Andrew Hignell reports on day 1 of the Specsavers County Championship clash at The SSE SWALEC
DAY ONE
Evening Update
Play resumed at 3.30pm after an early tea with both batsmen – Tom Fell and Joe Clarke – unfurling cover driven fours against Lukas Carey and Michael Hogan Clarke then flicked Harry Podmore’s first two deliveries to the ropes at square-leg and fine-leg before Fell brought up the fifty with a pair of cover driven fours when Marchant de Lange entered the attack at the Cathedral Road End. Clarke also cover drove Podmore to the boards.
Clarke then greeted the introduction of David Lloyd into the attack by driving him through extra cover, but the all-rounder ended the stand as Clarke was caught down the leg-side by Chris Cooke. 80/3 then became 80/4 as Lukas Carey switched to the Cathedral Road End and bowled Fell. Ben Cox announced his arrival by on-driving the bowler for four before drilling Lloyd to the boards at extra cover.
Cox then brought up the hundred by straight-driving Carey to long-on whilst Tom Kohler-Cadmore added a four to his tally by flicking de Lange to square-leg. Cox also cover drove de Lange whilst Kohler-Cadmore struck a trio of fours off successive deliveries from Carey to third man, square-leg and extra cover. He added another through mid-off when Lloyd returned at the River End, followed by a classical cover drive to see Worcestershire to 150.
Cox on-drove Hogan for four before Kohler-Cadmore twice drilled Lloyd through mid-off en route to a 77-ball fifty. The 100-stand came up after Ben Cox had square-driven Lloyd but immediately afterwards the umpires took the players off for bad light shortly before rain fell over the Stadium.
Afternoon Uodate
Lukas Carey joined David Lloyd as Glamorgan resumed after lunch on 105/8 and a crisply-struck on-drive against Josh Tongue saw Lloyd reach his half-century from 69 deliveries. After Carey had nurdled Ed Barnard to third man, Lloyd cover-drove the youngster before Carey secured another four to third man beside a clipped drive to the ropes at mid-wicket. The youngster also square-cut John Hastings for four when the Australian returned at the Cathedral Road End followed by a pull for six.
Carey then pulled Tongue for four to bring up the 150 with Lloyd adding another sumptuous cover drive for four against Hastings as the ninth wicket pair posted a fifty stand with weak sunshine bathing the Stadium. Carey then greeted the return of Joe Leach by firstly on-driving him with aplomb and then classically cover-driving the visiting skipper for another four.
Carey also survived a dropped chance at first slip as Tom Kohler-Cadmore failed to pouch a thick outside-edge off Leach but his merry spree ended when he was bowled by Hastings. Michael Hogan then glided Leach through the gully for four before Lloyd swatted Hastings through point for four, followed by a firm on-drove to the boards against Leach.
Hogan then under-edged Hastings for four before bringing up the 200 - and the first batting point of the summer - with a haymaker of a drive through mid-wicket. But Jack Shantry then returned at the River End and ended the innings as Lloyd skied a catch to Hastings at deep extra-cover.
Glamorgan’s bowlers then made early incisions as with the third delivery of the Worcestershire innings Carey found the edge of Daryl Mitchell’s bat with Chris Cooke taking a diving catch in front of the slip cordon. Hogan then followed suit with his second ball as Brett D’Oliveira, who made a double-century in the corresponding game last year also edged into the wicket-keeper’s gloves.
A pair of fours in front, and behind, point by Tom Fell got the scoreboard moving but with drizzle falling and the light getting gloomy, the players departed for an early tea.
Lunchtime Report
Visiting skipper Joe Leach exerted his right to bowl first and within forty minutes, his side had secured a bowling point. The new Worcestershire captain opened the bowling with John Hastings, with the latter being cover driven by Nick Selman in his opening over. But in the Australian’s second over, Rudolph edged into the slip cordon where Joe Clarke completed the catch.
With Glamorgan on 14/1 David Lloyd joined Selman and he opened his account by clipping Hastings for six over square-leg. Selman also crisply square-cut Leach for four but the bowler gained revenge next over as the opener edged a ball into Ben Cox’s gloves. 28/2 immediately became 28/3 as Colin Ingram edged into the gully where Hastings held the chest-high catch.
The Australian then claimed the fourth wicket as he bowled Aneurin Donald with Chris Cooke joining Lloyd with 33 runs on the board. The new batsman clipped Leach to square-leg for four before his partner drilled the bowler through mid-off for another boundary. But with the total on 46, Cooke clipped Leach to square-leg and set off for a run. But he was sent back by his partner as Tom Fell picked up the ball and made a direct hit at the batsman’s end with a diving Cooke short of his ground.
Kiran Carlson duly made his way to the middle as Josh Tongue replaced Hastings at the Cathedral Road End. The young seamer was glanced to fine-leg by Lloyd before nearly swatting a short ball to mid-wicket. He celebrated by pulling Leach for six over backward square-leg before Carlson clipped Tongue to mid-wicket.
Jack Shantry also replaced Leach at the River End and was square-cut for four by Carlson before being to mid-wicket by Lloyd. But with the total on 79 another outstanding piece of fielding saw the demise of Carlson as Brett D’Oliveira at backward point took a fine catch diving full length to his left.
It then became 82/7 as Shantry found the edge of Harry Podmore’s bat with Cox completing the catch sprawling in front of first slip. Lloyd responded by pulling Barnard for another six as well as nurdling him for four to third man. Marchant de Lange then on-drove Barnard before Glamorgan reached three figures in the 27th over. He added another driven four against Tongue but in the final over of the session he was bowled by Barnard.