T20 Blast: Glamorgan claim precious home win over Middlesex

Jacques Rudolph anchored the Glamorgan innings with 60 off 43 balls

Glamorgan claimed a first home T20 Blast win of the season as they held on for a four-run win against Middlesex.

Captain Jacques Rudolph hit 60 off 43 balls as Glamorgan posted 169-5 after winning the toss and choosing to bat.

The total seemed a little short on a fine batting pitch, and Dawid Malan's pugnacious 70 put Middlesex in charge.

But his dismissal sparked a late shift in momentum and Graham Wagg held his nerve to limit the visitors to eight runs in the final over.

The win was Glamorgan's first in the competition since their opening victory away against Surrey, and keeps alive their hopes of reaching the knockout stages.

For Middlesex, meanwhile, this was a second defeat in successive days following their loss against Hampshire on Thursday.

Glamorgan's innings was built on a steady platform set by openers Rudolph and Craig Meschede, nudging their side past 50 before Rudolph accelerated the run-rate with successive switch-hit boundaries off Nathan Sowter's bowling.

The opening stand was broken at 82 as Meschede was stumped from Neil Dexter's first delivery, and Colin Ingram soon followed as his skyward shot off James Franklin was caught by Eoin Morgan.

Rudolph brought up his half-century in 34 balls as he sought to up the ante, though Glamorgan's innings stuttered when the South African was caught by Kyle Abbott off Dexter for 60.

With Ben Wright bowled by England seamer Steve Finn for four, Glamorgan found themselves 123-4 as they entered the final five overs of their innings.

Chris Cooke gave the hosts some much-needed late impetus as he struck successive sixes in the final over to finish 39 not out and guide Glamorgan to 169-5.

They were precious runs on a firm pitch which seemed to favour the batsmen, ominous for the hosts with Middlesex's batting line-up containing the likes of Dawid Malan and England's World Cup skipper Morgan.

Glamorgan did manage a wicket in the fourth over of Middlesex's reply as Wayne Parnell bowled Nick Compton with a fiercely quick delivery.

But Malan was in destructive form from the start, hitting Parnell for three boundaries in one over as the visitors raced beyond the required run-rate.

Joe Burns hit Andrew Salter's first two balls into the River Taff before being bowled by the spinner for 21, leaving Middlesex 74-2 in the seventh over.

That brought Morgan to the crease alongside Malan, though the Middlesex captain was bowled by Dean Cosker for 15.

Middlesex were always in control with Malan at the other end, but their run chase hit a snag when his free-flowing knock came to an end at 70 as he was bowled by Meschede.

When Dexter fell in the same over, caught by Cooke, Glamorgan had renewed hope as they reduced their opponents to 142-5 with three overs left.

Middlesex were perhaps still marginal favourites but, with Wagg and Michael Hogan bowling tightly in the final three overs, Glamorgan snatched an unlikely victory.

Glamorgan squad: Jacques Rudolph (capt), Chris Cooke, Dean Cosker, Michael Hogan, Colin Ingram, David Lloyd, Craig Meschede, Wayne Parnell, Andrew Salter, Ruaidhri Smith, Graham Wagg, Mark Wallace, Ben Wright.