Match Reports

Glamorgan v Gloucestershire

Day 4

Glamorgan survived despite the sterling efforts of Gloucestershire’s two left arm seamers David Payne and Matt Taylor, who excelled throughout- with Payne taking eight wickets in the match. Glamorgan had a lead of 132 with 13 overs remaining when the teams shook hands.

Had the first day not been lost to rain, there could have been an interesting finish as the ball dominated the bat throughout, with still plenty in the pitch for the seamers while the odd ball turned.

Glamorgan began the final day sixty five runs behind and all their wickets intact, but Matt Taylor soon got to work by taking two wickets in his opening two overs. Charlie Hemphrey, whose place must now be in doubt after scoring only seventy two runs in six completed innings, was out LBW.

He was quickly followed by Kiran Carlson, who was dismissed in similar fashion, as he shuffled across his stumps to a ball that came back into him. The two wickets had fallen without any addition to the overnight score,

Nick Selman however stood firm, alternating between attack and defence, and was developing into a useful partnership with Billy Root, one of the few Glamorgan batsmen who has been in any sort of form this season.

After scoring 13, was out to one of the slip catches of the season, taken by George Hankin at second slip. Root dabbed at a delivery intended for the third man area, before it was intercepted by the fielder who dived to his right and hold on in front of first slip.

Selman, who also been short of runs this season, completed a responsible half century, but after adding a further five runs was leg before to Ryan Higgins, in what was the last ball before lunch as play was interrupted by a heavy shower.

When Payne dismissed Dan Douthwaite and Graham Wagg in quick succession, and Kieran Bull was bowled by Graham Van Burren in his first over, Glamorgan had slumped to 131 for 8, a lead on only 73, but Van Der Gugten, who the previous day had dislocated his finger, gave his captain staunch support.

He joined his captain in the 67th over, to remain there for a further 24 overs as Gloucestershire’s hopes receded. Glamorgan were grateful for the second successive game to their captain Chris Cooke, who helped his team earn a draw.

David Payne reflected on the result:

"I was proud of my and the team’s performance, but the pitch did get better for batting once the sun came out on the final day. Perhaps we should have scored more runs in the first innings, but overall it was a good game for us. We hit the right lengths and it worked well.”

Gloucestershire's next fixture will be away at Taunton as they take on rivals Somerset.

Day 3

Glamorgan will resume the final day tomorrow on 23-0, a deficit of 42, in the Bob Willis Trophy as Gloucestershire look to snatch another last gasp victory.

David Payne, Gloucestershire’s left-arm seamer again proved a nemesis in Glamorgan’s side when produced a superb spell of bowling in the morning session to dismiss the home team for a modest total in 59.3 overs.

The 29 year old, who ended with figures of 17-7-31-5, took four of the five wickets to fall after Glamorgan had resumed on 80-5, has a formidable record against the neighbours across the Severn Bridge, having taken 58 wickets in nine years against them in all formats.

He was well supported by the other seamers, notably Josh Shaw, the former Yorkshire paceman who ended with 3 for 13 from his 9.3 overs, as Glamorgan were all out for 116.

Dan Douthwaite was the only Glamorgan batsman to withstand the visitors’ accurate attack, and after defending well, opened up towards the end of the innings to score an unbeaten 30 which included a six and fours.

Gloucestershire also struggled at the start of their innings, losing Chis Dent in the second over, when he feathered a catch to the wicketkeeper, although he clearly felt the ball had struck his arm as he trudged back to the pavilion.

His opening partner Ben Charlesworth, experienced a torrid time against the new ball and after padding up to numerous deliveries that were close to the off stump, the tactic brought about his downfall, when he padded up to Graham Wagg and was out leg before – after facing 67 balls for his eight runs.

Graham van Buuren, meanwhile, played every ball on its merit and shared a useful partnership with Tom Lace, who was making his Gloucestershire debut after signing from Middlesex. They put on 43, before van Buuren, who had scored 32, was bowled playing inside a delivery from van der Gugten.

With the visitors’ score on 89 for three, a heavy shower curtailed play, and an early tea was taken with Lace on 37 and George Hankins three.

