Another disappointing day at the crease for Glam

TEN minutes after the scheduled lunch interval yesterday, Worcestershire defeated Glamorgan by eight wickets and gained maximum points from their first championship game of the season.

They outplayed the home team, who had lost their first game in under two days, and had rain not stopped play early on the first day they would not have needed a third day at the SSE Swalec Stadium.

Glamorgan lost their last seven wickets for 82 runs, with only Aneurin Donald able to cope with an accurate and hostile seam attack.

Colin Ingram was out after adding only a single to his overnight score, and Donald, who struck eight fours in his 57, could well have been affected after being hit on the helmet two balls before his dismissal.

Worcestershire’s target was 28, but Lukas Carey and Michael Hogan dismissed the openers before Fell and Clarke guided their team to an emphatic victory.

Glamorgan have a long injury list – no Graham Wagg, Will Bragg and Timm Van Der Gugten – but their batsmen appear to lack confidence and technique, and this is reflected in their totals this season.

Glamorgan coach Robert Croft said afterwards: “It wasn’t the start to the season we envisaged, but it’s where we find ourselves and we have work our way out of this position.

“It was inevitable that confidence got dented after we got hurt badly in the first innings at Northampton – and the same thing happened here – cloudy conditions conducive to swing and seam.

“I am giving you reasons, some will say excuses, but once they batted the sun was out and the ball stopped swinging,” added the former England spinner.

“But as a group we did not bowl well as we can, and not as well as we aimed to bowl.”