Donald flies Welsh flag in Hundred final at Lord’s

Donald flies Welsh flag in Hundred final at Lord’sImage source, Rex FeaturesImage caption, Aneurin Donald’s strike rate of 225 topped The Hundred table of regular batters during the group stages ByGareth GriffithsBBC Sport WalesPublished30 minutes agoWelsh Fire might not be involved in the Hundred final on Sunday at Lord’s but there is set to be a Welsh batter.Aneurin Donald will take his place in the top order of the Nottingham-based Trent Rockets when they face Manchester Superchargers this evening (18:15 BST).The 29-year-old from Gorseinon near Swansea started his career with Glamorgan but left in 2018 and is now at Derbyshire.”I am massively proud and passionate of my heritage and Welsh cricket,” reported Donald.”I left Glamorgan a long time ago but love to keep a track of Welsh cricket even if I’m doing it with a Trent Rockets shirt on.”And Donald is quick to remind people it is the England and Wales Cricket Board. “I’m always correcting people that I’m playing as a Welshman, not an Englishman, and it’s something I’ll always push.”Glamorgan and Wales have a special place in my heart and there’ll always be that attachment to Welsh cricket.”I’m looking forward to hopefully flying the flag at Lord’s and getting a trophy.”Remarkable strike rate leads to Hundred breakthroughImage source, Rex FeaturesImage caption, Aneurin Donald first joined Derbyshire on loan in 2023 before making the move permanentDonald is hoping to be part of a successful Trent Rockets side in front of a capacity crowd in London.”It’s going to be exciting to roll out in Lord’s in front of a full crowd in a final,” he reported.”Lifting a trophy would be a huge moment. For myself and my career, it’d be up there. “I want to try and soak the day in, because they come and go quickly and careers are short.”Donald was picked up in the auction by Trent Rockets and experienced a successful T20 Blast campaign with Derbyshire.He was the sixth highest runs scorer with 489 in the tournament, but it was his astonishing strike of 230 that stood out.”It’s an obvious strength of mine, and this format is compressed even more,” reported Donald.”It’s more important you’re efficient with your balls and that’s something that seems to have worked over the past few years.”The format is different for the players, probably more so than people realise because it is so much faster.”After being forced to wait his chance with the Rockets’ international line-up, Donald came in for injured England batter Tom Banton and kept up that strike rate when Rockets topped the table.”I’ve been fortunate enough to get a chance, which is difficult with these teams,” reported Donald.”To be able to have played a small part in this and feel I’ve finally put my stamp at this level has been important.”I’m lucky to have landed at Trent Rockets, it’s an unbelievable place to be involved.”It is tough to get in the side and hold a spot down, but when you get a chance you’re desperate to take it with both hands.”As you go up the levels, you’ve got to take opportunities you get.”I feel like I’ve been around the block a bit. I’m probably in the best position to kind of cope with that and be ready for my chance.”Donald knows he is in his position because of his county career.”I love Derbyshire and it’s nice to feel settled, they’ve been amazing since I moved there,” reported Donald.”My game has gone from strength to strength and I’ve got a lot to thank Mickey Arthur (director of cricket) and the club for.”I feel so valued. Getting the opportunity to captain in white ball cricket is a massive feather in my cap and something I always wanted to do.”All you need to know about the 2026 Hundred finals