Turns out that Karl Marx was more or less right. Perhaps not in terms of his political ideology, because that’s hardly proved to be a great success, but the German’s assertion that “history repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce” is an indisputable truth oft observed. If there was a script for this type of thing, it would be reminiscent of an Alfred Hitchcock horror; blood curdling screams and screeching violins wafting persistently into the Glamorgan Dragons dressing room. Just one more wicket. JUST ONE MORE WICKET.
Admittedly, this time it was a lot closer against Gloucestershire as the game meandered towards an absorbing, thrilling climax on a mild Saturday evening in the ‘Diff. Despite a battling performance by William Porterfield and Alex Gidman, the spin twins of Jamie Dalrymple and Robert Croft hacked it back to set up a tense final handful of overs. Three misplace deliveries would have squared the scores; one wicket would have secured a vital win for the Dragons in the promotion place.
Neither could force the outcome, and it appeared with that had gone the promotion bid for both teams. But the league table works in mysterious ways it seems. Fact is that the Dragons have the edge over Derbyshire, who play Essex next. Glamorgan go to a struggling Surrey team, while Northants take on Leicestershire. Who goes (up)? You decide. As for Gloucestershire, it appears that they have come to the end of the line as they head into their final showdown with Kent. But don’t write it off just yet…
Hells bells!
16-19 September @ SWALEC Stadium, Cardiff
Liverpool Victoria County Championship Division Two
Glamorgan 410 and 169-8
Gloucestershire 268 and 281-9
Match drawn
