Hampshire reach 274/5 at the close at Cardiff

In a week which has already witnessed historic wins for the British and Irish Lions, as well as for a fellow Celt at Wimbledon, Glamorgan's cricketers were hoping that they too could amend the sporting record books as they looked for their first County Championship victory over Hampshire at Cardiff for 28 years.

Indeed, it was back in 1985 when the Welsh county last defeated their opponents from the South Coast at the Sophia Gardens ground, and after their excellent run of form recently in limited overs cricket - unbeaten since losing to Somerset on June 2nd - Glamorgan were hoping that this feel- good factor in the one-day format could result in further success in the County Championship.

Glamorgan duly made one change to their side that lost their most recent four-day match at Worcester with Gareth Rees replacing the injured Will Bragg, as Will Owen and Michael Hogan shared the new ball after the visitor's had opted to bat first. Michael Carberry duly leg-glanced the first ball from Hogan before his partner Jimmy Adams despatched the opening delivery of the Australian's second over to the ropes at backward square-leg.

Carberry also clipped Owen to mid-wicket for four before off-driving him to the ropes in front of the River Stand, before Adams drilled Owen through mid-off. The young pace bowler did however go past the outside edge of Carberry's bat on several occasions during a lively spell at the River End which ended with the southpaw square-cutting Owen through backward point.

Mike Reed and Jim Allenby duly replaced the new ball pair with the former's first delivery seeing Carberry end up flat on his back as he looked to duck under a hostile rising delivery from the tall paceman. Adams clipped Allenby to the ropes at mid-wicket but there was little on offer against the frugal Glamorgan attack with Reed conceding just one run in four overs as Hampshire reached 50 in the 20th over.

Dean Cosker then entered the attack forty minutes before lunch and he too began with a maiden, but the sequence of dot balls finally ended as Adams flicked Reed to the ropes at long-leg. Next over, Carberry drove Cosker to long-off for four before Adams late cut the spinner who responded by finding the edge of Carberry's bat only for the ball to bat Allenby at slip and speed away for three runs.

Hogan returned at the River End shortly before lunch and was clipped to square-leg by Carberry, but Cosker duly made the breakthrough as an ambitious sweep shot by Carberry was miscued into Stewart Walters' hands at mid-on as Hampshire lost their first wicket on 76.

Resuming on 80/1 after lunch, Hampshire's second wicket pair of Liam Dawson and Jimmy Adams faced the new ball attack of Michael Hogan and Will Owen who shared the bowling duties after the interval. Dawson greeted the return of Owen by pulling him for four to deep mid-wicket, but the youngster - who had bowled a decent spell in the morning session - gained reward for his accuracy and probing length by causing Adams to edge into the grateful hands of Stewart Walters at second slip as Hampshire lost their second wicket on 93.

Neil McKenzie then joined Dawson and opened his account by cover driving Owen for four before edging Hogan through the slips. The former Springbok also survived a loud appeal for l.b.w. against the Australian, before Dawson drilled Owen through extra cover for four. But Hogan's persistence against McKenzie paid off as he clean bowled the batsman with a full length delivery to leave Hampshire on 118/3 as the home side celebrated their first bowling point.

James Vince began with a steer through cover point against Hogan before a pair of crisp on-drives for four when Allenby returned at the River End. Dawson also pulled Allenby for four before Vince twice steered the all-rounder through the covers as Hampshire reached the 150-mark in the 54th over.

Owen returned shortly before tea and was crisply despatched through mid-off by Vince as the fourth wicket pair looked to further consolidate.

Resuming on 183/3 after tea, Liam Dawson and James Vince continued their steady accumulation against Dean Cosker and Mike Reed, before Vince lofted Cosker straight for six followed by a fierce cut for four against Reed which brought up the batsman's fifty from 79 balls and the Hampshire 200 in the 70th over. He celebrated later in the over by pulling Reed for four before bringing up the century stand with a sweep against Cosker.

The patient Dawson then completed his fifty - from 125 balls - by scything Cosker through extra cover. Vince did the same to Allenby when he returned to the frayt before on-driving Cosker for four. Marcus North's off-spin also found the edge of Vince's bat but the ball sped away through the slips and to the vacant third man position for another boundary before the new ball was taken during the 81st over. Hogan duly returned at the River End with his lift and bounce appearing to unsettle the batsman as he repeatedly beat the edge of Vince's blade before ending his innings with a fuller length delivery which trapped him leg before for 80.

250/4 then became 251/5 as Sean Ervine edged Allenby to Stewart Walters at second slip and the same combination nearly accounted for Adam Wheater who edged just wide of the fielder. The diminutive wicket-keeper then cut Owen through backward point for four