GLAMORGAN v CARDIFF UCCE

Close of Play Report

After winning the toss, David Lloyd was soon in action with Eddie Byrom as Tommy Rex and Elliot Mason opened the bowling for the students. Byrom pulled Mason for four before Lloyd drilled Rex through the covers followed by a rasping on-drive. Lloyd also pulled Mason to the ropes at mid-wicket before pulling the next three deliveries to and over backward square-leg for a four and a pair of sixes. Byrom then edged a ball from Mason through the slips before Lloyd clipped Rex to square-leg to bring up the 50 in the seventh over.

Lloyd then unfurled an elegant cover-drive for four against Rex followed later in the over by a crisp on-drive. He then punched Vinayak Raghavan through point for four but later in the over, the seamer who has represented the United Arab Emirates, removed the Glamorgan captain as he edged to second slip. 68-1 saw the arrival of Colin Ingram with Byrom striking a brace of fours in Mason’s sixth over before Ben Morris entered the attack at the Cathedral Road End. However, it was Raghavan who struck next as he trapped Byrom l.b.w.

93-2 then became 99-4 as first Ingram was bowled shouldering arms to Morris before two balls later, Sam Northeast did the same to Raghavan. Kiran Carlson steered Raghavan through the slips for four before Morris bowled Billy Root as Glamorgan lost their fifth wicket on 115. Four balls later it became 115-6 as Carlson departed l.b.w. to Raghavan. Dan Douthwaite began by nurdling Raghavan for four to third man, but with the total on 126 he also departed l.b.w., this time to a full length delivery from Morris.

Having been joined by Andrew Salter, Chris Cooke struck successive balls from Morris through the covers for four before Salter pulled him for four to mid-wicket. Cooke then drilled Harry Friend through the covers for four with the eighth wicket pair seeing the Welsh county through to 166-7 at the close of play.

Afternoon Report

The umpires made a further inspection at 1330, with sun having broken through the cloud cover and with mopping up operations in full swing, they decided that the toss would take place at 1500 and the start of play at 1530.

Glamorgan have won the toss and elected to bat against Cardiff UCCE in the 13-a-side friendly at Sophia Gardens.Glamorgan therefore field the following team who were in action at Taunton for the match against Somerset – DL Lloyd (capt), EJ Byrom, CA Ingram, SA Northeast, KS Carlson, WT Root, CB Cooke (wkt), DA Douthwaite, AG Salter, JAR Harris, HW Podmore, T van der Gugten and JP McIlroy.

Morning Update

The inclement weather continues to frustrate Glamorgan’s cricketers as they attempt to complete their pre-season schedule with a three-day friendly against Cardiff UCCE. Steady rain had fallen overnight in the Welsh capital and it was still falling at 0900 when the players and match officials arrived at the ground. The umpires – Paul Baldwin and Ant Harris – made an initial assessment of conditions at 0930 and decided that no play would take place before lunch, with lunch being taken at the normal time of 1300.

Evening Update

With a wicket having fallen to the last ball before tea, it was Ben Kellaway who joined Morgan Bevans when play resumed with the students on 119-4, still 96 runs in arrears. Their plight did not improve as in Douthwaite’s opening over, Morgan Bevans edged a ball to second slip which Colin Ingram parried into Kiran Carlson’s hands at third slip. 119-5 then became 125-6 as Kellaway miscued a drive against Jamie McIlroy and chipped the ball into Carlson’s hands at short mid-wicket.

Seven runs later Douthwaite struck again as he bowled Rhodri Lewis before Will Smale and Adam Searle each struck legside fours. But Douthwaite made further inroads as, with the total on 145, Smale slapped a short ball into Andrew Salter’s hands at deep backward point. With Vinayak Raghavan as his new partner, Searle cover-drove McIlroy for four but at 1650 the umpires took the players off the field for bad light.

They returned after a half hour delay with Harry Podmore striking with his first delivery of the session as he trapped Raghavan l.b.w. Searle and Tommy Rex then nudged and nurdled as the total reached 170 whereupon Searle edged van der Gugten and Chris Cooke completed a fine catch diving one-handed to his right.

