GLOUCESTERSHIRE v GLAMORGAN

Evening update

Play resumed at 1600 with 43.4 overs remaining after a delay of two hours because of mid-afternoon rain. Van Meekeren duly completed his over at the College Lawn End before Tom Price trapped David Lloyd l.b.w. with his first delivery at the Chapel End. Having been joined by Sam Northeast, Colin Ingram off-drove Price for four.

Sam Northeast then square-drove with Price claiming a catch in the gully but the umpires deemed otherwise much to the fielder’s disappointment before Ingram rubbed salt into his wounds by unfurling another booming straight drive, followed next over by a scorching cover drive. But two overs later the drizzle returned and with poor light, the umpires took the players off the field at the end of the 40th over.

Afternoon Update

Glamorgan had reached 100-0 by lunch with Zain ul Hassan seeing Glamorgan into three figures by hooking Price for four. David Lloyd was swiftly into his stride after lunch as he square-cut Zafar Gohar before outside edging van Meekeran to third man for four. But Zafar had an l.b.w. appeal upheld against ul Hassan with the total on 111. Colin Ingram joined Lloyd but shortly afterwards the drizzle which had been falling got heavier and forced the players from the field. The rains eased around 1445, with the umpires inpsecting at 1500 and deciding that an early tea would be taken at 1510 with a further inspection at 1540. At the latter, the umpires decided that play would resume at 1600 with 43.4 overs remaining in the day.

Morning Update

A year ago this week Glamorgan began their record-breaking match at Leicester with Sam Northeast posting an unbeaten 410, with his monumental efforts plus a stunning bowling performance helping to keep the Welsh county in the promotion race until the closing week of last season. Twelve months on, the Welsh county are in the hunt for promotion once again with their rain-affected draw against Leicestershire at Cardiff lifting them up into fourth place in the table, besides still remaining unbeaten in the four-day competition this summer.

After winning the toss, David Lloyd opened the batting with Zain ul Hassan as Tom Price and Josh Shaw shared the new ball with Lloyd pulling Shaw’s first ball to the mid-wicket boundary for four before drilling the initial ball of his second over to mid-off and the next delivery to square-leg, before on-driving the last ball of the over to the boundary boards in front of the Chapel.

Lloyd also clipped Shaw to fine-leg for four before ul Hassan, after a period of watchful reconnaissance, off-drove Price for four. Lloyd greeted the introduction of Paul van Meekeren by pulling him for four before hooking Dom Goodman for four. He then straight-drove the latter for another four before ul Hassan guided van Meekeren through the slips for four.

Lloyd survived a sharp chance when the fielder at point dived and spilled the ball as the visiting captain square-cut Goodman. Next over he celebrated his good fortune by twice pulling the bowler for four to complete a 57-ball fifty with ul Hassan also greeting the return of Shaw by flicking him to the ropes at fine-leg. Lloyd also on-drove Shaw for another crisply-struck boundary.

Close of Play Report

Gloucestershire resumed on 15-0 with Timm van der Gugten bowling in tandem with Mitchell Swepson. The latter was driven through mid-off and twice through extra-cover by Ben Charlesworth, but the bowler had the last laugh as, with the total on 39, he bowled the opener as Oli Price made his way to the middle.

With Chris Dent dropping anchor at the other end, Price began by on-driving and cover-driving Swepson for four, in addition to clipping van der Gugten to wide mid-wicket. Dent also square-cut Harris for four before pulling Swepson to the boards at mid-wicket prior to a frugal spell with Andy Gorvin bowling in tandem with Zain ul Hassan with just four scoring shots in eight overs.

Timm van der Gugten returned and was punched through the covers by Dent as he completed his patient fifty from 113 balls, before Swepson returned in the final half hour, with Kiran Carlson also having a twirl shortly before the close.

Afternoon Report

Glamorgan began the post-lunch session on 311-5 with Chris Cooke twice cover-driving Dom Goodman before Billy Root did the same to Paul van Meekeren as well as Goodman as Glamorgan secured another batting point when they reached 350. Root then caressed successive balls from Oli Price through the covers for four.

