Patient Gloucestershire take control on Day Two

Patient Gloucestershire take control on Day Two

Stumps Day 2: Glamorgan 220 trail Gloucestershire 347/8 by 127 runs

Gloucestershire ground Glamorgan into the dirt on an attritional day of county cricket in South Wales, with Hamish Marshall giving a glimpse of his well-travelled talents.

The former New Zealand Test player batted for 189 balls to equal Nick Selman’s first day total of 101, a fine innings from the Gloucestershire man that has swung this match firmly towards the Bristol-based side. There were potent lower order contributions from Craig Miles (34) and David Payne (58*) too, as Glamorgan’s misery grew. Gloucestershire finished 347/8, a lead of 127.

The visitors began the day on 62/3 but thanks to a century stand between Marshall and young George Hankins (43), they were soon in the ascendency.

They survived the entire morning session unscathed, despite the best efforts of Glamorgan’s stand-in captain for this match, Michael Hogan, who was the pick of the bowlers. But a wayward first hour cost the Welsh county dearly and they were chasing the game from lunchtime onwards.

Hogan eventually got the breakthrough in the early afternoon, finding the edge of Hankins’ bat as the teenager completed his 152-ball vigil, but missed out on a deserved half-century.

The Aussie quick struck again, with Phil Mustard fending forward and splicing the ball to Will Bragg, who pouched a catch at first slip.

Marshall departed with the score 215/6. Gloucestershire were just five runs behind and were to add a significant number to their lead, landing Glamorgan in deep trouble when the Welsh county eventually commence their second innings sometime tomorrow.

It was Hogan again who accounted for the experienced New Zealander. Marshall was pinned LBW by a ball that nipped in nicely.

With the new men Jack Taylor and Craig Miles at the crease, Glamorgan smelt blood and the chance to limit Gloucestershire’s lead to a little as possible.

Yet it was the visitors who snatched the initiative once more. Despite Timm van der Gugten luring Taylor into an expansive drive, which was flayed into the hands of Selman at third slip, Miles and Payne lengthened Glamorgan’s frustrating stay in the field.

The pair added 90 when the sides met in Bristol in May, dramatically bringing Gloucestershire back into a match they would go onto win. And they repeated the feat in Cardiff, standing firm and playing positively in a partnership worth 60.

Miles was caught by Graham Wagg, who took a smart low grab at mid-wicket off the part-time spin of Kiran Carlson. But with Gloucestershire already well ahead it was too little, too late.

Glamorgan toiled late into the South Wales twilight, but they couldn’t find a way past Payne or number 10 Josh Shaw.

The Gloucestershire number nine registered a stylish third first-class fifty. It wasn’t without incident however, as Glamorgan ‘keeper Mark Wallace will admit. A missed stumping off Carlson, with Payne on 20, proved costly and Glamorgan couldn’t break the 25-year-old’s resistance.

They will be hoping for two quick wickets tomorrow followed by a resilient rearguard action if they are to salvage something from this fixture.

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