By David Parsons
Colin Ingram will need to tread carefully for Glamorgan as he nurses a caf injury, but he still remains the county’s best hope of batting success in the One-Day Cup.
A century from the South African – despite the injury – guided Glamorgan to a seven-wicket win over Derbyshire in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup match at Derby.
Ingram scored an unbeaten 115 off 108 balls and Kiran Carlson 65 from 52 as Glamorgan chased down Derbyshire’s 298 for 8 with 17 balls to spare.
Billy Root helped seal victory with an unbeaten 34 from 31 balls in a stand of 82 from 76 balls with Ingram who ended the match with a six off Luis Reece.
“I went out there with a clear mind and Kiran played ultra-positively to get us going so I fed off that and played what was in front of me,” said Ingram, who admitted he will miss some games because of the injury.
“It looked like a big total but it was still a good wicket and there were a lot of boundary options, we got the innings flowing and I tried to just steer that on, then Billy came in and hit the ball sweetly.
“Ben Kellaway was bowling to some really good players there and bowled beautifully, the attack in generally dragged us back into the game which was excellent.
“I struggled during the Blast with a bit of a calf strain, it reared its head again today. It’s unlikely I’ll play again this week, hopefully I’ll miss about two games and then be back.”
Get to a Metro Bank 50 over cup match! Derbyshire v Glamorgan about 1000 in attendance. Weather better than forecast!@MattersCounty @dgriffinpix @NotTheHundred @lancscccaction @AnnieChave @FredBoycott @fredfertang @opposethe100 @StuffTheHundred pic.twitter.com/d6QEAWsb87
— Kirk Jones (@CricketAleTrain) August 6, 2023
The home side were on course for a more imposing total after Harry Came with 73 and Reece 69 shared an opening stand of 134.
But Haider Ali’s dismissal for 63 from 50 balls sparked a collapse that saw Derbyshire lose five wickets for 26 runs in six overs and the visitors were always favourites once Ingram and Carlson took control.
It had promised to be a better day for Derbyshire when Reece and Came began to accelerate with Came pulling a free hit from Ben Morris for the first six of the innings in the 11th over.
A scoop over the wicketkeeper took Reece to his 50 from 52 balls but after he was hit on his right elbow by a throw, he scored only four more runs before he came down the pitch and was stumped to give Ben Kellaway his first List A wicket.
Kellaway was involved again when his direct hit from backward point ran out Came and then struck Alex Horton a painful blow on the ankle which left the wicketkeeper requiring treatment before he could continue.
By then, Ali was starting to bruise the bowler’s figures, pulling and driving two big sixes on his way to a 42 ball fifty.
Kellaway was hoisted onto the pavilion roof but after cutting the off-spinner for his fifth four, Ali sliced a big drive and was caught at point.
CRICKET REACTION❗️
Glamorgan reached 299-3 for a 7-wicket win away to Derbyshire in One Day Cup
Colin Ingram’s 115 not out was the match winning innings – he spoke to @BBCSportWales #BBCCricket pic.twitter.com/h5upf2BcyN
— Nick Webb (@nickwebb2017) August 6, 2023
From then on the innings went into decline with Matt Lamb missing an expansive drive and Tom Wood lbw trying to shovel Kiran Carlson through mid-wicket.
Brooke Guest was well caught on the run at mid-wicket and Anuj Dal was bowled attempting to scoop Andy Gorvin.
Derbyshire had fallen well short of what looked likely six overs earlier but some improvisation from Sam Conners and a six by Alex Thomson off the final ball of the innings took them to their highest Lisa A score against Glamorgan.
The visitors established a solid base but after Tom Bevan drove a Nick Potts no ball for four and pulled the free hit for six, both openers went in consecutive overs.
Bevan skied Dal to deep mid-wicket and Eddie Byrom was caught behind trying to steer Potts to third man.
But Ingram and Carlson kept Glamorgan ahead of the required rate and after a short rain break, Ingram carved Conners over cover for six to take his side to 142 for 2 at the halfway point.
Carlson pulled Wood for six to reach 50 from 40 balls but when he tried to sweep Thomson, he got a top edge and was caught at short fine leg.
But Ingram made sure there was no late drama as he and Root secured Glamorgan’s first victory in the competition to send Derbyshire sliding to a second defeat.
!!
A stunning run chase, led by Colin Ingram (115*), as we chase down 299 with 17 balls to spare to win by 7⃣ wickets
Simply brilliant from #Kingram today and he secures the victory with a 6⃣! #OhGlammyGlammy | #DERvGLAM pic.twitter.com/nSSEpV3N30
— Glamorgan Cricket (@GlamCricket) August 6, 2023