Robert Croft Left Stumped By Strange Goings On At Cheltenham

By Alun Rhys Chivers

Glamorgan head coach Robert Croft confessed he was left stunned by an astonishing first day’s play between his team and Gloucestershire.

An incredible 25 wickets fell on the first day of the County Championship Division Two clash between Gloucestershire and Glamorgan at the Cheltenham Cricket Festival.

There are no suggestions yet that the pitch inspectors will be called in to the town’s college fields.

Croft said: “I certainly didn’t expect a day like that when we arrived this morning. The ball did a bit of everything, swinging through the air, moving off the seam and bouncing like a tennis ball at times.

“The bowlers performed well and there was also some good catching. None of the batsmen seemed to come to terms with the pitch.

“It was in no way a dangerous wicket, but it was tricky to bat on. We still have players to go in who have dug us out of some holes this season and we just need to build as big a lead as possible.”

Glamorgan were invited to bat first and were duly bowled out for 117, Aneurin Donald top-scoring with 39 as David Payne claimed three wickets. There were two apiece for Liam Norwell, Craig Miles and Kieran Noema-Barnett.

Noema-Barnett was also Gloucestershire’s top scorer with 34 as they were bowled out for 141, giving them a first innings lead of 24.

There were three wickets apiece for Marchant de Lange, Timm van der Gugten and Michael Hogan, with Graham Wagg claiming the other.

By the close of play, Glamorgan had slumped to 59-5 in their second innings, 35 runs ahead.