GLAMORGAN v GLOUCESTERSHIRE

A century opening stand by Hamish Rutherford (62) and David Lloyd (73), plus an unbeaten 60 by Eddie Byrom helped Glamorgan to 264-6 after being put in to bat by Gloucestershire in their final home game this summer in the LV=Insurance County Championship at Sophia Gardens.

Close of Play Report

Glamorgan had lost 6 wickets for 55 runs during the afternoon session having dominated the morning session with an opening stand of 136, so Eddie Byrom and Andrew Salter were looking to stabilize things besides securing a first batting point when play began with the Welsh county on 192-6. David Payne and Tom Price continued the bowling duties with the seventh wicket pair accumulating in singles until Byrom clipped Warner for two to square-leg as Glamorgan reached the 200-mark in the 74th over.

Byrom celebrated by flicking Jared Warner to the ropes behind square-leg before Salter deftly late-cut Zafar Gohar for four. Gloucestershire took the new ball after 80.2 overs as Payne and Higgins returned to the attack with Salter nurdling Payne through the gully for four before Byrom clipped Higgins to the ropes at mid-wicket followed by a clip to deep backward square-leg against Payne.

The Zimbabwean-born left-hander then flicked Payne to mid-wicket en route to his maiden half-century for the Welsh county, from 152 balls, and reached with a firm clip to square-leg after three hours of watchful accumulation. Salter then cover drove Price for four but soon afterwards, the light became murky and the spin of Zafar Gohar was re-employed. But the seventh wicket pair remained resolute and saw their side through to the close of a strange day when six wickets fell, all in the space of 24 overs between lunch and tea.

Teatime update

Glamorgan had reached 107-0 at lunch with Hamish Rutherford and David Lloyd benefitting from two dropped catches and, despite its verdant hue, what appears to be a docile surface. Ryan Higgins and David Payne resumed the bowling duties with a greater cloud cover than first thing as Hamish Rutherford began with an on-drive for three before reaching his fifty by clipping David Payne for two – his 93rd delivery.

But with the total on 137 their opening stand came to an end as Lloyd, on 73, edged Higgins to second slip where Oli Price, the substitute fielder, completed a good low catch. Next over, Nick Selman edged Payne into the gloves of Ben Wells, the wicket-keeper who had been a late replacement for James Bracey following an injury in practice yesterday. Eddie Byrom joined Rutherford who also edged Higgins into the slips where Price failed to cling onto the ball inches from the turf.

The Kiwi celebrated his good fortune later in the over by cover-driving the all-rounder for four but with the total on 149, his three-hour innings ended as he was bowled by Jared Warner for 62 as the visitors gained their first bowling point in the 46th over. Kiran Carlson began with a booming cover drive for four against Warner before Byrom on-drove Tom Price for his first boundary. His partner did the same when Zafar Gohar returned to the attack before Byrom square-cut the spinner for four.

But with the total on 179 Carlson was ‘Priced’ as Oli at second slip clung onto an edge which his brother Tom had found when he returned to bowl at the River End. Having been joined by Chris Cooke, Byrom cut Zafar for four before the Glmaorgan captain found the ropes with a flick to fine-leg against Price. But with the total on 191 Price bowled Cooke before next ball trapping Dan Douthwaite l.b.w. as Gloucestershire claimed a second point with Andrew Salter surviving the hat-trick ball.

Lunchtime Report

A century opening stand by Hamish Rutherford and David Lloyd has taken Glamorgan to 107-0 at lunch after being put in to bat by Gloucestershire in their final home game this summer in the LV=Insurance County Championship at Sophia Gardens.

Ruaidhri Smith returned to the Glamorgan line-up in place of Lukas Carey from the side which lost last week by an innings to Durham at the Emirates Riverside, but it was the usual pairing of Hamish Rutherford and David Lloyd who opened the batting after Gloucestershire opted to bowl first on a green-tinged surface. David Payne and Ryan Higgins shared the new ball with Lloyd having an early life as Zafar Gofar spilled a head high chance at backward point in Payne’s second over, with Lloyd then cover-driving the left-armer for four later in the over.

