Glamorgan are 237/8 at the close of play

Swansea grabbed the sporting headlines yesterday as their football team narrowly defeated Manchester United 2-1 in the opening Premier League contest at Old Trafford. Events at the St. Helen's cricket ground could see an equally close contest after an enthralling day yesterday which initially saw the wiles of spinner Monty Panesar and the swing of Graham Napier dismantle Glamorgan's batting before the pace and seam of Michael Hogan made early inroads into the Essex batting.


However, during the final hour last night, Greg Smith - who had been dropped first ball in the slips - plus Ryan ten Doeschate consolidated the visitor's position as Essex began the third day on 131/5 and 256 runs to the good. Hogan and Graham Wagg resumed the bowling, with the latter being steered to third man by Smith, before the Australian was cover driven by Smith.


Ten Doeschate also edged Wagg just wide of second slip for another boundary whilst Smith upper cut Wagg square of the wicket. Dean Cosker entered the attack at the Mumbles Road End and was struck for successive sixes high over mid-wicket for six as the Essex lead went past the 300-mark.


Smith then pulled a short delivery from Hogan for four to complete an 88-ball fifty, before next over ten Doeschate pulled Cosker for another six to reach 50 from 99 balls and bring up the century stand. Smith then greeted the return of Jim Allenby by launching him over extra cover, but next over he edged an expansive drive into Mark Wallace's safe gloves. Graham Napier then re-appeared with Ravi Bopara as his runner because of a thigh strain. He showed little discomfort however as he square-cut Cosker for four, but James Harris then returned to the attack and with his second delivery he removed Napier who chopped a ball onto his stumps.


202/7 saw Sajid Mahmood arrive at the crease but six runs later he was involved in a rather bizarre dismissal as after completing a single to the legside against Harris, he collided with his colleague in mid-pitch, with both batsmen ball watching. Andrew Salter's throw from fine-leg saw Mahmood run out at the non striker's end, whilst ten Doeschate who was almost felled in the collision needing several minutes of treatment before facing another ball, but in shouldering arms, he collapsed to his knees and retired hurt for 63.


Matt Salisbury slashed Allenby for four through point before Panesar flayed Harris through the slips for four before chipping a reurn catch. Ten Doeschate then returned to the crease as Salisbury pulled Allenby for four. But next over Allenby also took a one-handed return catch from Salisbury as Essex ended on 222, leaving Glamorgan a target of 348 to win.


Glamorgan then had twenty minutes of batting before lunch with Jesse Ryder and Monty Panesar opening the bowling and Tim Phillips and Chris Silverwood pressed into service as substitute fielders with both Napier and ten Doeschate hors de combat.But in the final over before the interval, Panesar bowled Rudolph.

Resuming after lunch on 13/1 Murray Goodwin joined Will Bragg with the pair facing the gentle swing and seam of Jesse Ryder , plus the spin of Monty Panesar. After five successive maidens, Goodwin swept the spinner for four from successive deliveries, but next over Bragg perished playing a similar shot against the former England spinner as Ravi Bopara at mid-wicket completed the catch.


Chris Cooke duly joined Goodwin who steered Matt Salisbury through backward point and to third man for fours off successive balls. Cooke also glanced Panesar to fine-leg for four and three, before punching Matt Salisbury off the back foot through cover for a pair of fours. When Panesar switched to the Pavilion End, Greg Smith entered the attack at the Mumbles Road End and was swept for four by Goodwin who then lofted him over long-on for six.


The flurry of boundaries continued as Cooke despatched Panesar for successive fours through the off-side., followed by a deft nurdle to third man against Smith. Tom Westley then replaced Panesar who switched back to the Mumbles Road End after Cooke had brought up the hundred by pulling Smith for four. But the return of Panesar heralded the end of Goodwin who was leg before to a delivery which spun back in sharply to him as he played back to the left-arm spinner.

With Jim Allenby as his new partner, Cooke reached his fifty shortly before tea from 92 balls as he edged Nick Browne through the slips.

Glamorgan resumed after tea on 119/3, needing a further 229 to win, and their victory hopes soon took blows, starting in the first over after the interval Chris Cooke edged Monty Panesar to first slip. Jim Allenby was joined by Mark Wallace, and the vice-captain unfurled a glorious cover drive against Ryder as the ball sped to the boundary for four. Wallace also did the same a couple of overs later as the fifth wicket pair chiselled away at the target.


With Graham Napier and Ryan ten Doeschate still off the field with various injuries, Tom Westley returned to the attack in place of Ryder, and the switch brought another wicket as Allenby edged to Tim Phillips at leg-slip. 144/5 then became 144/6 as Panesar trapped Wallace leg before, and one run later Ander Salter swept Westley into Phillips' hands at leg-slip.


Graham Wagg defiantly cut Panesar four before using the long handle to drill him to long-on before James Harris off-drove Westley. Wagg then struck Panesar in successive balls for four through mid-off and for six over mid-wicket before cover-driving Westley. This flurry of blows saw Ryder return to the attack and he was also driven through mid-off by Harris, whilst Wagg again pulled a short ball from Panesar for four before slapping a delivery from Ryder through extra cover as their fifty stand came up from 71 balls.


Their belligerence saw Nick Browne replace Panesar, but Wagg drove the wrist spinner to long-off for four, before deftly late cutting him to bring up the 200. Saj Mahmood also entered the attack at the Pavilion End in the 66^th over before Panesar returned and was cover driven for four by Harris. The youngster then repeated the stroke against Mahmood who was subsequently replaced by Greg Smith as Essex rung the changes in a bid to end the stubborn stand.


It did the trick as Harris was adjudged leg before with the total on 221, as Dean Cosker joined Wagg, who duly completed his fifty from 74 balls with a single off Panesar. With Glamorgan on 227/8 at 6.02pm at the end of the day's allocation of overs, Essex claimed the extra half-hour in a bid to finish the game this evening and after 80 overs Ryder returned to share the new ball with Panesar. Like Wagg, Dean Cosker was in obdurate mood and stoutly defended before Wagg pulled a short ball from Panesar to mid-wicket for four as Glamorgan ended the day on 237/8.