After running the rule over the Outlaws’ YB40 campaign and their semi-final victims Somerset, it seems only fitting to give Glamorgan the same treatment ahead of the Lord’s showpiece this Saturday.
The Welsh side surprised everyone when sealing their place in the final with some style, beating Hampshire by 31 runs in the first semi-final.
Through the group stages, Glamorgan notched up eight wins, but showed some signs of frailty. Gloucestershire beat them home and away, and Somerset secured a three-wicket win in Taunton earlier in the season. Only one of their matches fell foul of the weather, their fixture against Unicorns abandoned without a ball being bowled.
To many, the players that have pulled, cut, seamed and spun Glamorgan to the final will be relative unknowns, so here are the numbers behind their passage to Lord's.
Jim Allenby’s exploits against Hampshire have seen him identified by many as the key man behind Glamorgan’s successes, and he has been a vital performer through the campaign. He currently has 420 YB40 runs to his name, coming at an average of more than 40 and his notable scores include an 85 alongside the unbeaten 71 that saw off Hampshire.
If his batting statistics weren’t enough, Allenby has proven crucial to Glamorgan with the ball too. He has taken 12 YB40 wickets at an average of 33.41, his best figures of 3-37 coming against Leicestershire.
Australian Michael Hogan has topped the YB40 bowling honours for the South-Waleans. At present he has 26 wickets to his name and has taken 4-fers twice in the tournament so far. His best stands at 4-34 that he took against Somerset, and he proved he’s equally at home in the high pressure of big matches, taking 4-51 in Glamorgan’s semi-final.
Graham Wagg is the only other Glamorgan bowler to take four wickets in an innings, when he saw off Unicorns with a dangerous spell that yielded 4-51.
He has also proven his worth when called on in the tail, his quick fire 31 off 17 balls against Yorkshire sealing Glamorgan’s passage to the semi-finals.
Captain Mark Wallace has impressed both in front of and behind the stumps. In this summer’s YB40 campaign he has scored 435 runs at an average of 39.54, including an impressive 118* in Glamorgan’s loss against Gloucestershire in Cardiff. Only one man, Chris Cooke, has reached 500 runs, while Jim Allenby is the only other to pass 400.
That isn’t to say that there won’t be danger for the Outlaws elsewhere, with Ben Wright’s ability to finish innings giving him an impressive average of 82.5. Of his seven appearances with the bat, he finished not out five times.
An interesting spectacle, to be sure, and Glamorgan’s statistics and performances highlight that their appearance in the final is no freak. The Outlaws will have to perform well to beat their opponents and secure the silverware they so desperately crave.
Notts Outlaws face Glamorgan in the final of the Yorkshire Bank 40 this Saturday at Lord’s, with play starting at 11.30.
Click here to buy ticket from the Lord’s ticket office.