Bragg makes 104 as Kent dismiss Glamorgan for 281

Glamorgan had begun and ended the day well yesterday, with a probing spell in the first half hour before later in the post-tea session Kent lost four wickets in fifteen overs after the new ball had been taken. In between, Daniel Bell-Drummond compiled a century as Kent ended on 330/8 from 95.1 overs with Glamorgan looking to quickly snuff out their first innings when play began under clear blue skies..


The wickets continued to tumble this morning, starting in the second over, with just a single added to the overnight score as James Tredwell edged Craig Meschede to Mark Wallace before Matt Coles bludgeoned Michael Hogan through mid-off for a trio of fours. Ivan Thomas also edged a no ball from Meschede into Wallace's gloves but the last wicket stand ended as Hogan bowled Coles as he attempted another lusty blow, giving the Austrlain his fifth wicket of the innings.


Jacques Rudolph and James Kettleborough began Glamorgan's reply with the latter twice guiding Coles through the slips for four before sweetly cover-driving Ivan Thomas. But the young seamer gained revenge later in the over as he trapped Kettleborough. 29/1 then became 35/2 as Coles bowled Rudolph in the ninth over.
Will Bragg began with a booming drive for four against Thomas but next over Colin Ingram edged to second slip as Glamorgan slipped further to 41/3..

Bragg also cover drove Darren Stevens when the all-rounder entered the fray shortly before lunch at the Pavilion End, but in the penultimnate over of the session the southpaw, on 16, had a life as he edged Calum Haggett into and out of Coles' hands at second slip.

Resuming after lunch on 64/3, Will Bragg and Chris Cooke were looking to further consolidate on the visitor's position and carefully chisel away at the deficit. The former began in assertive vein as he nonchalantly despatched Matt Coles off the back foot square of the wicket. The all-rounder then saw another sharp chance go abegging in the slips as Cooke was dropped at first slip with James Tredwell failing to grasp the edge.


Cooke celebrated his good fortune, and further angered Coles, by drilling a ball in the next over through extra cover for four. Bragg then greeted the return of Calum Haggett by despatching him through cover point to bring up the fifty stand, before playing a deft glide to third man against Darren Stevens as he showed that there is finesse as well as force in his repertoire.


An on-drive for three by Cooke against Haggett saw Glamorgan into three figures in the 29^th over before another glide into the off-side saw Bragg complete a 74-ball fifty. But with the total on 108, Cooke steered a ball from Stevens into the hands of Joe Denly at backward point. Mark Wallace joined Bragg as Ivan Thomas returned to the attack at the Pavilion End with the doughty Glamorgan wicket-keeper clobbering him to the ropes at mid-wicket.


Bragg then flicked Haggett to fine-leg for four before James Tredwell entered the attack at the Nackington Road End, with Wallace showing great skill in slotting a drive backward of square on the off-side to pierce a well-placed field. But next over he edged a pull against Thomas and was caught behind as Glamorgan slipped to 142/5.


His departure prompted the return of Coles who was flicked to fine-leg by Bragg, whilst Graham Wagg, at the ground where he posted his maiden Championship hundred for Glamorgan last summer, got off the mark by despatching Coles for four through extra cover. Bragg then advanced down the wicket to Tredwell and on-drove hiom for another sweetly-timed boundary but in the penultimate over before tea Wagg edged Stevens to Tredwell at slip.

Bragg was unbeaten on 81 at tea, with Glamorgan still needing 38 to avoid the follow-on with the home side rueing the fact that they had dropped the southpaw on 16 early in the day. His partner Craig Meschede began in positive vein immediately after the interval cover driving Calum Haggett before on-driving James Tredwell. But with the total on 182 he edged Haggett to first slip, with David Lloyd joining Bragg.


Lloyd began with drives to extra cover and backward point against Tredwell as Glamorgan moved closer to the 200-mark and the follow-on. Bragg then despatched Haggett through extra-cover for four before Lloyd cover drove Tredwell followed by a leg-glance to the ropes against Haggett to avoid the follow-on.


The unflustered Lloyd then clipped Tredwell to square-leg for four before cover-driving him for another boundary. He then greeted the return of Coles by fiercely pulling him to the ropes at mid-wicket, but Bragg then edged the all-rounder to the vacant ropes at third man - his twelfth boundary - and then despatched Coles through the off-side to complete his century from 179 balls.


Lloyd brought up the fifty stand by on-driving Tredwell for four and then straight-driving Coles for another boundary, followed by a deft leg-glance against Coles. But with the total on 246, and a deficit of 111, he then drilled a ball from Coles into the hands of the cover fielder who held the head-high catch. Dean Cosker began with a flick to fine-leg for four as Glamorgan secured a second bonus point in the 74^th over.
But with the total on 259 and the new ball looming Thomas bowled Bragg with the final ball of the 80^th over.


Kent then took the new ball as Hogan straight-drove Coles for four before using the long handle to deposit Thomas to backward point for four followed by another rasping straight drive against Coles. He then lofted Stevens to long-on for four before Stevens bowled him with the last ball of the 84^th over. This left Kent with a lead of 78, and one over to face which Daniel Bell-Drummond and James Tredwell safely negotiated.