Wagg saves nervy Glamorgan

Glamorgan 329 (Cooke 171, Claydon 4-47) and 415 for 9 de (Wagg 116*, Rees 81) drew with Kent 387 (Northeast 102, Billings 77, Bell-Drummond 71, Bull 4-62)
Scorecard

The second century of Graham Wagg's 12-year county career saved Glamorgan from defeat at Canterbury and all but put paid to Kent's Division Two promotion hopes.

The one-time Warwickshire and Derbyshire all-rounder hit a career-best 116 not out to help Glamorgan bat out the final day and reach 415 for 9 - an advantage of 357 - before the sides agreed on the stalemate.

Kent's sole century-maker of the match Sam Northeast said the hosts were disappointed not to secure a win.

"I'm glad to have got over the line to three figures, but equally I'm disappointed not to have gone on to score a big one that would have given us a better chance of enforcing the victory," he said

"The pitch lost a bit of life as the game went on and although we had them where we wanted them going into today we couldn't quite capitalise on our chances. There was no talk of a deal because we felt we could win this game the right way, but it just didn't quite happen for us."

Having seen his side bank nine points for the draw, Glamorgan coach Toby Radford praised the contribution of his senior pairing of Mark Wallace and Wagg.

"We were really up against it when we lost two early wickets,'' said Radford. "But Wallace hung in there well and batted time, David Lloyd showed some maturity for a youngster in chipping in with 41 then 'Waggy' stole the show.

"People will look at scorecard in the papers and think this was a dull old draw, but either side of lunch we were batting for our lives out there. If we'd lost one or two quick ones after lunch it would have been an easy chase and an easy win for Kent, but the guys showed a lot of character.''

"We know 'Waggy' can bat and it's great to see him bat with focus and play so well. We've already reminded him that he's buying the drinks tonight for a career best.''

Glamorgan, 92 ahead overnight after resuming on their overnight total of 150 for 3, had made a disastrous start to the final day by losing two wickets inside the opening 15 minutes.

Jim Allenby pulled out of a hook shot against Mitch Claydon only to sky a catch to the keeper via the splice then, two balls later and in attempting a single to get off the mark, David Lloyd called Gareth Rees through for a tight single to cover only to see his partner run put by a direct hit from Matt Hunn. Rees went for a season's best 81 from 129 balls and with eight fours and a six.

Sixth-wicket partners Lloyd and his skipper Wallace led a minor recovery with a stand worth 63 before an inspired bowling change by Kent skipper Rob Key broke their resolve. Introducing part-time seamer Ben Harmison from the Nackington Road End, Key was rewarded when the former Durham man snared Lloyd lbw for 41 with a full-length off-cutter that made it 223 for 6.

Glamorgan made it through to lunch without further alarm, after which Wallace and Wagg set about frustrating the hosts with a combative stand of 70 in 19 overs that all but made the game safe for the visitors.

Wallace was five short of his 50 when he clipped one from Mitch Claydon into the hands of gully but Wagg was not so easily removed. Wagg then joined forces with Dean Cosker to add a further 50 for the eighth wicket before Cosker perished just before tea after feathering one from Joseph to the Kent keeper Billings.

With a lead of 294 at the interval, Glamorgan's Wagg ensured his side would be travelling home with a seventh draw of the Division Two campaign from 100 balls and with six fours.

For good measure, the 31-year-old batted on into the last session to pass 70 - his previous highest score for Glamorgan scored against Gloucestershire in Bristol three seasons ago - by which time home skipper Key had become the eighth Kent player to have a bowl.

Wagg reached three figures for only the second time in his 111-match first-class career when he carted Brendan Nash over cow corner for six to reach the landmark from 170 balls. The century included 11 fours and a brace of sixes.

He went on to beat his career best of 108, scored against Northampton for Derbyshire at Wantage Road in 2008, with a cover driven four against Sam Northeast - Kent's ninth player to have bowl. Wagg partly blotted his copybook by calling Kieran Bull through for a suicidal single that led to the teenager's run out to a throw from mid-wicket by Nash, but the ninth wicket mattered little.

Sam Billings removed his pads to become the 10th home player to turn his arm over, with Key donning the keeping gloves for one ball before the sides shook hands on a draw. Kent banked 11 points for their sixth draw from 13 starts.