Bowlers lead Glamorgan fight back against Worcestershire

Glamorgan’s bowlers fought back with the second new ball to boost their LV= Insurance County Championship promotion hopes after a century stand by Worcestershire’s Ed Barnard and Gareth Roderick.

New Zealand Test bowler Ajaz Patel, making his debut, took the wicket of Barnard in the last over before the new ball was taken, with James Harris and Michael Hogan adding late wickets as Worcestershire closed on 285 for seven.

The visitors had slipped to 114 for four, with seamer Timm van der Gugten taking three for 12 in 54 balls, before Roderick and Barnard came together to rescue the situation with a stand of 127, Roderick finishing the day on 88 not out.

The forecast over the next three days is not good in Cardiff, so every point will be vital for both sides who have this game in hand over second-placed Middlesex, Glamorgan now three points behind and Worcestershire another 28 back in Division Two.

Worcestershire captain Brett D’Oliveira won the toss on a grey morning in Cardiff and elected to bat first.

That meant Welsh cricket fans had to wait to see India star Shubman Gill with the pads on, but fellow new boy Patel was in action with the ball before the lunch break.

Breakthroughs

The early breakthroughs came from the seamers, James Harris getting Worcestershire opener Jake Libby out LBW with a ball speared at leg stump.

However it was Van der Gugten who proved to be the most threatening of the home bowlers, the Dutch international with Australian roots beating the bat at regular intervals moving the ball both ways.

Taylor Cornall shouldered arms to a ball which swung back and took his off stump out of the ground, while Jack Haynes fell LBW to the same bowler.

All the while opener Ed Pollock was mixing aggression with watchfulness on his way to a half century before getting an edge with a push outside off stump to another swinging ball from Van der Gugten.

That brought Roderick and Barnard together at a crucial time, but the pair have specialised in rescue missions for their county this season and set about doing it again.

Barnard overtook his more sedate partner as he moved smoothly to his half century, Worcestershire reaching tea at 195 for four.

Following the interval Roderick also reached his 50 as the older ball and sunnier conditions were more conducive to batting.

Patel, only the third bowler ever to take 10 wickets in a Test-match innings, wheeled away from the Cathedral Road end, not afraid to give the ball plenty of air but also keeping that end tight in conceding fewer than three runs an over. He got his reward in the 80th over, Barnard out LBW attempting a sweep shot.

Harris got his second wicket and second LBW decision to see the departure of D’Oliveira, with Hogan then clean bowling Ben Cox.