Glamorgan bed in on cold evening

Glamorgan 258 for 4 v Kent 237
Scorecard

As 33,820 roared on Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in their Champions League encounter with Bayer Leverkusen, 60-odd miles east in Canterbury barely 100 hardy souls witnessed the closing overs of the second day of Kent's experimental championship clash against Glamorgan.

Two rain breaks adding up to 90 minutes ensured a 9.30pm finish under lights at the St Lawrence ground, by which time the spectators and the Kent seam attack appeared frozen solid and utterly disinterested.

Having mustered only 237 on the opening day of this end-of-season day/night game, Kent's weakened pace attack lacked the cutting edge to worry a Glamorgan top-order seemingly hell-bent on achieving personal milestones.

Resuming on their overnight score of two without loss, Glamorgan will go into day three looking in fine shape on 258 for 4, representing a first innings lead of 21.

The second day started with confusion over the umpires, after appointed ECB official Nigel Cowley rang in sick with a throat infection and virus. He was replaced, temporarily, by Kent League umpire Bob Whale, who stood at square leg for 20-odd minutes.

Whale was then replaced by former Kent offspinner and Championship 2nd XI umpire, Steve Dale, who ultimately gave way in late afternoon to former Glamorgan seamer, Alex Wharf, who drove four hours from his home in Caerphilly to partner Martin Bodenham.

Glamorgan's openers Gareth Rees and Alviro Petersen made light of the confusion surrounding the officials by reaching 34 before suffering their first loss. With his score on 21 and with his season's first-class aggregate standing on an agonising 999 runs, Glamorgan skipper Alviro Petersen pulled loosely at a Matt Coles long-hop to be caught at midwicket by Adam Ball at the second attempt.

Will Bragg became Glamorgan's first player of the season to reach 1,000 runs for the season by lofting an extra cover drive to the ropes off Darren Stevens to move to 22. Only three runs later the left-hander dragged his foot when attempting a push drive against offspinner Adam Riley, only to see the pink ball cannon onto the stumps having deflected off the gloves, chest and shoulder of keeper Geraint Jones to effect the most fortuitous of stumpings.

Gareth Rees inched his way to a patient 126-ball 50 before he gloved a lifting delivery from Adam Ball to Sam Northeast at short midwicket and, soon after a late tea at 7.50pm, Nick James played across a full length ball from Darren Stevens to go leg before.

With little discernible swing or seam movement to hinder their progress, Glamorgan's fifth wicket pair of Stewart Walters and Mark Wallace made unfettered progress through to the close in adding 63 in 16 overs.

In the process Wallace, upon reaching 37, became the first specialist wicketkeeper to post 1,000 runs in a summer for Glamorgan. Sadly, by 9.15pm, few supporters remained on the ground to applaud him.