Glamorgan take first day honours

Kent 242 (Stevens 66, Owen 3-37, Cosker 3-47) v Glamorgan
Scorecard

Dean Cosker and Will Owen took three wickets apiece as Glamorgan bowled out Kent on an abbreviated first day of their County Championship Division Two clash at Cardiff. After being put in to bat Kent, who have lost their last three County Championship matches, were dismissed for 242 in 66.1 overs.

The visitors were indebted to half centuries from Martin van Jaarsveld (57) and Darren Stevens (66). Glamorgan were just about to start their reply when rain caused an early abandonment.

Glamorgan, who have not beaten Kent in championship cricket at Cardiff in 44 years, started to make inroads as early as the third over when James Harris trapped skipper Robert Key lbw for four.

That was 9 for 1, which became 10 for 2 in the next over when wicketkeeper Mark Wallace took a sharp catch diving to his right to dismiss Geraint Jones from the bowling of Graham Wagg. Harris worked Sam Northeast over with some impressive swing bowling going past the outside edge on numerous occasions before the Kent opener was bowled leaving his side on 32 for 3.

But after that van Jaarsveld led a brief Kent counter-attack in a fourth-wicket stand of 78 in 16 overs with Alex Blake. Van Jaarsveld brought up his 50 in 61 balls with seven fours before Owen, in his first championship appearance of the season, struck twice in consecutive overs before lunch.

Blake and Matt Coles were both caught behind as the visitors went from 110 for 3 to 110 for 5 shortly before lunch. Worse was to follow for Kent after lunch when in the fourth over after the interval van Jaarsveld chopped an attempted cut onto his stumps leaving Kent reeling at 116 for 6.

James Tredwell and Stevens shared a seventh-wicket stand of 35 before Tredwell edged slow left armer Cosker to Allenby at slip. Stevens and James Goodman took Kent to their first batting point as they took advantage of some wayward bowling by the Glamorgan seamers.

The home side's lacklustre afternoon was typified when Allenby dropped Stevens on 45 at first slip off Wagg. Glamorgan were indebted to Cosker who finally broke the 71-run stand for the eighth wicket to bowl Goodman for 30.

Stevens brought up his 50 in 64 balls with six fours before the Kent innings lasted 13 balls beyond tea. Neil Saker perished to a bat and pad catch off Cosker before Owen bowled Stevens. But just as Glamorgan were about to begin their reply rain forced the players from the field.