Metro Bank One Day Cup Final: Glamorgan told to play without fear

Glamorgan coach Grant Bradburn says his team will play with no fear as they face Somerset in the Metro Bank One Day Cup final at Nottingham.

The 50-overs final is a chance for the Welsh county to make up for missing out on the T20 Blast knockout stages and a failure to maintain promotion hopes in the Championship.

"Weâ€TMre very respectful of the fact that Somerset are a powerful club and a powerful team, but we go there with no fear," said Bradburn.

"The 50-over format is one where our players have really impressed, weâ€TMre looking to go to Trent Bridge and release our full skills."

Although it is seen as the third most important trophy - with many clubsâ€TM leading players away representing Hundred franchises during the group stages - it would be a welcome way for Bradburn to round off his first season with only Glamorganâ€TMs second piece of silverware in 20 years.

The match represents a chance for Glamorgan to recover some positivity after a disastrous month in the Championship saw them slip to seventh in Division Two.

"Weâ€TMre super proud that weâ€TMre in contention to win a trophy. Itâ€TMs been a tough couple of weeks (in the Championship) but weâ€TMve had one eye on the final and our players have dusted off their white-ball skills," the former New Zealand international player told BBC Sport Wales.

Glamorgan captain Kiran Carlson is hoping the slump in four-day cricket since qualifying for the final does not affect the limited-overs format.

"Thereâ€TMs going to have to be some real reflection of finding ways of winning four-day cricket and get back our mojo in that, but Sunday is a different kettle of fish. Weâ€TMve found more of a method in that competition, weâ€TMll have a meeting about what weâ€TMve done really well, and turn up with a fresh mind-set ready to go."

Carlson, 26, also led the team out three years ago in his early days of captaincy, and hit Glamorganâ€TMs top score of 82 in just 59 balls.

"It was awesome and weâ€TMll be looking to emulate that, embracing it, enjoying it and taking it by the scruff of the neck," he said.

"Regardless of the Hundred and Championship cricket, itâ€TMs a cup final for the club and for Wales so weâ€TMll be trying to bring home the win."

Somerset, who were in line for a treble eight days before the Trent Bridge encounter, will also be desperate to salvage silverware after defeats in the T20 Blast final to local rivals Gloucestershire, and in a vital Championship match against Lancashire, meaning Surrey took the Division One title.

Glamorgan are not going to field Mason Crane and Chris Cooke, the two players selected for the Hundred franchise tournament clashing with the One Day Cup group stages, while Somerset are likely to adopt a similar policy despite more widespread call-ups.

In the 2021 final, Glamorganâ€TMs opponents Durham drafted back three of their franchise players, but Bradburn is not worried which of the Somerset squad turn up in the opposition dressing-room at Trent Bridge.

"I donâ€TMt care, we canâ€TMt control what anyone else does, all we can do is do the right thing by our club and our players, thereâ€TMs absolute clarity about our roles and selection criteria," he said when quizzed about selection.

If Glamorgan are to win the title, South African batter Colin Ingram is one of the most likely to supply a major innings in the format he has declared as his favourite.

"Itâ€TMs a feeling of excitement, the group played really well in that comp and we seemed to find a few new faces that put up their hands," he explained.

"We had a preparation day last Sunday to run over our plans because we knew the run-in (a Championship match ending two days previously) would be quite tricky. The consensus is, the team is excited and really wants to take on that challenge."

Jersey batter Asa Tribe, 20, is among the fresher faces in the Glamorgan line-up.

"Itâ€TMs a massive game, and the chance to bring a trophy back here," he said. "Pressure in the final is a good thing, itâ€TMs just about trying to block out the crowd noise and focus on your game."

Strangely, only Carlson and Billy Root remain from Glamorganâ€TMs final team in 2021, although current regular Andy Gorvin took a catch as a sub fielder. Hamish Rutherford, Andrew Salter and Michael Hogan retired from professional cricket while others drifted out of the first-class game.

Glamorgan will hope that the 2024 final not only brings a trophy and welcome headlines for the club but also proves more of a springboard for their younger players to kick on.

"Itâ€TMs showed us we can win games where we probably shouldnâ€TMt, it gave guys a lot of confidence winning close games," said Carlson.

"This year didnâ€TMt go to plan in the T20 and the four-day stuff, but the 50-over comp has gone really well so weâ€TMll use any moment we can get going into next year."

Glamorgan squad: Smale, Tribe, Carlson (c), Northeast, Ingram, Root, Kellaway, Douthwaite, Van der Gugten, Gorvin, McIlroy, Bevan, Hurle, Morris.