A stunning 95 from 48 balls from youngster Daniel Lategan saw Worcestershire Rapids 2nd XI defend 200 against Glamorgan in their return to T20 action on Wednesday.
Worcestershire’s 2nd XI returned to action on Wednesday, as they welcomed Glamorgan 2nd XI to Ombersley Cricket Club.
A strong side was named, with plenty of first-team regulars involved in the match, including a return to action for Club Captain Brett D’Oliveira.
His return did not go as he would have liked however, as he opened proceedings with Ed Pollock, and was dismissed with the first ball he faced without scoring.
Pollock (6) followed shortly after, as did Rob Jones (5) when he was caught, leaving the Rapids 23-3.
Youngsters Daniel Lategan and Henry Cullen came together for the hosts, as they put on a quite sensational display of ball-striking, going on to occupy the crease for 15 overs and add 162 runs in that time.
Lategan, a name who is well known to those in and around the Worcestershire set-up, blitzed the Glamorgan bowlers to all parts of the ground, in a brutal display of his power hitting, reaching 50 off just 24 balls.
Cullen, another young prodigy earmarked by the senior staff at the club, ensured his remarkable form this season went on, as he joined Lategan in reaching a half-century, with nine-fours coming from his 36-ball cameo.
The pair went on in eye-catching fashion, raising their 100 and 150 partnership in the process.
It wasn’t until Henry Cullen was dismissed for 69, that the fourth-wicket stand was broken, while Lategan continue to plunder his way towards a seemingly inevitable ton.
In heart breaking fashion, the youngster was caught out on 95, after gloving a short-ball down the legside in the 19th over.
Some bits and pieces later down the order, saw Glamorgan require 201 for victory.
That quickly looked like a long way in the distance for the visitors, as they fell to 13-3 inside two overs – courtesy of a Ben Gibbon wicket and two more from Yadvinder Singh in an excellent opening passage for the Rapids.
The powerplay was exemplary from Worcestershire’s bowlers, as Harry Darley (1-29) picked up a fourth Glamorgan wicket, before Gibbon returned to claim his second and reduce their opponents to 34-5.
Billy Root threw the kitchen sink at Worcestershire, but even his 102 could not dig Glamorgan out of the hole they had earlier found themselves in.
Gibbon (3-36) had the most productive afternoon with the ball, while Fateh Singh helped himself to one late on, as Worcestershire held on to win by 10 runs in the end.
