Evening Report

Durham had taken tea on 244-5 with Ollie Robinson seeing Durham to a batting point as he punched successive balls from Timm van der Gugten through the offside for four, before on-driving Harry Podmore for another boundary. He then clipped Podmore to fine-leg for four before lofting him over long-on for six as he completed a 58-ball fifty. Liam Trevaskis then harpooned Labuschagne over mid-wicket for six before Robinson off-drove him for four. However, Labuschagne ended Robinson’s tenure at the crease as he top-edged an attempted cut into Cooke’s gloves.

301-6 saw Brydon Carse join Trevaskis and he opened his shoulders by lofting Carlson over mid-wicket for six. Neser and Podmore then returned with the new ball with Carse lofting the latter to long-on for four, whilst Trevaskis straight-drove Neser. Carse repeated the stroke in his next over before cover-driving Neser again as the 350 came up in the 88th over. Carse then cover-drove and square-drove successive deliveries from van der Gugten before Labuschagne returned in the final fifteen minutes and was lofted for six over long-off by Carse as he completed a lusty half-century from 64 balls.

Afternoon Report

Having reached 104-1 at lunch, Michael Jones and Scott Borthwick were looking to further consolidate Durham’s position as Harry Podmore and Timm van der Gugten resumed the bowling. Borthwick struck successive balls from Podmore through the covers and mid-wicket before nurdling him next over to third man for another boundary. Jones also drove Podmore through the covers for four en route to completing a 95-ball fifty, reached with a flat-batted cover-drive also against Podmore.

Borthwick flicked van der Gugten to fine-leg before Alan Walker, Durham’s elite bowling coach stood at square-leg in place of Neil Mallender for a couple of overs. Borthwick then reached his fifty from 96 balls as the century stand also came up for the second wicket. Neser returned at the River End and was flicked to the square-leg ropes by Borthwick. But next over he tried to repeat the shot and chipped a ball to short mid-wicket where Labuschagne completed the catch.

157-2 saw the arrival of David Bedingham who cover-drove David Lloyd for successive fours before Labuschagne returned to the attack in tandem with Dan Douthwaite who was steered through backward point by the new batter. The pair continued to work the ball around, largely untroubled but, with the score on 193, Jones attempted a reverse sweep against the Australian, missed the ball and departed l.b.w. with Ollie Robinson replacing him and square-driving Labuschagne to bring up the 200.

Labuschagne was back in the action with the total on 217 as Bedingham became the second batter to miscue a ball to the Australian at short mid-wicket who completed a smart two-handed catch diving full length to his right. Graham Clark began with a cover-driven four against Kiran Carlson when he also had a short spell prior to tea, with Robinson also repeating the stroke. Van der Gugten then had another salvo and removed Clark who feathered a ball into Chris Cooke's gloves

Morning Update

With clear blue skies and a balmy temperature, conditions were akin to New South Wales in Old South Wales this morning so it was fitting that Glamorgan welcomed back their Australian duo of Marnus Labuschagne and Michael Neser to their side. After winning the toss, and electing to bowl, Neser was swiftly into the action as he shared the new ball with Harry Podmore as Alex Lees and Michael Jones began Durham’s innings. After surviving a confident appeal for l.b.w. to the very first ball from Neser, Lees found the ropes in Podmore’s opening over as he flicked a ball to the fence at square-leg before Jones cover-drove Neser.

Lees did the same to successive balls from Podmore in addition to crisply on-driving him for three. Timm van der Gugten then replaced Neser at the River End and with his fifth delivery had an l.b.w. appeal upheld against Lees. 40-1 saw Scott Borthwick make his way to the middle and survived an chance as he edged the Dutchman into and out of the grasp of third slip before nearly being run out by Eddie Byrom in the next over as the visiting captain scampered a single.

Borthwick greeted the introduction of Dan Douthwaite into the attack by cover-driving him for four before guiding him to the vacant ropes at third man. Jones also drilled Douthwaite through mid-off for four before Neser returned to the attack at the River End with Labuschagne also having a twirl at the Cathedral Road End.

Friday's Update

In the words of the Dinah Washington song, what a difference a day makes, with gun-metal grey skies and colder temperatures greeting the players of both teams when they arrived this morning at Sophia Gardens with Durham, who had enjoyed the better of proceedings in the sun and warmth yesterday, looking to resume their first innings on 382-6 and hoping for further batting points this morning. However, the drizzle which had been falling over the ground from 1030 turned into steady rain at 1045 and the umpires delayed the start of play.

With the rain still falling at 12noon, the umpires decided to take an early lunch at 1230 followed by an early tea at 1510. But with the rain having continued all afternoon, the umpires called off play at 1545.

