Openers shine but Glam set to miss out (From South Wales Argus)

Openers shine but Glam set to miss out

11:32pm Thursday 24th September 2009 in Latest cricket

A double-century stand between Glamorgan openers Gareth Rees and Mark Cosgrove sustained the Welsh county's lingering promotion hopes as they reached the mid-point of their LV County Championship Division Two clash with Surrey on 271 without loss.

Responding to Surrey's all-out total of 430, the two left-handed openers prospered on a sublime pitch at The Oval to set a new club-record partnership for any wicket against Surrey - beating the 233-run first-wicket stand of Emrys Davies and Gilbert Parkhouse scored at the St Helen's Ground in Swansea in 1950.

Australian-born Cosgrove might have gone early in the reply but flourished after two let-offs to record a 117-ball hundred with 18 fours and a six and was unbeaten on 145 at the close.

Rees kept him company with 109 not out as the duo cut Surrey's overall lead to 159 runs.

Cosgrove was dropped on 12 when Chris Jordan downed a regulation slip chance off the bowling of debutant Richard Logan and then, with his score on 29, he nicked a leg-cutter from Jordan between first and second slip with neither fielder laying a hand on it.

Rees, 24, was happy to play second fiddle to Cosgrove and reached the three-figure milestone 16 overs later from 144 balls and with 15 fours.

It was his third century of the Championship campaign and he reached 1,000 first-class runs for the season in the process.

After seeing off the new ball, neither visiting batsman looked in any trouble as struggling Surrey, who have at least avoided the Championship wooden spoon, lacked penetration with either spin or seam bowling.

That had not been the case at the start of the day when Glamorgan's attack, led admirably by South African Garnett Kruger, needed only 36 more overs to take Surrey's last six wickets.

Kruger, who bowled with good pace and no little hostility from the Pavilion End, finished with season's best figures of six for 93.

The right-arm paceman started his rout with the wicket of Usman Afzaal, who failed to add to his overnight score of 170.

Aiming a back-foot force with no appreciable foot movement, Afzaal's 211-ball stay ended when he chopped the ball onto leg stump, bringing to a close a fifth-wicket stand worth 181 with Matt Spriegel.

Despite obvious nerves as he approached his maiden first-class hundred, Spriegel finally got there with a quick single to extra cover from his 180th delivery, but next ball up, he lamely shovelled a short one from Robert Croft into the hands of Dean Cosker at short extra-cover to make it 400 for seven.

Surrey's demise came quickly after the lunch interval as the Brown Caps lost their last three wickets for five runs in the space of 17 balls.

----------------------------------

Danish Kaneria claimed the first hat-trick of his career but Essex's hopes of celebrating promotion into Division One now look slim.

Although they took Derbyshire's last seven wickets for 74, the home side still finished on 474 thanks to 222 from skipper Chris Rogers.

That left Essex needing 325 just to avoid the follow on and by the close they had reached 166 for two thanks to 50 from Matt Walker and Tom Westley's classy 90.

Northamptonshire are now the favourites to win promotion after they enjoyed a prolific day against Leicestershire at Wantage Road.

After declaring on 600 for eight, including Rob White's 193, Northants bowled the visitors out for 218 - Andrew Hall taking four for 41.

They were then forced to follow on and lost two wickets to David Lucas to finish on 30 for two.