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    Specsavers County Championship - 20 April 2018

    Venue: Brightside Ground

    Gloucestershire v Glamorgan

    Day 4

    An unbeaten hundred from James Bracey and career best scores from three other batsmen took Gloucestershire tantalisingly close to a draw in their first home Championship match of the season against Glamorgan at the Brightside Ground.

    20 year old Bracey accumulated 120 not out in nearly seven and a half hours, and along with Ryan Higgins (61) and Dan Worrall (50) helped to get Gloucestershire to within five runs of erasing their first innings deficit.

    Matt Taylor (48) then added a further 77 with Bracey before he and Liam Norwell fell to catches at the wicket to leave Glamorgan to chase 83 to win in 21 overs.

    Apparantly coasting at 51-0, four wickets then went down in quick succession before the visitors completed a six wicket victory with 8.1 overs to spare.

    Watch the thoughts of Richard Dawson and/or James Bracey at the close here :

    There's no doubt the day began with Gloucestershire needing to show discipline and application if the game was to be saved. They were 157 runs behind, five batsmen were already out and it was unclear whether Liam Norwell would bat at all.

    James Bracey and Ryan Higgins had trimmed the deficit with useful runs on the Sunday evening, and against attacking fields early on they continued to score briskly, Higgins reaching his first Championship fifty from 65 balls with seven fours.

    Bracey reached his own half century is more measured time with two leg glances off Glamorgan skipper Michael Hogan, but it was the same bowler who brought the visitors their first breakthrough as Higgins was given out lbw for 61.

    Gloucestershire had scored at a run a minute in the first hour so Glamorgan applied a little more caution with their field settings to hopefully keep something in reserve for the second new ball, which wasn't due until after lunch. Their bonus came in the form of another wicket, Kieran Noema-Barnett being bowled by Carey off a bottom edge with Gloucestershire still 85 runs in arrears as Dan Worrall walked to the wicket.

    Once again the Australian belied his modest career record, straight driving Carey for four and taking Gloucestershire past 100 runs on the day by working the same bowler through the covers 15 minutes before lunch. Bracey, who had started the day 34 not out, doubled his score in the morning session and Gloucestershire set out after the interval only 51 runs behind.

    Glamorgan's joker card was the second new ball, but the combination of Bracey's patience and Worrall's growing confidence saw runs continue to tick up, Worrall raising his best score with the bat for the second time in the match. Two boundaries off Michael Hogan saw him to a deserved fifty from 71 balls, only to then play onto his stumps off a big inside edge to Lukas Carey with Glamorgan's first innings lead virtually gone.

    Bracey and Worrall had added 80 for the eighth wicket, and when Bracey clipped Hogan for a single the visitors knew they would have to bat again to win. The question was whether they would get the opportunity, and for 23 overs Matt Taylor joined Bracey in holding them up, Bracey completing an old fashioned, top order century in more than six hours from 274 balls with 14 fours.

    Taylor's steer to third man in the first over after tea saw him past his previous best score against Kent last season, and he looked like the third batsman of the day to support Bracey with a half century until a feather edge to off spinner Salter was held by 'keeper Cooke.

    It had been a spirited effort to get to a lead of 72, and Liam Norwell - with Graeme van Buuren as his runner - delayed Glamorgan further until he too edged a catch to Cooke, this time off Hogan. It left Glamorgan needing 83 to win, and 21 overs to reach their target.

    The run chase, without fielding restrictions, saw skipper Dent soon have six men around the boundary. Selman and Murphy chalked off 51 of the runs required before a clatter of wickets fell as the light worsened, three of them to Taylor and one to Worrall, who bowled unchanged throughout. In the end it was Glamorgan's Aneurin Donald who top edged Worrall for six to win a match Gloucestershire had fought hard to save by six wickets.

     

    Day 3

    A sixth wicket stand of 49 between James Bracey and Ryan Higgins kept alive Gloucestershire’s chances of forcing a hard fought draw with Glamorgan on the third day of the Championship match at the Brightside Ground.

    Their partnership came in the final hour of a day that had seen Glamorgan’s David Lloyd follow up Shaun Marsh's century with a career best 117, and with support from Chris Cooke (43) and Marchant de Lange (50*), Glamorgan added 230 in 52 overs before declaring at 526-9, a lead of 290.

    It left Gloucestershire 45 overs plus the final day's play to secure the draw, but not content with his fifty, de Lange then added three wickets to his figures of 5-62 in the first innings. Gloucestershire closed on 133-5, still needing 157 to make Glamorgan bat again.

    Watch the close of play thoughts of captain Chris Dent here :

    Gloucestershire began the day knowing they had to make Glamorgan work for their runs, with a lead of 60 already established and with the pitch appearing to offer less and less to the bowlers.

    After a cautious start Glamorgan were soon moving the scoreboard along quickly with nine boundaries coming for overnight pair Cooke and Lloyd in the first ten overs, although Dan Worrall bowled a tight first spell and was rewarded when Cooke (43) clipped a confident stroke straight to Benny Howell at mid wicket.