Gloucestershire took the new ball with the total on 361-5 with Root steering Tom Price to the vacant ropes at third man. Cooke survived a sharp chance at second slip as he edged Price before Root steered Josh Shaw through backward point for four. Cooke also pulled Price to the fence at mid-wicket before steering Shaw through the gully for another boundary.

Cooke also guided Price through backward point for four before a scorching cover drive from Root saw Glamorgan to the 400-mark in the 88th over before Cooke completed his fifty from 73 balls by pulling Price to mid-wicket. With the total on 414 and Root on 98, Zafar returned to the attack and with his first delivery had Root caught at slip by Oli Price.

With Andy Gorvin as his new partner, Cooke opened his shoulders by biffing Dom Goodman through extra-cover and to long-on before launching Zafar inside-out over extra-cover followed by a slog sweep over the Pavilion for six. He then flayed Goodman to mid-wicket for four before a no-ball from the tall seamer saw Glamorgan to 450-6 and a full set of batting points, whereupon David Lloyd declared. Chris Dent launched Gloucestershire’s reply by cover-driving Timm van der Gugten before clipping Zain ul Hassan to mid-wicket and square-leg before Mitchell Swepson had an exploratory over of wrist spin before tea.

Morning update

The 151st Cheltenham Festival began yesterday with the boundary lined by a series of brightly-coloured and open-sided tents, with the chatter from their occupants adding an audible extra to the charms of this popular venue. The stories about the days of yore were fuelled by a special presentation at lunchtime to a series of former Gloucestershire players from the 1970s and 1980s, organised by Jack Russell, the county’s former gloveman, whose artwork has also celebrated this most venerable of first-class venues.

The batting of David Lloyd, who made a season’s best score of 81, also matched the Gothic splendour of the College ground, with his innings decorated by a series of booming drives against the home seamers. But the overhead conditions were far from festive and, shortly after lunch, the rainclouds descended from Cleeve Hill - surely the most magnificent backdrop at any county ground - and lopped 56 overs from the day’s allocation.

Fortunately, it was drier this morning and, with 104 overs to be bowled, play began on time at 1100am with Colin Ingram and Sam Northeast eager to build on the good foundations laid by Lloyd and Zain ul Hassan in sharing an opening stand of 111, the highest so far this summer for the Welsh county. However, Ingram edged the fourth ball of the morning, delivered by Paul van Meekeren, into the hands of first slip as Kiran Carlson joined Northeast.

Northeast began by clipping Tom Price to square-leg before punching van Meekeren off the back foot through backward point, followed by another off-drive against Price plus a pull against the Dutchman. Carlson also pulled Price for four but , with the total on 183, Northeast chopped a ball from van Meekeren onto his pads with the ricochet seeing the ball cannon into his stumps.

Billy Root announced his arrival by square-driving van Meekeren, with Carlson repeating the stroke next over before seeing Glamorgan to 200 by cover-driving Dom Goodman. Root greeted the return of Josh Shaw to the attack by defly square-cutting him for four, prior to on-driving Goodman for another four. Carlson then clipped Goodman to the boards at mid-wicket before dancing down the wicket and straight-driving Zafar Gohar to the ropes at the Chapel End.

Root also swept Gohar for six before Carlson brought up the 250 and the first batting point by nurdling Shaw through point. He then completed his fifty from 50 balls by chipping Shaw through van Meekeren’s hands at mid-on for two before pulling Zafar for four and then hoisting him to mid-wicket for another boundary to bring up the century stand.

Carlson cover drove van Meekeren when the Dutchman returned at the Chapel Lawn End before savagely pulling the next ball for four. But he departed to the next delivery as Chris Dent, at square-leg, completed a low diving catch. 296-5 saw Chris Cooke make his way to the middle shortly before lunch with Root completing a 65-ball fifty by pulling Tom Price for four.

Rain had been falling since breakfast time at Cheltenham and, with no let up in the precipitation at 1000, the umpires decided that the start of play would be delayed. With rain still falling at 12noon, the umpires decided that lunch would be taken at 1300 with an inspection afterwards. However, with steady still falling and no likelihood of the conditions improving, the umpires called off play for the day.

