67 from 68 balls by Aneurin Donald plus a lusty unbeaten 64 from Graham Wagg were the highlights of the fourth and final day of Glamorgan’s rain-affected Specsavers County Championship match against Kent at The SSE SWALEC with the contest ending in a draw as Glamorgan declared on 279/6 with a lead of 348 runs.
Close of Play Report
Play briefly resumed at 4.05pm with Matt Coles bowling a series of short balls to Graham Wagg but the light had deteriorated again as the players once again left the field for ten minutes. Play continued for another thirty-five minutes until the players shook hands at 4.50pm as Glamorgan declared on 279/6 with an overall lead of 348 runs. During this time, Wagg switched from dour defence to assertive aggression as he lofted James Tredwell for a pair of sixes to long-off and extra-cover, whilst Craig Meschede also lofted the spinner to long-off for four before swatting Coles for four.
Wagg also played Tredwell inside-out over extra-cover before playing a trio of cheeky ramp strokes followed by a harpoon for six over mid-wicket in an over which yielded 22 runs. Wagg then completed his 50 from 85 balls before Tom Latham’s gentle medium pace was employed, with Joe Denly’s leg-spin also having another airing as Wagg swept him for four. Meschede also flicked him to fine-leg before Sean Dickson and Sam Northeast each had an over before the declaration came
Teatime Report
Glamorgan resumed on 99/2 after a heavy shower had brought an early lunch and the loss of five overs, with Mark Wallace driving James Tredwell through the covers to complete an 88-ball fifty. But next over he departed as he edged a drive against Coles into the gloves of deputy wicket-keeper Callum Jackson who had been summoned overnight following yesterday’s injury to Adam Rouse who himself had been a late call-up on the eve of the game after first choice ‘keeper Sam Billings was injured in the nets.
Aneurin Donald announced his arrival with a booming cover drive against Coles, before Cooke on-drove Tredwell for four, followed by a rasping square-cut for four when Mitch Claydon returned at the Cathedral Road End.But next over, Claydon trapped Cooke leg before with a full length delivery.
124/4 then became 124/5 as Lloyd scythed Claydon into the slips where Coles at fourth parried the ball with Tom Latham at second grasping the deflection. The overall lead was 193 as Graham Wagg joined Donald who responded by twice dispatching Claydon through the covers, before Wagg on drove Coles.
Donald then nurdled Darren Stevens through backward point for four before greeting the return of Calum Haggett by driving him through the covers. He inside-edged the next ball to fine-leg before scoring four in unusual fashion as Haggett fielding a firm drive in his follow through which he hurled back at the batsman with the ball cannoning off his pads to fine-leg.
Donald then square-cut Tredwell for an orthodox boundary before another subtle dab for one saw him reach fifty off as many balls. He celebrated by on-driving Haggett for four before Joe Denly’s occasional leg-breaks were employed as bank of thick cloud built up over the Stadium. Donald was then snared leg before by Tredwell before the drizzle started to fall in the fading light as the umpires took the players off for an early tea.
Lunchtime Report
1973 was a very special year in the history of Kent County Cricket Club as they became the first team to achieve the double of winning the Sunday League and the Benson and Hedges Cup. January of that year had also seen the country enter the European Economic Community, now the EU, and tomorrow the nation decides whether the remain “in” or to move “out” of the trans-national body.
Today though is decision day as far as the cricketers of Kent and Glamorgan are concerned in their Championship contest in Cardiff, but unlike the Brexit debate and the weeks of politicking, the weather looks set to play a decisive role in the final outcome, with 104.1 overs having been lost on the first two days, so that the likely outcome to this contest, unlike the Referendum, is that things will remain all-square.
Jacques Rudolph began the day by leg-glancing the first delivery, from Darren Stevens to fine-leg, but in the fourth over of the day, he hooked Mitch Claydon to fine-leg where Calum Haggett completed the catch. 29/2 saw Will Bragg join Wallace and he began with a booming off-drive against Claydon whilst Wallace played watchfully against Stevens who delivered successive maidens, one of which saw the oddity of nine leg-byes.
Wallace then cover drove Claydon for four, before Bragg added a brace of three’s followed by another imperious straight-drive against Claydon. The southpaw then dispatched Haggett to wide long-on when he entered the attack, before Wallace again cover drove Stevens as well as pulling Haggett for four. But with the total on 81, Matt Coles ended Bragg’s tenure at the crease as with his fourth delivery he bowled the left-hander.
With Chris Cooke as his new partner, Wallace dabbed Coles to the vacant ropes at third man before driving Haggett square of the wicket for another four. But soon afterwards rain started to fall and the players left the field at 12.40pm with an early lunch being taken at 12.50pm.