In a rain-affected encounter at Bristol, Colin Ingram’s steadfast performance led Glamorgan to a hard-fought draw against Gloucestershire in their latest County Championship fixture. Gloucestershire had set an overwhelming first-innings target of 546 to chase down. Glamorgan came back from a dire position and declared at 288-4 in their second south Wales innings, denying their compatriots a victory that looked possible.
The match unfolded dramatically, with Gloucestershire’s Cameron Bancroft scoring an impressive 163 runs and contributing significantly to his team’s commanding position. Ollie Price played a significant innings, scoring 101 runs and with Tom Hammond scoring 54 runs on the side. For Glamorgan, David Leonard was the most successful bowler with 3 for 122.
Glamorgan began the fourth day trailing by 55 runs at 106-0 but lost three quick wickets as Matt Taylor struck early, leaving them three down within the first five overs. Ingram’s will was undeniable even with the break down. His knock of 77 not out was impressive in its toughness, and he shared a vital 4th-wicket stand of 117 with Kiran Carlson, who made 55. Their efforts went a long way to reach a point of stabilizing the innings further and putting Glamorgan into a position to save a draw.
Bancroft indicated that he was very pleased with his side’s performance in the face of the draw.
“It was really exciting and a privilege to lead the side out, Graeme (van Buuren) has done an awesome job so it’s about continuing that and I enjoyed it out there.” – Cameron Bancroft
Glamorgan were under severe pressure early on after only mustering 385 in the first knock. Sportstarlive Ingram’s effort was exceptional as she brought up her century of 103 runs in just 52 balls. His performance with both bat and ball was key for Glamorgan, as they toiled with ball in hand during the first innings.
Richard Dawson, head coach of Gloucestershire, acknowledged the commitment of his side, adding,
“What we have done is show character with the bat; we were under pressure after that first innings, but it was tough to bowl on and create chances.” – Richard Dawson
Glamorgan’s solid batting display reduced Gloucestershire’s hopes of achieving their first championship win in Bristol since September 2022. Even so, Bancroft didn’t shy away from the challenges his administration’s team members were up against.
“Today we talked about game management; when those three wickets went down we rebuilt with Kiran and Colin and they put us in a decent position, then Ben Kellaway batted really nicely.” – Richard Dawson
In light of the bad bowling conditions, Dawson commended his bowlers’ performances.
We asked for his composure under pressure and he’d delivered – that really seemed to strike a chord in the Glamorgan camp. His performance between the sticks earned the home side a hard-fought draw. Yet it underscored his leadership qualities in the game’s decisive moments.
“It’s hard considering the options, but we felt the best way to win the game was to try to hopefully make some quick inroads by continuing to bowl (enforcing the follow-on), and we gave absolutely everything.” – Cameron Bancroft
In response to the challenging bowling conditions, Dawson praised his bowlers for their efforts.
“The way Zaman (Akhter), Ajeet, Matt Taylor, Tom Price charged in, our effort was phenomenal and our spinners tried hard. We were well on top of the game and that’s the positive.” – Cameron Bancroft
Ingram’s ability to remain calm under pressure resonated within the Glamorgan camp. His performance not only aided in achieving a draw but also showcased his leadership qualities during critical moments of the match.
“I just went out and looked to score; Ollie played beautifully out there and Miles kept things going forward so we set ourselves up for a chance to win this game and that’s all you can ask for.” – Cameron Bancroft
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