We lack confidence, says Hogan, as Glam suffer a sixth straight defeat

GLAMORGAN skipper Michael Hogan was refusing to ‘sugarcoat’ a sixth consecutive County Championship defeat yesterday which leaves the county marooned at the foot of the Division Two table.

Glammy’s latest humillation arrived early on the final day of Gloucestershire’s visit to the Sophia Gardens, with the hosts falling to a comprehensive nine-wicket defeat.

Gloucestershire wrapped up victory inside eight overs, chasing just 35 runs to win.

The inevitability of defeat will be of great concern for all at the county, with Hogan admitting a lack of player confidence appearing to be a major issue.

“It’s pretty hard to sugarcoat it, to be honest with you,” said Hogan.

“I think in the second innings, our eight, nine and ten showed the top order what can be done if you invest some time and effort into your innings.

“To say the least, it is very disappointing.

“I think it’s a confidence issue at the moment.

“We’ve played a lot of second eleven cricket against that exact same Gloucestershire attack and there’s six or seven boys in there that have scored hundreds against them on tough wickets.

“Whether it’s the case of playing in the first team and putting pressure on themselves, I don’t know.

“They’ve done it as individuals before in tougher conditions.

“We’ve been crying out for a decent wicket like that, finally we’ve got one and still couldn’t put a decent score on the board.”

Head coach Robert Croft, meanwhile, claimed the shocking run of results was not a reflection on a lack of effort among the playing staff.

“These boys are working their butts off, they honestly are,” he said.

“We’ve got to continue doing that. “We’ve got two games left and to put massive technical changes in would be a big challenge.

“We’re continually examining them and working with them on how they’re playing and quite clearly, we haven’t quite got the hang of it as far as performances on the field.”

At 150 for eight in their second innings, it was a match which Glamorgan should have lost on the third day. But a career-best 58 not out for Timm van der Gugten, who had built a ninth wicket partnership of 73 with Kieran Bull, ensured that Glamorgan began the final day with a slender lead of 18 runs.

The Australian-born Dutchman, looked on as his captain Hogan showed attacking intent from the outset, doubling his tally of runs in the first over of the day, despatching Matt Taylor for two well-struck boundaries.

However, he was eventually bowled by the left-arm seamer, who claimed his fifth wicket of the innings and his seventh of the match as Glamorgan’s innings came to an end on 251.

Exchanging bat for ball, van der Gugten’s resistance continued in the first over of the visitors’ second innings when he trapped Miles Hammond leg before wicket for nought to claim his fifth wicket of the match.

However, Gloucestershire’s chase got going when skipper Chris Dent guided a Hogan delivery down to the third man boundary and then, in the following over, drove van der Gugten through backward point for four before James Bracey flicked off his pads to add a boundary of his own as Gloucestershire reached the halfway mark of their chase.

Victory came in just 7.5 overs when Dent struck Hogan back over his head.

The writing was on the wall for the Welsh county from day one, as they were dismissed for 137 after yet another top-order collapse, an all too common occurrence this season, with only four batsmen reaching double-figures.

Gloucestershire, in reply, amassed 354, a significant first innings lead of 217 which was always likely to trouble a Glamorgan side bereft of confidence.

James Taylor, striking his seventh first-class century in a seventh wicket stand of 155 with 17 year-old schoolboy Ben Charlesworth, ensured that Glamorgan’s backs were firmly against the wall as they just about ensured that the visitors would have to bat again – thus avoiding their fourth defeat by an innings this season.

Glamorgan’s batsmen failed to perform once again in the second innings, with three top-order batsmen – Connor Brown, Tom Cullen and Kiran Carlson – dismissed without scoring, and South African overseas batsman Stephen Cook scoring just 20 as his poor form continued.