Rutherford also square drove Higgins before both Glamorgan batters nurdled Higgins through the gully for three. Higgins also found the edge of Lloyd’s bat but Tom Lace at third slip could not hold onto the ball, before Rutherford clipped Payne to fine-leg for four. Lloyd then greeted the introduction of Jared warner into the attack by punching his first delivery through point for four before doing the same to Tom Price as he pulled the young seamer to the ropes at deep backward square-leg.

Rutherford brought up the 50 in the 16th over by guiding Price to third man before cover-driving the youngster. Lloyd also drilled Price through mid-wicket for four as Glamorgan’s decent start continued. The visitors switched to spin after 18 overs as Zafar Gohar, the Pakistan international, entered the fray with Lloyd also cover-driving him for four before the North Walian on-drove Warner when he switched to the River End.

Lloyd then thick-edged Warner to the vacant ropes at third man before dispatching Ben Charlesworth for four through extra-cover as he completed his fifty from 72 balls. Rutherford also glanced Zafar to fine-leg for four as well as on-driving Warner before Lloyd pulled Charlesworth for four to bring up the hundred in the 26th over. It was an eventful over as Charlesworth appeared to suffer a side strain as Higgins delivered the last four balls.

After dismissing Glamorgan for 309, Gloucestershire had reached 224-4 when bad light stopped ended play early on the second day of their LV=Insurance County Championship match at Sophia Gardens.

Close of Play Report

Gloucestershire had reached 166-2 at tea, 143 runs in arrears with Graeme van Buuren poised to follow his captain Chris Dent to the half-century mark as Michael Hogan and Andrew Salter resumed the bowling. Dent danced down the wicket to Salter and on-drove the spinner, before later in the over square-cutting him for another boundary. But next over, Dent became Salter’s 100th victim in first-class cricket as he was bowled attempting a ramp stroke. Three balls later he claimed his 101st wicket as Ryan Higgins was l.b.w. playing back to the jubilant bowler.

184-4 saw Ben Wells join van Buuren, who duly reached his fifty from 87 balls by square-cutting Salter for four. Soon afterwards, Wells on-drove Hogan for four before nurdling van der Gugten to third man to see Gloucestershire to their first batting point. Van Buuren then cover drove Salter for four before Wells on drove and off drove van der Gugten with aplomb as conditions started to become murky before the umpires took the players off the field shortly before 5pm with a dozen overs remaining

Teatime Update

As in the Glamorgan innings, the opening batters prospered against the new ball attack with Chris Dent and Miles Hammond taking Gloucestershire to 53-0 after an hour’s batting before lunch. Andrew Salter entered the attack after the interval with Michael Hogan returning at the River End. Hammond on-drove Salter for four but next over he edged a delivery from Hogan and Chris Cooke completed a spectacular one-handed catch diving low to his left in front of first slip.

63-1 saw Tom Lace join his captain, fresh from a pair in the last match at Chelmsford, and after playing and missing against Hogan he opened his account with a pair of singles before flicking Hogan to fine-leg, followed by a flick to square-leg against van der Gugten. Dent then square-cut David Lloyd when he entered the attack in place of Salter, but in his third over the North Walian found the edge of Lace’s bat with Cooke producing another superb one-handed catch as he dived this time low to his right to pouch the ball in front of first slip as Graeme van Buuren made his way to the middle.

He began by cover-driving Lloyd before drilling him to the ropes at mid-wicket, followed by a rasping square-cut against van der Gugten plus an off-drive for four when Ruaidhri Smith returned for his third spell. He also found the ropes again as he pulled Lloyd for four before square-cutting another delivery from Smith. Dent then completed his fifty from 108 balls before van Buuren struck his seventh four as he slashed Lloyd through backward point.

Both batsmen then edged deliveries to the vacant third man position before Salter returned to the attack shortly before tea. Van Buuren also brought up the 150 by straight-driving Dan Douthwaite

Morning report

A sporting fairytale may have happened on Saturday evening in New York, but it looked like Sunday’s narrative at Cardiff would be more akin to a nightmare for Gloucestershire as, after opting to bowl first on a green-tinged surface, they saw Glamorgan reach 136 without loss by the 38th over. Six wickets then tumbled during the course of the next 24 overs – with the prospect of providing new material for the followers of the Brothers Grimm - before Eddie Byrom and Andrew Salter added an unbeaten 73 in 35 overs.

