SOUTHEND

Day one of four (Glamorgan won toss)

Glamorgan 139 all out; Essex 139 for 5

Lunch

Two wickets in each of his first two overs by Chris Wright put the skids under Glamorgan’s batting at Garon Park.

Gareth Rees, the opener, had just fallen to David Masters, taken at slip in the ninth over, when Wright was brought on to replace Graham Napier at the other end.

Richard Grant was almost immediately smartly held at short cover and Wright struck again when Tom Maynard edged to first slip.

Glamorgan, who had won the toss and had no hesitation in batting first in beautiful sunshine, did rally a little from 25 for three through Mike Powell and Jamie Dalrymple but – ten minutes before lunch – Powell edged behind in Ravi Bopara’s first over.

Tea

Glamorgan’s batting woes continued after lunch and, with Wright finishing with 4 for 30, the Welsh county were soon bowled out for a paltry 139.

The only real resistance came from Mark Wallace, the wicketkeeper, who struck 21 runs from an over by Danish Kaneria – including a six over long-on and three fours – during his 37.

Wallace, however, after cutting Kaneria for another four, was then stumped in the Pakistan leg-spinner’s very next over. He jumped out to drive, was beaten by a ball speared down the legside, and James Foster completed the quicksilver stumping.

Jamie Dalrymple, with whom he had added 41 for the fifth wicket, had already been taken at second slip off Masters, and Glamorgan’s decline gathered pace as Robert Croft slashed Wright straight to cover, Jason Gillespie was smartly caught and bowled by Wright and James Harris edged Bopara to Foster – all with the total 126.

All that then remained was for last man Adam Shantry to fall lbw to Bopara, who ended up with 3 for 19 from his 8.1 overs of medium pace.

Close

Adam Shantry, the 25-year old former Northants and Warwickshire left-arm seamer, removed both Essex openers on his Glamorgan debut.

Jason Gallian was lbw for 11 while Varun Chopra played on to his stumps as he attempted to force off the back foot into the covers.

There was still something in the pitch for the quicker bowlers but Grant Flower and Ravi Bopara worked hard to prevent any further slide from 37 for 2 and, slowly but surely, began to pull the innings round.

Bopara then announced his desire to get on top of the bowling by taking four offside boundaries in an over off James Harris – two magnificent strokes either side of extra cover and the other two more fortuitous thick edges which flew over and wide of gully.

Jason Gillespie produced a good one to have Bopara caught at first slip for 31, with the total 88, Flower was finally lbw to Dean Cosker for a gritty 39 and David Masters, the nightwatchman, became Shantry’s third victim from the day’s final ball after drawing Essex level.