Glamorgan drew with Lancashire at Old Trafford

The Welsh county were last victorious at the Manchester ground in 1993 when the players emerged from the brick-built structure at the Pavilion End, and the pitch was aligned east-west, having subsequently been rotated through ninety degrees as part of the recent developments which have seen the creation of The Point and the modern dressing room and media centre complex at the Statham End.


In that match twenty-two years ago, which was also affected by the weather, Adrian Dale and Matthew Maynard steered the side to a seven-wicket victory, but as far as the class of 2015 were concerned, victory was far from their minds with their task today being to bat through the remaining 96 overs and to prevent Lancashire from claiming the fourteen wickets they required to complete a victory which, in all probability, would clinch promotion back into Division One, still with three games to play.


Mark Wallace and Graham Wagg duly resumed Glamorgan's first innings on 182/6 with Glamorgan still 280 runs behind the Red Rose county. James Faulkner and Simon Kerrigan continued the bowling duties as Wagg biffed the latter over mid-off for three, but in his second over the spinner removed Wallace who appeared to under-edge a sweep stroke onto his stumps.


188/7 saw Craig Meschede join Wagg who imperiously off-drove Faulkner before glancing Kerrigan to fine-leg for three. He then punched Arron Lilley off the back foot through extra cover for four as his seasonal tally in first-class cricket went past the 750-mark. But next over he jaywalked down the wicket to Kerrigan and was stumped. It was an eventful over as Michael Hogan slashed his second ball for two before miscuing the next to mid-wicket where Glen Chapple took the catch. With Kieran Bull unable to bat because of a back injury, Glamorgan were therefore all out, and followed-on shortly afterwards 249 runs behind.


Jacques Rudolph began by on-driving Kyle Jarvis for four, but in his third over the seamer struck as Will Bragg was superbly caught one-handed above his head by Karl Brown who was stationed in the gully. After watchful reconnaissance, Colin Ingram cover drove Jarvis for four.

Resuming after lunch on 39/1, Jacques Rudolph and Colin Ingram were looking to continue their second wicket stand as Lancashire pressed for further wickets and the victory that would clinch promotion for the Red Rose county. Simon Kerrigan switched to the Statham End after lunch and shared bowling duties at first with James Faulkner, with the Australian striking in his fourth over as Ingram edged a rising delivery into the wicket-keeper's gloves. 45/2 saw Chris Cooke join Rudolph who responded by cover driving Kerrigan for four.


After steering Faulkner through point for three, Cooke was dropped at slip by Alviro Petersen as the Springbok failed to grasp the ball diving to his right. Cooke celebrated his good fortune by twice cover-driving the Australian for four whilst the obdurate Rudolph continued his stoic defence. Aaron Lilley also had a spell at the Pavilion End but was unable to break through the resistance, with the sequence of dot balls ending as Rudolph pulled Kerrigan for four to square-leg for four.


With the third wicket pair continuing to defend stoutly, Steven Croft had a short spell at the Statham End whilst half an hour before tea, Glen Chapple returned at the Pavilion End. Cooke then brought up the 50-stand by steering Lilley through the slips for four before Rudolph steered Chapple over the head of gully for four, en route to a 150-ball half-century which he completed in the final over before the interval.

Having batted together for an hour and a half before tea, Jacques Rudolph and Chris Cooke knew that just another hour of defiance would see Glamorgan reach the safety of a draw. Kyle Jarvis and Simon Kerrigan resumed the bowling but Rudolph and Cooke continued their watchful application, with Arron Lilley then having a spell at the Statham End. He was swept for four by Cooke before Rudolph cover drove Kerrigan for another boundary.


Cooke also cover drove Kerrigan but Rudolph's sober innings ended as on 63 he was trapped l.b.w. by Croft with the ball appearing to keep a fraction low. David Lloyd joined Cooke and continued the resolute defence as the game continued into the final hour with the new ball being taken after 80 overs with the spinners staying on. Lloyd clipped it immediately to mid-wicket for four before driving Lilley through the covers. Lloyd also cover drove Kerrigan before the players shook hands at 5.20pm with nine overs remaining as the game ended all square