Career best batting gives Glamorgan the edge
22 September 2015
Gloucestershire's attempt to finish their Championship season with a win which would extend their unbeaten run in Division 2 to seven games was thwarted by some consistent Glamorgan batting and two career best scores in first class cricket on a slow pitch at the Bristol County Ground.
Opener James Kettleborough made 81 and teenager Aneurin Donald 91 not out as Glamorgan made the most of winning the toss on a slow Bristol wicket. Wicket keeper Chris Cooke also made a brisk 65 as Glamorgan, after winning the toss, reached 338-4 on a day when 19 overs were lost to the weather.
Listen to Will Tavare's thoughts on the day's play here :
After the noisy atmosphere at Lord's on Saturday, the Bristol County Ground was altogether more eerie with only a smattering of spectators in attendance, and those present had to be patient as umpires Nigel Cowley and Paul Baldwin inspected twice before agreeing that play should start an hour later than scheduled at 11.30.
Gloucestershire gave a home Championship debut to seam bowler Tom Hampton, but it was David Payne and James Fuller who shared the new ball after Jacques Rudolph won the toss and elected to bat as Glamorgan sought to dictate the match and preserve their position in the table.
The hour's play before lunch was a quiet affair, Glamorgan reaching the interval on 22-0 with the ball moving off the wicket but slowly enough for Rudolph and Kettleborough to re-adjust their shots accordingly. Batting was to get easier as the day progressed
A short shower forced the players off the field twenty minutes after the resumption but not before David Payne broke the opening stand, trapping the left handed Rudolph lbw for 17. By this stage Hampton, on his home Championship debut, had been introduced into the attack and it was soon clear that Kettleborough wanted to try and capitalise on his inexperience.
Hampton did draw the odd false shot and find the edge but Kettleborough also collected five boundaries in quick succession as the scoring rate climbed rapidly. Left hander Colin Ingram also played some pleasing shots, including a square drive off Payne as the pair added 71 in 15 overs before he was caught behind by Gareth Roderick off the returning James Fuller for 30.
Skipper Will Tavare rotated his bowlers through the afternoon session to try and disturb Kettleborough and while the more experienced ones largely kept him in check, Hampton proved to be an outlet and he completed an 82 ball fifty with ten boundaries in all. Supported by Aneurin Donald, they had added 52 by tea, at which point Glamorgan were 161 for 2 with 40 overs still remaining in the day.
The idea of a maiden Championship hundred would no doubt have crossed Kettleborough's mind as he walked out for the final session having already beaten his previous best score in first class cricket, however he'd added only three runs when the persevering Payne found an edge from the Pavilion End and Roderick did the rest.
It was to be one of his last acts of the day, leaving the field soon afterwards following a blow on the thumb, Academy youngster James Bracey taking the gloves for the remainder of play.
With such a good platform and Donald seemingly well set, Cooke came in with positive intent, looking to maintain the momentum given to the innings during the afternoon.
Playing shots all round the wicket and punishing anything loose, he quickly put together a 54 ball half century with eight boundaries, while Donald, an England Under 19's international, reached his own fifty off seventy balls, again with eight fours. A century stand was brought up in only 17 overs before Fuller forced a top edge and Cooke was caught by David Payne at long leg.
Donald was still short of his previous best score of 67 at that stage, but having got past it he showed no nerves as, like Kettleborough, a maiden first class hundred came into view. When another rain break halted play shortly before 5.30, Donald had reached 86 off 104 balls with twelve fours, and he added a further five runs in the final mini session before stumps.
Glamorgan will resume on Wednesday on 338-4, with Gloucestershire keen to exploit the second new ball to avoid facing a daunting first innings total.
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