Will on Fire But Rain Saves Glamorgan
23 April 2014
A fantastic bowling performance from Will Gidman went unrewarded as the weather came to Glamorgan’s rescue on the final day of the LV=County Championship match at Cardiff.
The Gloucestershire all-rounder claimed 6-50 from 25 overs as the hosts finished the game on 146-9 in their second innings, leading by just 60 runs.
Only 30 overs could be bowled in the day because of rain and that enabled Glamorgan to cling on for a draw, having begun it on 80-3, still six runs behind.
After the start of play had been delayed until noon, Gloucestershire grabbed three wickets before lunch, two of them falling to Gidman.
The rain then returned to the frustration on the visitors, who still had four wickets to take when play finally resumed at 4.45pm with Glamorgan 118-6, leading by 32.
Gidman then struck twice in an over to reduce the home side to 121-8 and claimed his sixth victim with Glamorgan still only 40 in front.
But last pair Dean Cosker and Michael Hogan stood firm, defying all Gloucestershire could throw at them as time ran out on Michael Klinger and his team.
Gloucestershire took nine points and Glamorgan eight, hardly a reflection of the away side's dominance.
Skipper Michael Klinger told this website: "To come out of the game with only one more point than our opponents is so frustrating.
"It was an unbelievable effort by the team to come so close to forcing a win after what amounted to two days of cricket.
"Will Gidman was brilliant and all the bowlers chipped in with the exception of David Payne, who was suffering from a bruised heel.
"That left us a bowler light and made the efforts of the others in making up the overs all the more praiseworthy.
"At the end a catch offered by Glamorgan's last man Michael Hogan fell just short of first slip. Had it carried we would have had time to score the necessary runs.
"That's how close we came. While the overriding feeling is one of frustration, we have to take the confidence and momentum from this game into the match with Essex at Bristol, starting on Sunday.
"It is too early to say whether David Payne will be fit for that game. His injury will be fully assessed tomorrow."
For more details on the final day at Cardiff click on Cricket and then Match Reports.
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