Maher leads Glamorgan run chase at Worcester

Chasing a target of 339 to beat Worcestershire at New Road, Jimmy Maher scored a pugnacious 84* as Glamorgan ended the third day`s play on 174/4. Much will depend on the steadfast Australian as Glamorgan require a further 165 with 6 wickets in hand on the final day on a wicket where the bounce at times is still capricious.

Jimmy Maher and Jonathan Hughes launched Glamorgan`s run chase with an opening stand of 51 in 15 overs. It was only the second time this season that the county`s openers had shared a stand in excess of 50, but it came at a most valuable time, as both Maher and Hughes adopted a positive approach against Worcestershire`s new ball attack. However, their purposeful partnership was ended when Kabir Ali got a ball to rear up from a good length, causing Hughes to spoon a catch into the gully.

Four overs later, Matt Mason dismissed Ian Thomas, as the young Glamorgan batsman edged a drive into Graeme Hick`s hands at second slip. Michael Powell and Maher took the score to 72-2 at tea, but with the first ball after the interval, Kabir Ali bowled Powell. However, Matthew Maynard was soon into his stride, driving Mason to the cover boundary and then pulling Kabir over the ropes at deep square-leg.

Maher reached his half-century with an off-driven four against Kabir - his tenth boundary - and the Australian continued to play watchfully, adding 47 in 11 overs until Maynard hit a full toss from Nantie Hayward straight to cover. But this was the final wicket of the day, as Mark Wallace dropped anchor at the other end, and together with Maher, watchfully added a further 55 in 19 overs to set up the prospect of an enthralling final day.

A steady innings of 87 by Worcestershire captain Ben Smith was the cornerstone of his team`s second innings total of 257, and without Smith`s patient efforts, Worcestershire might not have set Glamorgan such a challenging target. Smith enjoyed his share of good fortune, with edges just dropping short of fielders or in between the slips, but all credit to Smith for ruthlessly punishing anything off line or over-pitched. However, there were not too many bad balls on offer as Glamorgan`s bowlers stuck to their task, with Robert Croft taking 4/69 and Alex Wharf 3/38.

The day began with an accurate spell from Wharf at the New Road end, during which he bowled David Leatherdale for 15. When Wharf came off, Michael Kasprowicz switched from the Diglis End and soon trapped Gareth Batty l.b.w. Smith then added 53 in 20 overs for the seventh wicket with Stephen Rhodes either side of lunch, before David Harrison in another fine spell from the New Road end bowled Smith.

Rhodes` defiant innings was ended by a good diving catch by Hughes at leg slip, as the Worcestershire wicket-keeper tried to sweep Croft. The Glamorgan captain claimed his fourth wicket as Mason holed out at long-on, but then some lusty slogs from Kabir took the total past 250, before Kasprowicz ended the innings by uprooting Hayward`s off stump.