A patient 103 by Nick Selman saw Glamorgan reach 221/7 at the end of the opening day of their Specsavers County Championship match against Durham at the Emirates Riverside.
Close of Play Report
Having reached 80 at tea, with his side on 147/2, Nick Selman was twenty runs away from recording back-to-back hundreds against the north-east county and he began by on-driving Paul Coughlin for four before miscuing a drive just over the head of mid-off. Colin Ingram also deftly glanced Matthew Potts to fine-leg for four but the teenager, who had bowled a waspish spell before tea gained reward for his efforts as he finally found the edge of the southpaw’s bat with wicket-keeper Stuart Poynter completing a regulation catch.
166/3 saw Aneurin Donald join Selman with the new batsman getting off the mark by top-edging a pull for four against the teenage bowler before cover-driving McCarthy for four. With Glamorgan on 178/3 after 80 overs, Durham took the new ball with Donald starting by flicking Rushworth to the ropes at long-leg but two balls later, the shaven-headed seamer sent Donald’s off-stump cartwheeling out of the ground as Glamorgan lost their fourth wicket.
David Lloyd, fresh from his century last week against Somerset 2nd XI joined Selman who moved within a run of his second successive hundred against Durham by nurdling Coughlin for three to third man. He then reached three figures by inside-edging a ball from Rushworth - his 249th delivery – to fine-leg. But three balls later he departed l.b.w. as Rushworth claimed his fourth wicket as the opener played forward to a delivery that jagged back into him.
Graham Wagg came in for his first innings of the summer and flicked the seamer for a single to bring up the 200 and the first batting point. By this time Lloyd had opened his account by steering Coughlin through point for four but he became Rushworth’s fifth victim as he also departed l.b.w. with the total on 202.
His departure saw debutant Tom Cullen join Wagg and the wicket-keeper who has experience of Premier League cricket in Middlesex, Lancashire and the West of England, plus 2nd XI cricket for Leicestershire and the Welsh county, got off the mark first ball with a scampered single, before pulling Matthew Potts through square-leg for four. But next ball he sparred at a delivery outside off-stump and edged to a diving Pringle at second slip. 213/7 saw Marchant de Lange join Wagg for the closing couple of overs
Teatime Report
Having quietly compiled 66/1 from 33 overs in the morning session, Andrew Salter began the afternoon by cover-driving Chris Rushworth before Nick Selman did the same to Paul Coughlin, followed by a sumptuous on-drive against Rushworth. But with the total on 84 Salter got an outside edge to a delivery from Rushworth into Stuart Poynter’s gloves.
Colin Ingram joined Selman who on-drove Coughlin for four, followed by two to fine-leg as the opener completed his patient half-century from 133 balls. Ingram then had a moment of good fortune as he top-edged Matthew Potts for four before Selman on-drove the youngster for three following by elegant drives through extra-cover and mid-on against Paul Collingwood.
After playing and missing several times against Potts, Ingram drilled the teenage seamer through extra cover before Ryan Pringle’s off-spin was re-introduced at the Finchale End. He was despatched through extra cover for four by Ingram before Selman twice biffed McCarthy through the covers for a pair of well-timed fours.
Ingram also crisply cut Pringle for four through backward point before Selman threaded an off-drive through the ring of cover fielders
Lunchtime Report
The return of Durham to Division Two has seen Glamorgan head to the north-east for the first time in a four-day game since May 2004, with the Welsh county looking to complete a home and away double over Durham following their victory at Swansea last month. Paul Collingwood is the only survivor from that match thirteen years ago, and the veteran Durham captain lost the toss this morning as Glamorgan opted to bat first.
The Welsh county made three changes to their line-up from the team which defeated Worcestershire by nine wickets last weekend at New Road with Graham Wagg replacing Will Bragg, Tom Cullen taking over behind the stumps from Chris Cooke who sustained a blow to the head whilst training in Cardiff on Friday, and Marchant de Lange playing instead of Timm van der Gugten who is on international duty this week with Holland against Zimbabwe at Amstelveen.
Jacques Rudolph and Nick Selman opened the batting with the latter spearing Paul Coughlin through point for the day’s first boundary, before the former leg-glanced Chris Rushworth to the ropes at fine-leg followed by an immaculate off-drive for four against Coughlin. But with the total on 18, Rudolph was bowled by Rushworth as Andrew Salter joined Selman.
He began by steering Barry McCarthy through point as the Irishman and Matthew Potts replaced the new ball attack. Selman also cover drove McCarthy before Salter swatted a short ball over the head of mid-off for another muscular boundary. The fifty came up in the 19th over before Durham switched to spin with Ryan Pringle entering the attack at the Finchale End. The off-spinner soon settled into a probing line as the second wicket pair continued to quietly accumulate in singles before Salter edged his opposite number through the slips for four
Rushworth returned at the Lumley End before lunch and was clipped to square-leg for four by Selman.