Nick Gubbins century condemns defending champions Glamorgan to opening defeat
Skipper’s career-best 144 not out leads young Hampshire side to dominant win
ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay05-Aug-2025Nick Gubbins’ career-best 144 not out led an inexperienced Hampshire to a winning start in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup against defending champions Glamorgan at The Gnoll in Neath.Four teenagers featured for the visitors – including a three-man seam attack with ages of 19, 19 and 16. The youngest of the trio – Manny Lumsden took 3 for 64 to derail the top order despite Kiran Carlson’s magnificent 135.Carlson’s first ever one-day century was unable to be supported due to a steady flow of wickets left Glamorgan bowled out inside 40 overs, 72 short of Hampshire’s 324 for 6.Other debutant Ben Mayes played fearlessly for 74 from 55 balls in the 17-year-old’s 141-run partnership with Gubbins to end the visitors’ innings explosively.After inserting Hampshire to bat, Glamorgan got off to an economical start. James Harris and unexpected new ball partner Zain Ul Hassan containing Gubbins and Ali Orr.On the surface containing Hampshire to a 42-run powerplay on a small outground could have been viewed to be Glamorgan’s advantage, the drop of Gubbins by Carlson at second slip while the opener was on just four later proved to be a difference of what came later.A solid 68-run opening contribution was brought to a much-needed end as Ali Orr started to cruise, Ned Leonard making for a comeback from being hooked for six out of the ground on his first ball.Dangerous overseas Tilak Varma could’ve been a match winner for Hampshire given his two centuries in four games already for the club, removed for a duck.A flow of four wickets for 47 at a slowing rate dragged Glamorgan back when debutant Mayes entered at 115 for 4, Gubbins still anchoring.It didn’t take long for Mayes to motor, inflicting his freedom onto Gubbins, casually reverse-sweeping Glamorgan’s 18-year-old debutant Romano Franco four times on his way to a century.Mayes’ hockey-style sweeping, both orthodox and reverse, had the runs flowing before Felix Organ took over the role with a flashy 32 from 14 unbeaten to end the innings. Hampshire adding 129 in the final 10 overs, no bowler getting off lightly, Gubbins carrying his bat.Unlike in Hampshire’s innings, the hosts came out firing. Also unlike the hosts, a dropped slip catch was shortly after redeemed with the wicket, Tribe dropped on seven, out on 14.While Hampshire’s innings was backboned by one mammoth partnership, Glamorgan kept losing wickets when times were tough. Eddie Byrom’s steady start, enjoying cutting and leg-glancing the exciting Hampshire seamers was eventually removed for 29 on his return to first team cricket which brought the highlights package-esque viewing of Lumsden to Carlson.A first over for 23 may mean a debut to forget for a 16-year-old but a wicket in there and persistence from both bowler and captain gave him another wicket and a hat-trick ball. The three-over spell of 2 for 47 was about so much more than the figures.Hampshire’s 18 overs of consecutive spin in the middle overs contained Glamorgan enough while regular wickets left Glamorgan requiring Andy Gorvin’s 42-ball 11 to stick in a partnership with his captain to give a fighting chance.Lumsden’s return brought more fireworks including the big wicket after Carlson effectively run out of partners, but not before giving the Neath crowd a special display.