Glamorgan v Nottinghamshire, County Championship Division 2, Cardiff, 19-22/05/17

Glamorgan produced an incredible last day rearguard to salvage an unlikely draw against a powerful Nottinghamshire outfit at the SWALEC stadium.

For most of the match, Glamorgan were really on the back foot, with Nottinghamshire's 448, featuring centuries from Jake Libby and Rikki Wessels, feeling rather large as the home side stumbled to 187 all out in reply.

With the follow on unsurprisingly enforced, an away victory for the Outlaws seemed nailed on, especially when Glamorgan were 194/5. That, however, was the end of the wickets falling, as Colin Ingram (155 not out) and Chris Cooke (113 not out) batted throughout the final day, as well part of the penultimate day, to frustrate the high flying visitors and deny them victory for the first time this season.

 Cricinfo report and scorecard

The SWALEC Stadium, Cardiff looking great...

...in early summer sunshine

Iron Maiden, Barclaycard Arena, Birmingham, 21/05/17

Once again, the timeless and imperious Iron Maiden delivered a simply stunning set at the Barclaycard Arena in Brimingham, as part of their 2017 'Book Of Souls' world tour.

After nearly 40 years, most of which has been spent of the top of the heavy metal tree, the band show no signs of slowing down and are as magnificent as ever. Loud, proud, fast, exciting, skillful, you run out of adjectives for one of the UK's finest exports of the last decades.

Set List

If Eternity Should Fail

Speed Of Light

Wrathchild

Children Of The Damned

Death Or Glory

The Red And The Black

The Trooper

Powerslave

The Great Unknown

The Book Of Souls

Fear Of The Dark

The Number Of The Beast

Blood Brothers

Wasted Years

There were a few in!

Great seats

The Trooper

These Colours Don't Run

Glamorgan v Kent, RL One Day Cup, Swansea, 14/05/17

Glamorgan brought down the curtain on the group stage of the 2017 Royal London Cup with an invigorating victory by 15 runs over Kent, though sadly it was not enough to get a top three place and progress to the next stage.

On a bright and breezy Sunday in Swansea, the first of 5 days this season at historic St Helens, Glamorgan were invited to bat first and posted 356/7 largely based upon a brilliant 114 from Colin Ingram and a fine 94 from Will Bragg.

In reply, Kent's assault on the target came largely from veteran Darren Stevens, who hit a brilliant 147 off 67 balls including 10 fours and 14 sixes, in one of the most brutal innings seen at the old ground.

David Lloyd was Glamorgan's bowling star with 5 for 53 off his 10 overs. James Tredwell briefly threatened to take the game to the death but ran himself out with only a number 11 for company.

Cricinfo report and scorecard talk about the 697 runs and 35 sixes in more detail.

 

 

Glamorgan v Essex, RL One Day Cup, Cardiff, 07/05/17

Glamorgan won a last ball thriller at the Swalec Stadium to keep their qualification hopes alive in the Royal London One Day Cup, by squeezing out Essex by one run after the visitors had looked nailed on for victory.

After winning the toss and batting first, Glamorgan posted 281/7 off their 50 overs, the bedrock being Colin Ingram with a brilliant 142 and supported by Will Bragg 59 and Kieran Carlson 36.

In reply, Essex were cruising. At one stage they were 214/3, with Chopra (124) and Bopara (58) at the crease with still 8 overs to go. But some fine fielding and determined bowling ensured that the home side took it to the final over, with Essex eventually needing 4 to win off the last ball with the final pair at the crease. Michael Hogan ensured otherwise, and bowled a superb last six balls, including conceding just 2 off the final delivery.

Cricinfo report and scorecard

Glamorgan v Somerset, RL One Day Cup, Cardiff, 05/05/17

Following defeat in their opening Royal London Cup encounter against Surrey, Glamorgan really needed to bounce back against Somerset, but sadly put in a rather limp and lifeless display against Somerset and were soundly beaten by a whopping 170 runs.

Batting first after being inserted, Somerset were ruthless in posting 338/3 off their 50 overs, featuring a superb unbeaten 144 from former Glamorgan man Jim Allenby. He was well supported by Dean Elgar (96) and James Hildreth who hit a breezy 58 not out off just 28 balls.

In reply, Glamorgan were rather pathetic, with only Kieran Carlson offering some hope with 63, as the home side wilted to 168 all out with some 13.2 overs unused.

Cricinfo report and scorecard.

Lanzarote for Easter, 09/04/17 - 23/04/17

A few pics from our Easter holiday at the Apartamentos Panorama in Puerto del Carmen, Lanzarote.