Glamorgan lead Leicestershire by 89 runs

They say lightning never strikes twice, but as far as the batting of Graham Wagg is concerned, the in-form all-rounder came within two bludgeoned boundaries of a second remarkable century in the space of a week on the opening day of this contest. Having reached 28 by the time he was joined by last man Andy Carter, Wagg proceeded to make 92 and virtually single-handedly saw Glamorgan to a couple of invaluable batting points and dented the visitors morale after they had made inroads during the opening sessions.


In the past week Wagg's batting fireworks have seen him amass 292 runs from just 329 balls with 28 fours and 17 sixes. Perhaps even more remarkable, is that 145 of these runs have come with the number eleven at the other end!


The net result of his efforts yesterday meant that Leicestershire began this morning 241 runs in arrears with nine wickets in hand. This swiftly became eight as Craig Meschede struck in his opening over as he clean bowled Ned Eckersley, with his departure prompting warm applause for the appearance of Mark Cosgrove back in the middle with bat in hand. The visiting captain duly watched as his partner Matthew Boyce edged Michael Hogan to third man before also glancing Meschede to fine-leg.


Cosgrove brought up the fifty by edging Meschede just out of the reach of Colin Ingram's left hand at first slip before shortly afterwards edging this time to the right of the South African, having the ball before playing a more authoritative straight drive for four to mid-off. Boyce then punched Hogan through extra cover for four before pulling a short ball behind square for another boundary.


Cosgrove drilled Meschede to the ropes at cover point before Wagg and Andrew Salter each returned to the attack. Cosgrove greeted Wagg by both cover-driving and pulling him for a couple of fours before showing a more circumspect approach against the spin of Salter. Andy Carter then replaced Wagg at the Cathedral Road Endand had two appeals for l.b.w. turned down, as the frugal Salter continued at the River End with a gaggle of four close catchers.


Indeed, Salter's parsimony paid off as Cosgrove departed as he clipped a ball from the off-spinner which lodged in the grasp of Ben Wright at short-leg. 104/3 saw Glamorgan secure their first bowling point as Andrea Agathangelou made his way to the middle. He nearly edged his fourth ball to Jacques Rudolph at slip before facing Carter with an unusual field with five men on the drive - two on the off and three on the leg, as well as two slips.

Agathangelou opened his account with a straight drive and a pull for successive for fours against Salter before Colin Ingram had a brief trundle before lunch.

The visitors had reached 138/3 at lunch, with Andrew Salter extracting some assistance from the wicket, and the off-spinner duly resumed after the interval at the River End, whilst Michael Hogan returned at the Cathedral Road End. Matthew Boyce completed a three-hour fifty by cover driving Hogan to register his seventh boundary. Two overs later Andrea Agathangelou clipped the seamer to the ropes at mid-wicket before Hogan ended Boyce's stay at the crease by having him l.b.w. for 50.


148/4 saw Niall O'Brien join Agathangelou and he began by twice caressing a delivery from Hogan through the covers before his partner drove Salter through extra cover and mid-off for fours in successive overs. Craig Meschede returned at the Cathedral Road End and he was also cover driven for four by Agathangelou. But the bowler gained revenge in his next over as he clean bowled the former Lancashire batsman as Leicestershire slipped to 181/5.


O'Brien duly pulled Salter for four before guiding Meschede to third man for four. Tom Wells on drove Meschede before driving Salter to wide long-on for four as Leicestershire reached the 200-mark and a batting bonus point in the 64^th over. Colin Ingram's leg-spin was then re-introduced with O'Brien driving a full toss for four It was though only a brief spell before Andy Carter returned in his place.


Salter also had a breather after a 21 over spell with Graham Wagg replacing him at the River End and immediately finding the bottom edge of O'Brien's bat as the Irishman inadvertently cut the ball to the third man boundary. Later in the over he also found the top edge of Wells' bat as he also skewed the ball to third man. Much to the bowler's angst!


The change did the trick though as with the total on 222 O'Brien was caught down the leg-side by a diving Mark Wallace as he edged Carter before next over Wells edged Wagg to Rudolph who was the solitary slip. Clint McKay responded with a booming cover drive for four before Salter switched to the Cathedral Road End shortly before tea.

Leicestershire had reached 238/7 by tea with 79 overs having been bowled so a new ball was available, but Glamorgan persisted with the two Andrew's - Messrs Salter and Carter - and the ploy worked as Clint McKay, after pulling the spinner for four, hoisted the next delivery into Chris Cooke's hands on the mid-wicket boundary. With Jigar Naik as his new partner, Ben Raine pulled Carter for four whereupon the new ball was taken in the 83^rd over with two overs later Michael Hogan replacing Salter. The seamer duly bowled Jigar Naik with his third delivery as with Leicestershire on 253/9 Charlie Shreck, who had failed to score in his previous six innings, made his way to the middle to join Raine. The sequence duly continued as next over Raine drove Carter to mid-on where Craig Meschede held the catch to end the innings.


With a first innings lead of 25, and 22 overs to negotiate tonight, Jacques Rudolph and Will Bragg began Glamorgan's second innings shortly before 5pm. But the contest then threatened to change complexion with the opening stand lasting all of an over and a half as Bragg edged Raine into Niall O'Brien's gloves.


0/1 then became 1 /2 as Ben Wright edged McKay to Angus Robson at first slip. After Colin Ingram clipped McKay for two, Rudolph pulled Raine for four followed by a rasping straight drive against the same bowler. Colin Ingram also cover drive McKay for a pair of fours before Naik's spin was introduced at the River End with Shreck's seam at the Cathedral Road End as the visitors strove the make further inroads.


But Rudolph and Ingram held firm with the latter driving Naik over the head of cover besides sweeping the spinner and on-driving for a brace of fours. Ingram also cut Tom Wells for a couple of fours in the closing overs as Glamorgan ended on 64/2 to set up the prospect of an intriguing days play tomorrow.