Allenby fifty sets up Glamorgan win
Jim Allenby produced a match-winning performance as Glamorgan opened their Friends Provident t20 campaign with a six-wicket victory
Cricinfo staff
05-Jun-2010
Jim Allenby produced a match-winning performance as Glamorgan opened their Friends Provident t20 campaign with a six-wicket victory over Gloucestershire in Cardiff. In front of a crowd of 7,424 Allenby recorded figures of 3 for 23 in four overs to help restrict Gloucestershire to 148 for 6 from their 20 overs. He followed that up with 54 from 44 balls as Glamorgan won the clash with five balls to spare.
Gloucestershire, who won the toss, got off to an encouraging start and reached 50 for 1 in the first six overs - losing just Will Porterfield to Shaun Tait, who celebrated his Glamorgan debut with a wicket from his fourth ball. But the home side fought back impressively through veteran Robert Croft, who proved he had lost none of his guile as a one-day offspinner, and Allenby.
Croft disposed of Gloucestershire captain Alex Gidman, who had struck James Harris for two fours in an over. James Franklin looked dangerous as he drove slow left-armer Dean Cosker for two sixes over long-on in the space of three balls, but his innings of 42 from 30 balls was ended by Allenby.
Allenby had him caught sharply down the leg side by wicketkeeper Mark Wallace standing up and three balls later Allenby bowled Ian Butler. Two overs later he had Chris Taylor caught at deep backward square by Tait as Gloucestershire's runs started to dry up.
Hamish Marshall was the visitors' last chance of posting a really competitive score but he was out in the 16th over, holing out to Croft on the long-off boundary.
In reply, Glamorgan lost Mark Cosgrove in only the second over but Allenby nursed captain Jamie Dalrymple, who could only score 21 from 32 balls, through a second-wicket partnership worth 66 in 11 overs.
Tom Maynard only lasted an over and Allenby was out two overs later, attempting a reverse sweep to Vikram Banerjee. It was left to Gareth Rees and David Brown, the former Gloucestershire allrounder, with 35 needed from the final four overs. Brown survived a dropped catch by Chris Taylor to hit Butler over long-on for six to leave Glamorgan needing just two from the final over, which they achieved with ease.