SCHOFIELD
HOLDS HIS NERVE TO SEAL THIRD WIN by Marcus Hook
Glamorgan Dragons 223-8 (40 Overs) v Surrey Lions 227-8 (38.4
Overs). Surrey Lions win by 2 wickets.
The Surrey Lions had Chris Schofield to thank for
maintaining their unbeaten start to this summer's Clydesdale Bank
40League. When the former England leg-spinner came to the crease in
the 23rd over of the visitors' reply, the Lions still needed 104
runs for victory with five wickets remaining. But with Schofield
sharing in partnerships of 53 and 33 alongside Gareth Batty and then
Chris Tremlett, Surrey's win over Glamorgan under lights, which was
sealed with eight balls to spare, was made to look relatively easy.
Once again, Rory Hamilton-Brown got his side's
innings off to a positive start. In the first over he despatched Huw
Waters through extra cover for four and in the next drove Will Owen
to the cover point rope off the back foot. In the third over,
however, the Lions' skipper chipped Waters to mid-on, though not
before hitting the ball straight back past the bowler for four.
Mark Ramprakash came out to join Stewart Walters.
Ramprakash announced himself by going down on one knee and smearing
Owen to the cover point boundary. Walters took Surrey past fifty in
the ninth over by cutting David Brown through the off-side, in front
of square for four. But, moments later, the 26-year-old fell leg
before wicket for 18.
In the absence of Steven Davies, who was at Derby
representing the England Lions, it seemed crucial from the visitors'
perspective that Ramprakash and Usman Afzaal forged a strong
alliance for the third wicket. In the 13th over Ramprakash cut Brown
for four. Later in the same over, Afzaal, who made a cautious start,
came to life by punching a free-hit straight down the ground for
six.
But with Afzaal departing in the 16th over,
flashing at Owen to be caught at slip, and Ramprakash being caught
behind off a gloved pull six overs later, the chances of a Lions'
victory looked slim; a view confirmed when Gary Wilson was run out
in the 23rd over and Matthew Spriegel was stumped off Dean Cosker in
the 26th.
With Surrey needing 90 off the last twelve overs,
they suffered yet another set back when Batty pulled a hamstring
taking a quick single to short fine leg. But later in the same over,
Batty - batting with Walters as his runner - pulled Chris Ashling
for a maximum. Two overs later, Schofield pulled Ashling off the
front foot for six before pulling him off the back foot for four.
In the 33rd over, having helped Schofield put on
53 runs in seven overs, Batty was caught by Tom Maynard coming in
off the rope at long-off. But, thanks to Tremlett, Schofield was
able to maintain the momentum. The 31-year-old progressed to a
47-ball half century with some decisive shots through the off-side
before seeing his side home with a cover driven four off Ashling in
the penultimate over.
Earlier, after winning the toss, Glamorgan raced
to 65 without loss in ten overs. In the fifth over, Mark Cosgrove
launched Andre Nel over long-off for six. In the twelfth the portly
Australian brought up his fourth successive fifty in the
competition, off 46 deliveries.
But the Dragons then proceeded to lose their way.
Jim Allenby, who should have been stumped off the bowling of
Spriegel in the eleventh over, departed in the 13th when he
top-edged a slog-sweep to short third man. Two overs later Schofield
struck again when he lured Dalrymple forward.
Cosgrove, clearly troubled by the injury to his
right shoulder, gave it away in the 18th over. Five overs later, Ben
Wright holed out to long-on and in the 28th over Mark Wallace became
Wilson's second stumping victim.
At the end of the 29th over Glamorgan had only
mustered 152-5, but then Maynard helped the hosts regain some of the
initiative. In the 31st over, he pulled Schofield for six before
moving to his half-century, which he brought up three overs later at
exactly a run a ball.
Brown's frustration got the better of him in the
35th over, when he was caught at mid-off. Later in the same over
Maynard lifted Nel over the rope at extra cover for a maximum. But
Nel had the last laugh when the 21-year-old mistimed a pull to
Ramprakash at mid-on two overs later.
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