By Matt Somerford
Before the start of the season Jim Allenby sat down and mapped out a plan to reverse Glamorgan’s Twenty20 woes.
The Welsh county had progressed out of their group just twice in 11 seasons before this campaign. Only Derbyshire’s record was worse.
Allenby was determined to put right the situation after being appointed skipper for the inaugural season of the NatWest T20 Blast.
He could see reason for optimism – not the least in Glamorgan’s run to last year’s Yorkshire Bank 40 Lord’s final - and the 31-year-old called a meeting with coach Toby Radford and director of cricket Hugh Morris to promote a change in style he wanted to develop at the SWALEC Stadium this season.
“It was something I felt very strongly about,” he told ecb.co.uk. “I wanted to change the way we were playing – I wanted to be more attacking and more entertaining.
“I spoke to the coach (Radford) and the director of cricket (Morris) and we sat down and went through what it would take.
“I wanted more pace in the wicket and to bring the ropes in a few yards as well. That promotes more exciting cricket – not only for the fans – but for the players as well.
“You have more confidence in what you are doing when you know the wicket is good and fast and the ropes can be cleared if you back yourself. We had nothing to lose really.”
Three months on and Glamorgan are on the brink of a rare quarter-final berth.
They host South Group leaders Essex Eagles tomorrow night, and then Gloucestershire, in their final two group games knowing that victory in both will see them through – while success in one could also be enough.
“If we can get through to the quarter-finals we will be comfortable with all that we have done this season,” Allenby said.
“To get where we are in by far the tougher group of the two proves how far we have progressed either way.
“At the very least hopefully this season proves that last year’s Lord’s final wasn’t a fluke and that the guys are stepping up and that they can consistently compete.”
Crucial to Glamorgan’s competitiveness has been Allenby’s own form at the top of the order.
The right-hander is the Blast’s third-highest runscorer – 474 runs at 52.66 including a stunning century against Middlesex– while he has formed the competition’s most prolific opening partnership alongside Jacques Rudolph.
“When you set those sorts of plans then there is definitely pressure on you do perform to back it up,” he said.
“Not only because of that but because I am also captain and I open the batting.
“Batting with Jacques helps me because he is a very calm sort of bloke and I think that is similar to me. It suits the way I play and helps me to relax.”
It is perhaps a sign of his strength in leadership that since Allenby has set out the aforementioned ambition, matters on and off the field have fallen into line.
Off it, the signature of Darren Sammywas an important statement of intent, while on it Glamorgan have been the entertainers of the Blast.
All nine of their completed matches had gone down to the final over – including the last ball on four occasions – until their five-wicket defeat at Sussex on Tuesday night.
“It has been unbelievable,” Allenby said. “I think that shows that in good conditions and on the right sort of pitches it should always be a really even contest.
“We are squeezing as much as possible out of everyone and fighting all the way for 40 overs.”
Allenby attributes Sammy’s arrival as an indicator of the growing pretension at the club, even though the West Indies all-rounder did not have a major on-field impact during his six-game stay.
“I have already thanked Glamorgan many times for bringing in a player like him,” he said.
“It was great for the team because it was not just him as a cricketer but the way the rest of the team reacted to him. That was an important step by the club.
“It let us as players know that Glamorgan has ambitions to do really well in this competition.
“For every player it has been about taking this competition seriously and knowing they have the support of people who think they can do well. It is a massive lift.
“Darren was key to that as a person on the field, but off it he was sensational as well.”
Sammy has since left for the Caribbean Premier League – where he will be coached by former Glamorgan batsman Matthew Maynard – but in his absence the Welsh side have seen the likes of Chris Cooke step up and fill the void while they were handed a boost this week with the return of home-grown product James Harris on loan.
And with momentous wins to reflect on already this season – most significantly ending a 10-year hoodoo at Taunton as well as successes at Hampshire and Surrey – Allenby said his side will head into the last two games without fear.
“That is going to be the key for us,” he said. “At Taunton we showed the attitude shift that has been important for us.
“In the past we have been overawed by them (Somerset) and they have bullied us.
“We just went as hard at them as they went at us and it worked. It will be the same with Essex, who are a super side, on Friday. We have nothing to lose.”