Worcestershire are 186/5 at the end of the third day of their LV=County Championship match against Glamorgan at the SWALEC Stadium, leading the Welsh county by 14 runs with just five wickets in hand.
There had been an element of déjà vu about the early exchanges in this contest with last week's contest against Northants, with one side fully exploiting the bowler-friendly conditions before amassing a decent lead to gain the ascendancy. But Glamorgan were hoping that the similarities ended there and, starting the day with a lead of 112 runs, they were hoping that the weather would prevent a positive outcome. To their delight, the morning dawned clear and bright and with a cell of high pressure poised to position itself over the south-west peninsular, the weather forecast was far more favourable.
Play duly began at 11am with Jim Allenby, whose well-crafted half-century had done much to manoeuvre Glamorgan into their decent position, resuming his partnership with the obdurate Dean Cosker as the Welsh county looked to further improve their position and secure further batting points. The only note of caution was that the ball was only nine overs old, with Worcestershire having taken the new cherry in the closing passage of play last night.
Alan Richardson had already gained a scalp with the very first delivery of the 81st over, and shortly afterwards Chris Russell might have removed Allenby but for a dropped catch at slip, so the visitors had high hopes that the wily veteran could quickly snuff out Glamorgan's resistance. But in the day's opening over Cosker treated the experienced seamer with disdain, nonchalantly clipping him through mid-on. The pair had added nine runs to the total in seven overs when another squally shower descended over the Stadium, forcing another brief stoppage for a dozen minutes.
When play resumed the flashing blade of Cosker was to the fore again as he savagely pulled Andrew for four to bring up the 250 and to garner another batting bonus point. But six runs later Andrew made the breakthrough as Allenby edged to Daryl Mitchell at second slip. Three balls later, Michael Hogan chopped a short ball from Russell onto his stumps and after Mike Reed had nurdled Russell for four, Cosker hoiked Andrew for four and two to long-leg in successive balls, before steering the bowler to third man for four as the last pair used the long handle with good effect.
Cosker then clubbed Russell back over his head before drilling Andrew through mid-off for another four, whilst Reed leg-glanced Russell for four to put Glamorgan within one blow of another bonus point. But their merry run spree was ended when Russell yorked Reed with the total on 295.
With just a single on the board, Worcestershire lost a wicket to the fourth ball of the innings as Matt Pardoe was bowled trying to shoulder arms against Graham Wagg.
Mitchell began with a deft leg-glance for four against Wagg, whilst Moeen also caressed the left-armer through the covers. Mike Reed then replaced Hogan at the River End and soon beat the outside edge with his steep lift and pace off the surface, whilst an edge from Moeen just evaded Jim Allenby at first slip. A more controlled punch off the back foot against Wagg and a pull against Reed saw the number three add further to his boundary tally before Hogan returned to the fray at the Cathedral Road End, whilst Allenby operated at the River End.
With the total on 50 Allenby made the breakthrough as Will Bragg at mid-wicket took a fine catch diving full stretch to his right to pouch a firm drive by Mitchell. The departure of the Worcestershire captain brought Thilan Samaraweera to the crease to join Moeen who had earlier edged Hogan through third man for four. But he added a pair of silky smooth cover drives to his tally as he elegantly despatched both bowlers to the boundary boards.
Wagg duly returned at the Cathedral Road End and was pulled for four by Samaraweera, before Moeen completed a 95-ball fifty by unfurling a booming off-drive against the left-arm swing bowler. Samaraweera then clipped Allenby to square-leg for four before getting a leading edge to a drive against the same bowler which just cleared Dean Cosker's head at backward point. The Sri Lankan also firmly on-drove Allenby for four as the third wicket pair continued to chip away at the deficit.
But Will Bragg then ended Moeen's defiance as in the final over before tea, Moeen chopped the ball onto his stumps and departed for 55 with his side on 97/3.
A boundary through extra cover by Thilan Samaraweera saw Worcestershire reach the 100-mark before the golden arm of Bragg at the River End was replaced by Reed. The Sri Lankan responded with a fierce off-drive to the boundary board against Reed and an exquisite cover drive against Hogan.
Neil Pinner had luck on his side when he inside-edged an intended drive against the Australian down to the long-leg ropes but with the total on 138 he was rapped on the pads by Hogan and the umpire upheld the appeal for leg before. Samaraweera responded by pulling Hogan for four en route to a 105-ball fifty before Michael Johnson began with glides down to long-leg and third man against Graham Wagg.
Reed returned for a final salvo at the River End and was pulled for four by Johnson before Samaraweera leg-glanced Wagg for a further boundary, as with the shadows building up across the outfield, Worcestershire wiped off the arrears shortly before the close
