Warwickshire 331 for 7 (Yates 102, Barnard 79, Kellaway 3-56) Glamorgan 307 for x (Northeast 69, Kellaway 67, Carlson 61, Root 56, Hannon-Dalby 4-43) by 24 runs
When Kellaway was the last man out, caught on the boundary off Barnard, they fell 24 runs short with 17 balls remaining. Half-centuries by Kiran Carlson, Sam Northeast and Billy Root were also in vain.
Warwickshire’s imposing score was built on the foundations laid by the opening partnership of Yates and Barnard, which fell just one run short of a record opening partnership for Warwickshire in all List A cricket. Needless to say it was a record opening partnership against Glamorgan, with Barnard the more aggressive of the two early on though Yates caught him up and went past his partner.
Their steady progress went up a gear when Glamorgan captain Carlson brought himself on as his first two overs were expensive. Carlson continued to ring the changes in his bowling attack as he searched for a breakthrough, but Barnard and Yates continued their serene progress taking advantage of the short Neath boundaries.
Zain-ul-Hassan was the bowler who eventually made the breakthrough when Barnard was caught by van der Gugten for 79 off 88 balls. That sparked a bit of a mini collapse as Michael Burgess went for just 7 and then there was the big wicket of Yates for 102 off 114 balls, all in a three-over period for just seven runs.
Will Rhodes was the common denominator as Warwickshire bounced back from that minor setback, but more of the aggression was coming from the other end. Brookes got 38 off 25, Hamza Shaikh 21 off 10, as Warwickshire plundered 129 from the final 14 overs. Rhodes was out just before the close for 44 off 45 balls.
Teenager Kellaway continued his promising introduction to List A cricket with 3 for 56 off his seven overs, while Zain and Andy Gorvin both took two wickets.
Glamorgan’s innings could not have got off to a much worse start with openers Thomas Bevan and Eddie Byrom both falling early to Oliver Hannon-Dalby as the opening bowler used his height to cause problems.
That brought Carlson and Sam Northeast to the crease and their partnership was always likely to be central to Glamorgan’s hopes. Carlson showed his intent from the start, racing to his half-century off just 33 balls. Glamorgan’s hundred came up in the 15th over. When Carlson fell for 61 it came a little out of the blue as Craig Miles got some movement away and keeper Burgess dived to take the low catch.
Northeast and Root made steady progress to 181 off 31 overs, but the return of 6ft 8in Hannon-Dalby saw the end of the former aiming over square leg as the extra bounce meant a top edge to fine leg. Root struck an assured 56, but the impetus was provided by Kellaway who launched a series of fours and sixes to put his team ahead of the run rate. He brought up an excellent half-century off 26 balls, with four sixes.
Wicketkeeper Alex Horton looked good for a quickfire 14, and it took a world-class catch diving on the boundary by Brookes to dismiss him. Van der Gugten came and went to that controversial dismissal, but there was no doubt about Gorvin being clean bowled to give Hannan-Dalby his fourth wicket.
