Wallace assault sinks Leicestershire

Mark Wallace steered Glamorgan to a remarkable NatWest Pro40 Division Two victory over Leicestershire at Colwyn Bay with a six off the penultimate ball.

Set 292 to win, Glamorgan looked certain to slide to defeat when Wallace came to the middle they needed 64 from the last five overs.

The wicketkeeper reduced the requirement to 24 from the final two overs and then 17 from the last six balls.

He struck a four and two sixes from balls three, four and five, finishing with 48 not out from 17 balls with four sixes and five fours in total as Glamorgan triumphed by four wickets.

It was a stunning reply which leaves Leicestershire still looking for their first win in four Pro40 outings. Glamorgan have now won two of their first three matches.

The Glamorgan win rather took the shine off Leicestershire's own batting efforts, which saw Jacques du Toit register his maiden one-day century - 144 from 119 balls with five sixes and 14 fours.

Mark Wallace crafted an unlikely Glamorgan victory with 48 not out off just 17 deliveries

With his fellow South African Dillon du Preez, he shared in a partnership of 97 in just 46 balls, with 84 coming from the final five overs of the Leicestershire innings.

The Foxes raced to 101 for one in the opening 15 overs as the Glamorgan seamers struggled to restrain the openers, especially Matthew Boyce, who made 43 from 44 balls.

Boyce's attacking approach ended when he tried to crash Alex Wharf, who went for 31 from his opening three overs, over the infield only to be caught at mid-off.

But from 70 for one du Toit took up the cudgel and guided Leicestershire to a challenging total.

On the way he lost Boeta Dippenaar and Leicestershire captain Paul Nixon, who were bowled via an inside edge by Jamie Dalrymple and Wharf respectively.

Du Toit reached his half-century from 49 balls and his century from exactly 100 balls with three sixes and eight fours, but not before he lost Jim Allenby, who was dismissed by Dalrymple, caught by Jason Gillespie running in from short third man.

Du Preez, fresh from 107 off 65 balls against Yorkshire last week, struck Dalrymple for two consecutive sixes - one which dislodged a couple of roof tiles from a house across the road from the Rhos-on-Sea ground. All du Preez's six boundaries were sixes.

Glamorgan started their innings needing 7.3 runs an over and the rate gradually increased despite David Hemp setting a useful platform at the top of the innings with 43 from 44 balls.

Michael Powell (81 from 77 balls) and a skilful 45 from 29 balls by Ben Wright set up Wallace's final victory assault.