Watch: Australian batter Marnus Labuschagne turned out to be a surprise star with the ball in the T20 Blast on Friday, as he took 5-11 for Glamorgan against Somerset.
The two sides faced off in their final league match of the season, in Cardiff. Glamorgan knew they could not qualify for the quarterfinals even with a win, while Somerset needed victory to ensure qualification as one of the top four sides in the South Group of the Blast.
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Glamorgan captain Kiran Carlson called the coin toss correctly, and chose to bat first. Carlson himself was the star, as he smashed 135 from just 64 balls, and put on 169 for the first wicket with Will Smale (59). They eventually scored a mammoth 243-4. Despite a fast start from Somerset, Glamorgan stemmed the flow of runs with regular wickets, reducing the chasing side to 90-5 in 8.4 overs.
Kavem Hodge, who made his first-class debut in 2012, scored his maiden Test hundred at Trent Bridge.
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) July 20, 2024
While it is a vindication of the years of toil, his knock is also of significance to the potential revival of West Indies cricket.
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READ: https://t.co/92QBKHvuDC pic.twitter.com/daTrjot8HT
Marnus Labuschagne came into the attack to bowl his part-time leg spin in the 10th over of the innings. He struck with the final ball of his first over, as Lewis Gregory pulled a long hop into the deep, only for Thomas Bevan to take a superb catch.
In the 12th over, Labuschagne struck with his first ball as Ben Green dragged a flighted delivery back onto the stumps. Three deliveries later, a beautiful leg-break hit the top of off to bowl Riley Meredith and the over was rounded off with another peach to knock over Jack Leach.
The third ball of Labuschagne's third over yielded a fifth wicket, as Jake Ball attempted a cut shot only to see his stumps rattled.
Labuschagne's 5-11 were the best T20 figures in Glamorgan's history, and it was his first-ever five-for at any level of cricket.
Watch Marnus Labuschagne take five wickets in ten balls for Glamorgan here
A spell of leg-spin that would make 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐞 proud! ✨@marnus3cricket’s club record 5-11 helped Glamorgan end their campaign with a big win over Somerset. 🔥
— FanCode (@FanCode) July 20, 2024
Catch all the #VitalityBlast action on #FanCode pic.twitter.com/i2QQaaVLn1
Marnus Labuschagne finished with figures of 5-11 against Somerset 🤯
— Vitality Blast (@VitalityBlast) July 20, 2024
These are the best bowling figures recorded by a Glamorgan player in the Vitality Blast! pic.twitter.com/vUDtm60ScQ
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