Croft aims for Swansea swansong

A half-century by Stewart Walters and figures of 4 for 51 from Robert Croft have put Glamorgan in a strong position going into the final day of their County Championship Division Two clash against Gloucestershire at Swansea.

Glamorgan went into their second innings holding a 43-run lead after dismissing Gloucestershire for 165. They closed on 167 for 5, an overall lead of 210, in an innings disrupted by three stoppages for rain.

Gloucestershire had resumed on 91 for seven - 117 behind Glamorgan. It took a further 30.1 overs in the morning session for Glamorgan to claim the final three wickets, which realised 82 runs, and take a 43-run advantage into the second innings.

After the home seamers failed to get the breakthrough Dean Cosker, the slow left-armer, struck in his first over to take a return catch off Hamish Marshall. His was the key wicket for Glamorgan but he had come in at No 9 on Thursday as he was feeling unwell.

The last two wickets still managed to add a further 40 runs. It was Croft, finishing with four wickets in what might be the last match of his first-class career at his spiritual home of St Helen's, who mopped up the tail.

He had Ian Cockbain adjudged leg before on the back foot and with the second new ball he took a return catch to dismiss last man David Payne as Gloucestershire were dismissed for 165.

The Glamorgan left-handed openers, Gareth Rees and Will Bragg, survived two tricky overs before lunch but were both out shortly after the interval. Rees edged Payne behind before Bragg was out leg before failing to offer a shot.

Ffrom 26 for 2, Walters and Marcus North took Glamorgan into a 101-run lead before heavy rain stopped play. After the resumption, Walters went on to score a 62-ball fifty before being trapped lbw on the back foot by Rob Nicol, ending a 73-run partnership with North for the third wicket.

North also put on 37 with Ben Wright before he was caught at mid-wicket off Ian Saxelby for 42. Jim Allenby added some useful runs before being caught behind in the final over of the day.