Marshall & Howell partnership gives Gloucestershire the edge
7 August 2015
A partnership of 129 between Benny Howell and Hamish Marshall for the fourth wicket helped Gloucestershire to a satisfactory position at the end of the second day, and if their last 4 wickets can consolidate further, they could gain a useful lead on first innings.
Gloucestershire ended the day on 301 for six after adapting themselves well on a pitch that helped both seam and spin.
Marshall, who was summoned from Bristol, due to an injury to Craig Miles before the game, started on the first morning and scored his runs from 104 balls with 11 fours and one six, before he fell leg before to Michael Hogan.
Howell, who was dropped from a straightforward chance to Andrew Salter at cover off Hogan on 12, played a patient innings for his 67 and did much to keep Gloucestershire in contention.
Glamorgan had added a further 26 runs to their overnight score, before they were all out a run short of a third batting point, but Salter failed to add to his overnight score of 73 when he sliced to second slip in the opening over off the bowling of David Payne.
In reply, Gloucestershire soon lost Chris Dent, who played on to Craig Meschede, but Gareth Roderick counter attacked effectively, striking Meschede for three consecutive fours before edging Graham Wagg to slip in the following over.
Will Tavare was the next to go when he prodded to short leg off Salter’s off spin, but Howell and Marshall made sure there would be no further alarms with a partnership that lasted 33 overs.
Apart from Hogan, the Glamorgan bowlers were not at their best in the afternoon session, and it was Hogan who broke the stand by trapping Marshall leg before and five runs later Howell also departed when a rash stroke outside the off stump ended up in Wallace’s gloves.
Glamorgan were handicapped by an injury to Wagg, who left the field after bowling two balls of his thirteenth over, but the left arm seamer did return and hopes to resume bowling on the third day.
Meschede took his third wicket when Noema- Barnett was caught at slip, but was then punished by Jack Taylor who drove him for three fours in an over.
Glamorgan could have taken the new ball with 8 overs remaining, but opted to wait for the morning and hope that Wagg is fit. With the last ball of the day, Taylor survived an appeal for a catch at second slip off Hogan, but the umpires ruled that the ball had not carried.
