Despite half-centuries from Chris Cooke and Ben Wright, plus some promising performances by their rookie seamers, Glamorgan lost by four wickets in their one-day friendly against Gloucestershire at Bristol.
Yesterday, the Budget saw the Chancellor of the Exchequer make a series of statements about financial policy over the course of the ensuing months. At the same time at the SWALEC Stadium, Glamorgan's opening batsmen - Will Bragg and James Kettleborough - made their own statements of intent for the coming season by sharing a century stand against the Gloucestershire attack with Bragg posting a fluent half-century whilst Kettleborough ended unbeaten on 48 and two runs short of his second half-century of the game.
After Glamorgan had won the toss this morning, the pair had a further opportunity to let their bats do the talking at an overcast County Ground with David Payne and Craig Miles opening the bowling for the home side. After a flurry of one's and two's, Bragg struck the first boundary as he pulled a short ball from Miles over mid-wicket for four, before drilling the last ball of the over through mid-off for another four. Kettleborough then drove Payne through extra cover and to the ropes at mid-wicket, before cover driving Miles for further fours as the visitors made a breezy start.
But their serene progress was ended as Liam Norwell entered the attack at the Pavilion End and in his opening over - with the score on 44 - he trapped Kettleborough leg before. David Lloyd was swiftly into his stride on-driving Miles for four before dabbing a swift single into the leg-side to bring up the fifty in the 8
th over, but shortly afterwards, he edged Miles into Chris Dent's hands at second slip.
With Ben Wright as his new partner, Bragg clipped Norwell to the ropes at square-leg before despatching Miles off the back foot through extra cover. Wright then added a four as he edged a drive against Norwell in the air over the slip cordon before spearing Robbie Montgomery's first delivery through backward point for a more controlled boundary. But the bowler exacted revenge later in the over as he bowled Bragg for 29 as Glamorgan lost their third wicket.
Chris Cooke began by twice drilling Montgomery through the covers for four before Wright guided Norwell to the ropes at backward square-leg. He then deposited a free-hit against Montgomery straight for six as the ball cannoned off the fielder at long-on who tried to intercept the ball and over the ropes. The pair then garnered a series of one's and two's as Kieran Noema-Barnett also entered the fray at the Pavilion End with David Payne also returning for a second spell at the Ashley Down End.
Wright then greeted the return of Miles by savagely cutting him for four as Glamorgan reached 150 in the 26
th over before Cooke drilled the bowler back over his head followed next ball by a sweetly-timed on-drive for another boundary. Wright then late cut Jack Taylor's off-spin en route to a 56 ball fifty but the switch to an all-spin attack with the introduction of Chris Dent's slow left-arm ended Wright's innings and the jaunty fourth wicket stand as the Glamorgan batsman was stumped advancing down the track.
Cooke duly completed his fifty from 63 balls but with the total on 183 Mark Wallace became the second man to be stumped as he went down the wicket to Taylor. Craig Meschede off-drove his first ball for four but in the next over, after the powerplay had been called, he tried to repeat the stroke against Taylor and drilled the ball into Will Tavare's hands. Cooke then drove Taylor through wide mid-off as Glamorgan reached 200 in the 36
th over with Ruaidhri Smith joining Cooke.
After a brace of singles, Cooke square drove Taylor for four before straight driving Dent into the sight-screens, but he then perished at deep midwicket as he opted for the aerial route against Taylor. Will Owen lofted Dent straight for four but then departed l.b.w. next delivery with Glamorgan on 227/8.
Smith and Jack Murphy then used the long handle and some inventive strokes to add further runs in the closing overs with the latter launching Dent over extra-cover for four, whilst the former deftly reverse-swept Dent to the ropes. Smith then drilled Norwell to long-on before hoisting Montgomery over mid-wicket for six with the pair also scampering some one's and two's before Murphy despatched the penultimate ball for six as they saw Glamorgan to 287/8.
Meschede and Owen shared the new ball duties as Dent and Tavare opened the Gloucestershire innings. Tavare found the ropes in the fourth over as he firstly leg-glanced Owen, before sending two further deliveries in the over through extra cover Dent then despatched successive balls from Owen for four to square-leg and six over long-off, before Tavare brought up the fifty in the eighth over by pulling Owen for six, followed by an on-drive for four. But Murphy entered the fray and with the total on 63 he ended the opening stand as Tavare pulled a ball straight to Kettleborough who was positioned at deep backward square-leg.
This brought Hamish Marshall to the crease, fresh from his century at Cardiff, and he despatched his first ball through extra cover for four. Dean Cosker's spin was introduced in the tenth over but Dent responded by nurdling him for four. After delivering a maiden over, Murphy was cut square of the wicket by Marshall but the left-armer struck again in his third over as he trapped Dent l.b.w. with a full length delivery.
82/2 saw Iain Cockbain join Marshall and the home captain began with a flowing off-drive against Cosker followed by a pull for four against Murphy. Marshall then cut Cosker for four before straight-driving Dewi Penrhyn Jones to the ropes, but in his next over the latter trapped Marshall leg before as the home side slipped to 118/3. Geraint Jones started assertively, steering Smith through point for four but with the total on 141 he lost Cockbain who was clean bowled by Penrhyn Jones.
With Noema-Barnett as his new partner, Jones flamboyantly pulled both Penrhyn Jones and Lloyd for six. But the return of Cosker's wily spin snared the former England wicket-keeper as he departed l.b.w. attempting a sweep. Taylor came in and immediately put bat to ball, lofting Cosker straight for four. Noema-Barnett also cover drove Lloyd for a pair of fours before thick-edging Meschede for four to third man as Gloucestershire's equation became 87 from 18 overs.
Taylor greeted the return of Owen by pulling him to mid-wicket for four, before upper cutting him to third man. Noema-Barnett also clipped two fours behind square but then drove Smith in the air to deep extra cover where Penrhyn Jones took a good diving catch to leave the home side still needing 50 in the last 12 overs. Montgomery then biffed Smith to long-on and wide mid-off for fours before Taylor used the long handle to clatter Murphy to deep mid-wicket.
Montgomery then off-drove Smith for four before smashing him over cover for another boundary. He then deposited Murphy to the ropes at deep backward square-leg before Taylor swatted Penrhyn Jones over square-leg for six as the home side eased to their target with four wickets and 39 balls remaining
Glamorgan play Somerset at Taunton Vale CC in a two-day friendly on March 23rd and 24th before returning to Cardiff to complete their pre-season programme with a one-day contest against Cardiff MCCU at the SWALEC Stadium on March 26th.