Championship-best figures of 5/62 by Marchant de Lange saw Gloucestershire dismissed for 236 after being put in to bat by Glamorgan on a green-tinged wicket in their opening Specsavers County Championship match at Bristol. In reply, the Welsh county were 26/0 at the close of an enthralling day’s cricket.
Evening update
Gloucestershire had reached 172/7 at tea with Marchant de Lange and Michael Hogan briefly resuming the bowling duties before, with the new ball looming, David Lloyd had another trundle in tandem with Andrew Salter. The obdurate Kieran Noema-Barnett cover drove the off-spinner for four to take his side closer to a batting point before nearly being caught and bowled by the diving bowler.
The Kiwi all-rounder saw Gloucestershire to the 200-mark as he lofted Salter high over mid-off for four before Glamorgan took the new ball after 80.3 overs as Carey returned to the attack. With the third delivery with the new cherry he removed Noema-Barnett l.b.w. for 46. Having defended stoutly, Dan Worrall used the long handle to carve and swat de Lange for fours through extra cover and mid-wicket. After edging Carey through the slips he also top-edged a pull high over Chris Cooke’s head but with the total on 234 Matt Taylor edged de Lange to Lloyd at first slip before two runs later Liam Norwell edged the paceman into Chris Cooke’s gloves to complete his best first-class figures for Glamorgan of 5/62.
This left Glamorgan with eight overs to bat with Nick Selman glancing Worrall to the boards at fine-leg in the opening over. His partner Jack Murphy, who is one of the tallest opening batsmen for the Welsh county, also clipped Liam Norwell to the ropes at mid-wicket before Selman drilled Taylor through mid-off as Gloucestershire’s bowlers strove in vain to make early inroads.
Teatime update
With Gloucestershire on 86/4 at lunch after being put in, Glamorgan’s bowlers were looking to make further inroads during the afternoon and to their collective delight, Marchant de Lange struck with the first ball of the session as James Bracey edged to Selman positioned at the second of four slips. Ryan Higgins then clipped Lukas Carey to square-leg and mid-wicket for four and three respectively before edging de Lange through the slip cordon as the West Country side reached 100.
Higgins found the ropes again as he punched Carey off the back foot through point before off-driving Hogan when the red ball captain returned at the Pavilion End, but Hogan struck in the third over of his spell as he removed van Buuren l.b.w. to leave Gloucestershire on 124/6. Kieran Noema-Barnett began by steering Carey – who had changed ends – through backward point before edging into the slips where Selman fumbled the chance. The Kiwi rubbed salt into Carey’s wounds by cover-driving him for four next over, followed by a deft steer through point.
Higgins then greeted the return of Hogan at the Ashley Down End by drilling him for four through mid-wicket. With Andrew Salter in parsimonious mode at the Pavilion End, the seamers rotated at the other end with Noema-Barnett cutting David Lloyd, who also delivered an economical spell, for four. But shortly before tea de Lange returned and with his first delivery removed Higgins who tamely swatted a short ball straight to Shaun Marsh at short mid-wicket.
168/7 saw Dan Worrall join Noema-Barnett with the Antipodean duo seeing Gloucestershire through to the tea interval.
Lunchtime report
With temperatures having risen this week from being tundra-like to the balmy conditions of the tropics, conditions yesterday in Bristol made Shaun Marsh feel at home as the Australian prepred to make his first-class debut for Glamorgan. This morning though it was back to chilly and misty conditions as the man who was the scourge of England bowlers in the recent Ashes series in Australia made his Championship debut as the Welsh county commence their four-day campaign.
With Glamorgan as the away team and having the option of bowling first on the green-tinged surface in the murky and overcast conditions, the toss was uncontested with Michael Hogan inviting Gloucestershire to bat first. Timm van der Gugten was omitted from the 12-man squad so it was Lukas Carey and Marchant de Lange who shared the new ball. Benny Howell duly square-cut for four the first ball of the season from Carey before cover-driving the fourth to the boundary.
In Carey’s next over, Dent also cover drove the seamer, but the youngster gained revenge as he uprooted Dent’s off stump. Gareth Roderick opened his account by driving Carey to mid-wicket and wide long-on, but the bowler struck again with the last ball of his fourth over as he trapped Howell leg before with the home side on 30/2.
It might have become 30/3 next over but Roderick edged de Lange just in front of David Lloyd at first slip before the assertive Roderick found the ropes again as he on-drove de Lange. Hogan then replaced Carey at the Ashley Down End, just as weak sunshine started to bathe the ground, and James Bracey saw Gloucestershire to the fifty mark as he glanced the visiting captain to the ropes at fine-leg.
David Lloyd also replaced de Lange at the Pavilion End, but it was Hogan who claimed the third wicket and the first bowling point as Roderick nibbled at the ball outside off stump and edged into the safe hands of Nick Selman at second slip. Bracey responded by off-driving Hogan to the boards at long-off before surviving a loud appeal for l.b.w. against Lloyd. The young batsman responded by drilling Lloyd’s next delivery through the covers for four and two overs later flicking him to fine-leg for another four.
De Lange then returned at the Ashley Down End and with his first delivery had Jack Taylor dropped at third slip by Aneurin Donald. The Gloucestershire batsman again celebrated his reprieve by clipping the paceman for four to mid-wicket but de Lange made amends next over by bowling Taylor with a full length delivery.