Marshall ton puts Gloucestershire in control

Gloucestershire 347 for 8 (Marshall 101, Payne 58*, Hogan 3-31) lead Glamorgan 220 (Selman 101, Miles 4-44, Taylor 4-56) by 127 runs
Scorecard

Hamish Marshall's fourth championship century of the season - his 22nd for his county- and an unbeaten 58 from David Payne enabled Gloucestershire to gain a lead of 127, with two wickets remaining, by the close of the second day in Cardiff.

With Payne and Josh Shaw having already shared an unbroken partnership of 56 for the ninth wicket, Glamorgan have much to do if they are to avoid losing their seventh championship game of a disappointing season.

Marshall returns to New Zealand at the end of the season after spending 11 years in the West Country and, although he did give a difficult chance to wicketkeeper Mark Wallace on 40, he rescued Gloucestershire after they had earlier slumped to 38 for 3. He also found a staunch ally in George Hankins, the 19-year-old England U-19 batsman who stayed with Marshall for 47 overs to share a partnership of 120 for the fourth wicket.

Resuming at their overnight score of 62 for 3, Marshall and Hankins batted throughout the morning session, and were not separated until 20 minutes after lunch when Hankins feathered a catch to the wicketkeeper off Graham Wagg. Hankins was at the crease for three-and-a-quarter hours for 43, and struck only five boundaries, but he was the perfect foil for Marshall, and with more experience at county level he will only prosper.

Despite adding 56 with Marshall for the fifth wicket, Phil Mustard was never at ease, and when Michael Hogan took the new ball, Mustard soon edged to slip. Marshall's innings ended in Hogan's next over, when he was adjudged lbw, and was either unhappy with the decision or disappointed with himself as he took some time to drag himself away from the crease.

Craig Miles and David Payne then strengthened their team's position with a stand of 60 for the eighth wicket, although Wallace missed a stumping off Kieran Carlson with Payne on 20. Shortly afterwards Carlson was rewarded when Miles, who made 34, chipped a low catch to Wagg at short midwicket, but Payne further frustrated Glamorgan by reaching fifty shortly before the close.

Although Payne and Josh Shaw scored slowly, their approach were certainly justified with the game only at the half way stage.

Marshall, who scored his second century in three games, said: "It's always nice to get into a run of form, especially on a good pitch, but the game has a long way to go and we would ideally like to get a big lead and put Glamorgan under some scoreboard pressure".

He also praised George Hankins, saying: "He has a big future, is never overawed and just gets on with it."