Despite giving Hamish Marshall six lives yesterday, Glamorgan finally completed the victory that seemed to have slipped through their hands with just 8.5 overs remaining.

Jon Lewis, the Gloucestershire captain, looked to be getting away with his gamble to declare on Thursday as Marshall was dropped when on 16, 18, 22, 52, 77 and 81 before reaching his hundred. But so fresh and helpful was the pitch that more chances were just around the corner.

Marshall was finally caught by Gareth Rees at bat-pad to give Robert Croft his first wicket in the 64th over and Stephen Snell followed in Croft's next over as Gloucestershire folded, losing their last five wickets for ten runs in eight overs. Croft combined again with Rees at short leg as Anthony Ireland was last man out, sparking wild Glamorgan celebrations. They have already equalled their tally of one championship win last season.

Glamorgan declared after 45 minutes facing joke bowling and immediately received some charity form Craig Spearman as he left a straight one in Jason Gillespie's second over and was leg-before.

Marshall was dropped three times before lunch and Marcus North must have cursed his fortune as he fell to a spectacular catch at gully by Matthew Wood.

Gloucestershire were reeling at 76 for five soon after lunch when Chris Taylor edged a snorter that bounced and left him from David Harrison.

But by 4.30pm the prospect of Gloucestershire scoring the 315 in 80 overs they had been set to win the game began to rear its head. Marshall found an ally in Snell, who scored his maiden championship half-century.

Glamorgan got ever more slipshod, with Marshall on 77 and the score 125 for five, Michael Powell dropped another regulation edge to second slip after juggling horribly. Rain took them off for an early tea and Jamie Dalrymple dropped the simplest of catches at mid-wicket off Croft with Marshall on 81.

Marshall, cutting and pulling like many a small batsman before him, went to his ninth hundred in just 44 innings for Gloucestershire. It seemed to be Marshall's day with the news that his twin brother, James, had scored a hundred for New Zealand at Essex but Glamorgan finally remembered how to catch again.

Scoreboard

Glamorgan: First Innings 277 (D L Hemp 87)

Second Innings (overnight 107-1)
M J Wood not out 83
*D L Hemp not out 72
Extras (b 4, lb 5, w 2, nb 2) 13
Total (1 wkt dec, 44 overs) 178
Fall of wicket: 1-44.
Bowling: Lewis 4-1-11-0; Kirby 4-1-14-0; North 8-1-23-1; Taylor 11-0-37-0; Marshall 7-1-43-0; Hodnett 10-0-41-0.

Gloucestershire: First Innings 141 for 4 dec

Second Innings
G P Hodnett c Powell b Wharf 3
C M Spearman lbw b Gillespie 4
H J H Marshall c Rees b Croft 105
M J North c Wood b Wharf 0
A P R Gidman lbw b D S Harrison 15
C G Taylor c Hemp b D S Harrison 6
S D Snell c Wallace b Croft 53
M A Hardinges lbw b Gillespie 4
*J Lewis not out 2
S P Kirby lbw b Gillespie 2
A J Ireland c Rees b Croft 1
Extras (b 3, nb 2) 5
Total (71.1 overs) 200

Fall of wickets: 1-7, 2-23, 3-23, 4-66, 5-76, 6-190, 7-195, 8-197, 9-199.

Bowling: Gillespie 18-4-39-3; D S Harrison 17-6-55-2; Wharf 9-2-24-2; Watkins 8-0-40-0; Croft 19.1-5-39-3.

Umpires: J H Evans and J W Lloyds.