Close of Play Report

Glamorgan had reached 193-5 at tea as Jan Gray and Tim Wyatt bowled in tandem with Carlson nurdling Wyatt for four to bring up the 200. Lieberman returned after six overs with Gray keeping things tight at the River End. After watchful reconnaissance Cullen swept Gray for four before Carlson repeated the stroke later in the over, followed by another sweep in the next over against Phillips before reaching his hundred with a flowing cover drive against the left-arm spin of Max Tryfonos – his 158th delivery and thirteenth boundary.

The sixth wicket pair continued to steadily accumulate against the slow bowlers as the students persisted with spin despite the availability of the new ball after 80 overs. Their century stand came up after 93 minutes before Carlson harpooned Tryfonos over mid-wicket for six followed by a lofted drive to long-on for another maximum.

The flurry of runs prompted the new ball to be taken after 88 overs as Lieberman and Wyatt returned. Carlson upper-cut Wyatt for four before departing l.b.w. later in the over for 148. 318-6 then became 318-7 as Alex Horton departed in identical fashion in Wyatt’s next over as Ben Kellaway joined Cullen for the closing overs.

Teatime Report

Glamorgan resumed on 95-2 after lunch with Carlson cover-driving Lieberman to see his team into three figures before Cooke completed his fifty from 105 balls by repeating the stroke in the seamer’s next over. Cooke then flicked Tim Wyatt to square-leg but later in the over he edged a drive and was well caught by Smale who dived across to his left in front of the slip cordon. 111-3 nearly became 111-4 as Carlson bisected the slips as he also edged a drive against Lieberman.

Billy Root began by square-cutting Simpson for four before Carlson plundered a pair of boundaries through the offside against Ahmed, followed by a deft late-cut against Phillips when the off-spinner returned at the Cathedral Road End. The students then switched to an all-spin attack as the leg-spin of Jan Gray was re-introduced. Carlson lofted him to long-on for four before completing his fifty from 94 balls by cover-driving the student.

With the score on 175 Phillips removed Root who edged a cut into Smale’s gloves as Dan Douthwaite became Carlson’s new partner. He began by on-driving a rare loose delivery from Phillips for four but was then lured down the pitch by Gray and smartly stumped by Smale. 182-5 saw Tom Cullen make his way to the middle before Carlson cover-drove Phillips in the last over before tea.

Morning update

Given the hectic schedule, with six matches over the course of the next six weeks, Glamorgan have rested a number of players for this three-day friendly which, in line with the matches played by the other UCCE teams, does not count as a first-class fixture. Amongst the Academy players appearing in this game for Glamorgan will be Harry Friend, the highly promising opening batter from Monmouth School, plus Ben Kellaway – the middle-order batter and off-spinner from Chepstow CC and Clifton College, plus seam bowler Ben Morris from Abergavenny CC.

Two other Academy players feature in the Cardiff UCCE line-up including off-spinner Tegid Phillips and batter Morgan Bevans, whilst keeping wickets will be Will Smale, who has played for Wales age-group teams besides having first-class experience in provincial cricket in Ireland. A number of the students have played for National County teams, including Alex Simpson, the students captain, who has played for Northumberland, middle-order batter Freddie Smith who has played for Oxfordshire and Xavier Clarke – the brother of Nottinghamshire’s Joe Clarke - who has represented Shropshire. Others have experience of Second Eleven cricket including batters Chris Gibson (Notts) and Max Tryfonos (Warwickshire and Somerset) plus bowlers Tim Wyatt (Notts), Daz Ahmed (Gloucestershire and Jan Gray (Kent).

It was Wyatt who shared the new ball with Matthew Lieberman as Joe Cooke and Friend began Glmaorgan’s innings after Kiran Carlson won the toss and opted to bat first. Cooke was the first to find the ropes as he slashed Wyatt through backward point. Friend then cover drove Lieberman for four before Cooke pulled Wyatt to the boards at mid-wicket.

Friend then greeted the introduction of Simpson into the attack by pulling him for four, but next over he nearly skied a catch to Smale, but the wicket-keeper could not quite pouch the ball running back towards fine-leg. However with the total on 40, Ahmed struck with his first delivery as he trapped the opener l.b.w. Callum Taylor opened his account with a crisp glance to fine-leg before on-driving Ahmed to bring up the fifty.

Cooke then pulled Ahmed for four before drilling him through extra-cover and followed next ball by a pull for six. Phillips then entered the attack in the 23rd over and with his seventh delivery he removed Tayolr who feathered a catch down the legside and into Smale’s gloves. 77-2 saw Carlson make his way to the middle as the leg-spin of Gray was also introduced at the Cathedral Road End shortly before lunch with Cooke sweeping him for six into the Pavilion seats.

Evening Update

Cardiff UCCE had added 123 between lunch and tea to reach 191-3 at the interval, with Morgan Bevans unbeaten on 80 and in sight of reaching a century. But he lost his partner, Xavier Clarke, to the first ball of the session as the former pupil of Shrewsbury School departed l.b.w. to a full length delivery from Cooke for 51. Alex Simpson duly replaced him but five balls later he departed in identical fashion as Will Smale became Bevan’s next partner.

Bevans responded by cutting Carey for four before Smale on-drove Cooke for four. But to the final ball of Cooke’s over Smale became the third batter to depart l.b.w. as the students slipped further to 201-6. Having been joined by Daz Ahmed, Bevans pulled Cooke for four before Ahmed nonchalantly drilled Andrew Gorvin through mid-off and mid-on for a pair of rasping fours.

