By Edward Hall
April 29 2002

Glamorgan lost their opening Benson and Hedges Cup group match at Northampton by 8 wickets. They were bowled all out just 122, gifting Northamptonshire’s talented batsmen the chance for some batting practice as they reached the target with 8 wickets and almost 24 overs to spare. This defeat, despite the wonderful performances late last season in the National League, evokes memories of last season’s dreadful B&H Cup campaign, when the team lost every group match. Glamorgan’s last win in this competition came in the semi-final against Surrey in 2000, and the form shown today does not suggest that a win will come in their next game against Somerset at Taunton.

Put into bat after a slight delay at the start, Glamorgan started fairly well. Openers David Hemp and Keith Newell put on 20 fairly quickly before Hemp fell to Ben Phillips. Robert Croft played an entertaining innings of 33 of 24 balls, but he could not convert it into a telling contribution. Matt Maynard also chipped in with 32, but the wickets that fell at the other end told an all too regular story. At 105 for 4, with Maynard and Michael Powell at the crease, it looked like a target of over 200 could be set, but Tony Penberthy chipped in with 3 quick wickets as the innings quickly subsided with only 122 on the board.

Glamorgan needed quick wickets from their new ball pair of Michael Kasprowicz and Owen Parkin (strangely promoted above Andrew Davies for this game). Although Kasprowicz picked up his first wicket for Glamorgan, when he trapped Graeme Swann in front for 7, the next wicket did not fall until Hussey and Loye had taken the score to 70, by which time the game was all but over. Loye, finishing on 53, and a fit again David Sales took Northants past the winning line. Of the bowling, Kasprowicz and Parkin were fairly economical, but Thomas and Jones were too expensive. Keith Newell was the bowler to pick up Hussey, caught at the wicket by Maynard.

This defeat is certainly in keeping with last season’s start to the season, and if the team are not careful, could face finishing bottom of this group again.