Evening Report

Glamorgan had reached 143-5 at tea, still 328 runs in arrears, with the light still gloomy and drizzle starting to fall. Carlson on-drove Liam Trevaskis but the rain then intensified and the players left the field again.

Afternoon Update

David Lloyd had departed l.b.w. to Raine in what have proven to be the final over before lunch so it was Sam Northeast who joined Marnus Labuschagne, fresh from completing his best-ever first-class bowling figures, when Glamorgan resumed on 50-2 after the interval with Brydon Carse switching to the Cathedral Road End. However, it was Raine who struck again in his seventh over as, with the total on 60, the umpire upheld an appeal for leg before against Labuschagne.

Kiran Carlson joined Northeast who glanced Raine to the ropes at fine-leg before Carlson, having taken a blow to his torso, guided Carse to third man for four, celebrating his good fortune as the ball which had struck him had cannoned into the stumps without dislodging a bail. But later in the over Northeast departed as he miscued a pull and Graham Clark at short-leg completed the catch as Glamorgan slipped to 72-4. Carlson then punched Carse off the back foot through the covers prior to a deft glance to the ropes at fine-leg against the next delivery. But, with the total on 89, Billy Root also departed l.b.w. to Raine as Chris Cooke made his way to the middle in gloomy light with the umpires two overs later taking the players off the field as conditions became too dark for play to continue. 

They returned twelve minutes later as three overs were lost but after an over the light worsened and they spent a further dozen minutes off the field, losing three more overs before returning to the field. Cooke flicked Coughlin to fine-leg for four before Carlson cut Raine through point, with Cooke then pulling Coughlin for four as well as clipping Matt Kuhnemann to mid-wicket.

Morning Report

With the chilly temperatures yesterday and rain washing out the day’s play, plus layers f ice on the covers this morning at Sophia Gardens, it seemed very appropriate that the transport authorities in Cardiff were preparing this morning for rugby’s Judgement Day with the four Welsh regions going head-to-head later today in back-to-back games at the Principality Stadium in the finale to the United Rugby Championship. As the Durham and Glamorgan cricketers arrived by foot or by car at Sophia Gardens this morning, the various signs directing supporters of the oval-ball game to car parks and access ways to the Stadium were being put into position. For those engaged in red-ball activities their own Judgement Day will not come until September - by which time the Rugby World Cup will be in full swing - but matters today and tomorrow at Sophia Gardens could still have an importance when it comes to final positions in the County Championship and the promotion race in five months’ time.

Durham had enjoyed the better of proceedings on the opening day and resuming their first innings on 382-6, were hoping for further batting points this morning in the remaining fourteen overs with points still on offer. Timm van Gugten and Michael Neser continued the bowling duties with the latter being crisply cover-driven for four by Brydon Carse who also nurdled the Dutchamn to the vacant ropes at third man. Another firm drive against van der Gugten saw Carse bring up the Durham 400 before the all-rounder hoisted him over square-leg for six.

Liam Trevaskis also pulled van der Gugten for four before Carse greeted the introduction of Kiran Carlson’s spin by straight-driving him for another rasping four. Trevaskis then completed his 101-ball fifty but with the total on 429, Carse departed leg before to Neser for a career-best 91. Having been joined by Ben Raine, Trevaskis cover drove Carlson for four before clubbing a short ball from Neser to the fence at mid-wicket but Labuschagne’s off-spin was then employed with Raine swatting a full toss into the hands of Lloyd at short mid-off. Trevaskis brought up the 450 and the fifth batting point as Durham ended the 110 overs on 452-8.

Trevaskis straight-drove Labuschagne for another four before doing the same to Carlson but in attempting a slog-sweep he was trapped l.b.w. by the Australian whereupon Durham declared shortly after noon. Lloyd clipped the first ball of the innings from Raine to fine-leg but Eddie Byrom departed l.b.w to Coughlin’s opening delivery prompting the earlier than anticipated arrival at the crease of Labuschagne. He began with a thick-edge through the gully for four before Lloyd flicked Coughlin to the ropes at mid-wicket.

Lloyd then edged Coughlin over the heads of the slip cordon for four before a more authentic boundary as he drilled the seamer through mid-off prior to a top edge for four as he pulled Carse’s second delivery. In Coughlin’s next over Lloyd cover-drove the seamer for a coruscating four

Evening update

There were 35 overs remaining when play resumed after tea with Glamorgan on 48-3, still 118 runs in arrears. Ben Raine and Brydon Carse continued the bowling duties with the latter making further inroads as Kiran Carlson flicked a ball into the hands of Graham Clark at leg gully. Billy Root struck his first ball square of the wicket through point before Lloyd pulled Raine for four. But Paul Coughlin then returned to the attack at the River End and had Lloyd caught by Liam Trevaskis at deep backward square-leg as he attempted a hook.