Byrom was unbeaten on 60 - his best score in the competition – when play resumed this morning with Gloucestershire looking to break the stubborn partnership after a wicketless final session yesterday. It took David Payne just three balls to achieve this as Salter was bowled shouldering arms with Ruaidhri Smith replacing him at the crease. Byrom struck the day’s first boundary as he square-drove Payne before Smith repeated the stroke against Ryan Higgins. But the visiting all-rounder made amends next ball as Smith skewed the ball into the hands of Tom Lace at third slip.

279-8 saw the arrival of Timm van der Gugten who cover-drove Higgins before flicking him to square-leg for another crisply struck four. He then clipped Higgins to mid-wicket to bring up the 300 and a third batting point, before Byrom regally off-drove Payne for four. But the left-armer made the perfect riposte as Byrom chopped the next ball onto his stumps and departed for 78. Two runs later van der Gugten was caught behind as the fourth wicket fell this morning for 45 runs in the space of 11.3 overs.

With Ben Charlesworth still suffering from a side strain, Chris Dent opened the batting with Miles Hammond with the visiting captain flicking Michael Hogan to square-leg for four in the opening over. Hammond also cover drove Smith for a pair of fours before van der Gugten entered the attack and was clipped to mid-wicket for four by Dent. He also edged the Dutchman just in front of the slip cordon for four before Smith switched to the River End and was cover driven by Hammond for a pair of fours followed by a rasping square-cut to the final ball of the session as Gloucestershire reached the 50-mark at lunch.

Glamorgan dismissed Gloucestershire for 419 shortly before tea on the third day of their LV=Insurance County Championship match at Sophia Gardens. With the visitors leading by 110 runs, the Welsh county were 57-6 when play ended early because of bad light.

Close of Play Report

Glamorgan began their second innings after the tea interval with Hamish Rutherford and David Lloyd facing the first of 33 overs remaining in the day’s quota, delivered by David Payne with the Kiwi clipping the left-armer to mid-wicket for four before doing the same to Ryan Higgins who was operating at the Cathedral Road End. Lloyd began by flicking Payne to deep square-leg, with Rutherford then having a life as he again clipped Higgins to mid-wicket where Zafar Gohar dropped the chance.

The Pakistani then conceded four overthrows as Rutherford scampered a single with Zafar’s throw at the bowler’s end missing the stumps and racing away to the boundary. Lloyd then drilled the next delivery from Payne through extra cover before driving the bowler through wide long-on. But Payne made the initial incision later in the over as Lloyd edged to Miles Hammond at first slip.

39-1 immediately became 39-2 as the spin of Zafar was introduced with Rutherford edging his first ball into Hammond’s hands at slip as Eddie Byrom joined Nick Selman. However, four overs later the latter departed to a smart catch at second slip by Oli Price, the substitute fielder, as Zafar found the edge of Selman’s bat. 42-3 saw the arrival of Kiran Carlson as Byrom clipped Payne to square-leg for four, but Carlson also departed to a smart catch by Price as the young tyro edged the spinner to second slip.

46-4 then became 48-5 as Byrom shouldered arms to Higgins and was bowled. Graeme van Buuren then entered the attack as Gloucestershire, in the murky conditions, opted for spin at both ends. Cooke drove Zafar through the covers but next over miscued another drive against van Buuren and was caught by Chris Dent who, at short extra cover, gleefully clung onto the rebound as Glamorgan slipped further to 57-6. Four maiden overs then followed from the two spinners before conditions became too dark and the umpires took the players off the field.

Teatime Report

Gloucestershire were 316-8 when play began after lunch, with the visitors leading by seven runs and this was soon extended as Tom Price flayed Michael Hogan for four to mid-wicket before completing a series of singles with David Payne before the latter biffed Andrew Salter over long-on for six. Price also pulled Ruiadhri Smith for four before Payne again lofted Salter for a straight-driven four.

The fifty stand came up as Payne clipped Dan Douthwaite to backward square-leg before the Welsh Fire bowler square drove Smith for another boundary as the Gloucestershire tailenders continued to frustrate Glamorgan. But, with the total on 379 and a lead of 70, Payne’s stubborn innings ended as he edged a drive against Douthwaite into Cooke’s gloves. Next over Price almost edged the all-rounder to David Lloyd at slip before Jared Warner did the same as the ball went first bounce to Nick Selman.

