke remain sidelined with injuries.
Van der Gugten has been one of the stars of this season’s competition, having has taken 16 wickets in this season’s NatWest T20 Blast – the third-most of any bowler in the country – and the 25-year-old is keen to recapture his best form against Somerset.
“It’s a big game,” he said. “I think if we win, we’re closer to securing a home quarter-final which would be great. I think we’re also expecting a pretty big crowd tomorrow so it’d be great to see the Glamorgan fans come and cheer us on and help us get a win.
Croft’s side are currently four points behind leaders Gloucestershire in the South Group, but they have two games in hand and will end the campaign with two away games against Sussex and Essex next week.
They welcome a Somerset side who have named Sri Lankan batting legend Mahela Jayawardene in their 13-man squad for the trip.
The game sees Matthew Maynard and Jim Allenby returning to face their former club; Maynard in his capacity as Somerset coach, with allrounder Allenby leading the West Country side against the county where he spent six seasons. Somerset are currently rock-bottom of the South Group with three wins from 12 matches. Glamorgan squad: David Lloyd, Mark Wallace, Colin Ingram, Aneurin Donald, Jacques Rudolph, Graham Wagg, Craig Meschede, Andrew Salter, Timm van der Gugten, Michael Hogan, Shaun Tait, Ruaidhri Smith, Nick Selman. Somerset squad: Jim Allenby (c), Mahela Jayawardene, Johann Myburgh, James Hildreth, Peter Trego, Tim Rouse, Roelof van der Merwe, Ryan Davies (wk), Lewis Gregory, Josh Davey, Paul van Meekeren, Max Waller, Ben Green.