Miles Hammond had already faced 38 balls and threaded his way to 56 runs when Ned Leonard's delivery did for him, but the visitors still found themselves in the exact position they needed to be: one hit from glory on the final over. That final over, bowled by Afghanistan international Fazalhaq Farooqi, would produce six runs and one of the more memorable county cricket finishes of the season as Gloucestershire scrambled to a one-wicket victory over Glamorgan at Cardiff on the final ball.
The chase hadn't been straightforward. Farooqi, in his remarkable early spell for Glamorgan, had taken two wickets in his first over of the second innings, sending Gloucestershire's top order into immediate retreat. Miles Hammond, however, steadied things considerably. His 56 came off 38 deliveries, decorated with 10 boundaries, and gave the visitors the platform they needed before he was bowled by Leonard.
There was drama to spare before the final over arrived. James Bracey survived long enough to provide one of the more unusual dismissals of the season: a hit-wicket, as he inadvertently kicked the stumps while trying to boot away a Leonard delivery. Jack Taylor briefly lifted Gloucestershire's hopes with 34, including some aggressive strokeplay, before he was caught on the boundary off Mason Crane, who finished with tidy figures of 2-16.
When the ninth wicket fell, 12 runs were still required from the final six balls. The match looked gone. Then Graeme Dhariwal opened his shoulders and sent the first ball of Farooqi's over soaring over the boundary for six. Matt Taylor managed the remaining runs with a composed edge that brought the dressing room to its feet.
For Glamorgan, the loss marked their second narrow defeat in as many matches, following a three-run loss to Northamptonshire decided on the final ball of their T20 opener. Henry Hurle, who had given the home side genuine hope with a swashbuckling 46 that included four sixes, told BBC Sport Wales that while the result was disappointing, there were positives to take forward. "You're never out of the game in T20," he said. "It's a shame not to get over the line, but I think there's good things that have come out of the first two games." Hurle, who grew up watching Glamorgan from the stands, described the experience of taking the field as "really special," even if the result didn't go the home side's way. For Gloucestershire, the victory extended a strong start to their campaign following their 47-run win over Warwickshire, leaving Glamorgan to reflect on what might have been while drawing encouragement from the margins closing in their favour.