Close of Play Report

Gloucestershire resumed after tea on 398-6 after Zafar Gohar had shouldered arms to the last delivery before the interval. It meant that the players came back out after tea with the home side needing two runs and James Bracey duly struck Chris Cooke for four to secure the fourth batting point and then declaring in order to improve their over rate from minus four in the final hour and avoid being docked points.

The upshot was that David Lloyd, who had kept wicket after tea, faced the spin attack of Zafar Gohar and Oli Price with the Gloucestershire fielders scurrying around in between overs. Ul Hassan off-drove Zafar whilst Lloyd unfurled a series of swish drives through mid-off and mid-on before declaring on 62-0 with Gloucestershire having swiftly bowled sixteen overs to avoid any points deduction.

Teatime Update
Gloucestershire, in their bid for a full set of batting points, had reached 261-3 at lunch with Joe Phillips starting the afternoon with a cover-driven four against Kiran Carlson. Mitchell Swepson switched to the College Lawn End and was lofted over cover by Miles Hammond before the new ball was taken after 81 overs with Hammond steering van der Gugten through backward point for four before Joe Phillips did the same to Andy Gorvin, followed by an on-drive to mid-wicket. But the bowler made the perfect riposte by re-arranging the debutant’s stumps with his next delivery.

290-4 saw the arrival of James Bracey, the acting captain, with Hammond responding by cover-driving van der Gugten. Bracey brought up the 300 by square-driving Gorvin before Swepson returned to the attack at the Chapel End. Hammond completed his fifty from 78 balls by on-driving the spinner before James Harris returned at the College Lawn End and was steered through point by Bracey.
Hammond then cover drove Harris before Bracey punched Swepson off the back foot through point, but with the total on 337, Hammond toe-ended a pull and lobbed the ball into the hands of Colin Ingram at mid-on, as Tom Price made his way to the middle. Bracey responded by reverse-sweeping Swepson for four before pulling him for another boundary. He also swatted Harris for four as he looked the up the tempo before the end of 110 overs and the bonus points.
Glamorgan responded by switching to an all-spin attack as Carlson returned at the College Lawn End with Bracey swatting Swepson for four before Price struck the spinner for successive fours but with the total on 378 he chanced his arm once too often and was adjudged l.b.w. to the Australian as Glamorgan snaffled a second bowling point. Bracey completed his fifty from 62 balls before he and Zafar Gohar saw the home side to 398-6 at tea.

Morning Report

Gloucestershire have been badly affected by the wet weather this season having lost a total of 82 hours of playing time out of the grand total of 240 hours of playing time in their ten matches. In contrast, Glamorgan have lost 45 hours so far, with the loss of time in this contest, as well as the last game with Leicestershire at Sophia Gardens, hampering their push for promotion into Division One.

Conditions yesterday were more akin to those in March when the Cotswold town hosts the great and the good from the world of National Hunt racing for the annual Cheltenham Festival. Fortunately, it was drier this morning with plenty of blue sky greeting the players as they arrived at the ground ahead of the final day’s play with Gloucestershire trailing by 316 runs.

Andy Gorvin and Timm van der Gugten resumed the bowling duties with the former being cover-driven for a pair of fours by Chris Dent before Oli Price completed his fifty from 123 balls by outside edging the latter to third man for four. Price repeated the stroke two overs later but was more assured in straight-driving James Harris when he replaced Gorvin at the College Lawn End. Dent then cover-drove van der Gugten before doing the same to Mitchell Swepson when the spinner returned to the attack at the Chapel End.

Harris was then hooked for four by Price who then late-cut Swepson for four, but with the total on 210 Price top-edged a cut against the spinner into Chris Cooke’s gloves. Having been joined by Miles Hammond, Dent on-drove Harris to the boards at mid-wicket before completing his hundred with a flick to square-leg. Hammond began by on-driving Swepson as well as square-driving Harris.

Dent then straight-drove Swepson before Hammond greeted the return of Zain ul Hassan to the attack by square-driving him. But the all-rounder ended Dent’s stay at the crease as he miscued an on-drove into James Harris’ hands with Glamorgan securing a first bowling point on 250-3. Debutant Joe Phillips replaced the opener and began with an on-drive against ul Hassan.