Maynard scores his 50th hundred for Glamorgan

Matthew Maynard reached the milestone of his 50th first-class hundred for Glamorgan on the opening day of Glamorgan`s Championship match against Hampshire at The Rose Bowl. The 37 year old scored a superb century from just 107 balls with 15 fours and 2 sixes, as Glamorgan amassed a formidable 436-9, and only Alan Jones and Hugh Morris have scored more than 50 centuries for the Welsh county.

Adrian Dale also recorded his first Championship ton of the season and shared in a stand of 129 in 24 overs with Maynard for the 4th wicket. Their top quality strokeplay only added to Hampshire`s recent troubles continued before play. Having already lost the services through injury of Robin Smith and Alan Mullally, plus the retirement of Ed Giddins and the departure through illness of Wasim Akram, off-spinner Shaun Udal sustained a shoulder injury, so Hampshire had to call up 28 year old Richard Hindley, a local club player, to make his county debut.

Hindley was one of the bowlers to be on the receiving end of a savage assault from Maynard, who struck the debutant`s gentle off-spin for three successive boundaries shortly before tea as he galloped to 50 from 51 balls.

Earlier, he had savagely pulled Bruce for six over deep backward square, and also hoisted Katich back over his head over the ropes at long off. Maynard eventually reached three figures with another fierce pull to the long leg boundary off Tomlinson, and he was eventually dismissed for 129 just three overs before the close as he edged Tremlett to the wicket-keeper.

Dale`s hundred, from 179 balls with 16 fours, was more sober than Maynard`s ferocious assualt, but in the context of the match it was no less valuable, and helped to lay the foundation of a substantial first innings score in a match where Glamorgan have included two spinners in the expectation that the wicket will assist the spinners later on.

Dale had earlier shared in productive stands of 89 with Michael Powell and also 62 for the second wicket with Jimmy Maher before the Queenslander was dismissed hit wicket after being struck on the gloves by a ball from James Tomlinson that rose up off a length and caused him to drop his bat onto the stumps.