CHELTENHAM (Reuters) - Gloucestershire and Glamorgan batted themselves to a standstill in a staggering 1,578-run County Championship Division Two match on Wednesday, with the game ending in the most improbable way of all - a tie - after Glamorgan nearly completed a world-record setting run chase.
Gloucestershire had posted scores of 179 and a thumping 610-5 declared, with James Bracey scoring an unbeaten 204 and Cameron Bancroft adding 184.
In response, Glamorgan scored 197 in their first innings and then came within a run of breaking a world record in their second innings chase, racking up 592, including huge contributions from Sam Northeast (187) and Marnus Labuschagne (119).
The run-fest came down to the final over with Glamorgan needing just two to win. Gloucestershire bowler Ajeet Singh Dale kept it tight, however, conceding only a single run - putting the two sides on exactly the same total - before taking Glamorgan's final wicket with his last ball.
"The boys are pretty down after getting so close, but what an extraordinary game of cricket, it's special to be a part of it and a good advert for the county championship," Glamorgan captain Sam Northeast told BBC.
"We'd gone so far trying to chase it down that we had to go for it nine wickets down - and it was nearly an incredible win."
Glamorgan's near miss means West Zone's 541-7 in India's domestic league in 2010 officially remains the highest winning run chase in first-class cricket history.
Brief scores:
Glamorgan 197 (Crane 44, Webster 7-17) and 592 (Northeast 187, Labuschagne 119, Crane 43*) tied with Gloucestershire 179 and 610 for 5 dec (Bracey 204*, Bancroft 159*, Hammond 121)