66-5 saw the arrival of Chris Cooke who began with a firm drive through mid-off against Coughlin whilst Root steered Carse to the ropes at backward point followed by a cover-driven four against Coughlin. But Raine returned and, with the total on 96, saw Cooke edge a pull into Robinson’s gloves as Dan Douthwaite made his way to the middle to face Raine bowling with a pair of close catchers on the drive on both the off and leg side. However, the light started to deteriorate and after 23 overs the umpires took the players off the field with Glamorgan on 104-6. It continued to rain heavily for ten minutes or so and when the umpires made their inspection at 5.30pm, they called off play as the game ended in a draw.

Afternoon update

A cover driven four by Kiran Carlson had taken Glamorgan to their first batting point before the young tyro completed his hundred from 141 balls with a cover drive against Borthwick in the last over before lunch as Glamorgan reached 257-8, still 214 runs behind. Despite the presence of a pair of ducks and a young duckling waddling around the outfield in the vicinity of deep extra cover, Carlson clipped Ben Raine for four to fine-leg before punching Brydon through the covers.

Timm van der Gugten brought up the century stand by punching Carse through extra-cover but Liam Trevaskis returned to the fray at the River End and with his second ball ended Carlson’s stay at the crease as he clung onto a fierce straight drive as the batter advanced down the wicket, before departing for 119 with 30 still needed to avoid the follow-on. Having been joined by Harry Podmore, van der Gugten again drilled Carse through extra cover for four before pulling him for four to complete a 93-ball fifty. By this time though rain was falling at the end of the over, the players left the field with Glamorgan on 301-9.

Thirty minutes and eight further overs were lost before van der Gugten square-cut Trevaskis for three but next over he drove Paul Coughlin into the hands of Scott Borthwick at mid-on who then enforced the follow-on with Glamorgan 166 runs in arrears. David Lloyd began with a fierce on-drive for four followed by another forcing blow square of the wicket. Byrom also began with a pair of fours through the off-side but was trapped leg before by Raine to the final ball of the third over. Marnus Labuschagne came in with his team on 19-1 and he began by clipping Coughlin top square-leg for four, but later in the over, he skewed a drive and was caught in the gully by Alex Lees.

Sam Northeast joined Lloyd and on-drove Coughlin for four but three balls later he fended off a brute of delivery from the seamer which sharply rose up off the surface and into Graham Clark’s hands at point as Glamorgan went to tea on 48-3.

Morning Report

As a life-long supporter of Wrexham FC and a man whose family have been closely linked with the team who have now regained their place in the Football League, David Lloyd had a big broad smile on his face this morning when he arrived at Sophia Gardens. Glamorgan’s supporters were, no doubt, hoping that the Club’s captain would still be smiling at the end of a day, and a match, which saw his team still 318 runs in arrears, and with a maximum of 96.4 overs to face today for the sanctuary of a draw.

Liam Trevaskis completed the over from yesterday afternoon before Brydon Carse struck with his third delivery as Chris Cooke nibbled at a ball outside off stump with his opposite number Ollie Robinson completing a regulation catch behind the stumps. Dan Douthwaite joined Kiran Carlson and pulled Ben Raine for four before Carlson cover-drove Carse to complete his fifty from 72 balls. Douthwaite also biffed Carse through point for four before Carlson drilled Raine through mid-off for four.

Carlson was struck again on the body as Carse bowled around the wicket to him with a short-leg and leg slip with Raine also having a funky field placing to Douthwaite with three men on the drive at silly mid-on, but the all-rounder holed out to Carse at backward square-leg as he attempted to pull Raine. 180-7 then became 181-8 as next over Michael Neser departed l.b.w. to Carse, but shortly afterwards the light deteriorated and the umpires briefly took the players off for bad light as a couple of overs were lost to the daily quota.

Tim van der Gugten pulled Raine for four before Trevaskis returned to the fray in tandem with Paul Coughlin. The latter was pulled for four by the Dutchman before Carlson deftly flicked the left-arm spinner to fine-leg before lofting Trevaskis over mid-off for six. He also clipped Coughlin to fine-leg for four before sweeping Trevaskis to the ropes at backward square-leg. Van der Gugten also opened his shoulders to loft Trevaskis to long-off for four.
In the absence of Matt Kuhnemann, Scott Borthwick’s leg-spin was also employed shortly before lunch