Miller not needed after long-haul flight

David Miller’s mad dash from South Africa to England for Glamorgan’s T20 quarter-final has ended with the left-hander sitting idly in the team dugout as his team cruised to a nine-wicket victory.

Miller was playing for South Africa A in Potchefstroom this week and, at the completion of that match on Tuesday, was whisked away to Johannesburg so he could make the overnight flight to London for Glamorgan’s knockout match against Leicestershire.

A drive from the English capital to Cardiff completed the 9000-kilometre journey but there was to be no fairy tale moment for Miller, who was not even required to bat as his top-order teammates did all the damage in a convincing win.

Countryman Colin Ingram continued the stunning form that saw him win the Player of the Year award in 2016 as he dismantled Leicestershire with an unbeaten 70 from 43 balls.

The new Adelaide Strikers signing smashed five boundaries and five sixes in Glamorgan’s win that saw them reach a T20 Finals Day for the first time since 2004.

Batting first, Leicestershire started spritely thanks to former Australia and Kiwi batsman Luke Ronchi, who made a quickfire 28 from 18 balls as they ended the Power Play at 2-57.

But from then it was all downhill for the Foxes as they were dismissed for just 123 from 19.2 overs. Craig Meschede (3-17), Graham Wagg (2-12) and Marchant de Lange (2-23) were all the standouts with the ball for the home side.

Glamorgan lost a wicket in the first over of their run chase and it looked as if No.4 Miller would have a major role to play. But instead the 99-ODI and 52-T20I veteran watched on as Ingram and Jacques Rudolph (46 not out) put on an unbeaten 121-run stand for the second wicket to clinch victory in the 14th over.

Glamorgan now join Hampshire,on the back of Shahid Afridi’s maiden T20 century on Tuesday, in this year’s Finals Day with the winners of Notts v Somerset and Surrey v Birmingham to make up the final two spots.

Finals Day will be held at Edgbaston on September 2.