A superb bowling performance by the Glamorgan seamers in sweltering temperatures at Chelmsford, spearheaded by Michael Hogan (5/45) and Timm van der Gugten (4/56) saw the Welsh county defeat Essex, the Champions of Division Two, by 11 runs on the final day of their Specsavers County Championship match
Close of Play Report
To borrow a catch-phrase of Sir Bruce Forsyth’s, it’s been a case of “good game, good game” here at Chelmsford with the contest entering the final session with the home side requiring a further 110 to win and the visitors another five wickets. With Graham Napier and Jamie Porter amongst the walking wounded in the pavilion, much was resting on Ryan ten Doeschate and Adam Wheater when play resumed after the interval with Essex on 154/5 with Craig Meschede and Timm van der Gugten continuing their probing spells.
The Dutchman nearly bowled Wheater in the fourth over of the session but the ball bounced over the stumps as he played back and got an inside edge. After a series of scampered singles, ten Doeschate clipped Meschede to mid-wicket for four before under-edging the bowler just past his stumps and to the ropes at fine-leg. Later in the over he celebrated his good luck with a more convincing boundary as he square-cut the all-rounder.
But Hogan then returned to the fray at the Hayes Close End and with his second delivery removed the Essex captain as he edged a cut into Mark Wallace’s gloves. 187/6 saw James Foster join Wheater as David Lloyd also had a trundle at the River End, but after a series of singles, Hogan struck again – to complete a ‘five-for’ as he caught and bowled Wheater.
With the scoreboard reading 200/7, Graham Napier limped out to bat together with a runner, a standing ovation and a guard of honour from the Glamorgan side with the veteran all-rounder clipping his second delivery to the ropes at mid-wicket. Foster cover drove Lloyd and ran some swift singles as the eighth wicket pair chiselled away at the target.
Napier had a moment of good fortune as he thick-edged a drive against Lloyd out of the reach of the slip fielders with the ball hurtling to the untenanted boundary at third man. With 43 runs required Craig Meschede returned at the Hayes Close End with Timm van der Gugten at the River End. The change did the trick as the Dutchman ended Napier’s stay as another ball jagged in and trapped the immobile batsman on the pads.
His departure saw David Masters also arrive to a standing ovation and a guard of honour from the fielders as Glamorgan pressed for their first Championship victory at the ECG since 2004. When the final hour began 40 runs were still required by Essex as Foster farmed the strike and garnered singles plus the odd two, but attempting a leg-side flick against Meschede he edged to Mark Wallace as Essex slipped further to 229/9.
Jamie Porter then hobbled out, but without a runner, to join Masters who defended stoutly and pushed a few singles besides drilling a ball from Meschede to cover which a diving Jacques Rudolph could not quite hold. Porter then edged the next delivery to second slip which just evaded the hands of Aneurin Donald. Next over, Porter nearly played on to van der Gugten before almost being run out attempting a leg-bye.
With seven overs remaining, and Essex requiring 20 to win, Hogan returned to the attack and in a final throw of the dice, took the new ball. But next over, Masters edged to third man for four before each batsman flayed a pair of singles, but van der Gugten ended the match by yorking Porter as Glamorgan won by 11 runs.
Teatime report
Essex had gone to lunch on 92/1 having lost Nick Browne to the penultimate ball of the morning session, with much of the chatter during the interval revolving around David Masters’ announcement over the PA from in front of the pavilion that he would be retiring at the end of the season.
The Essex faithful then had more to talk about as Michael Hogan struck with the final ball of his opening over of the session as Tom Westley departed l.b.w. with Essex on 93/2. The Australian also troubled the incoming batsman Ravi Bopara with a series of deliveries which jagged in but it was van der Gugten who removed him as another ball nipped back in and trapped Bopara leg before.
Dan Lawrence edged his first delivery through the slip cordon but Chopra greeted the return of Craig Meschede by cutting him through backward point for four. Lawrence then edged Meschede for four followed by a more assertive flick to mid-wicket, and later a cover drive for four. The young batsman survived a loud appeal for l.b.w. against van der Gugten to another ball that scuttled through, before having another moment of good fortune as he edged Hogan just short of second slip.
But the Australian then made the important breakthrough as he bowled Chopra with a beauty that hit the top of middle and off stump, as the leaders of the Division slipped to 138/4. Adam Wheater then edged Hogan just short of first slip before Lawrence greeted the return of Owen Morgan by lofting him straight for four. But next over Hogan produced another beauty which nipped back and bowled the young batsman.
147/5 saw Ryan ten Doeschate make his way to the middle knowing that with two other batsmen suffering from leg injuries there was plenty of work to be done if Essex were to celebrate their promotion with a victory.
Lunchtime Report
This has been an enthralling four-day game at Chelmsford, and with Glamorgan having been 34/5 after sixteen overs on the opening day, it is a huge tick in favour of the Welsh side that they enter the final day with all four results possible with Glamorgan leading Essex by 260 runs after a late rally, spearheaded by Mark Wallace which steered the visitors to 285/9 at the close of play last night, with Essex also being hindered by injuries to all-rounder Graham Napier as well as Jamie Porter who limped off in mid-afternoon with a hamstring problem.
With the occasional ball keeping low, Glamorgan were looking for further runs this morning as Mark Wallace and Michael Hogan made their way back to the middle as Essex took the new ball with David Masters and Ravi Bopara operating at the Hayes Close and River End respectively. Wallace added a pair of singles against each bowler, but in the third over he was run out by Dan Lawrence as he tried to complete a second run to third man.
This meant that Essex’s target became 264 from 91 overs as Varun Chopra and Nick Browne opened the batting against Craig Meschede and Timm van der Gugten. Chopra struck the first boundaries as he cover drove successive deliveries from Meschede in the fifth over before Browne steered consecutive deliveries from the bowler off the back foot through point and off his hips to the boards at square-leg.
Van der Gugten then changed ends as Michael Hogan entered the attack but the Dutchman was dispatched for successive boundaries through point and extra cover before next over being cut for four by the former Warwickshire opener as Essex eased to the 50-mark in the 14th over. Owen Morgan then entered the attack at the Hayes Close End and found a bit of assistance from the dry and worn surface to warrant a gaggle of three close catchers.
After Chopra cover drove Hogan, Glamorgan switched to an all-spin attack as Kiran Carlson operated at the River End. Chopra greeted the teenager by sweeping him for four before Browne on-drove Morgan to the ropes at long-on. Chopra completed his 50 from 73 balls by pulling a full toss from Carlson for four to mid-wicket – his 73rd delivery - before off-driving the youngster for another four. Van der Gugten then returned for the final over of the session and had Browne well caught at slip by Will Bragg.