ESS vs GLM 35th Match, T20 Blast 2022

Akshaya: Earlier, Glamorgan won the toss and opted to field first. William Buttleman and Adam Rossington came out to open for Essex Eagles. Michael Hogan and Michael Neser did the damage as they set the match up for Glamorgan in the powerplay itself. Essex lost three wickets inside the first six overs and the scoreboard wasn’t moving either. 

With this they were always chasing the game as they found themselves behind the eight-ball. Matthew Critchley did find some timing and scored a very important 26-ball 38, including three fours and a couple of maximums.

But after a 58-run stand for the fourth wicket (between Paul Walter (20 off 24) and Critchley), again another collapse in the middle and lower order saw Essex finishing on a below par total. 
 
In the end some finishing touches were given by their lower order batter Tom Westley (23* off 20) ensured that Essex finished in excess of 100 runs on the board. Eventually, Essex Eagles posted 113/9 in their allotted 20-overs.

For Glamorgan, Michael Hogan (4-0-21-3) and Michael Neser (4-0-13-3) set up the game by picking three wickets apiece. Daniel Douthwaite did well by scalping a couple of wickets in support to his main pacers.

Arya- It was never going to be a tall ask for Glamorgan to chase down a below-par 114 in their allotted 20 overs. However for Essex to be in the game, they needed early wickets to put any sort of pressure on Glamorgan. Daniel Sams who was part of the Mumbai Indians unit during the recently concluded IPL provided an early breakthrough when David Llyod flicked one good-length delivery on the pads straight down the throat of the deep backward square leg fielder. 

Out came Marnus Labuschagne to join Sam Northeast in the middle. He began with some delightful drives and cuts and settled the nerves which were built after the first wicket. Both the batters were looking at complete ease and the Essex bowlers were finding it very difficult to contain their run-flow in the middle overs. A 43 runs partnership came to an end when a misunderstanding in the middle cost Labuschagne his wicket. He just failed to make his ground by the barest of margins. 

The next man in to join Northeast was Kiran Carlson who batted sensibly in the presence of Northeast. The latter managed to find the boundaries at crucial junctures and never allowed the required rate to creep up. Carlson struck a four and a six before eventually departing of the bowling of Matthew Critchley. He came dancing down the track and the leg spinner fizzed past him and the wicket-keeper did the rest. 

There were some quick runs scored by Northeast to settle the nerves as the spin duo of Critchley and Simon Harmer bowled well in tandem. However, the target was way too less and they required wickets at regular intervals to keep their slim hopes alive in the game. Cooke was the next man in. He lost Northeast at the other end as he chopped one straight onto his stumps. 

Douthwaite was the next man in and it was evident that he was suffering from cramps. He couldn't walk properly and hence decided to take on the Essex bowlers straightaway. He smashed a six and a four of the last two deliveries of the 16th over to settle the nerves. In the end it was Chris Cooke who smashed a couple of lusty blows of Daniel Sams to see his side over the line.