Glamorgan lead Essex by 189 runs at Cardiff

Essex began the day on 343/9 with their overnight supremacy due in the main to a high-class century from Ravi Bopara as he displayed the watchfulness and range of forceful strokes which have attracted the England selectors and drawn their loyalty at a time when other fringe batsmen have been making the headlines. Yesterday at Cardiff, it was Bopara who took centre-stage as he carefully manoeuvred the visitors out of a spot of bother caused by Michael Hogan who returned his best analysis for his adopted county.

Although Bopara fell when Essex were one run short of a third batting point, the fact that his side now stood this morning on the verge of a fourth was the result of some lusty blows in the closing overs last night by Graham Napier and the hard-hitting all-rounder was looking to further extend Essex's lead of 112 runs when play resumed at 11am. It took though just three balls to end Essex's resistance as after an on-driven two by Napier and a dot ball, the all-rounder edged Hogan to Jim Allenby at slip as the Australian equalled his career-best figures of 6/70.

David Masters then struck with his second delivery as he bowled Ben Wright, before Stewart Walters got the scoreboard moving by clipping the veteran through mid-wicket besides steering Reece Topley through backward point for four. Will Bragg then nearly edged the left-armer to second slip before unfurling a more assured stroke off the back foot through extra cover against Masters. Walters also greeted the appearance of Napier in the attack by despatching him through extra cover, before Bragg secured a pair of three's as Bopara entered the fray with Glamorgan reaching the fifty-mark in the 12th over.

Bragg then nonchalantly clipped Napier through mid-wicket for another sweetly-timed four but with the total on 65 he departed l.b.w. to Bopara and departed for 42. Marcus North duly joined Walters as Masters returned to the attack at the River End shortly before lunch, with the veteran claiming the prize scalp of North as, with the total on 74, he bowled the Australian.

Resuming after the interval on 80/3 and still 34 runs in arrears, Stewart Walters and Murray Goodwin consolidated Glamorgan's position after lunch by watchfully accumulating against David Masters and Ravi Bopara. The sequence of one's and two's was eventually broken by an insides edge for four by Goodwin which bisected the stumps and the outstretched gloves of wicket-keeper James Foster.

The left-arm spin of Tim Phillips was then introduced at the River End before Reece Topley returned at the Cathedral Road End as the fourth wicket pair continued to quietly work the ball around and wiped off the arrears in the 40th over. Goodwin celebrated by cover driving the spinner as a threatening bank of towering cumulo-nimbus clouds built up over the city skyline.

An on-driven three by Walters against Phillips brought up the fifty stand before the batsman completed his own half-century by clipping the spinner to square-leg. Graham Napier duly replaced the twirler at the River End as a few spots of rain started to fall over the Stadium, but Walters deftly steered him through backward point for four before Goodwin clipped him to deep mid-wicket for another three.

A coruscating pull for four by Walters against Topley brought up the 150 but seven runs later another shower of rain fell over the ground and the players went off for an early tea.

Play resumed at 3.55pm after an early tea caused by a short shower with Glamorgan on 157/3 and 43 runs ahead. Murray Goodwin began by clipping Reece Topley for two fours in the space of three deliveries to square-leg but the youngster gained revenged as to the last ball of the over, he was caught behind by James Foster after making 42.

With the total on 165/4, Jim Allenby joined Walters and immediately hooked a no ball from David Masters to the ropes behind square-leg before guiding him to the ropes at third man. Once again, though the bowler had the final say as Allenby had his stumps re-arranged as Glamorgan lost their fifth wicket with their total on 184.

Mark Wallace opened his account with a pair of silky smooth cover drives against Topley who was then replaced by Tim Phillips as the spinner returned to the attack and induced a couple of false strokes from the Glamorgan captain, but not before the lead had stretched into three figures. Walters also steered a short ball from the spinner through backward point as he moved ever closer to becoming Glamorgan's first centurion in Championship cricket this summer.

Napier also returned to the attack, and alternated from his full and short run-up in a bid to end Walters' stoic innings. Wallace also steered the all-rounder through the covers for another four before nearly being run out by a direct from Tom Westley as he scampered a single as the sixth wicket pair continued to rotate the strike. A firm on-drive by Walters brought up the fifty stand but on 98 Walters was caught behind as he tried to cut Phillips.

His departure after five hours at the crease saw Graham Wagg join his captain and with just a couple of overs before the new ball was due. It was duly taken after 81 overs with the Welsh county on 242/6 as Masters and Reece Topley returned to the attack. Wagg greeted the new cherry by punching Masters through extra cover for a couple of fours whilst Wallace pulled and cut Topley as the pair further extended Glamorgan's lead in the evening sunshine which bathed the Stadium following the dissipation of the bank of grey cloud.

A thunderous straight drive by Wagg against Masters took the lead past 150 before the all-rounder twice clipped Topley to long-leg as well as savagely pulling Bopara to bring up the fifty stand. In the penultimate over, Wallace completed a 90-ball half-century as his side reached the 300-mark.