Young batsmen give Glamorgan plenty of cheer
GLAMORGAN fans would have been heartened by the performances of their young batsmen on the final day of their last home game of the season, but would also been disappointed not have witnessed a positive outcome.
The Welsh county, who led by 43 going into the last day of the Division Two County Championship clash, were never in a position to declare after Phil Mustard had opted to prolong the Gloucestershire first innings, instead of declaring some 100 runs adrift.
Mustard said at the end of the third day that he had hoped to gain a lead on first innings, and then take some early wickets to put the opposition under pressure.
This was unlikely to happen as Liam Norwell, his leading wickettaker this season, was unable to bowl, while the Cardiff pitch did nothing to encourage the bowlers throughout the game.
A defeat for either team would not have made any significant difference to their respective positions in the Division Two, and although Mustard did bring himself and Chris Dent into the attack, and offer some easy runs, it was a token gesture with only 47 overs left in the day.
Nick Selman and Andrew Salter batted throughout the morning session, and had put on 185 in 51 overs for the second wicket, before Salter’s career-best score of 88 – his previous best was 84 in the first innings – was caught at slip off Jack Taylor’s off-spin.
Selman went to score his fourth century of the season, before proceeding to his career-best, and also share a rapid 89 run partnership with Kiran Carlson, who made 53, before he went lbw to Dent.
As the light worsened and Mustard hinted he would recall the seamers, the umpires called an early tea.
Glamorgan ended on 353 for three, a lead of 396, with Selman undefeated on 142, and Chris Cooke 46.
Glamorgan captain Michael Hogan said: “Clearly the pitch was a perfect one for batting, and, with weather interruptions, it was going to be difficult to get a result.
“I am not one who manufactures games by giving easy runs, and a draw was the right result.”
Hogan also said that Colin Ingram will miss the final game against Kent next week, because of injury, while Aneurin Donald is “only 50/50”.
England seamer Toby RolandJones is set to miss this winter’s Ashes after scans confirmed he has a stress fracture in his back.
Roland-Jones had made himself a certain selection if fit in a squad which will be named next week after taking 17 wickets at an average of under 20 in four matches against South Africa and West Indies in his maiden Test summer at the age of 29.
But, after initially complaining of pain in his side, he had to leave the field mid-over for Middlesex in this week’s penultimate round of Specsavers County Championship Division One fixtures, against Lancashire at Lord’s.
His county subsequently issued a brief statement yesterday afternoon, confirming an injury which has a typical recovery time of between six and 12 weeks.