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    Specsavers County Championship - 19 September 2017

    Match Drawn

    Venue: SSE Swalec Stadium

    Glamorgan v Gloucestershire

    DAY 4

    Glamorgan, who led by 43 going into the last day, were never in a position to declare after Phil Mustard had opted to prolong the Gloucestershire first innings.

    Mustard said at the end of the third day that he had hoped to gain a lead on first innings, and then take some early wickets to put the opposition under pressure.

    This was unlikely to happen as Liam Norwell, his leading wicket taker this season, was unable to bowl, while the Cardiff pitch did nothing to encourage the bowlers throughout the game.

    A defeat for either team would not have made any significant difference to their respective positions in the Division Two, and although Mustard did bring himself and Chris Dent into the attack, and offer some easy runs, it was a token gesture with only 47 overs left in the day.

    Nick Selman and Andrew Salter batted throughout the morning session, and had put on 185 in 51 overs for the second wicket, before Salter’s career best score of 88- his previous best was 84 in the first innings-, was caught at slip off Jack Taylor’s off spin.

    Another amazing week with @Gloscricket thanks to everyone for all the support! Go again next week and look to finish with a win! #Glosters

     

    Earlier Kiran Carlson was dismissed nine runs short of becoming Glamorgan’s youngest double centurion, when he chipped Jack Taylor to mid - on.

    The 19yr old from Cardiff scored 191, an innings that lasted 7 hours 23 minutes and during the course of his innings, Carlson faced 319 balls, striking 26 boundaries and 2 sixes.

    After losing two wickets in the final 15 minutes at the end of the first day, Smith helped Carlson add 97 runs for the eighth wicket, before Jack Taylor took two wickets in three balls, Smith edged Taylor’s arm ball to slip, before Marchant De Lange was trapped leg before without scoring.

    After losing 2 wickets for three runs at the end of the first day, Smith and Carlson joined Carlson in a productive 97 run partnership for the eighth wicket. Smith made 38, before he became the first of Jack Taylor’s victims within three balls. Smith edged Taylor’s arm ball to slip, then Marchant De Lange was trapped LBW attempting to heave the off spinner to mid- wicket.

    Reaction

    Benny Howell said after the day’s play that” it was very pleasing to hit the ball well after a frustrating season where I have been out of the side because of various niggles and injuries. I began my career as an opener, and after today hopefully I can push on and refresh my career in that position.”

    He added ”I still want to play in all forms of cricket, especially the one- day format, and I could possibly move up the order and bat higher.”

    When asked about where this game was going Howell said “it is not up to me- the captains will discuss whether to have a game, especially as we are at the end of the season, and I suppose that if we do get further rain then potentially we could set up a result”.

    DAY 3

    James Bracey hit his maiden century for Gloucestershire on Day three in the Specsavers County Championship in Cardiff.

    The day ended with Glamorgan ahead by 102 runs with 96 overs left in the game. Glamorgan are unlikely to leave a generous target, so an exciting final day of the season at Cardiff is also unlikely, unless the two captains can contrive a result.

    Gloucestershire were focused on achieving a fifth batting point, when a declaration may have been another option, but after needing 16 off five overs, and four from the last, they failed by one run and promptly declared.

    The highlight of the day was a record breaking partnership by Benny Howell and 20 year old James Bracey- with both batsmen achieving career best scores.

    After 24 overs were lost to rain at the start of the day, Benny Howell and James Bracey continued to pile on the runs on a desperately slow pitch that continued to frustrate the Glamorgan attack.

    Howell quickly scored the four runs he needed to score the second century of his career and also pass the 102 he scored against Leicestershire two years ago.

    Bracey was initially more watchful in his approach, but after passing fifty, he began to accelerate and after facing 142 balls and hitting 14 fours and two sixes, reached the first century in only his fifth first class game, and third in the county championship.

    The second wicket pair then passed the previous highest stand for the second wicket against Glamorgan, set by Alf Dipper and Harry Smith at the St Helen’s ground in Swansea in 1921, but shortly afterwards, after a partnership of 240, Howell was LBW to Michael Hogan.

    Two balls later, Hogan, armed with the new ball, struck again, when George Hankins had his off stump knocked back.

    Phil Mustard then joined Bracey, playing many of his trademark strokes through the offside, and they had put on 59 before Mustard, attempting to force Marchant De Lange off the back foot, edged a catch to second slip.

    Any thoughts that Gloucestershire might have declared when Mustard departed and had gathered four batting points, were dispelled when Jack Taylor and Kieran Noema-Barnett came in, but neither made any major impact, as Taylor nicked off to slip, and Noema-Barnett had his off bail trimmed.

    Bracey’s vigil, which had lasted six and quarter hours, eventually ended when he holed out at long on, as Gloucestershire made a pig’s ear to trying to get the final batting point.

    Glamorgan had 13 overs to face at the end of the day, and they lost Connor Brown to David Payne, before closing on 63 for 1.

    Reaction

    Gloucestershire’s 20yr old wicketkeeper James Bracey, who scored a career best 156 said ”It was great to get the first hundred, and Benny Howell was a great help. It was tough to start but it was one of those pitches that when you got in it became easier.”

    Bracey added said “a lot can happen on the final day, but unless they leave us a target, then we will have to try to bowl them out.”

    DAY 2

    Benny Howell has not played any championship cricket this season, and has only opened the innings occasionally for Gloucestershire in 2012 when he joined the county from Hampshire but when play ended early today,  the 29 year old all-rounder was only four runs away from a second championship century, the first made against Leicestershire two years ago.

    Gloucestershire will resume on 161 for 1, still trailing by 281, with Howell on 96 and James Bracey on 45.