    Glamorgan's advantage was already into three figures with the right handed Lloyd playing forcefully, despite some considered field settings from skipper Chirs Dent. A switch of ends for Matt Taylor saw the departure of Salter, also caught by Howell, but any thoughts of keeping Glamorgan to a total of under 400 were halted by Lloyd and Marchant de Lange.

    The tall South African had made only one previous first class fifty, he was competent enough to see Lloyd to his own half century and Glamorgan to lunch 172 runs in front at 408-7 with power to add.

    A scoop over the slips off Worrall for six soon after the resumption signalled de Lange's increasing willigness to play shots. Lloyd was dabbing and cutting off the back foot, and having passed his best score last season (88), he completed his century from 136 balls in three scoring strokes, including a six over long on off van Buuren.

    88 runs came in 50 minutes after lunch until Lloyd, with a career best 119 against his name, edged Benny Howell to Roderick behind the stumps. His stand with de Lange (117 in 22 overs) was also a Glamorgan record against Gloucestershire.

    A low flat pull to wide long on saw de Lange clear the rope for a second time, and skipper Hogan declared the Glamorgan innings when de Lange reached his own fifty, made in 73 deliveries. Glamorgan were 290 ahead at 526-9, and Gloucestershire had an awkward half an hour to negotiate until tea.

    In the same over Lukas Carey trapped Benny Howell lbw for six, and then had Gareth Roderick caught in the slips by Donald for four. Runs on the board meant Michael Hogan could pack the slip cordon, and it proved profitable again as Dent (12) pushed at de Lange in his opening spell and Salter did the rest.

    That brought Jack Taylor in to join James Bracey, who had made a big hundred against Glamorgan at Cardiff last summer. The young left hander again showed good levels of concentration as well as judgement in and around his off stump, carefully picking the deliveries from off spinner Salter to drive or cut.

    Taylor's natural game, by contrast, particularly with gaps on the off side, was still to play positively, and the pair had brought a semblance of stability until de Lange returned for a second, decisive burst.

    Having made 29, Taylor spooned a chance to Carlson who took a diving catch at point, and van Buuren was trapped lbw shortly afterwards.

    It left Gloucestershire at 84-5, an almost parallel position to the first innings, but now with an overall deficit of 206 and 17 overs remaining on the day. Ryan Higgins survived one close call for a leg side catch off de Lange, but otherwise he and Bracey grittily saw out the final hour while adding 49 for the sixth wicket.

    Higgins will start the final day on 31, with Bracey on 34.

     

    Day 2

    Australian left hander Shaun Marsh showed why he's played 36 Tests for his country on day two of the Championship match with Glamorgan at the Brightside Ground.

    Coming in shortly before rain forced an early lunch, he gradually went through the gears to give Glamorgan a tactical grip on the match with two days remaining.

    He was given support, in different styles by the patient Murphy (47) and the busy Carlson (45), but with the exception of one edge between 'keeper Roderick and Benny Howell at first slip when on 60, he reached his century without giving a chance until he pulled Worrall to deep mid wicket for 111.

    27 runs ahead by then, Glamorgan reached 296-5 at stumps, 60 runs ahead.

    The threat of rain was close for much of the morning session, which gave the Gloucestershire bowlers cloudy conditions to try and prevent Glamorgan openers Jack Murphy and Nick Selman from establishing a sound base.

    Both showed greater patience than attacking intent and the first hour came and went without a boundary against some accurate bowling initally from Worrall and Matt Taylor, and then from Norwell and Higgins.

    There were seven maidens in that time, and the bowlers gave skipper Chris Dent the scoreboard control head coach Richard Dawson had spoken so strongly about in pre-season, both Selman and Murphy only reaching the rope off thick edges to third man.

    Eventually they were parted by a delightful delivery from Higgins, who caught Selman on his crease and clean bowled him for 28. It meant Murphy was joined by fellow left hander Marsh, and the latter was to hold the key to proceedings after rain forced an early lunch with Glamorgan 70-1.

    68 overs plus the one in progress remained at that stage, and with the exception of one half volley from Higgins, the discipline of the Gloucestershire bowlers had been as consistent as Murphy's concentration.

    Far from an experienced county player, he was also batting in an unfamiliar position and his natural inclination was to steer or caress the ball rather than play it with much force. A boundary punched off the back foot against Matt Taylor took him past his previous highest score, and he'd occupied the crease for more than three hours when Graeme van Buuren trapped him lbw for 47.

    By this time Liam Norwell had left the field, having bowled only two overs in his second spell of the day. His body language suggested some discomfort with the hamstring which he injured in pre season, and with 35 overs to go until the second new ball, skipper Chris Dent turned to van Buuren and Higgins in particular to contain Marsh and new partner Kiran Carlson.

    The teenager was busy from the outset, using his feet to van Buuren, and playing a full part in a stand that gradually accelerated either side of tea to add 111 in 29 overs until, just shy of the second new ball, Benny Howell found the edge of Carlson's bat and Roderick took the catch to remove him for 45.

