Meteorologically, this is the first week of autumn and after an early morning mist, accompanied by a heavy dew, the bowlers were in the ascendancy on a dramatic opening day of the LV=County Championship match between Glamorgan and Kent at the SWALEC Stadium as the Welsh county made 158 before the visitor's made 102/5 in reply.
Having won the toss, Gareth Rees and Will Bragg duly opened the batting for Glamorgan with the former off-driving and then cover-driving Charlie Shreck before steering Calum Haggett through the slips for four. Bragg also leg-glanced Darren Stevens for four, but with the total on 31, Stevens bowled Rees as the opener chopped a ball onto his stumps.
Kent's seamers continued to bowl a probing spell with Bragg ending the sequence of dot balls by leg-glancing Stevens for four, before cover-driving the seamer to the ropes next over. But in the 22nd over, and with the total on 46, Stevens gained reward for his accuracy by having Bragg caught behind as he propped forward to the all-rounder.
Chris Cooke duly brought up the fifty by carving Haggett through the slip cordon for four, but next over he became Stevens' next victim as he sliced a drive into the hands of third slip.
Glamorgan reached the 100-mark in the 39th over after Allenby had deftly glanced Shreck to long-leg for four and Wright had steered Davies through backward point for three. But shortly afterwards, Allenby became the fifth man to return to the pavilion as he was caught behind of an inside-edge and departed to a very Welsh sounding entry in the scorebook of 'c Jones b Davies'.
Mark Wallace then joined Wright as the pair looked to consolidate, with the latter pulling Calum Haggett for four behind square, followed by a deft flick to the ropes at long-leg and another pull, this time in front of square, as the home batsman struck boundaries off three successive deliveries. But off the final ball of the over, Wallace miscued a pull and was caught at mid-wicket as, with the score of 127/6, Ruadhri Smith made his way to the middle on his Championship bow. It proved though to be only a brief stay as, after a scampered single to mid-off, he edged Haggett into Jones' gloves.
In contrast, Wright continued his sublime progress and after cutting Haggett for another four, he reached his half-century by steering the spin of Alex Riley - his 91st delivery - through backward point. Dean Cosker then brought up the 150 with a scorching cover drive for four, but with the total on 153 Wright departed leg before to Riley for 55. Two balls later, Michael Hogan edged the spinner to slip before Mike Reed departed leg before to Stevens.
Brendan Nash responded with a booming off-drive against Mike Reed but next over he was bowled by Ruadhri Smith as the teenager from Cardiff emulated the achievement of Andrew Salter at Swansea earlier in the season (as well as Billy Davies in 1957 and Jack Johns in 1922) by claiming a wicket with his first-ever ball in Championship cricket. 37/3 then became 38/4 as Ben Harmison had his middle stump uprooted as he inside-edged a ball from Reed onto his wicket.
Bell-Drummond then drilled two straight fours against Smith, whilst Darren Stevens also biffed the youngster in the air over extra cover for another boundary. Stevens then greeted the return of Reed at the River End by swatting a short ball for four to mid-wicket. A leg-glance for four by Stevens brought up the 50-run stand before the experienced all-rounder drove Hogan to long-on for another four.
But with the total on 94, Hogan ended Stevens' stay at the crease as he edged to Cooke at second slip, prompting the appearance of night-watchman Adam Riley
