Meschede in all-round form, but visitors win the day

WARWICKSHIRE, the Division Two leaders, had the better of the opening day against rock-bottom Glamorgan, the bottom club, on the opening day at the picturesque Colwyn Bay ground.

They closed on 116 for 3, 87 runs adrift, with Ian Bell undefeated on 43.

The Bears’ accurate attack dismissed the home team in 49.4 overs, with only all-rounder Craig Meschede, with an undefeated 53, able to cope with the visitors’ bowlers, who observed the virtue of bowling an excellent line and length.

Olly Stone led the way with figures of 13-4-28-4, which included a second spell of 3-19 from his eight overs.

After an uncontested toss, Glamorgan were soon in familiar territory at 38 for three, with an out-ofform and inexperienced top trio back in the pavilion. They were all caught by wicketkeeper Tim Ambrose, who held onto edges from the seamers who obtained enough movement from the pitch to trouble the batsmen.

Kiran Carlson played some pleasing strokes through the off side and it came as something of a surprise when he played back to a full-length ball from Jeevan Patel and had his off stump knocked back after scoring 32.

Meschede, playing his first championship game of the season after a lengthy absence due to a calf injury, invariably contributes at this venue, and his valuable innings was made from 75 balls which included a six and eight fours that enabled Glamorgan to gain a batting point.

Warwickshire had 36 overs to face after tea, before Meschede was in action again, dismissing Dominic Sibley with his first ball, when the former Surrey batsman was struck in front on the back leg after scoring seven.

The left-handed Will Rhodes looked in good touch, punishing Michael Hogan for three successive fours in an over, but when the Glamorgan captain was replaced by Graham Wagg, the former Warwickshire player induced a snick that was well taken low down to his left by Cooke.

Enter Ian Bell, who, in the corresponding game at Edgbaston scored two unbeaten centuries. But he only just got down to his first ball that kept low from Meschede, but was soon unfurling some trademark drives through the offside.

However, the former England batsman should have been dismissed on 32, when he edged Andrew Salter’s arm ball to Selman at slip, only to see the fielder miss the ball at shoulder height.

Bell then settled with Jonathan Trott to share a productive partnership of 63 in 18 overs, before Trott edged Smith to second slip, where Selman atoned for his earlier miss.