Donald makes 67 but Glamorgan lose by 248 runs

Chelmsford has been a happy hunting ground during the past few seasons for Glamorgan in Championship cricket. In 2001, they scored 367/4 as they won by six wickets to register their highest-ever fourth innings total to win a game. Three years later, they won again in a remarkable contest after the home side had amassed 642 in their first innings. Glamorgan duly responded with 587 before dismissing Essex for 165, and then successfully chasing 221 on the final afternoon.


This year's equation is 462 from a minimum of 131 overs, and after a purposeful closing session last night, the Welsh county had reached 110/1 with both Jacques Rudolph and teenager Aneurin Donald in sight of half-centuries to set up a very intriguing day's play.


But thoughts of a record-breaking run chase, with 352 more runs being made, were swiftly expunged as conditions this morning, with rain in the air and a heavy cloud cover were stacked in the bowler's favour. Indeed, Jesse Ryder who had exploited the muggy conditions so well on Monday struck in his first over of the day, as he found the edge of Rudolph's bat with James Foster completing the catch with just two added to the overnight score. Colin Ingram then got off the mark by deftly guiding the Kiwi through the slip cordon before Donald nonchalantly drove Ryder through mid-wicket for four.


The teenager then completed his fifty by inside-edging Ryder to the ropes at fine-leg - his 91st delivery and sixth boundary - before Ingram did the same in more conventional fashion to Porter. He then drilled Porter through mid-wicket for four but the drizzle which had fallen whilst the players were warming up then returned as the weather caused a 20-minute interruption and the loss of five overs. On the resumption, Donald drilled the first ball from Ryder through mid-off but four balls later, the Kiwi struck again as Ingram edged into James Foster's gloves.



138/3 saw Chris Cooke join Donald who swatted Porter high over backward point for four before cover driving him for another boundary, and a career-best score. But next over, Ryder struck again as Cooke cut a ball straight into the hands of Jaik Mickleburgh in the gully. Mark Wallace joined Donald and began by guiding Porter through the slip cordon but next over he edged a rising delivery into Foster's gloves. 153/5 then became 158/6 as David Masters returned at the Hayes Close End and was punched through backward point by Donald, but next ball he also edged a short ball into Foster's gloves and departed for an impressive 67.


Graham Wagg, who in the first innings had scored his 4,000^th run in Championship cricket, began in assertive mode, on-driving Masters for three but with the total on 165, Craig Meschede clipped the veteran seamer to Callum Taylor, the substitute fielder who was stationed at mid-wicket. David Lloyd then looked like helping Wagg see Glamorgan through to the lunch interval with the youngster straight driving Masters and Liam Dawson for a pair of fours, but to the penultimate delivery before lunch he chipped a ball back to the spinner.

After a morning session in which seven wickets had tumbled for 72 runs in bowler-friendly conditions, Andrew Salter joined Graham Wagg with Glamorgan on 182/8, still notionally requiring 280 runs to win. In contrast, Essex, who had enjoyed the best of the bowling conditions, only needed a couple of wickets in order to win the game.


David Masters resumed at the Hayes Close End and with his sixth delivery he had Andrew Salter caught behind before Graham Wagg drilled Jesse Ryder straight for four and six. Michael Hogan also biffed Masters over mid-on for four as well as staright for six. Wagg then hoisted Ryder over long-off for six but next ball he hoisted the Kiwi into long-off's hands as Glamorgan were 213 all out with Ryder returning match figures of 10/100