Leicestershire end the day on 75/3 chasing 324 to beat Glamorgan at Cardiff

Yesterday was the annual gathering of the Glamorgan Former Players' Association with representatives of the 1969 and 1997 Championship-winning teams in attendance at the Club's headquarters, as well as others from the Welsh county's side that defeated Australia at Swansea in 1964 and 1968, with the spin bowlers in their element at the St. Helen's ground. By coincidence, the play out in the middle at the SSE SWALEC had an old-fashioned feel to it with off-spinner Andrew Salter bowling 30 overs and gaining more than a modicum of assistance, with a gaggle of close fielders ready to pounce on any false stroke.


As a result, there were appreciative comments about the class of 2015 from the stars of yesteryear, but after securing a first innings lead of 25, Glamorgan lost two early wickets with just a single on the board. However, Jacques Rudolph was calmness personified, and with Colin Ingram at the other end unfurling a volley of high-class drives, the Springbok pairing had guided their adopted county to an overall lead of 89 runs by the close.


There was still plenty of batting to be done this morning as Glamorgan resumed against the seam bowling of Clint McKay and Charlie Shreck. Whilst Rudolph dropped anchor, Ingram continued in assertive vein square-driving McKay for four before clipping the Australian to square-leg to complete a 69-ball fifty. The obdurate Rudolph unfurled a high-class off-drive for four before Ingram threaded an on-drive through mid-wicket and evading the grasp of the two fielders stationed to prevent the stroke.


But with the total on 97, Ben Raine returned to bowl in place of McKay and with his third delivery he found the edge of Ingram's bat, as he appeared to be playing no stroke, with Niall O'Brien completing the catch behind the stumps as Chris Cooke joined his skipper. He began by drilling Shreck for four through mid-off but this proved to be his sole boundary as shortly afterwards, Raine found the outside edge of his bat as well with O'Brien completing the regulation catch.


Three balls later 105/4 became 105/5 as Craig Meschede departed l.b.w. to Raine before Raine claimed his fifth wicket in a dramatic and potentially match-changing spell as he bowled Mark Wallace with the first ball of his ninth over as Glamorgan slipped further to 105/6. Graham Wagg, who has recently become Glamorgan's equivalent of Clark Kent, made his way to the wicket and clipped the ball for a single before nonchalantly cover-driving Jigar Naik for four, and then lofting the spinner straight for a massive six.


Rudolph then clipped Raine for four through the covers before Wagg drilled Raine through mid-off for another four, whilst McKay replaced Naik shortly before lunch in a bid to trump the stoic efforts of Rudolph and the almost Kryptonite-infused efforts of Wagg!

The obdurate Rudolph began the afternoon session by cover-driving Charlie Shreck for a pair of fours, before Graham Wagg twice biffed Clint McKay through extra-cover as the all-rounder looked to continue his rich vein of form. Wagg then brought up the fifty stand by hoisting Shreck to the mid-wicket ropes but next over Wagg struck a ball from Shreck onto his boot whereupon it ricocheted back onto the stumps.


159/7 saw Andrew Salter join Rudolph who then drove McKay through mid-off for four before completing his patient fifty after four hours and twenty minutes at the crease. Jigar Naik and Ben Raine then returned to the attack after over an hour's play with the former being swept for two by Rudolph, who then steered the latter through point as the lead went past the 200-mark.


Salter also cover drove Raine for four before on-driving Naik for six into the River Stand with this show of aggression prompting the return of Tom Wells' seam. Rudolph clipped him to mid-wicket for three before glancing Raine to fine-leg for four, but his stoic innings duly ended with his side on 207 as he was bowled by Wells. Michael Hogan got off the mark with a booming on-drive for four before McKay returned with the new ball a couple of overs away. But he was plonked into the Grandstand for six by Salter who then delicately clipped the next deliveries to fine-leg and backward point for consecutive fours.


Hogan also used the long handle to great effect despatching Wells to mid-wicket and long-off off successive balls for four. With the new ball having been taken, Shreck returned but was lofted to wide long-off and extra cover by Hogan from successive balls before Salter clipped McKay to fine-leg for four. Hogan then clipped McKay to mid-wicket to bring up the fifty stand from 31 balls before nurdling his fellow Australian to third man for two further fours.

The flurry of fours continued as Salter cover drove Shreck because pulling him for another boundary as the lead went past the 300-mark, but with the total on 277, Hogan swatted Shreck to Cosgrove at cover, ending the ninth wicket stand which had added 70 from just 48 balls. Salter responded by lofting Shreck for six and then late cutting him for four to complete his maiden Championship fifty from 80 balls. Carter then mowed McKay to long-on for four before flat-batting Shreck over the keeper's head for four. His rustic innings though ended next ball as he lobbed a catch to Cosgrove as the Glamorgan innings ended on 298

The tail-end flurry by Glamorgan meant that Leicestershire had 30 overs to face this evening in their pursuit of a target of 324, with the home county's bowlers had a minimum of 126 overs in which to dismiss the visitors and to record their fourth successive Championship victory. Matthew Boyce and Angus Robson opened the batting and each began with off-driven three's in Michael Hogan's opening over. Although the Australian beat the bat on several occasions, it was Craig Meschede who made the initial incision as Mark Wallace took a fine catch diving low to his right to pouch an outside edge from Robson's bat.


20/1 saw Ned Eckersley make his way to the middle, still with a bruised digit from two days ago when he tried to stop a Chris Cooke thunderbolt, but he showed no ill effect as he off-drove Andy Carter for four in his opening over. However, he departed in Graham Wagg's second over as he was bowled for 9 with Leicestershire on 37/2. Mark Cosgrove announced his arrival by lofting Andrew Salter for four to long-on for four.


Matthew Boyce then drilled the spinner through the covers for four before Cosgrove pulled Wagg for four prompting the return of Hogan for a closing salvo at the Cathedral Road End and Andy Carter at the River End. Boyce dropped anchor again and looked like emulating Rudolph's patient efforts, but the return of Hogan paid dividends as he had Cosgrove leg before for 14 with the total on 60. Jigar Naik duly came in as night-watchman for the final five overs as Leicestershire ended the day on 75/3, still needing 249 runs.