Specsavers County Championship - 10 September 2018

Gloucestershire won by 9 wickets

Venue: Sophia Gardens

Glamorgan v Gloucestershire

DAY 4

Gloucestershire wrapped up a nine wicket victory inside eight overs, chasing just 35 runs to win on the final day.

At 150 for eight in their second innings, it was a match which Glamorgan should have lost on the third day. But a career best 58 not out for Timm van der Gugten, who had built a ninth wicket partnership of 73 with Kieran Bull, ensured that Glamorgan began the final day with a slender lead of 18 runs.

The Australian-born Dutchman, already on a career best 58 not out, looked on as his captain Michael Hogan showed attacking intent from the outset, doubling his tally of runs in the first over of the day, despatching Matt Taylor for two well struck boundaries. However, he was eventually bowled by the left-arm seamer, who claimed his fifth wicket of the innings and his seventh of the match as Glamorgan’s innings came to an end on 251.

Exchanging bat for ball, Timm van der Gugten’s resistance continued in the first over of the visitors’ second innings when he trapped Miles Hammond leg before wicket for nought to claim his fifth wicket of the match.

However, Gloucestershire’s chase got going when skipper Chris Dent guided a Michael Hogan delivery down to the third man boundary and then in the following over, drove Timm van der Gugten through backward point for four before James Bracey flicked off his pads to add a boundary of his own as Gloucestershire reached the halfway mark of their chase.

Victory came in just 7.5 overs when Dent struck Michael Hogan back over his head.

 

DAY 3

Gloucestershire had resumed in the morning on 284 for 6, and after Jack Taylor had scored the two runs he needed to reach his seventh first class century, his seventh wicket partnership of 155 with Ben Charlesworth was ended when the 17 year old, after making a composed 72 was caught at slip off Van Der Gugten.

Taylor then became Van Der Gugten’s fourth victim when he was caught behind the wicket for 112, an innings that lasted 214 balls, with 14 fours and a six, while the bowler completed a splendid morning’s spell of 10-6-12-2.

After Miles and Payne had further punished a tired Glamorgan attack, who were handicapped by a side injury to Ruaidhri Smith, the visitors were all out for 354, with Glamorgan facing four overs before lunch.

After taking 4/42 in the Glamorgan first innings, Craig Miles demolished the home county’s top order when they started their second innings 217 runs adrift. He took three wickets in ten balls without conceding a run to leave them reeling on 6/3 at the lunch interval. He then dismissed Stephen Cook shortly afterwards, with Glamorgan on 34 for 4.

Connor Brown was out first ball, then three balls later Miles trapped Cullen leg before, and in his second over, he dismissed Carlson who collected a pair. David Lloyd then counter attacked with a brisk 54 from 59 balls with nine fours, but there was little resistance as Cooke and Wagg both departed cheaply.

 Smith emulated Lloyd with his attacking approach, and with Bull an able partner, the eighth wicket pair put on 49, before Smith, who had struck seven fours in an enterprising innings was caught behind off Matt Taylor.

Timm Van Der Gugten joined Kiran Bull, with Glamorgan 150 for 8 and 32 overs remaining, and they resisted Gloucestershire’s bowlers for the next 28 overs, with Bull, showing commendable application occupying the crease for 48 overs. They shared a partnership of 73 for the ninth wicket, before Bull was out for 30 and Van Der Gugten  unbeaten on a career best 58.

At close of play today Glamorgan have a slender lead of 18 runs with one wicket remaining. 

Craig Miles said, ”Today was another good day for us, and when I took those three wickets before lunch, I was running in well.”

 

DAY 2

When Gloucestershire lost their sixth wicket, they were only 24 runs ahead, but Jack Taylor and Ben Charlesworth then shared a potential unbeaten match winning partnership of 143 for the seventh wicket and a sizeable lead of 147.

When play was abandoned for the day with 16 overs remaining, Taylor was unbeaten on 98, two runs short of the sixth century of his career, with Charlesworth a solid partner at the other end on 65.

Twenty eight overs were lost during the morning session, and when play resumed at 1.25pm, Taylor and Ryan Higgins added a further eight runs before Higgins was bowled by Hogan off the inside edge for 18.

Charlesworth, a 17 year old all rounder was again released by his school, St. Edward’s Oxford, to play in his fourth championship game after scoring an unbeaten 77 and taking three wickets in Gloucestershire’s last game against Middlesex. A compact left hander, he began with a couple of edged boundaries, but then settled to play some elegant strokes through the offside.

Taylor, renowned for his attacking strokeplay, remained steadfast for the early part of his innings, accumulating mostly in singles and the occasional boundary, taking 128 balls to reach his fifty.

Charlesworth however, should have been out after making 33, but was dropped at backward point off Hogan, and went on to reach his fifty from 104 balls with nine boundaries.

 Glamorgan were handicapped by the absence of Ruaidhri Smith, who was off the field throughout the second day suffering from a side strain, and with the flat pitch not offering any assistance to the bowlers, Gloucestershire’s seventh wicket pair continued to pile on the runs.

Gloucestershire all rounder Jack Taylor said, “It would have been nice to have reached three figures last night, but hopefully it will come tomorrow. Ben and I have put on a good partnership and we hope to kick on in the morning. There are two days left, and if we can build up a good lead, it will give our bowlers plenty of time to dismiss them a second time. I'm only averaging 16 this season, so I need to cash in tomorrow”.

 

DAY 1

Gloucestershire ended the opening day on top in Cardiff on 133 for 5 at the close. This, after a superb bowling display from Gloucestershire seamers David Payne (4-25) and Craig Miles (4-42) had earlier dismissed Glamorgan for 137 in overcast conditions.

After an uncontested toss Glamorgan collapsed to 21 for 5 before Chris Cooke and Graham Wagg staged somewhat of a recovery with an 83-run partnership over 16 overs for the sixth wicket. With their wickets falling either side of the lunch break, Gloucestershire were able to finish the job with the ball.

David Payne said “it was not a flat pitch by any means, but if you put the ball in the right areas, you were rewarded. It was a good effort by them to recover from 21 for 5, and Cooke did play with a lot of intent. Now we need to build up a lead in the morning.”

Gloucestershire’s openers made a cautious start, taking seven overs to reach double figures before losing Chris Dent who was leg before to Hogan, then four overs later Miles Hammond departed in similar fashion to Ruaidhri Smith’s first ball. James Bracey (33) was part of a 50-run partnership with Benny Howell before he was caught down the legside by Cooke off Van Der Gugten, who three balls later dismissed Gareth Roderick, who became the sixth LBW victim in the game.

Howell top scored for the visitors with 43, but when Kieran Bull became the only spinner to bowl in the game, Howell mistimed a drive in Bull’s second over which resulted in a catch to mid-on.

Gloucestershire will be pleased with their opening day’s performance, and will look to pass Glamorgan and build a strong first innings lead on day two.