Glamorgan advanced to the One-Day Cup final after a spirited 39-run victory against Warwickshire, driven by Dan Douthwaite's unbeaten 55 and key contributions with the ball.
After struggling at 44-4 in the 15th over, Glamorgan recovered to post a total of 247-9, thanks to Douthwaite’s late blitz and contributions from Colin Ingram and Billy Root. Warwickshire captain Ed Barnard had initially put Glamorgan on the back foot by claiming the first four wickets, but the home side fought back.
Glamorgan’s bowlers then applied relentless pressure on Warwickshire, but Michael Burgess kept the visitors in contention with a determined 85 off 94 balls. However, the Bears found themselves with too much to do as Glamorgan sealed the win to the delight of the Sophia Gardens crowd.
Barnard had set the tone early for Warwickshire’s depleted side, exploiting enough movement to take the edge of the bat, reducing Glamorgan to 44-4 with three catches snapped up by Rob Yates. Although Yates dropped a chance to dismiss Ingram early, the South African’s 47 off 53 balls helped stabilise the innings.
Glamorgan struggled to accelerate during the middle overs, as Barnard’s fellow seamers Olly Hannon-Dalby (1-46) and Michael Rae (2-35) bowled with discipline. However, valuable runs from Ben Kellaway (23) and Timm van der Gugten (26) set the stage for Douthwaite’s explosive finish, as he smashed four sixes in the final two overs, giving Glamorgan momentum.
That momentum carried into Warwickshire’s innings, with Van der Gugten and Jamie McIlroy each taking two wickets to leave the Bears reeling at 37-4. As the pitch began to deteriorate, Glamorgan’s bowlers tightened their grip, with Douthwaite claiming two middle-order scalps. Teenager Kai Smith, who had heroically scored 130 not out in the quarter-final, was unable to replicate his performance.
Despite the challenging situation, Burgess revived Warwickshire’s hopes by cautiously reaching 50 and then smashing three consecutive sixes. He dominated an 87-run partnership with Jake Lintott, briefly reigniting Warwickshire’s chances.
However, the task proved too daunting as Burgess was caught by Douthwaite off McIlroy, and Lintott (26) top-edged a reverse sweep off Kellaway. Michael Booth added a late 35, but it was fitting that Douthwaite took the final catch, securing Glamorgan’s place in the final at Trent Bridge, where they had previously won the trophy in 2021.