    Howell adapted well to his new role, and with Chris Dent in fluent form, the opening pair put on 53 in 15 overs, before Dent sparred at one from Ruaidhri Smith to give wicketkeeper Chris Cooke a straightforward catch.

    Howell was then joined by 20yr old James Bracey, a local product from the Bristol area, and after playing himself in, the wicketkeeper batsman played some elegant shots through the offside. The second wicket pair have added 108 for the second wicket, and with the slow pitch offering anything to pace or spin, and with further rain likely to cause interruptions over the final two days, a draw is the likely outcome to this end of season encounter.

    Earlier Kiran Carlson was dismissed nine runs short of becoming Glamorgan’s youngest double centurion, when he chipped Jack Taylor to mid - on.

    The 19yr old from Cardiff scored 191, an innings that lasted 7 hours 23 minutes and during the course of his innings, Carlson faced 319 balls, striking 26 boundaries and 2 sixes.

    After losing two wickets in the final 15 minutes at the end of the first day, Smith helped Carlson add 97 runs for the eighth wicket, before Jack Taylor took two wickets in three balls, Smith edged Taylor’s arm ball to slip, before Marchant De Lange was trapped leg before without scoring.

    After losing 2 wickets for three runs at the end of the first day, Smith and Carlson joined Carlson in a productive 97 run partnership for the eighth wicket. Smith made 38, before he became the first of Jack Taylor’s victims within three balls. Smith edged Taylor’s arm ball to slip, then Marchant De Lange was trapped LBW attempting to heave the off spinner to mid- wicket.

    Reaction

    Benny Howell said after the day’s play that” it was very pleasing to hit the ball well after a frustrating season where I have been out of the side because of various niggles and injuries. I began my career as an opener, and after today hopefully I can push on and refresh my career in that position.”

    He added ”I still want to play in all forms of cricket, especially the one- day format, and I could possibly move up the order and bat higher.”

    When asked about where this game was going Howell said “it is not up to me- the captains will discuss whether to have a game, especially as we are at the end of the season, and I suppose that if we do get further rain then potentially we could set up a result”.

     

    DAY 1

    19 year old Cardiff batsman Kiran Carlson starred for Glamorgan on Day One, as they reached 342-7 at the close in Cardiff. He struck a career best 137 not out, the second first-class century of his career, following a partnership of 182 with Andrew Salter, who struck a career best 84.

    Carlson and Chris Cooke (51) guided Glamorgan to 127-4 at lunch, after Gloucestershire decided to bowl first after an uncontested toss. The Welsh county got off to a poor start, Nick Selman removed lbw by David Payne from the second ball of the match after he survived a chance for a catch from the very first ball.

    Colin Ingram got off to a great start in his last home Championship match before he takes up a one-day contract next year. He struck three fours in the first four overs. It wasn’t long, however, before he was bowled by Liam Norwell for 18.

    Championship debutant Connor Brown, meanwhile, showed early promise as he dealt blow after blow to the boundary after being joined by fellow Cardiffian Kiran Carlson at 33-2. It was short-lived, however, when he was dismissed lbw by Kieran Noema-Barnett for 35, having struck eight fours, and Glamorgan looked to be in a spot of bother at 62-3.

    Aneurin Donald, back in the Glamorgan side after being dropped last week for the Northamptonshire match, played a poor shot outside off-stump on one, offering an easy chance to George Hankins at third slip off David Payne, reducing the Welsh side to 63-4.

    Carlson and Chris Cooke looked to get Glamorgan back on track in the middle-order against Noema-Barnett and Matt Taylor. The rate continued at around four an over and Glamorgan finally reached the hundred mark in the 26th over, and the batsmen went past the fifty partnership when Carlson drove Josh Shaw for four through cover.

    They had added 65 by tea, as the home side reached 216-5. Chris Cooke had reached his half-century from 67 balls. However, after a lengthy delay to repair a hole in the pitch at square-leg, he was bowled by David Payne for 51, ending an 88 partnership with Carlson for the fifth wicket.

    Carlson kicked on, however, and reached his half-century from 131 balls with a crashing blow through the covers off Payne, his seventh four of the innings. Carlson continued to bat sensibly, allowing Salter to play the shots. However, it was Carlson who hit the first six of the match, and the first of his Championship career, over spinner Jack Taylor’s head.

    Resuming the final session on 216-5, Carlson and Salter were soon into their stride once more. Both batsmen looked edgy as they approached their respective milestones. However, it was Carlson who got there first, from 216 balls, having struck 12 fours and two sixes. He showed great maturity in waiting more than four and a half hours to get there, and great composure throughout the nineties as the field closed in around him. Salter reached his half-century from 127 balls, having hit five fours.

    The partnership between Carlson and Salter ended on 182 when Salter was caught behind by James Bracey off Josh Shaw for 84, and Glamorgan were 333-6. Craig Meschede was caught by Chris Dent at second slip off Kieran Noema-Barnett without scoring and Glamorgan were 336-7. Ruaidhri Smith saw Glamorgan through to the close alongside Carlson.

    Reaction

    Phil Mustard, Gloucestershire captain, said: “At 63-4, you think you’re in a good position. Fair play to Carlson and Salter. They came out and batted really well which is what turns good teams into better teams. They took us down as a bowling unit and we didn’t really have many answers this afternoon but we got the two late wickets which was a pretty good effort. Getting the last two wickets makes tomorrow that little bit easier.

    “Early on the pitch did a little bit which is why we got four wickets. Once the sun came out and started beaming, the wicket got slower and flatter so we couldn’t really make use of our seam attack as much as we would have liked.”