2 Apr 2016 | Cricket
After a spell of 4/15 in 17 balls by Graham Wagg had seen Somerset dismissed for 188 on the final day of their three-day friendly against Glamorgan at The SSE SWALEC, Will Bragg made a fluent 84 as the Welsh county, chasing a target of 226 to win, ended on 195/7.
Tomorrow, the eyes of the cricketing world will be on Eden Gardens for the final of the ICC World Twenty20, but as far as Glamorgan's players and supporters were concerned today, it was events at Sophia Gardens which took centre-stage as the Welsh county completed their pre-season preparations against Somerset, who began the final day of this contest, leading by 184 runs.
But the meteorological conditions at The SSE SWALEC were more autumnal than spring-like with steady rain falling from breakfast time. The precipitation eased around 11am, and after an inspection, it was decided that an early lunch would be taken at 12noon, with play starting at 12.40pm.
With four and a half hours play still remaining in this contest, Somerset resumed on their overnight score of 147/3 and a lead of 184 runs, with James Hildreth and Ryan Davies looking to extend their stand which had so far added 112 in 24 overs. But wickets tumbled in quick succession as Craig Meschede and Graham Wagg again delivered a probing spell.
Davies began by driving Wagg's first delivery to the ropes at mid-off but hethen edged the final ball of the over into Will Bragg's hands at first slip and departed for 70. Peter Trego duly joined Hildreth and he began by cover-driving Wagg for four, but their partnership proved to be an all too brief one as next over, Hildreth, on 49, under-edged a pull against Meschede with Mark Wallace completing the regulation catch.
Trego then unfurled another cover drive against Wagg, but later in the over, Somerset lost their sixth and seventh wicket from successive balls as firstly Lewis Gregory edged a rising ball into Wallace's gloves before Tim Groenewald was well caught at second slip by Jacques Rudolph. 164/7 then became 175/8 as Wagg claimed his fifth wicket as Trego dragged an expansive drive onto his stumps.
Dewi Penrhyn Jones then replaced Meschede at the River End and clean bowled Craig Overton in his first over before David Lloyd ended the innings as Jack Leach edged into Wallace's gloves as Somerset were dismissed for 188 having lost seven wickets for 41 runs in a dozen overs today.
Jacques Rudolph and Mark Wallace then began Glamorgan's pursuit of 226, with the Glamorgan captain taking a couple of fours off Gregory's first over, whilst his colleague also cover drove Groenewald for four. But the wickets continued to fall under the clear blue skies as firstly Gregory trapped Rudolph l.b.w. with a ball which moved back in sharply to the Glamorgan batsman.
12/1 then became 12/2 as Wallace edged Groenewald to Jim Allenby at first slip, and three runs later, Aneurin Donald was bowled by another in-swinging delivery from Gregory. Bragg steadied the ship with a pair of fours in front and behind square on the offside in Gregory's next over before David Lloyd sweetly cover drove and pulled the all-rounder for two further boundaries. But shortly before tea, Jack Leach removed Lloyd as the batsman edged the spinner to second slip.
Resuming after the interval on 46/4, Bragg was joined by Wagg, with the former striking Peter Trego for a pair of fours before the latter swept Leach for six into the Pavilion enclosure followed by an on-drive and pull for a pair of fours in the spinner's next over. Leach then departed with a back injury with Tom Barber's left-arm seam being employed at the River End, whilst Allenby had a spell at the Cathedral Road End.
Bragg duly clipped Barber to fine-leg for four, before on-driving Allenby for another well-timed four. Wagg then despatched Barber through the covers for four before Bragg brought up the fifty stand by guiding Allenby through point for another well-timed boundary. Bragg greeted the introduction of Craig Overton into the attack by flicking him to square-leg and mid-wicket to complete a 75-ball fifty. Wagg also on-drove Overton for four before Wagg despatched the leg-spin of Waller into the River Stand.
However, two balls later, with the total on 128, Wagg tried to repeat the stroke and was caught on the deep mid-wicket boundary. Bragg then late cut Waller for four, but after Meschede had on-driven Groenewald, the all-rounder chipped a drive into mid-wicket's hands as Glamorgan lost their sixth wicket on 144. Bragg greeted the return of Barber by cutting and off-driving him for four before James Kettleborough on-drove and late cut Groenewald for four. Bragg then drilled Groenewald through the covers for four, but he then edged the next ball into the wicket-keeper's gloves as Andrew Salter made his way to the middle with his side on 172/7 and fifteen minutes remaining.
Salter began by cover-driving Barber for four before swatting Groenewald through the covers for a second boundary. Kettleborough also late cut Groenewald for four whilst Salter did the same to Barber as Glamorgan ended on 195/7 with the game ending in a draw at 5.30pm.