Glamorgan's batsmen had a productive time yesterday, starting with James Kettleborough posting a career-best 81 which had laid the foundations for the Welsh county's decent overnight total of 338/4 and an existing tally of three bating bonus points. By the close of play, Aneurin Donald was also nine runs away from posting a maiden first-class hundred which would have seen the young tyro - at 18 years and 277 days old - become the Club's youngest-ever century maker in the County Championship.
Besides a personal landmark looming on the horizon, there was also the prospect of a fresh challenge this morning with the new ball available after just three overs, and after scrambling a series of singles against the left-arm spin of Tom Smith and the seam of Benny Howell, Gloucestershire took the new ball with Glamorgan on 345/4 and Donald unbeaten on 95.
David Lloyd pulled the first delivery, from David Payne, to fine-leg for four, and after Lloyd had brought up the 350, Donald ran a quick single to mid-on against Payne, before bottom-edging a pull against James Fuller with the ball evading the slip cordon before running away for a single to third man. Lloyd then steered consecutive balls from Payne to the ropes at third man and extra cover, before Donald's valiant innings came to an end as he was caught at second slip for 98 as he sparred at a rising delivery outside off-stump from Fuller.
Three balls later, 363/5 became 363/6 as Lloyd also departed, this time as he shouldered arms to the seamer but dragged the ball onto his stumps. Craig Meschede responded by cover-driving Payne for four before Wagg glided the left-armer just wide of second slip for four, followed by an inside-edge to fine-leg for another streaky four. Meschede then played a far more assured off-drive against Fuller with the ball speeding to the ropes as Glamorgan closed in on another batting point.
An on-drive for four by Wagg against Fuller followed by an upper-cut over the slips saw Glamorgan to 400. Meschede then launched into Howell lofting him to long-on and long-off for fours, but with the total on 414 Hampton trapped Wagg l.b.w. Two runs later, James Bracey, the substitute wicket-keeper for Gareth Roderick, stumped Meschede as he fell forward to a ball from Howell. The on-loan all-rounder duly became only the third Glamorgan batsman to depart in this fashion after Peter Walker in 1959 and Alan Lewis Jones in 1983, in each case at Northampton.
416/8 then became 417/9 as Andrew Salter chipped Howell to mid-wicket before Dewi Penrhyn Jones clipped Hampton to fine-leg for four. Michael Hogan also cover drove the young seamer for a rasping four before being caught behind next over as he was caught by the substitute wicket-keeper as Glamorgan ended on 433.
Gloucestershire had fifteen minutes of batting before lunch as Hogan and Meschede shared the new ball. Chris Dent struck the first boundary as he cut Meschede's first ball, before Will Tavare cover drove the all-rounder with the home side going into lunch on 16/0.
With his side resuming on 16/0 after lunch, Gloucestershire captain Will Tavare clipped Craig Meschede for four to square-leg but the all-rounder gained revenge as next over he had the opener caught behind by Chris Cooke. Despite his jarred thumb, Gareth Roderick came in to bat at number three and on-drove his third delivery for four, before cover-driving Hogan for a second boundary. But with the total on 32, an in-swinging yorker from Hogan re-arranged his stumps.
Hamish Marshall responded by cutting Hogan for four before Chris Dent did the same when Graham Wagg entered the attack. Marshall also scythed the left-armer for four before Dent was nearly caught down the leg-side when Dewi Penrhyn Jones had a spell at the Ashley Down End. Marshall also leg-glanced Wagg for four before cover-driving a pair of deliveries from the left-armer.
The hundred came up in the 26th over as Dent lofted Andrew Salter's second delivery over long-on for six before late cutting the off-spinner for another four. Dent then completed an 89-ball fifty by pulling Salter for four before later in the over, Marshall guided the spinner to third man to complete his half-century from six fewer deliveries. Dent celebrated with a pair of fours in Meschede's next over, including a savage pull to mid-wicket. The opener then did the same to Dewi Penrhyn Jones shortly before tea as the home side moved closer to their first batting bonus point.
Gloucestershire had reached 165/2 at tea and with Hamish Marshall despatching Michael Hogan's third delivery of the evening session for four, the home side seemed for further steady accumulation. But the Australian responded with a sharply rising ball which the Kiwi feathered into Chris Cooke's gloves. A bank of thick cloud was building up to the north of the ground as Benny Howell joined Chris Dent with Gloucestershire on 169/3.
The gloomy light did not deter Dent who pulled Wagg to the mid-wicket ropes before playing a sumptuous off-drive against Hogan. Howell also cover drove Wagg before Dent brought up the 200 and secured the first batting point with an on-drive against Meschede. Dent then pulled a short ball from Penrhyn Jones for four, before the flame-haired bowler was drilled through wide mid-on by Howell.
Howell also struck successive balls from Meschede to the ropes at extra cover and backward point, before Chris Den t completed his hundred by pulling Meschede to mid-wicket - his 154th delivery and thirteenth boundary. Howell also straight drove Penrhyn Jones before carving the next ball through the covers but with the light deteriorating the umpires took the players off the field at 5pm.