CARDIFF

(Day one of four)

Glamorgan 265-4 (G.P. Rees 140, M.J. Powell 80 not out) v Leicestershire

Lunch

No play before lunch due to rain.

Tea

No play was possible until 12.40 owing to further rain and an outfield which remained damp following downpours which had caused Leicestershire’s previous championship match to be abandoned without a ball bowled. On a day when it was discovered that Len Smith, the head groundsman, and Anthony Quilter, the catering manager, had also left Glamorgan in the wake of the departure of Mike Fatkin, the chief executive, there was some good cheer in the form of Gareth Rees, the 24 year-old left hander who was 13 runs short of a century at tea and, in addition, 62 short of 1000 runs for the season. He had struck 11 fours and a six. The two batsmen who were out were David Hemp and Tom Maynard, both dismissed by Dillon du Preez.

Close

Gareth Rees reached his third century of the season and his career best score in taking his innings of 87 at tea to 140 with 20 fours and a six from 183 balls before he was out to the left arm spin of Claude Henderson. This leaves him nine runs short of 1,000 runs with three possible innings remaining to him. The other batsman to excel was Michael Powell, whose unbeaten 80 came from 159 balls and included five fours. Dillon du Preez took the wicket of Jamie Dalrymple, which meant he had taken three of the four wickets to fall. Glamorgan issued a press release stating that Len Smith, the head groundsman who had been with the club for 22 years, had taken “early retirement.” This pitch, which is expected to provide some turn, was prepared by his groundstaff.