Gloucestershire lost a fourth wicket soon after the lengthy interval, when Hankins was caught at second slip by Nick Selman off Graham Wagg, who had returned to the attack in place of van der Gugten, who had left the field with a dislocated finger.

Tom Lace, who scored a career best 143 against Glamorgan on loan from Derbyshire last season, and Ryan Higgins had begun to look comfortable and on course to lead their side to a first innings lead when Wagg struck again to remove the former, caught low down by keeper Cooke, with the scores level.

Gareth Roderick departed soon afterwards, caught behind swinging wildly to a wide Douthwaite delivery outside off-stump.

Rotating the three pace bowlers in van der Gugten’s absence, Glamorgan turned to Marchant de Lange, who duly delivered to remove George Scott when he edged behind to a rising delivery.

Higgins, amid flurry of heaves off spinner Kieran Bull, was caught at deep square leg by de Lange as the visitors lost their eighth wicket on 173, and their ninth on 181, when Josh Shaw was held low down at slip by Selman off de Lange.

The innings concluded when David Payne was caught by Bull from his own bowling, the visitors all out for 181, a lead of 65.

Glamorgan had 14 overs to face in the final session, and openers Selman and Hemphrey guided them through to the close having made a slight dent in the visitors’ lead.

Day 2

When heavy rain brought a premature halt to proceedings in Glamorgan’s first game at their headquarters fort eleven months, the home team were struggling in their first innings against Gloucestershire’s five- man seam attack.

After two sessions, the home team had laboured to 80 for 5 from 48 overs- a run rate of just 1.6 runs an over, after Chris Dent, the visitors’ captain had no hesitation in inserting the opposition under cloudy skies and on  a greenish pitch that had been covered for some time after the first day had been washed out.

The bowlers rewarded their captain by bowling a full length, and with two left arm seamers and three others of the right arm variety, Glamorgan’s batsmen were given no respite. They were so disciplined that only two boundaries were struck in front of the wicket throughout the 48 overs.

Nick Selman and Charlie Hemphrey, the Glamorgan opening batsmen have experienced a difficult start to this abbreviated season, scoring only 86 runs between them in four innings. Although they survived the 18 overs bowled before lunch- there was an hour’s delay at the start- they soon departed when play resumed.

Josh Shaw, the former Yorkshire bowler, who has twice been on loan to the county, but has now signed for them, accounted for both openers shortly after lunch when Selman, driving outside the off stump, edged a catch to George Hankins at second slip.

In his next over, Shaw bowled Hemphrey, who was pushing down the wrong line, as Gloucestershire’s bowlers continued to dominate. The conditions did favour them, but they responded so well that there was plenty of playing and missing from the batsmen, and apart from Billy Root- who scored 113 in the previous game- no other batsman was secure at the crease.

Kiran Carlson attempted an ambitious off drive, but edged to the wicket keeper, then captain Chris Cooke was LBW to one that nipped back off the pitch.

Tom Cullen did add 20 runs with Root, before he nicked one to give Roderick his second victim,  and Glamorgan will hope that Root, who abandoned his attacking instincts to play watchfully during his time at the crease, and the lower order can guide Glamorgan to a first innings total  their bowlers are able to defend.

The heavens opened shortly after the players went to tea, with play eventually abandoned for the day at 5.15.

Day 1

There was frustration for Glamorgan and Gloucestershire at Sophia Gardens today, when the first day of their championship game was called off by the umpires at 4.00 pm.

There had been continuous rain since early morning, and despite three inspections, then umpires decided that surroundings were too wet for play to start.

This is the first home game for Glamorgan since the end of last season, and Head Coach Matthew Maynard is hoping for an improvement after they lost heavily against Somerset at Taunton in the first game and were struggling against Worcestershire on Tuesday. They were 141 for 7 at the close, after being set 358 in 51 overs.

Maynard’s main concern was the form of the opening batsmen Nick Selman and Charlie Hemphrey, who have scored only 74 runs between them in four innings.” I am looking for better starts with the bat especially after the second innings at Worcester, but we appeared to be a bit casual whereas you need to be switched on all the time”.

Meanwhile, Gloucestershire, after losing their first game against Worcestershire, secured an excellent win against Warwickshire, with their all- rounder Ryan Higgins the matchwinner- taking seven wickets in the second innings.