SOUTHEND

Day three of four (Glamorgan won toss)

Glamorgan (17 pts) beat Essex (4) by 202 runs

Lunch

Resuming 185 ahead at 252 for 5, Glamorgan enjoyed a profitable morning despite losing Michael Powell – caught at first slip off David Masters – without addition to his overnight 36 to the fourth ball of the day.

Mark Wallace moved from 26 to 52, before being caught at deep square leg off Masters, and he also added 55 for the eighth wicket with Jason Gillespie to boost Glamorgan’s lead beyond 250.

Gillespie eventually fell for 33, bowled by Graham Napier with the new ball – giving the Essex all-rounder only the third five-wicket haul of his 11-year first-class career.

Napier had earlier removed James Harris for 12, caught at the wicket by James Foster, and he then earned himself career-best figures of 6 for 103 by having last man Adam Shantry lbw for 6 as Glamorgan’s fighting second innings was ended at 347.

Essex, needing 281 for victory, survived three awkward overs before lunch although no runs were scored.

Tea

Essex’s pursuit of 281 soon looked an academic exercise, with James Harris removing both openers in successive overs soon after lunch and three more wickets then falling in the space of five overs before the total had reached 50.

Jason Gallian was bowled behind his legs as he looked to flick Harris away behind square, and Varun Chopra was adjudged lbw on the front foot.

Grant Flower was caught behind off a thin bottom edge as he tried to cut left-arm seamer Adam Shantry, and Ravi Bopara had made only 15 when he was bowled by Jason Gillespie as he aimed to force straight.

Glamorgan’s players were even more jubilant in the very next over, when Mark Pettini called for a quick single to cover but was run out by Jamie Dalrymple’s direct hit on the bowlers’ stumps.

At 43 for 5, Essex were doomed – and worse was to come before tea when James Foster was taken off bat and pad at short leg off Robert Croft and, next ball, Graham Napier was picked up at leg slip off another ball which turned and bounced sharply.

Close

The end for Essex came shortly after tea with Croft also taking the last three wickets to finish with the remarkable analysis of 8.1-4-6-5.

Tim Phillips was caught at slip, driving at Croft’s first ball after tea, and both Masters and Chris Wright chipped weakly to short midwicket.

Essex had been bowled out for 78, in 43.1 overs, and Glamorgan had won by 202 runs.

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