RAIN
AND A WAGGING TAIL STALL SURREY by Marcus Hook
Surrey 380 v Glamorgan 273-9.
Torrential rain, not to mention a crucial ninth
wicket stand between Jim Allenby, who struck an unbeaten 65, and
Dean Cosker stalled Surrey's progress on day three of Glamorgan's
visit to the Brit Oval, which ended with the Welshmen 273-9.
When the heavens opened shortly before two
o'clock, Glamorgan had just scraped past the follow-on target of
231. That Surrey even entertained the prospect of enforcing the
follow-on was due to a superb exhibition of seam bowling from Stuart
Meaker, who ended the day with 5-97, and Chris Tremlett, who chipped
in with 3-53.
Although the ground was bathed in sunshine after
the rain relented, it was not possible resume until 5.00pm. When
play did get underway once again Allenby brought up his fifty in 80
deliveries and, in alliance with Huw Waters, safely negotiated the
remaining twenty overs, trimming Surrey's lead to 107 in the
process.
Earlier, Tremlett picked up the wicket of Ben
Wright with his first delivery, caught at third slip. Seven overs
later, Meaker accounted for Jamie Dalrymple, who provided Gareth
Batty with the first of three catches.
But then Tom Maynard and Jim Allenby put the home
side on the back foot with an intelligent fifth wicket stand that
harvested 87 in 20 overs.
Maynard, playing adeptly square of the wicket, hit
a 79-ball half-century - his third championship fifty in six innings
- which included nine fours. But having been 184-4 with five minutes
to go before lunch, Glamorgan went into the break six men down.
Maynard, throwing the kitchen sink at Meaker, was
caught at first slip for 61. Five balls later, Chris Schofield got
one to skid on to leave Mark Wallace's middle stump lying on the
ground.
Glamorgan's ill fortune continued after the break
when James Harris was adjudged leg before. When Meaker had Robert
Croft caught down the leg-side, to record his second five-wicket
haul of the season, the visitors looked destined to follow-on.
But thanks to a belligerent ninth wicket alliance
between Allenby and Cosker, Surrey's hopes of sticking the visitors
in again were thwarted.
The follow-on was averted when, in the 60th over,
Jason Roy got both hands to what would have been a superb catch at
point, which enabled Cosker to steal a quick single off Meaker.
Cosker departed in the very next over, but having achieved his
primary objective.
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