Glamorgan lose at Cheltenham as Gloucestershire go top of Division One

Gloucestershire leap-frogged Glamorgan and Surrey to go top of Division One of the National League as they defeated the Welsh county by 7 wickets with 7 balls to spare in an enthralling contest at Cheltenham College.

Overnight rain delayed the start and meant that it was a 38 overs a side contest. With the wicket likely to turn, Robert Croft won an important toss and elected to bat, but James Averis dismissed both openers, Croft and Maher, as Glamorgan slumped to 24-2 after 6 overs.

Michael Powell, with the support of Jonathan Hughes, in only his second game in the competition, then added 50 for the third wicket, before further innings of 39 from both Matthew Maynard, in his 250th League appearance, and later Adrian Dale. Mark Hardinges stifled Glamorgan`s progress with 3 wickets, and then Mike Smith returned to claim 2 in his final two overs as Glamorgan were dismissed for 197 with four balls remaining.

Needing to score at a shade over 5 an over, Gloucestershire suffered an early blow even before their innings began, as Jonty Rhodes sustained a hamstring injury whilst fielding. But their openers, Philip Weston and Craig Spearman, raised morale in the home camp with a positive opening stand, as the Glamorgan seamers proved to be less effective than their counterparts and the score was already on 46 in only the 9th over when Michael Kasprowicz dismissed Craig Spearman.

Alex Gidman maintained the assertive approach adding 56 for the second wicket, but Gloucestershire`s rapid progress was halted by some steady spin bowling from Robert Croft and Dean Cosker. Croft dismissed Weston for 35, but Matthew Windows then came in to join Gidman, and they had added a further 41 before Alex Wharf bowled Gidman for an impressive 49.

Gloucestershire still needed 60 from the final 10 overs, but Matthew Windows, with the support of Shoaib Malik, calmly saw Gloucestershire home, with Windows reaching a match-winning half-century from 65 balls.