Allenby steers Glamorgan to a draw at Chelmsford

Local meteorologists had forecast plenty of rain today to the east of the London conurbation, and their doom and gloom prophecy proved correct this morning as steady rain fell from the early hours, and it was still falling when the players arrived at the ground after 9am, with the covers and protective sheets strewn across the square. With no let up in the precipitation, the umpires decided to delay the start which had been scheduled at 11am.

The rain eased around 11.30am and after an inspection the umpires decided that an early lunch would be taken at 12.30pm with play resuming at 1.10pm with 24 overs having been lost.


Before this match, Glamorgan had lost 37.75 hours of playing time in Championship cricket so far this season, a total surpassed by only four other counties with Derbyshire losing 40.5 hours, Gloucestershire 46.25, Surrey 47 and Sussex 50.75.

Twenty minutes before the planned start at 1.10pm, it started to rain again and the covers plus the protective sheets came back on to cover up the square.

The rains eased around 2pm and the umpires decided that play would commence at 2.50pm with 46 overs remaining in the day's allocation. Jim Allenby and Michael Hogan resumed the Glamorgan second innings with their side on 188, and with a lead of 152. After Allenby had garnered four singles, Hogan nearly edged Tom Moore to first slip and the Australian celebrated his good fortune by despatching the next delivery through the covers before next over upper-cutting him to the vacant boundary at third man followed next ball by a slashed four through point. But next ball, Hogan pulled a short ball high to Greg Smith at deep square-leg as Glamorgan lost their ninth wicket on 208.


Allenby then cover drove Topley for four before garnering further singles as Tom Helm stoutly defended, with Allenby completing a 104-ball fifty. Tom Craddock's leg-spin was then introduced with Allenby twice swatting him through the covers for four before harpooning him over midwicket for a massive six. Matt Salisbury and Jesse Ryder then entered the attack as Essex strove to end the Glamorgan resistance.


A scampered two saw the lead reach 200 before Allenby lofted Craddock for another six as another threatening bank of rainclouds built up over the Pavilion. Essex also took the new ball after 80 overs with Helm nearly driving Ryder into the hand s of both cover and second slip. Allenby then square-drove the Kiwi for four but next over he drilled the ball to Mark Pettini at backward point and departed for 79.

Essex showed positive intent from the outset with Jesse Ryder opening the batting with Mark Pettini as Michael Hogan and Graham Wagg shared the new ball. The Kiwi unleashed some lusty swipes in an attempt to make a turbo-charged start, but he failed to connect with several of his lumberjack-like blows as the new ball pairing kept things tight.


In his second over Hogan removed Pettini who edged to Allenby at slip before in his next over Ryder lofted the Australian to wide mid-on where Bragg held onto a skier, and shortly afterwards a heavy shower forced the players off for a further three overs with Essex on 23/2. Wagg then bowled another over before the captains shaked hands with the contest ending in a draw.