THE SKY was gloomy but it was a bright day for Newport as county cricket returned to the city after a 26-year drought.

Pakistan A romped to a comfortable 123-run victory against Glamorgan but it wasn't just about the action for club officials at Spytty Park.

When Ruaidhri Smith bowled the first delivery, a dot ball, the hard graft to turn the ground into home after their 1990 controversial move from Rodney Parade had paid off.

In truth it was a bit of a one-sided affair with Glamorgan fielding a young side for a fixture sandwiched between a T20 clash in Hampshire and a trip to north Wales.

But the supporters who braved bracing conditions got the chance to see a top-quality touring side featuring potential internationals of the future.

Morning rain would have had club officials nervous of a repeat of the 1990 washout at Rodney Parade, the last time that county cricket had been played in the city.

Glamorgan had headed to Gwent in 2007 when 'on tour' while Sophia Gardens was turned into the Swalec Stadium.

The county championship encounter with Leicestershire in Abergavenny was, like that one-day clash with Yorkshire 26 years ago, completely ruined by bad weather while it took some convincing to get the green light from Middlesex for the rain-reduced Pro40 meeting at Ebbw Vale's Eugene Cross Park.

Thankfully it remained the full 50 overs at Spytty Park and things got under way just 15 minutes late, albeit under a grey and gloomy sky.

Glamorgan won the toss and made the perfect start after inserting the tourists with Sharjeel Khan, a player with ODI and international T20 experience bowled by Dewi Penrhyn Jones for one in the second over, the left-hander surprised to glance around to see that the ball had clipped the off stump.

Pakistan, preparing for a triangular tournament against Sri Lanka A and England Lions, settled in challenging conditions on a good track, patiently moving to 54-1 at the end of the powerplay with 10 overs gone.

Glamorgan struck again with the final ball of the 14th over when Tom Smith did well to hold onto a catch off Owen Morgan given the falling drizzle, opener Fakhar Zaman (27) followed back to the pavilion by the rest of the players for a short rain break with the score on 70.

Abdul Rehman Muzammil was just putting his foot down after the resumption when, two balls after launching Morgan towards the National Velodrome for his second six, he was caught at gully for an impressive 65 off 75.

The visitors were making pretty good progress but were losing wickets at regular intervals with Saul Shakeel the next made out, rather tamely paddling Andrew Salter to Smith at short fine leg with the score on 171 in the 33rd over, before Umar Siddiq was carelessly run out for 8 in the 37th.

Captain Babar Azam, who has played nine ODIs, was the key figure on 65 as the Pakistanis attempted to push on from 196/5 in the final 13 overs.

They were helped by a 40th over by Penrhyn Jones that cost 14 runs, including four wide deliveries, and moved them onto 223/5.

Azam brought up his run-a-ball century in the 45th over and things began to get away from Glamorgan a touch with yet more extras and some sloppy fielding in windy, cold conditions.

The skipper's magnificent knock came to an end on 119, caught on the boundary in the 48th, but Pakistan A ended on a formidable 327/9 despite a last over hat-trick for Smith.

It was clear from early on that such a total would be beyond Glamorgan, who were hindered by early wickets and miserly bowling.

James Kettleborough was bowled by Mohammad Abbas for 14 with the score on 20 and no runs had been added when his opening partner Nick Selman followed him, caught for 6 off Hasan Ali.

Young Chepstow prospect Tom Smith and Kieran Carlson wnt for 6 and 17 respectively and, at 68/4, getting a respectable total depended on the efforts of captain Will Bragg.

The left-hander from Cwmbran, who has been in fine form in red-ball cricket and the One-Day Cup this year, batted nicely to record a half-century.

But shortly after surviving a run-out attempt the first-teamer was stumped off Mohammad Asghar for 61, sparking the end of any slim home hopes with the score on 123/5.

Some lusty blows by Andrew Salter on his way to 51 provided some entertainment but the tourists duly cruised to a 123-run victory in the 46th over, Glamorgan all out for 204.