A sublime 111 by Shaun Marsh has guided Glamorgan to 296/5 at the close of the second day of their Specsavers County Championship match against Gloucestershire at Bristol, with the visitors leading the West Country side by 60 runs.
Close of Play Report
Glamorgan were 42 runs in arrears when they resumed after tea on 194/2 and with Shaun Marsh 21 runs away from a hundred on debut for the Welsh county. He began the session by steering Benny Howell through point before Kiran Carlson square-cut Graeme van Buuren to secure the first batting point as Glamorgan reached the 200-mark. Carlson also lofted the spinner to long-on as Glamorgan literally made hay whilst the sun shone ahead of the new ball becoming available.
Marsh then savagely on-drove van Buuren for another four before Carlson speared a no ball from Howell through point to bring up the century stand for the third wicket. In the next over Marsh lofted van Buuren over wide long-on for four, but on 99 and his team one run in arrears, he saw Carlson edge a drive against Howell into Gareth Roderick’s gloves as Gloucestershire secured their first bowling point.
It was therefore Aneurin Donald who was Marsh’s partner as the Australian completed his century – from 171 balls - by clipping Dan Worrall for two to square-leg after Gloucestershire had immediately taken the new ball after 80 overs. He completed by unfurling another booming on-drive for four as Matt Taylor returned at the Ashley Down End before cutting the left-armer for another boundary.
Donald then drilled Worrall through extra-cover for four but in the Australian’s next over he removed Marsh who – on 111 - swatted a short ball straight into the hands of Ryan Higgins at deep square-leg. 263/4 saw the arrival of Chris Cooke in the middle as Donald greeted the return of Higgins into the attack by clipping him for four to mid-wicket.
Cooke also scythed Worrall over point for four before Donald steered Higgins through the vacant gully for another boundary. But later in the over Donald under-edged a pull against Higgins and was caught by wicket-keeper Roderick. 287/5 saw David Lloyd join Cooke for the closing overs with the former pulling Taylor for four .
Afternoon update
Play resumed at 2pm with Glamorgan on 70/1 and with three overs lost from the day’s allocation. Jack Murphy soon into his stride as he steered Matt Taylor through point for four to reach 30 – his best in first-class cricket – before edging Dan Worrall through the slips, whilst after a phase of reconnaissance, Shaun Marsh flicked his fellow Aussie to fine-leg for another boundary before unfurling a sublime on-drive against Matt Taylor.
The 100 came up courtesy of a booming off-drive by Murphy against Norwell who next delivery suffered a reoccurrence of his hamstring injury and immediately left the field for treatment. His departure hastened the return of Ryan Higgins at the Ashley Down End, whilst Graeme van Buuren’s left-arm spin was introduced at the Pavilion End. Marsh responded by unleashing a pair of coruscating off-drives against Higgins before clipping the twirler to the ropes at mid-wicket
Murphy – in his first innings as an opening batsman in Championship cricket – looked set to post a maiden fifty, but on 47 he was adjudged l.b.w. playing forward to van Burren as Glamorgan lost their second wicket on 124. Kiran Carlson duly joined Marsh who again cover drove Higgins for four en route to his half-century from 98 balls as he unleashed another firmly struck cover-drive when Kieran Noema-Barnett entered the fray.
He celebrated with another off-driven four against the Kiwi whilst Carlson opened his account with a pair of drives through backward point for four before also cover-driving Noema-Barnett to the ropes. Carlson also lofted van Buuren over mid-off for four before glancing Noema-Barnett to fine-leg for another boundary. Marsh then ended the session by threading three balls from Noema-Barnett for further beautifully-timed boundaries.
Lunchtime report
There had been plenty of chatter around Gloucestershire’s headquarters yesterday morning about the ECB’s proposals for a new 100-ball competition. However, it was 124 balls from Marchant de Lange that by the close of play proved to be the main talking point as his pace and hostility, on a pitch which appeared quite sluggish, coupled with the traditional virtues of line and length, led to Gloucestershire’s demise with the South African returning Championship-best bowling figures of 5/62 after the visitors had opted to bowl first. Lukas Carey also bowled a couple of waspish spells whilst the frugality of Michael Hogan, David Lloyd and off-spinner Andrew Salter kept the home batsmen in check before they were dismissed for 236.
By the close, Jack Murphy and Nick Selman had assertively added 26 in eight overs and the home bowlers knew they had to make early inroads this morning after their seemingly below par total. After each batsman had added a series of singles to their tally, Murphy deftly nurdled Dan Worrall to third man. The bowler’s response was to rap the tall left-hander on his gloves next over, but the blow did not seem to inconvenience Murphy as he nonchalantly clipped Matt Taylor to square-leg for three.
After three-quarters of an hour’s play, Liam Norwell and Ryan Higgins entered the attack, but Selman square-drove the former for four to see Glamorgan to the 50-mark in the 23rd over. Murphy also guided the latter through the vacant gully area for four but their watchful opening stand duly came to an end with the total on 57 as Higgins uprooted Selman’s off-stump.
Shaun Marsh duly made his way to the middle having struck an unbeaten century on his most recent Championship appearance, last summer for Yorkshire against Surrey at The Kia Oval. He began with a booming off-drive for four against Higgins, followed by a sweetly-struck on-drive to the boards at mid-wicket. By this time, the overhead conditions had become cloudier and light drizzle was falling. This soon intensified and the players left the field for an early lunch at 12.40pm.