Essex v Glamorgan
Vitality Blast
The Cloud County Ground, Chelmsford
Team News:
Essex: Feroze Khushi, Robin Das, Michael Pepper, Paul Walter, Matt Critchley, Josh Rymell, Daniel Sams, Will Buttleman (wk), Simon Harmer (c), Shane Snater, Sam Cook.
Glamorgan: Kiran Carlson (c), Sam Northeast, Callum Taylor, Colin Ingram, Chris Cooke (wk), Billy Root, Zain-ul-Hassan, Timm van der Gugten, Ruaidri Smith, Peter Hatzoglou, Jamie McIlroy.
Match Details:
Umpires: Ben Debenham & Chris Watt
Match Referee: Devon Malcolm
Toss: Essex won and elected to bowl
Result: Essex won by 4 wickets
Scorecard: View Here
Match Highlights:
Match Reaction: Feroze Khushi
Match Report:
Feroze Khushi struck a wonderful half-century as Essex made it four wins in a row in the Vitality Blast, beating Glamorgan by four wickets at Chelmsford.
Academy graduate Khushi crashed a 37-ball 61 as Essex comfortably chased down 175, despite losing three early wickets thanks to Jamie McIlroy’s four for 36.
Khushi showed more of his incredible promise with four huge sixes, the biggest of which flew high and long into the River Can.
Paul Walter continued his fine form against Glamorgan with 43, before Matt Critchley and Daniel Sams saw off most the remaining runs with 24 balls to spare.
Having been stuck in on a fresh pitch, Kiran Carlson got the visitors off to a flyer with 43 off 25 balls, which included a straight six off Daniel Sams and a swatted pull maximum off Sam Cook.
Sam Northeast, who had earlier received a life, was the first of three catches for Paul Walter at long-on – with Colin Ingram and Chris Cooke also picking out the tallest man on the field– as Glamorgan reached 55 in the powerplay.
Glamorgan’s good start was dented by Ingram and Carlson falling in successive overs as Essex claimed control of the middle overs to have Glamorgan 122 for four after 15 overs – with Cooke falling to Harmer.
Matt Critchley lured Billy Root to swing to wide long on but Timm van der Gugten smashed Harmer for two sixes in an 18 run over to push Glamorgan closer towards par.
Van der Gugten was eventually run out in the final over after a brutal 14-ball 33 as Glamorgan ended up on 175 for six – with Sams and Critchley both boasting economical figures of one for 20 to keep the total narrowly in the Eagles’ favour.
Essex’s aggressive approach initially faultered with two wickets going down in the first over.
Robin Das hit his first ball to deep square leg and Michael Pepper ramped the next ball behind. Jamie McIlroy couldn’t get a hat-trick but Josh Rymell chipped to mid on in the left-armer’s following over.
Khushi didn’t let the wickets slow him down, pinging three sixes in the first three overs as he had 33 off his first 11 balls, although took fewer risks to reach his third half-century in 29 balls.
Paul Walter joined Khushi and the pair found a nice rhythm in a 80-run stand in 47 balls.
Walter had scored 58 and 78 in his previous two innings against Glamorgan, he struck 42 before his fourth attempt at a six top-edged to short third.
Khushi was sensationally caught and bowled by van der Gugten five balls later to leave 59 off 51 balls.
But Sams and Critchley made sure the result wasn’t in danger, with the former boshing 41 off 16 – Essex scoring 57 off the last 24 balls they faced.