    Marsh, meanwhile, had batted with increasing assurance, playing some classical strokes through the covers as he wrestled control of the innings, completing his half century through extra cover off Noema-Barnett. Three times in the last over before tea he drove the same bowler for four, as Glamorgan pushed for parity against the old ball.

    This they achieved, Marsh completing an excellent hundred with 16 boundaries from 177 balls, the second fifty taking 19 balls fewer than the first. Another hour of Marsh could have been very damaging but Gloucestershire finally forced a mistake as the Western Australian, having made 111, mistimed a pull off Dan Worrall to deep mid wicket.

    Aneurin Donald (27) was the other man to go before the close, Roderick taking a routine catch off Higgins, who had plugged away economically for 17 overs on the day. Lloyd kept Cooke company until the close, when Glamorgan, at 296-5, had established a handy advantage.

    Gloucestershire will hope Liam Norwell is able to bowl on Sunday, and at the close head coach Richard Dawson said "Liam has been working on his rehab with the physiotherapist since he came off. He's had ice on his leg and we'll see how he shapes up before play in the morning."

    "The bowlers maintained their patience on a flat pitch and made their batsmen work hard. Marsh is a good player and batted well with a simple plan, but we deserved our wickets towards the end of the day. Now we have to control the first two hours on Sunday and work out how to get ourselves back in the game."

     

    Day 1

    Overseas player Dan Worrall was signed as a new ball bowler, but the Australian proved a more than handy performer with the bat against Glamorgan on the first day of Championship cricket at the Brightside Ground.

    Coming in at number nine, Worrall faced 80 balls and struck five fours in making 36 not out, beating his previous best score of 26 made for South Australia.

    Gloucestershire's lower order rallied an innings which saw the top five batsmen in the pavilion with only 86 runs on the board. Ryan Higgins looked compact in reaching 43 before becoming one of five victims for de Lange while Kieran Noema-Barnett, who was dropped twice, batted for nearly two a half hours until he was trapped lbw for 46 by Lukas Carey three deliveries after the second new ball was taken.

    South African de Lange took a Championship best 5-62 as Gloucestershire were dismissed for 236 which left Glamorgan eight overs to bat before stumps. At the close, they were 26 without loss.

    Gloucestershire made one change to the side that beat Kent at Canterbury with Liam Norwell brought into the team in place of Craig Miles and it was no surprise that Glamorgan opted to field first.

    The morning began in overcast conditions which hung around for the first hour, but it didn't stop both teams starting with positive intent. Lukas Carey's first ball was cracked to the point boundary by Benny Howell, and Carey's willingness to pitch the ball up saw him dismiss Chris Dent (6) in the third over, the Gloucestershire captain losing his off stump.

    Carey also trapped Howell lbw for 11 in a lively but expensive opening spell, Gareth Roderick whipping one delivery past mid on for four and James Bracey driving well off the front foot. At the other end de Lange, bowling marginally shorter, proved harder to get away but there were still nine boundaries in the first hour until the introduction of medium pacer Lloyd and skipper Hogan applied the brake.

    The experienced Australian, who has taken more than 500 first class wickets, removed Roderick for 17 with the aid of a smart low slip catch by Selman, which left Bracey and Jack Taylor with some rebuilding to do from 53-3. Little was available cheaply to either batsman off the back foot, but Bracey sweetly drove Lloyd past mid off and Taylor - either side of some bat repairs - gave steady support until de Lange, recalled ten minutes before lunch, struck twice either side of the interval.

    Taylor appeared to be undone by a little extra pace and was bowled for nine, and then Bracey, having reached 34 in good style, edged the first ball at the resumption to Selman at second slip. It left de Lange on a hat trick but Higgins survived and for almost two hours the former Middlesex all rounder put together an innings which showed why Gloucestershire wanted to sign him.

    Compact at the crease, Higgins brought up the 100 by punching Carey past point and neatly played anything he could work onto the leg side. Even the miserly Hogan was driven down the ground attempting a yorker. Graeme van Buuren was lbw to Hogan for 10 , and Gloucestershire could have been 128-7 if Selman hasn't spilled a chance given by Noema-Barnett off Selman when he'd made only four.

    The powerful left hander then complimented Higgins in a stand of 44 for the seventh wicket until de Lange's second key intervention, intincing Higgins to swat his first ball of a new spell to Marsh at mid wicket. Dan Worrall defended until tea and after it supported Noema-Barnett in organised fashion until the second new ball was due. It was then that matters rapidly unfolded.

    Noema-Barnett, needing only a boundary for his first Championship fifty since the match at Northampton last year, was lbw to Carey's third delivery with it, and de Lange removed Matt Taylor and Norwell in quick succession after Worrall had driven and loftily pulled the same bowler for four in one over. He was left 36 not out, and Glamorgan had a tricky session to see out.

    Worrall and Matt Taylor found nothing to trouble Jack Murphy and David Lloyd, and two overs from Liam Norwell couldn't dislodge either of the Glamorgan openers, who will resume on Saturday morning at 26-0, 210 runs behind.