Lloyd puts Glamorgan in Severn heaven

Gloucestershire 236 and 133 for 5 trail Glamorgan 526 for 9 dec (Lloyd 119, Marsh 111, de Lange 50*) by 157 runs
Scorecard

A career best century from David Lloyd has left Glamorgan in pole position going into the final day of their Specsavers County Championship game against Gloucestershire, in Bristol.

Having started the day 60 runs ahead of Gloucestershire's first innings total of 236, and with five first innings wickets in hand, the Welsh county reached 526 for 9 before captain Michael Hogan declared.

By the close, Gloucestershire, who have been outplayed for long periods of the game, still required another 157 to avoid an innings defeat.

Unless rain intervenes, Glamorgan look well set to kick off their four-day season with an emphatic victory over their Severnside neighbours.

Lloyd's innings was measured throughout. On a wicket that has favoured the batsmen for the best part of two and a half days, he was rarely troubled as Glamorgan dominated the third day much as they had the first and second.

To their credit, Gloucestershire worked hard to extract some movement from the pitch, throughout a morning session that saw just two wickets fall. Chris Cooke departed for 43 and Andrew Salter for four as Glamorgan reached the lunch interval on 408 for 7.

Having chosen to bat with due care and attention before the break, Lloyd and eighth wicket partner Marchant de Lange, changed tack after lunch and began to press home Glamorgan's advantage.

Lloyd, who passed 50 off 85 balls with nine fours, showed no mercy and reached three figures with two boundary fours and a maximum. It was a fine effort from the 25-year-old North Walian who is fast approaching 2000 first class runs.

Having looked indomitable, Lloyd finally departed for 119, caught behind by Gareth Roderick off the bowling of Benny Howell at 496 for 8. His 160-run partnership with de Lange, eclipsed the previous best eighth wicket stand against Gloucestershire, held by current coach Robert Croft and Mark Wallace, at Cheltenham, in 2010.

De Lange, who took five Gloucestershire wickets on day one, carried on where Lloyd left off and brought up his own half century off 73 balls. Shortly after, Hogan declared with Glamorgan 290 runs to the good.

Desperate to make a good start, Gloucestershire suffered two early blows in the 35 minutes before tea. Lukas Carey, who looks a decent prospect, sent back Howell for six and Roderick for four as the host county were reduced to 18 for 2.

Chris Dent followed after tea, caught by Salter of de Lange's bowling, for 12, leaving James Bracey and Jack Taylor to stop the rot.

They did just that for an hour before Taylor (29) top edged a rising delivery from de Lange to the diving Kiran Carlson, at point

Graeme van Buuren followed at 84 for 5, as de Lange struck once again, leaving James Bracey and Ryan Higgins to see Gloucestershire through to the close without any further setbacks.