Price duly completed his maiden Championship fifty from 127 balls by cover-driving Douthwaite, followed by a steer through backward point for another boundary. He then swatted van der Gugten through point to extend the lead into three figures. But Michael Hogan returned at the River End and ended both Price’s stay in the middle and the Gloucestershire innings by trapping him l.b.w.

Morning Update

Yesterday was a day of milestones for two Glamorgan cricketers as Andrew Salter claimed his 100th wicket in all first-class cricket, whilst Chris Cooke completed his 200th dismissal with his landmark moment coming when he dived low to his right in front of the slip cordon having earlier done the same to his left to complete another fine catch. Despite these personal efforts, half-centuries by Chris Dent and Graeme van Buuren had taken Gloucestershire to 224-4 when bad light brought a premature finish. The meteorological conditions had improved this morning, despite overnight rain, with play commencing at the scheduled time of 1030, and with 104 overs in the daily quota.

With their deficit standing at 85 runs, Ben Wells and van Buuren were looking to whittle away further at the deficit of 85 runs but David Lloyd struck with his second delivery as the umpire upheld an l.b.w. appeal against van Buuren. Ben Charlesworth announced his belated arrival following treatment for a sidestrain by clipping Lloyd to mid-wicket for four before punching the all-rounder off the back foot through extra-cover, besides flicking Andrew Salter to fine-leg for four. Wells also opened his shoulders to pull and cover drive Lloyd for four besides steering Salter through backward point for another boundary.

With the new ball having been taken after 80 overs, Michael Hogan and Timm van der Gugten returned to the attack with the latter being cover driven by Charlesworth. But with the total on 268 Wells edged van der Gugten into the slips where Lloyd safely pouched the waist-high catch. Shortly afterwards, Hogan removed Zafar Gohar as he sparred at a rising delivery and edged to Cooke.

279-7 saw Tom Price join Charlesworth with the new batter straight driving and cover driving successive balls from van der Gugten for four. Charlesworth also pulled Hogan for four as Gloucestershire reached the 300-mark and another bonus point during the 96th over prior to taking the lead as Price cover drove Salter. But with the total on 310 Smith bowled Charlesworth for 44.

Glamorgan suffered their third successive defeat as Gloucestershire wrapped up a comprehensive victory by ten wickets before lunch on the final day of their LV=Insurance County Championship match at Sophia Gardens.

Close of Play Report

The Championship game last week against Durham saw Dan Douthwaite and Andrew Salter share a stubborn stand of 163 in 58 overs at Emirates Riverside. This morning, the pair joined forces again at Sophia Gardens – another Riverside venue – as Glamorgan supporters were hoping for a repeat of their rearguard effort with 96 overs remaining in this contest plus a fairytale of Raducanu-like proportions as the Welsh county began the day still 53 runs in arrears and with just four wickets remaining.

But there was to be no repeat of what happened at Chester-le-Street as Ryan Higgins and Zafar Gohar resumed the bowling with Salter twice sweeping the latter for four before pulling the former for another boundary. But Salter departed l.b.w. in Zafar’s third over as Ruaidhri Smith joined Douthwaite. He began by thick edging the Pakistani through the slips for four but with the total on 94 was bowled attempting a reverse-sweep against Zafar.

Timm van Gugten was the new batter with Douthwaite flicking Higgins to fine-leg for four, but in his next over Higgins bowled Douthwaite as Michael Hogan made his way to the middle with the total on 103-9 Hogan drove Zafar for two and one before David Payne returned to the attack and was also lofted over mid-off for four as Hogan wiped off the arrears. Van der Gugten lofted Zafar for a pair of sixes over long-on and then attempted a third over long-off which Higgins caught before his momentum carried him over the ropes. But the alert fielder flicked the ball back in field with Grame van Buuren completing the catch as Glmaorgan were dismissed for 124 having faced a further 16 overs this morning.

This left Gloucestershire requiring 14 to win, with Miles Hammond and Chris Dent taking nine balls from Salter and Kiran Carlson to reach their target as the game ended shortly after 11.45am