Glamorgan 250 and 359 for 1 (Selman 148*, Labuschagne 128*, Hemphrey 58) lead Gloucestershire 463 (Higgins 103) by 146 runs
Nick Selman, with a career best 148 not out, and Marnus Labuschagne (128 not out) racked up big centuries in a second-wicket stand of 226, as Glamorgan made great strides towards rescuing their Specsavers County Championship Division Two match against Gloucestershire at Spytty Park in Newport.
Selman’s innings was his first Championship century since he made his previous career-best, 142 not out, against the same opposition at Sophia Gardens in 2017. He shared an opening stand of 133 with Charlie Hemphrey, before Glamorgan reached the close on 359 for 1 in their second innings, a lead of 145.
They had resuming on 241 for 8, 222 runs adrift of Gloucestershire’s first-innings 463, with Graham Wagg and Timm van der Gugten effectively becoming Glamorgan’s last pair, as captain Chris Cooke was ruled out of the remainder of the match with an ankle injury, sustained whilst batting on the second day.
Wagg, resuming on 45, brought up his half-century from 90 balls, with four fours and one six. But he was dismissed from the next delivery, misfiring an on-drive to short third man off the spin of 20-year old George Drissell, who finished with 4 for 83. Glamorgan were all out for 250, and subsequently followed on with a deficit of 213.
Selman and Hemphrey made a cautious but effective start, reaching 80 without loss before lunch against Gloucestershire’s six-man attack.
Selman’s half-century came from 91 balls, including six fours as the pair brought up their century stand. Hemphrey reached his half-century soon afterwards, from 107 balls having struck six fours and a six.
The visitors’ breakthrough came when Hemphrey was caught behind off left-arm seamer Matt Taylor for 58, but Selman and Labuschagne saw Glamorgan through to 195 for 1 at tea, with Labuschagne reaching his half-century from 70 deliveries just after the interval. Their partnership had gone beyond the century mark as Selman crept into the nineties.
Both batsmen nervously awaited their respective milestones, but it was Labuschagne who raised his bat first, having faced 113 balls, striking 13 fours and two sixes, both of which landed on the adjacent football ground. Selman’s innings was more industrious, his century coming four overs later from 208 balls, having struck 10 fours.
With just under five over remaining in the day, Selman and Labuschagne had brought up their 200-run partnership as they looked to capitalise on what is becoming a sizeable lead going into the final day.
Source: ESPN Crickinfo