Glamorgan still in promotion hunt

Promotion hopefuls Glamorgan moved up to second place in Division Two of the NatWest Pro40 after completing a comprehensive 50-run victory over Derbyshire at the SWALEC Stadium.

The Dragons, who have won five of their eight matches, will now have to sit back and wait to see if other results – notably Yorkshire’s final two games – go their way if they are to win automatic promotion or reach the play-offs.

The Phantoms failed dismally in their bid to chase down 206 to win, managing just 155 for eight, after Jamie Dalrymple (54) and man of the match Mark Wallace (58) had helped Glamorgan recover from 36 for four to make 205 for eight after winning the toss.

Under the floodlights and on a slow pitch, Derbyshire struggled to get anywhere near the required run-rate against the seamers, especially Jason Gillespie and Alex Wharf, before spinners Robert Croft and Dean Cosker turned the screw.

The writing was on the wall when Dan Birch was caught at point off Gillespie in the third over, before Wharf claimed the wickets of Chris Rogers - caught by Wallace from a top edge - and Wavell Hinds, who edged behind.

Jamie Dalrymple helped Glamorgan recover from 36 for four to reach 205 for eight

Eighteen-year-old Dan Redfern did his best to dig in but was trapped leg before by Croft, and in the next over Cosker took a brilliant left-handed catch to remove Greg Smith.

And any hope of Derbyshire making any sort of recovery from 73 for five ended when Tom New was stumped smartly off Croft.

At the start of the match Derbyshire had looked in the driving seat as Glamorgan lost four wickets within the first 10 overs.

But Dalrymple led the Dragons fightback, sharing in stands of 60 in 15 overs with Ben Wright, and 54 with Wallace, who cracked 50 off just 44 balls.

Croft had lasted until the third over before being bowled by Ian Hunter via a bottom edge, Michael Powell edged White to stand-in skipper Rogers at first slip, Tom Maynard was smartly caught at backward point by Greg Smith, and David Hemp gloved a catch down the leg side.

Dalrymple and Wright set about rebuilding the innings in patient fashion, content initially to push the ones and twos.

When Wright did open his shoulders he was caught on the midwicket boundary by Dan Birch off a Jake Needham long hop.

The in-form Wallace soon adopted some characteristic reverse sweeps and Dalrymple cracked Dan Redfern for a six and a four off consecutive delivery to reach a 78-ball half-century, only to perish next ball, leg before to Wavell Hinds.

Wallace pressed on, lifting Hinds for six to ensure Glamorgan passed 200 before he holed out off the penultimate ball of the innings.