Rain aids Essex after Ingram hundred

Glamorgan 184 for 5 (Ingram 101*) vs Essex Match abandoned
Scorecard

Colin Ingram hammered his second century in four days at Chelmsford, his highest in T20 cricket, but it was in vain as heavy rain forced the abandonment of Glamorgan's NatWest Blast game against Essex.

The one point from the no-result was enough for Essex to claim the fourth and final place in the southern division and qualify for a quarter-final tie. Glamorgan, who had already booked their spot, can look forward to a home game after finishing second behind Gloucestershire.

Ingram, who clouted 107 in Glamorgan's Royal London Cup defeat on Tuesday, hit seven sixes and six fours in his 56-ball 101. His hitting was so ferocious at the death that his second fifty came off just 17 balls and included five of the sixes.

It was not a chanceless innings. The South African lefthander survived on two occasions - when 24 and 57 - with James Foster missing a stumping down legside off Dan Lawrence, and Lawrence himself spilling an up-and-under at long-off.

But torrential rain fell almost before the players had left the field after the Glamorgan innings and had soon left puddles around the edges of the covers. The umpires inspected at 8.45 and again at 9pm when they called it off.

Before the deluge, David Lloyd had set Glamorgan off to a flyer with 23 from the first two overs, including four fours and a six swept off Matt Quinn. But David Masters had him playing a leading edge and popping up a catch to Nick Browne at point.

Lloyd's opening partner, Mark Wallace, was not so quick. When he was finally out in the 10th over, bowled trying to reverse-sweep Lawrence, he had contributed 11 runs off 17 balls.

Ingram, though, was not hanging around and hit Graham Napier out of the ground, and pulled Ravi Bopara for a second six. He reached his fifty off 38 balls.

Aneurin Donald tried to follow Ingram's lead when he hit Ryan ten Doeschate high and long to cow corner where Bopara took the catch on his knees. Jacques Rudolph launched Lawrence over long-off for six, but was dropped on 24 at point by Jesse Ryder.

Ingram's second escape proved costly as he took 15 off a Napier over, including a pulled six, before landing another over long-off from Quinn in the over that followed.

Rudolph had put on 71 with Ingram for the fourth wicket in six and a half overs before he teed one up for Napier to pouch backward of square for 28.

And Ingram went in the last over, the ball after he had reached a 55-ball century with a straight six and a four through the covers from successive balls. He flashed again at Napier and was bowled.