A career best 152* from Brett D’Oliveira, plus an unbeaten century by Joe Clarke during a double-century for the third wicket stand saw Worcestershire to 343/2 at the end of the opening day of their Specsavers County Championship match against Glamorgan at The SSE SWALEC
Close of Play Report
Nick Selman and Craig Meschede resumed the bowling after tea with Worcestershire on 189/2, before Graham Wagg returned in his usual style at the River End. D’Oliveira added a rasping four to his tally by square-cutting Meschede before Joe Clarke secured the first batting point by nurdling Wagg to third man. The youngster from Shrewsbury then celebrated by on-driving successive balls from Wagg to the mid-wicket ropes, although the bowler gained a modicum of revenge as next over Clarke edged a drive through the slips for another four.
D’Oliveira then secured his second successive Championship century after four and three-quarter hours at the crease by clipping Meschede to fine-leg. This was his fourteenth four and his next came in less certain fashion as David Lloyd returned to the attack and was edged through the slips by the opener who then unleashed a fine straight drive against the all-rounder Jacques Rudolph had a second spell of leg-spin as the pair completed their century stand as the new ball approached.
D’Oliveira brought up the 250 by cutting Rudolph before Clarke completed his fifty by flicking Hogan to fine-leg – his 91st delivery. By this time the new ball had been taken with van der Gugten sharing the new cherry with the Australian. D’Oliveira equalled his career-best Championship score of 128 by drilling van der Gugten through extra cover before reaching a new personal best by cover driving Hogan.
Clarke added another four by steering van der Gugten to the cover ropes before off-driving Hogan , and then swatting van der Gugten for six over fine-leg to bring up the 150-stand. In Hogan’s next over, Clarke clipped him to mid-wicket before surviving a caught and bowled chance as Wagg returned at the River End and dropped a skied chance as Clarke miscued a pull.
Just to rub salt in Glamorgan’s wounds, Clarke then guided Meschede for four to third man as the visitors secured another batting point to move further into the ascendancy. D’Oliveria drove Wagg for two further fours through the off-side as he completed his maiden 150 shortly before the close from 294 balls. Clarke then brought up the 200-stand by clipping Meschede to mid-wicket before completing his century from 134 balls by on-driving Wagg in the penultimate over with Worcestershire ending on 343/2 after 154 runs had come in the cloisng 32 overs.
Teatime update
Having guided his side to 76/1 at lunch, Moeen Ali began the afternoon session with a sumptuous cover drive for four as Craig Meschede returned to the attack. His second boundary of the session was more fortuitous as a thick outside edge from a drive against Hogan just evaded the outstretched hands of third slip and sped to the ropes.
Moeen made amends by then unfurling a rasping off-drive against Hogan whilst a coruscating square-cut by D’Oliveira against Meschede took the opener closer to another half-century. He was lucky that a thick outside edge flew just short of first slip before splicing another drive to third man to complete a 114-ball fifty.
Moeen added another four to his tally by cover driving Hogan before his partner greeted the return of Wagg by despatching his first delivery through the covers. Moeen duly completed his fifty from 113 balls with a pair of two’s but five runs later he edged a cut against Wagg and was safely pouched by wicket=keeper Wallace.
134/2 nearly became 139/2 as D’Olveira edged Wagg just short of Wallace, after saw Joe Clarke had opened his account with a neat flick to square-leg. He then miscued a pull and inside-edged a drive before straight-driving Wagg with aplomb, and then pulling van der Gugten to fine-leg. D’Oliveira also pulled David Lloyd for four, courtesy of a mis-field at deep square-leg before adding another quixotic four to his tally as he scythed LLoyd through the slip cordon.
Shortly before tea, Rudolph had a short spell at the River End and was off- and on-driven for four by D'Oliveira, before Wagg returned in left-arm spin mode
Lunch update
Having experienced the ice and snow of Derbyshire, followed by the balmy sunshine of Canterbury, Glamorgan’s cricketers looked set to endure another weather type this morning at Cardiff as monsoon-like downpours fell over the Welsh capital during the night and into the early morning.
The local meteorologists are also forecasting further heavy showers on Monday and Tuesday, but as far as today is concerned, the excellent drainage system and protective covers at The SSE SWALEC meant that the standing water was swiftly removed by the Club’s hard-working groundstaff and play was able to start on time with Glamorgan making three changes to their line-up from the side which lost to Kent by ten wickets at Canterbury with Mark Wallace, Nick Selman and Timm van der Gugten returning to the line-up in place of James Kettleborough, Andrew Salter and Harry Podmore. Worcestershire also made a change to their line-up with Mitchell Santner replacing fellow Kiwi Matt Henry.
Daryl Mitchell and Brett D’Oliveira duly opened the batting for the visitors against a new ball pairing of Craig Meschede and van der Gugten. To the fifth ball of the contest, D’Oliveira was nearly caught at backward point by a diving David Lloyd, and the opener celebrated his good fortune by scything another delivery from Meschede through the gully for the day’s first boundary followed next over by a rasping square-cut for four.
Daryl Mitchell had accumulated in singles, but in the seventh over the man who score hundreds in each innings the last time Worcestershire played at Cardiff, was trapped l.b.w. by Meschede. 26/1 saw Moeen Ali join D’Oliveira as van der Gugten repeatedly beat the outside edge until D’Oliveira cover drove the Dutchman.
Moeen then greeted the introduction of Graham Wagg by nonchalantly steering him through the covers, but on 5 he nearly chipped a ball back into the hands of Michael Hogan who had entered the attack as first change at the Cathedral Road End. He duly delivered a probing spell, starting with three maidens, and with Wagg in frugal mode as well, the sequence of dot balls was ended by a clip to square-leg by D’Oliveria.
Moeen then elegantly stroked Wagg through extra cover before van der Gugten replaced the left-armer at the River End. D’Oliveira added another four to his tally as he nurdled Hogan through point before Moeen struck successive balls from van der Gugten for fours to mid-wicket and long-off. David Lloyd and Nick Selman also had short spells before lunch.