Roderick banks century on dominant day
8 April 2015
Gloucestershire captain Geraint Jones decided to fully use the three days available for this game after deciding not to enforce the follow-on over lunch on day two at the County Ground.
Jones could have gone for a two day win after his bowlers breezed through the University batting in the morning session, taking 9 wickets for 77 in under 30 overs.
The lead at that stage was already 282, but the skipper, who had taken two of six catches close to the wicket, opted to give some of his batsmen some more valuable time in the middle with no worries over the weather and the Division 2 campaign in the Championship starting at Northampton on Sunday.
In the end, he called a halt with a lead of 462 after Gareth Roderick completed an unbeaten hundred. At stumps, Cardiff MCCU were 59-2.
David Payne and James Fuller – who had bowled through the short session on Tuesday evening – continued in tandem and it was Fuller who made the first breakthrough of the day, Westphal struggling to fend off a short ball and giving Gareth Roderick the first of three catches.
If that was routine, the one to remove Rouse was not, going down the leg side to parry a delivery from Miles in order to buy him enough time to gather the ball at the second attempt.
Geraint Jones also snaffled a chance after a deflection, this time from Handscomb at second slip after left hander Brand edged Payne into the cordon.
Liam Norwell, bowling from the Ashley Down Road end, finished with the best figures (4-16) while James Fuller frequently hurried all the batsmen and produced the most pleasing sight of the morning for any bowler as Norris’ off stump was knocked back 45 degrees.
Fuller took 2-5 in his spell, with Payne and finally Howell wrapping up a one sided pre lunch session.
Handscomb and Roderick, who had recorded the two lowest first innings scores, opened up after the interval but Handscomb soon perished, playing inside a ball from Westphal having made only 10. Scoring, however, remained brisk as Cockbain joined Roderick and both banked runs and more importantly confidence for sterner challenges ahead.
The pair brought up a century stand in only 23 overs, but such was their control that the main excitement of the afternoon was the heavy roller developing a fault during the tea interval while working on the practice pitches, necessitating the boundary rope being moved for the final session of play.
Roderick completed as comfortable a century as he will compile all summer shortly after tea off 135 balls with ten fours and a six, at which point Geraint Jones decided there was little point in resting his bowlers any longer. Ian Cockbain’s share of an unbroken stand of 152 with Roderick was 62.
Payne and Fuller once again shared the new ball, but without the success of earlier in the day. It was Miles who broke the opening stand, Gareth Roderick taking a leg side catch to remove Norris for 32, and Norwell spread-eagled skipper George’s stumps for 14 before the umpires called off play 15 minutes early for bad light.
Cardiff MCCU will resume on 59-2, needing a further 404 for victory.
At the close, centurion Gareth Roderick told the club website: “I was in the nets yesterday after I got out because I haven’t had a lot of match practice due to a finger injury which has kept me out of a few of the warm up games. I didn’t feel very good at Worcester a couple of weeks ago so it was good to spend some time in the middle and today has put me in a good frame of mind for the season.”
Roderick was more self critical about his glove work. “I’ve not really kept since last season and I felt a bit rusty but it was important to rest the fingers at the time. The key was to get some confidence and feel that I’m moving well. I was disappointed with the one chance I dropped but I’m getting closer to the sharpness I’ll need for the weekend.”
“Bowling wise, we want to put together and execute plans where we hunt in packs this season. As the ball got a bit older, the boys started bowling some heavy balls so it was good see them find some rhythm.”
Play resumes at 11.00 on Thursday. Admission is free.
