GLAMORGAN wicketkeeper Mark Wallace's father Ryland celebrated his birthday yesterday with the best present he would have wished for - a maiden first class and county championship century from his son (pictured).

The 174-minute, 147-ball ton (17 boundaries) could not save Glamorgan from a 163-run defeat by last season's wooden-spoonists Derbyshire at Sophia Gardens.

But just as a few days previous, when paceman Simon Jones achieved career-best figures, it showed the benefit of the Abergavenny-born 20-year-old's winter stint in Australia with the England Cricket Academy.

Out there Wallace's batting coaches included former Australian captain Ian Chapell and other former Australian Test players John Inverarity and Rod Marsh.

All three are left-handers and they worked hard, particularly on Wallace's back foot play and aggression, and it showed in his confident display.

"The winter at the Academy, playing every day, and the superb facilities generally, as well as the coaching, has developed and improved my game," said Wallace.

"It's a confidence thing as well. I was delighted to get my first hundred, though it was disappointing to lose."

Wallace has played for England at all levels to under-19s and has captained his country, so is already regarded as a future senior Test star.

"It's every cricketer's long-term aim and I'm no different, " he agreed, "but you have to take it one step at a time.

"I'm not really cemented in the Glamorgan side yet. I've only played a handful of games. So that's got to be my first priority.

"Also we've got a very successful one-day side so I'd like to get some more runs and be involved with that."

Of his century, he said: "I was a little bit nervous when Mike Kasprowicz got out and I thought I might be starnded on 99, so I scrambled the crucial run as soon as I could. I don't think I'd have taken it on otherwise."

Thanks to Wallace and the morning rain, Glamorgan took the Derbyshire game to the first over after lunch (64 minutes play) before succumbing and leaving the youngster 106 not out.

Afterwards skipper Steve James admitted: "We lost the game because of the way we batted on the first day.

"We bowled well to get them out reasonably cheaply and if we had batted anything like we know we can we'd have got a good first innings lead and the result could have been very different.

"I know it's an old cliche, but there were a lot of positives coming out of the game.

"Simon Jones bowled brilliantly in both innings, with great discipline and with good lines, and Mark Wallace scored a superb century."

Glamorgan result: Derbyshire 217 (Jones 6-45) and 462-6dec (Stubbings 128, Hewson 102 not) beat Glamorgan 175 (Cork 6-51, Dale 56) and 341 (Wallace 106 not, James 78, Wharton 6-103) by 163 runs. Glamorgan 3pts, Derbyshire 16.