Allenby's 85 guides Glamorgan to 271/9 at Cardiff

The Welsh county had reduced the West Country side to 228/8 in 82.1 overs yesterday and, after opting to bowl first, and seeing Gloucestershire reach 90/1, the home side could feel pleased by the way they came back into the contest with better lines and length during the post-lunch session. Graham Wagg and Michael Hogan duly resumed the bowling to Tom Smith and Graham McCarter, in less oppressive conditions than yesterday, as Gloucestershire attempted to secure a second batting point. Each batsman scythed a shot for three over the head of gully before Smith off-drove Wagg for four.

After three-quarters of an hour's play, Dean Cosker returned to the attack and he was clipped to mid-wicket for three by Smith as the West Country side secured another point. McCarter celebrated by twice lofting the spinner straight for four but with the total on 263 he departed l.b.w. to Jim Allenby. Matt Taylor began by edging the all-rounder for four through third man before Smith lofted Cosker straight for four, but in Allenby's next over the innings ended as Taylor slashed to Ben Wright at backward point.

Gareth Rees and Murray Goodwin duly opened the Glamorgan innings, looking to safely negotiate the twenty-five minute period up until lunch, but in the final over before the interval, Rees edged McCarter to second slip where Chris Dent completed the catch.

Having lost Gareth Rees in the over before lunch, Glamorgan lost a second wicket in the third over after the interval as Ben Wright was trapped leg before by Will Gidman. Chris Cooke began his innings by crisply off-driving his first delivery for four before left-armer Matt Taylor replaced Gidman at the River End and beat the outside edge of Murray Goodwin's bat with successive deliveries. But next over, Cooke responded by drilling Taylor through mid-off for another four before Goodwin upper-cut the youngster to third man.

Goodwin then off-drove Taylor for four but three balls later, he edged the seamer into Chris Dent's hands at third slip as the West Country side picked up their first bonus point with Glamorgan on 47/3. Cooke brought up the fifty by flicking Gidman to fine-leg for four before Jim Allenby began by cover-driving his first two deliveries from Taylor to the ropes in front of the Grandstand.

However, the all-rounder had a life as Iain Cockbain at third slip dropped an edge as Gidman returned at the Cathedral Road End. He celebrated his good fortune by driving Taylor through cover point before Cooke also had a moment of luck as he edged a hook against Taylor just out of the grasp of the diving Cameron Herring behind the stumps. He also rubbed salt into Gloucestershire's wounds by unleashing a rasping cover drive for four as Benny Howell entered the attack before despatching Taylor through the covers for another scorching four when Taylor switched to the Cathedral Road End, en route to completing a 64-ball fifty. But shortly after reaching this landmark he was bowled by Taylor.

With the total on 103/4, David Lloyd joined Allenby and the North Walian got off the mark with some deft nudges through the leg-side. Allenby then off-drove and pulled Taylor for four and six respectively.

The afternoon session ended with David Lloyd unleashing a scorching cover drive against Graham McCarter and the evening session began with his partner Jim Allenby driving Will Gidman through the covers before Lloyd helped himself to another boundary as he punched Gidman for four. But the bowler then produced the perfect riposte as next ball Lloyd sparred a delivery into Dent's hands at second slip.

137/5 saw Mark Wallace join forces with Allenby and the Glamorgan captain was soon finding the ropes as he steered Gidman through backward point. But the Abergavenny-born wicket-keeper was then caught by another gloveman born in the Monmouthshire market town as Wallace edged Gidman into Cameron Herring's gloves as Gloucestershire clinched their second bowling point in the 42nd over with Glamorgan on 147/6.

Allenby then clipped Tom Smith for three to square-leg to complete a 68-ball fifty, but on 56 he had a life as Herring dropped a difficult chance diving to his right in front of slip as the Glamorgan all-rounder edged a drive against Gidman. Graham Wagg began with a firm drive through backward point for four against Smith before Allenby unleashed a coruscating on-drive to welcome the return of McCarter to the attack.

But the seamer struck in the third over of his spell as Wagg departed leg before wiuth the total on 171/7. Ruaidhri Smith duly despatched his first ball through the covers for four before savagely cutting McCarter for four. A pair of flowing drives by Smith saw Glamorgan to the 200-mark before Allenby pulled Taylor for four behind square.
Allenby then clipped Taylor to the ropes at mid-wicket to reach 85, but he then edged the next delivery from the left-armer to Dent at second slip.

218/8 saw Dean Cosker join Smith who struck Benny Howell over backward point for four before on-driving him for another boundary. The runs continued to flow as Cosker then twice pulled Taylor for four. Will Gidman returned and he too was despatched through the covers by Smith, but with the total on 244, Smith edged to Herring as Michael Hogan joined Cosker.

A laconic drive to mid-wicket by Cosker brought up the 250 before Hogan lofted Gidman to long-on for four. the Australian then struck successive balls from Taylor to long-off and long-on for four.