Ahmed then lofted Gorvin for four and six before Bevans reached his century from 148 balls by pulling Douthwaite for four – his 19th four before bad light stopped play 249-6, with the students 72 runs in arrears whereupon they declared. Twenty minutes play were lost before Cooke and Harry Friend began Glamorgan’s second innings, ironically with Sophia Gardens bathed in glorious sunshine. Cooke cover-drove both Lieberman and Phillips for four as together with Friend he saw Glamorgan to 26-0 at the close.

Afternoon Report

Cardiff UCCE were 68-2 when play resumed after lunch with Joe Cooke and Lukas Carey returning to the attack. Morgan Bevans pulled the latter for four prior to unfurling a handsome cover drive against the same bowler. Chris Gibson also pulled Cooke for four before Bevans glided a short ball from Carey through backward point for four. Gibson also pulled a ball from Cooke to the boards before later in the over being superbly caught down the leg-side by Alex Horton who completed a fine one-handed dismissal.

With the total on 99-3 Xavier Clarke joined Bevans as both Callum Taylor and Andrew Gorvin had their second spells. Bevans greeted the return of Taylor by lofting him over long-on for six before Clarke drilled Gorvin through extra-cover followed by a pull to the boards at square-leg against Taylor, plus another handsome cover-drive later in the off-spinner’s over.

Bevans then completed his fifty, from 91 balls, with a single to third man as Ben Morris had another spell before driving the youngster through backward point. Dan Douthwaite also had another trundle at the Cathedral Road End and was both cover-driven and on-driven by Clarke for a pair of fours, followed by a six over deep square-leg when the all-rounder dropped short.

Bevans also clipped Douthwaite and square-drove the all-rounder for a pair of fours before Clarke unfurled another crisply timed cover-drive against Morris before pulling him for six over square-leg. Bevans also off-drove and cover-drove Douthwaite before Clarke completed a 54-ball fifty by pulling Ben Kellaway for four.

Morning Update

With Glamorgan having declared on their overnight total of 320-7, it was Chris Gibson and Freddie Smith who made their way to the middle to start the students’ innings as Andrew Gorvin and Lukas Carey shared the new ball. Each bowler maintained a probing line and length, with Carey re-arranging Smith’s stumps in the sixth over. 5-1 saw Max Tryfonos become Gibson’s new partner, with the latter striking the first boundary of the day as he flicked Gorvin to the ropes at fine-leg.

Joe Cooke and Dan Douthwaite entered the attack after a dozen overs with Tryfonos clipping the latter to square-leg before driving him through backward point for another boundary. At the River End, Cooke began with a trio of maidens before Tryfonos nurdled him to third man, but the left-hander became the second batter to be clean bowled as Douthwaite struck in his fifth over with the total on 31.

Morgan Bevans was the new batter and nearly departed to Ben Morris’ opening delivery as he edged the young bowler from Abergavenny into the slips but Billy Root could not cling onto the chance. Bevans celebrated his good fortune by square-driving Morris later in the over. Callum Taylor then had a brief spell before lunch with Gibson cover-driving him for four to see the students to the 50-mark in the 26th over.

Bevans then struck Morris for a trio of fours, one to third man, the next through point and the third to mid-wicket.

Evening Report

Leading by 234 at tea, Glamorgan declared so after the interval it was Freddie Smith and Will Smale who faced the bowling of Lucas Carey and Andrew Gorvin. The latter nearly removed Smale in his opening over but Carey at mid-on could not quite pouch the ball. Smaile also outside-edged a drive against Gorvin but with a bank of heavy cloud over the ground, the light deteriorated and the spinners – Callum Taylor and Ben Kellaway - came on after five overs as the umpires deemed it was too gloomy for the seamers to continue.

Smith straight drove and reverse-swept Taylor for a pair of fours before chipping the spinner into the hands of Cooke at short extra-cover. 26-1 saw the arrival of Alex Simpson with Smale then on-driving Kellaway for four but after another couple of overs, the conditions worsened and the players left the field and shortly afterwards play was called off as the game ended in a draw.

Afternoon update

With Joe Cooke having retired on his overnight score it was Callum Taylor who joined Harry Friend when play resumed at 1310, but the young tyro chipped his second ball, from Tegid Phillips, into the hands of Alex Simpson at short mid-wicket. Billy Root joined Friend who clipped Tim Wyatt behind square to register the day’s first boundary. Root then square-cut Phillips for four before deftly nurdling Wyatt to the ropes at third man, followed by a pair of square-drives to the point boundary.

Friend also retired with the total on 76 as Ben Kellaway joined Root who continued to find the ropes as he again drilled Wyatt square of the wicket. Jan Gray’s leg-breaks were then reintroduced at the River End with Root reverse-sweeping him for four before driving him for a straight six. Kellaway also pulled Simpson for four before Root cover-drove Gray en route to a half-century from 66 balls.

With the total on 127 Kellaway edged Gray into the hands of Daz Ahmed at slip as Dan Douthwaite made his way to the middle. After a series of singles he drove Simpson square of the wicket before hoisting him to the mid-wicket ropes. Root again reverse-swept Gray for four before Matthew Lieberman returned to the fray shortly before the tea interval at 1510 and was off-driven by Douthwaite for four.

Morning Update

Rain had fallen over the Welsh capital since the early hours and there was still drizzle and light rain in the air when the players arrived at Sophia Gardens this morning.

With the protective sheets and covers across the entire square and puddles having formed on the sheets, and drizzle still falling it came as no surprise that after an inspection at 1030 the umpires Ian Blackwell and Ant Harris announced that the start of play would be delayed. No play was possible before lunch, with lunch being taken at 1230, and after an inspection at the same time, it was agreed that play would start at 1310.

Glamorgan are currently 26-0 in their second innings, with an overall lead of 97 over the students.

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