Glamorgan end season on a high

Glamorgan rounded off the County Championship season with a convincing eight-wicket win over Gloucestershire on the final day of their Division Two encounter at Cardiff.

With only 102 required for victory, Murray Goodwin helped to guide Glamorgan home with an unbeaten 50 a day when 12 wickets fell. That was after Gloucestershire had been skittled for only 132 in their second innings.

Jim Allenby claimed 4 for 16 to go with his 85 in the first innings as Glamorgan, who took 22 points to Gloucestershire's five, registered their third fourth-day win of the campaign.

After day three had been a complete washout, Glamorgan had resumed their first innings on 271 for 9 - four runs behind Gloucestershire. But last pair Michael Hogan and Dean Cosker ended up putting on 62 for the final wicket to leave Glamorgan 306 all out - a lead of 31.

Any hopes of Gloucestershire saving the game, however, evaporated as they were bowled out in their second innings in 44.3 overs. The visitors managed to wipe out the arrears but then lost their first wicket with the score on 35 when Chris Dent edged Hogan.

Gloucestershire accelerated to 73 for 1 but then came a dramatic pre-lunch collapse when they lost 4 for 5 in 13 balls, with Ruaidhri Smith and Allenby doing the damage. It started when Graham Wagg took a good catch at extra cover to dismiss Gareth Roderick from Allenby.

Smith took two wickets in an over. He bowled Alex Gidman and then had Ian Cockbain caught behind. And in the next over Allenby trapped Will Gidman leg before. It left Gloucestershire reeling at 78 for 5 at lunch - just 47 runs ahead.

After the interval, Cameron Herring was caught behind, and, while Hamish Marshall completed 1,000 runs for the season, he lost Benny Howell, who was bowled by Hogan. Allenby made further inroads when he had Smith caught behind as Gloucestershire lost their eighth wicket on 118.

Wagg found Marshall's edge with the busy Allenby holding onto the catch at slip to leave Gloucestershire on 122 for 9. Graeme McCarter was last man out, caught and bowled by Allenby shortly before tea.

In reply, Glamorgan lost Gareth Rees to the second ball of the innings and then Ben Wright for 17 in the 11th over. But Goodwin, 50 from 106 balls, and Chris Cooke steered Glamorgan to the winning post with 11.3 overs to spare.