Disappointment on day four at Glamorgan
An improbable century partnership from Sean Dickson and Ryan Hadley saw Glamorgan pull off a nail-biting two-wicket win on day four at Sophia Gardens despite Somerset’s late comeback.
Glamorgan followed up their win against Hampshire, already bettering their one-win season over two decades ago. Dickson scored 76 to take the sting out of the bowlers’ onslaught which reduced Glamorgan from 81 for 0 to 134 for five late on day three.
Ryan Hadley’s nightwatch effort consisted of 231 balls for his maiden half-century brought up with a straight drive to win the game as he played a key role in the 143 needed with five wickets in hand ahead of the day’s play.
In Glamorgan’s crawling effort, Dickson and Hadley resumed on the day four morning, fully aware of the difficulties ahead of them given the metronomic spells from the four-strong seam attack late on day three to swing the game in Somerset’s favour.
Hadley’s two from 26 gradually became a best for balls faced in his career, which previously sat at just 54 (250 balls for his entire First Class career before this game) when playing a nightwatcher role in the Sheffield Shield. By lunch he had crept over his best by runs scored (previously 15 not out). The usual number 11 had two reprieves in the form of dropped catches, one before lunch and one after, to allow the hosts a wicketless first session.
Just 62 runs came from 30 overs before lunch which came timely for Glamorgan, Jack Leach’s sole over starting at 12:56 (the 86th over of the innings) saw Hadley bamboozled for how to survive.
Dickson found a third half-century in as many games by flicking a boundary through midwicket against his former side.
A bizarre scenario saw Somerset celebrating as umpire Paul Pollard looked to give Hadley out lbw, only for him to be adjusting his hat to deny Somerset the breakthrough.
The eventual breakthroughs of hope came too little too late for Somerset when Dickson, Chris Cooke and Timm van der Gugten were all trapped in front with 35, 28 and 13 needed respectively.
The nervous moments were quickly rescinded by the comfort shown at the crease by the ever-present Hadley who shone under enormous pressure.