Teatime Report

With the students resuming after lunch on 9-0, Harry Podmore and Timm van der Gugten continued the bowling duties. Friend punched Podmore off the back foot for three through the covers before Gibson pulled him to the ropes at deep backward square-leg. Friend then square-drove van der Gugten for four before Gibson pulled the Dutchman for four to mid-wicket.

Friend then greeted the introduction of James Harris into the attack by playing a wristy drive through point for four before Gibson did the same to Jamie McIlroy with a flick to backward square-leg followed by a coruscating off-drive and a nonchalant pull for six over mid-wicket as the 50 came up in the 16th over. Gibson celebrated by clipping McIlroy for another six over mid-wicket before playing an expansive drive over the head of extra-cover followed by another effervescent pull for six against McIlroy as the University captain completed his fifty from 56 balls.

Friend then clipped David Lloyd for four to deep square-leg but it was Harris who made the breakthrough as Gibson pulled him to deep square-leg where Eddie Byrom completed the catch. 86-1 saw the left-handed Nic Halstead-Cleak join Friend and he began with a clip to backward square-leg for four before the students reached the 100-mark in the 25th over. But three runs later Dan Douthwaite entered the attack and with his second delivery he re-arranged Friends stumps.

Xavier Clarke made his way to the middle and after surviving an appeal for l.b.w. he saw his partner bowled by a no-ball from Lloyd. But in Douthwaite’s second over the all-rounder struck again as Clarke edged into Cooke’s gloves. Halstead-Cleak then departed in identical fashion in the last over before tea.

Lunchtime Report

Glamorgan resumed this morning on 166-7 after some impressive change bowling yesterday afternoon with Vinayak Raghavan, who has international experience with United Arab Emirates. claiming 4/33 whilst Ben Morris, the youngster from Abergavenny who is on Glamorgan’s books claiming 3/3 in a frugal 26-ball spell. Chris Cooke and Andrew Salter had stabilised things by adding 40 in the final half-hour, and they were looking to continue the good work this morning as Morris and Raghavan resumed the bowling. Salter edged the latter through a vacant third slip before Cooke edged Morris into Will Smale’s gloves.

171-8 saw James Harris join Salter with the latter pulling Morris before the former steered Raghavan to the third man boundary. Salter also pulled Morris for a second four before Harris greeted the return of Tommy Rex by clipping him to the boards at mid-wicket. Harris also danced down the wicket to off-drive Rhodri Lewis when the left-arm spinner returned at the Cathedral Road End. With the total on 209, Rex bowled Salter for 36 as Timm van der Gugten made his way to the middle and added a further six runs with Harris until edging Raghavan into the hands of second slip.

Cardiff UCCE had fifteen minutes batting before lunch as Harry Podmore shared the new ball with van der Gugten.

Close of Play Report

Cardiff still required 197 runs when play resumed after tea with Xavier Clarke cover-driving James Harris before on-driving Jamie McIlroy prior to reaching his fifty from 54 balls by cover-driving Dan Douthwaite. He then pulled Harris for four before doing the same to Douthwaite for six with Andrew Salter then entering the attack and being swept for four by Bevans. Douthwaite was also pulled for six by Clarke.

A pair of orthodox sweeps by Clarke brought up the century stand but with the total on 156, Bevans miscued a sweep into the hands of the fielder at short fine-leg. 119 were needed at the start of the last hour as Ben Kellaway came in and on-drove Salter before Clarke completed his hundred, from 96 balls by cover-driving Salter.

He celebrated by on-driving van der Gugten for four before Kellaway reverse-swept Salter for four but later in the over Kellaway miscued a drive to mid-off. His departure saw the arrival of Will Smale with 87 needed from 15.2 overs and next over Clarke’s spirited innings ended as he was bowled attempting to scoop van der Gugten. Will Smale cover-drove van der Gugten whilst Rhodri Lewis reverse-swept Colin Ingram, before on-driving him and flaying him square of the wicket for successive fours.

