Gloucestershire reach 308/5 at Bristol

From an astronomical point of view, June 21^st is the longest day of the year, and the summer solstice of 2014 will also be a long day for all of the players, match officials and supporter's alike as the contest started at 12noon and continues until 7pm as both teams were in action last night, at Cardiff and The Ageas Bowl respectively, in the NatWest T20 Blast.


It proved to be quite an eventful day as well, and for the second successive match, Glamorgan's opponents lost their Australian star shortly before the start, as after Doug Bollinger pulled out of the Kent match with a shoulder strain, a blow on his left foot in last night's Twenty20 match against Hampshire saw Gloucestershire captain Michael Klinger hobble out of the contest, before heading to hospital for an x-ray. Wicket-keeper Cameron Herring - who had initially been included in the starting line-up - also broke a finger in the warm-ups and was withdrawn from the contest as Gloucestershire's officials swiftly undertook the registration of Patrick Grieschaber, their 17 year-old Academy wicket-keeper, who had been at Downend CC for a local club match.


Hamish Marshall duly took over as captain and won the toss, before opting to bat first against an unchanged Glamorgan side whose attack was spearheaded by Michael Hogan, who after the first-ever ten-wicket match haul of his career, had taken his tally of wickets for Glamorgan to 97 at just 18 runs apiece and required just three further scalps to complete 100 first-class wickets for his adopted county.


After all the comings and goings in their line-up, Will Tavare began in an assured mode, off-driving Graham Wagg for a pair of fours, besides glancing the left-armer to fine-leg. But Hogan struck in his third over as Chris Dent chipped him straight to Andrew Salter at square-leg. Alex Gidman then nearly edged the Australian to Dean Cosker at gulley before clipping him to square-leg. Tavare then unfurled another front foot drive against Wagg which sent the ball racing through mid-off for four.


Jim Allenby then took over at the Ashley Down End with Wagg switching to the Pavilion End, with Tavare driving Allenby in the air over the head of gully for a less convincing boundary. There was far more certainty about the next four as Gidman despatched Wagg through extra cover followed by another sublime on-drive by Tavare. After fifteen overs, Dean Cosker also entered the attack followed three overs later by Ruaidhri Smith, who was flicked to long-leg and driven through point by Tavare en route to an 87-ball fifty

Gidman then survived an appeal for a bat-pad catch by Ben Wright in Cosker's fifth over before next over lofting the spinner for six high over long-on. But next over, Gidman was bowled by a full length delivery from Smith as the home side lost their second wicket on 83.

Will Tavare brought up the Gloucestershire hundred in the first over after lunch as he on-drove Michael Hogan before swatting Graham Wagg behind square-leg for four. He then drilled the left-armer through mid-off before despatching Hogan through extra cover - a stroke which brought a waspish short delivery from the Australian pace bowler which Tavare spliced high over the wicket-keeper's head for another boundary.


Next over, the paceman got his reward as he re-arranged Tavare's stumps as Glamorgan secured their first bowling point in the 44^th over. Marshall responded by twice cutting Ruaidhri Smith for four when the pace bowler dropped short on his return to action at the Ashley Down End. Iain Cockbain opened his account by glancing Smith to fine-leg before cutting Dean Cosker for four when the spinner returned at the Pavilion End.


Marshall also drove Cosker for four as the leading English-qualified spinner this summer was struck for a rare boundary back over his head, before Marshall collected a series of singles to complete his fifty from 94 balls. He celebrated by pulling Wagg for four to mid-wicket as Gloucestershire closed in on their first batting point shortly before tea.

Having reached 194/3 by tea, Hamish Marshall was looking to consolidate on his team's position in the closing session as Michael Hogan returned to the attack, looking for his 100^th victim for the Welsh county. The Australian went past the edge of the bat on several occasions before Ian Cockbain opened his shoulders and lofted Dean Cosker to long-on as Gloucestershire secured their first batting point.


When Andrew Salter returned to the attack, Marshall struck him in successive balls for six over long-on and four through mid-off whilst Cockbain twice cut Cosker for four through backward point as the fourth wicket pair took their stand into three figures. He also swatted Smith through point for four as Glamorgan eschewed the option of the new ball when it was immediately available after 80 overs.


Allenby also returned with the old ball as Cockbain glanced him to fine-leg before guiding him to third man to complete a 130-ball fifty before Salter switched to the Pavilion End. Marshall duly completed his century from 164 balls after over three and a half hours of patient accumulation, but next over Allenby ended their stand as Cockbain departed leg before with the total on 277.


Will Gidman joined Marshall as Glamorgan took the new ball midway through the 89^th over, with the former steering Allenby through point for four before Marshall unleashed an exocet-like drive against the all-rounder. Wagg and Hogan then returned for a final salvo with the Australian reaching his coveted landmark as he bowled Marshall for 109.