Glamorgan hang on for a draw

Only 34 overs were possible yesterday on a day when the skyline over Cardiff city centre resembled fifty shades of grey, with alternating bands of heavy showers and drizzle also making their way across the SWALEC Stadium. In addition, bad light contributed to the loss of playing time and it was in darkening conditions at 6.15pm that umpires Nigel Llong and Martin Bodenham took the players off the field after the fourth wicket pairing of Will Bragg and Murray Goodwin had led a recovery mission following the loss of three quick wickets after tea to take their side to within a six-hit of Gloucestershire's total.

On paper an intriguing day's play lay in store this morning, but thoughts of a dramatic denouement were literally dampened at first by morning rain which saw the covers and protective sheets once again laid out by the groundstaff across the entire square at Glamorgan's headquarters. But despite a dire weather forecast and prospects of stygian gloom for the rest of the day, the rain eased around 10am, allowing mopping up operations to commence out in the middle and after a series of inspections by the umpire play began at 12noon with a minimum of 80 overs remaining in the day's play.

Indeed, when the not out batsmen made their way to the middle the ground was bathed in sunshine, with Will Gidman champing at the bit to resume the bowling, together with Tom Smith. Goodwin duly wiped off the arrears and brought up the fifty stand by clipping Gidman to the ropes at square-leg, but with the total on 90 he was bowled by the seamer. Two overs later, Glamorgan's positioned worsened as Jim Allenby was Gidman-ed with Alex at first slip holding onto an outside edge induced by Will, his younger brother.

Mark Wallace duly joined Bragg and scored his first run of the contest by driving Gidman into the covers before Bragg brought up the hundred in the 42nd over by despatching Smith to the ropes at extra cover. Wallace was then struck a painful blow on his hand by James Fuller and after medical treatment, the doughty Glamorgan captain resumed his innings.

Another blow dented then dented Glamorgan's aspirations as - with the total on 106 - Bragg was caught down the leg-side by wicket-keeper Cameron Herring as he tried to flick Smith off his legs. Wallace showed no sign of ill effect from being struck as he cover drove Fuller shortly before lunch.

Rain fell over the Stadium during the lunch interval and prevented a resumption until 4.45pm, and the loss of a further 44 overs.

Glamorgan held on for a draw, ending on 146/9 at the close of the final day of their weather-affected LV=County Championship match against Gloucestershire at the SWALEC Stadium which saw a further sixty overs being lost to the elements.

Rain fell over the Stadium during the lunch interval and prevented a resumption until 4.45pm, and the loss of a further 44 overs, leaving just 20 in the day's allocation in which the visitor's were striving to claim the last four wickets. Glamorgan began on 118/6 just 32 runs to the good, and with Mark Wallace and Graham Wagg intent on survival, they faced the seam-spin combination of Will Gidman and Tom Smith.

Three runs had been added in seventeen balls when Wagg fenced a rising delivery from Gidman into Michael Klinger's hands at gully before Ruaidhri Smith edged the next ball into the wicket-keeper's gloves with Glamorgan still only 35 runs ahead and with just two wickets remaining. Dean Cosker duly joined Wallace with a gaggle of close fielders surrounding the ninth wicket pair.

Three overs later, another fine delivery from Gidman saw Wallace become a further victim for his opposite number with Glamorgan just 40 runs ahead and their last pair together. Michael Hogan lobbed a drive against Gidman for two to long-off before clattering him through extra cover for two more. With the obdurate Cosker stoutly defending against Smith, Hogan continued to mix caution with aggression, smearing a ball over the head of the slip cordon for four before drilling Gidman back over his head for another lusty boundary.

This flurry saw Matt Taylor replace Gidman whilst the improving light saw James Fuller return in a final throw of the dice. But the final pair remained firm and at the end of the over, with Glamorgan 60 runs ahead and with just four overs left for Gloucestershire to bat, the players shook hands.