The equation was 65 from 54 balls as Harry Podmore returned at the River End with Lewis reverse-sweeping Ingram for six over mid-wicket. Smale also opened his shoulders to pull Podmore for six as the target became 42 from 37 balls before Lewis flat-batted Podmore for four through the covers followed by a scoop to fine-leg for four against Lloyd. Lewis who has played National Counties cricket for Berkshire then drilled Lloyd through mid-off for a rasping four but on 255 he lofted a ball from Lloyd to Douthwaite at mid-off.

19 were needed off 18 balls as Adam Searle joined Smale who, after a series of singles, flicked Podmore to fine-leg for four before on-driving Lloyd for four with the students needing five from the final over but Smale scooped the first ball from Podmore for six over fine-leg as the students secured a famous victory.

Teatime Update

Having reached 160-5 at lunch and a lead of 205, Billy Root and Chris Cooke were looking for further time in the middle as Rhodri Lewis and Vinayak Raghavan resumed the bowling duties. Cooke square-cut the latter for four before being bowled by a no-ball from Lewis. He celebrated his good fortune by on-driving and off-driving the left-arm spinner for a pair of fours, followed by a rasping cover and a slog sweep for further boundaries. Root late cut Raghavan for four en route to a 64-ball fifty before Cooke drove Lewis for four through extra-cover besides flicking Raghavan over backward square-leg for six before Glamorgan declared on 228-5 and a lead of 273.

Chris Gibson and Harry Friend began the Cardiff second innings as Harry Podmore and Timm van der Gugten shared the new ball. With his eighth delivery, Podmore found the edge of Friend’s bat with Colin Ingram, at third slip, completing a regulation catch. Having been joined by Nic Halstead-Cleak, Gibson on-drove Podmore for a pair of fours but later in the over, Podmore re-arranged his stumps as the students slipped to 18-2.

Xavier Clarke began by cover-driving van der Gugten for a pair of fours before surviving a sharp chance at first slip. Halstead-Cleak also edged Podmore through the slips for four before off-driving the seamer for a more authentic boundary. Clarke inside-edged van der Gugten for four as the 50 came up in the tenth over, before Jamie McIlroy had a spell at the River End and with his second delivery saw Halstead-Cleak edge into Cooke’s gloves.
Clarke also cover drove James Harris when he entered the fray before doing the same to McIlroy as the students reached 76-3 at the interval.

Lunchtime Report

Yesterday, Dan Douthwaite claimed 5/31 as Cardiff UCCE were dismissed for 170 giving the Welsh county a lead on first innings of 45 runs. David Lloyd and Eddie Byrom opened the batting with the former striking the first ball, from Tommy Rex, through extra-cover for four before off-driving the youngster for a second boundary. Byrom also flicked Vinayak Raghavan to the ropes at fine-leg but with the total on 18, Lloyd edged a drive against Rex into the gloves of Will Smale.

Colin Ingram joined Byrom and he began with a delightful square drive against Rex before Byrom straight drove the young seamer. After surviving a sharp chance at cover, Byrom thumped Raghavan off the back foot through extra-cover but later in the over, and the total on 38, he drove the ball to Chris Gibson at mid-on. Having been joined by Sam Northeast, Ingram drove Rex through mid-off and mid-on but after Northeast had cover driven Raghavan, he was bowled shouldering arms as Glamorgan lost their third wicket with the total on 48.

Kiran Carlson brought up the fifty by cover-driving Raghavan before lofting Ben Morris over mid-on for four. Ingram then pulled the youngster from Abergavenny for four followed by a rasping square-cut, before Carlson clipped Raghavan to square-leg for four before lofting him over long-on for six. But later in the over Carlson drilled the seamer to Adam Searle at deep cover.

86-4 saw Billy Root join Ingram who flicked Raghavan to fine-leg before on-driving him for four. Root cover-drove Morris to bring up the hundred, before pulling him to the boards at mid-wicket, followed by a cover drive. Ingram also greeted the introduction of Adam Searle’s off-spin by driving him through mid-off for four before depositing him over long-on for six. He then completed his fifty from 57 balls by cutting Rex to the vacant third man boundary before sweeping Searle for four.

Root also lofted Rhodri Lewis for a straight six but the left-arm spinner in his second over removed Ingram for 63 as Nic Halsted-Cleak took a smart catch at short mid-wicket.