Royals humbled as Dragons step up pressure

Glamorgan Dragons breathed new fire into their Norwich Union title hopes, moving back into third place with a 22-run win (Duckworth-Lewis method) over leaders Worcestershire Royals in a rain-affected Division One match at New Road.

Set 203 to win on a seamer-friendly surface, the Dragons started badly. They lost Ian Thomas for six, caught at mid-wicket off Kabir Ali, who made excellent use of the conditions with a probing opening spell. Robert Croft, despite managing three boundaries in his 15, soon followed, bowled playing crookedly at Matt Mason. When Mike Powell drilled a fierce catch to Shane Lee at mid-off, the Dragons were flickering at 28 for three.

What transpired to be the match-winning partnership then began, as Matthew Maynard was joined by his captain. Steve James was the more aggressive of the two, taking 13 off Lee's first over. The hapless Australian, playing his first match since flying in to replace Andy Bichel, had to be withdrawn from the Royals' attack after conceding 39 runs in three overs.

By the time the ground was hit by a heavy shower, the Dragons had reached 108 for three, ahead of the required Duckworth-Lewis total. Although a re-start was initially planned for 7pm, another shower put that out of the question to leave the Dragons comfortable victors

After heavy rain in recent days had given the ground staff scant time to prepare the wicket, James was happy to send the Royals in on winning the toss. Although ten runs came off Andrew Davies in the first over, pickings were never easy on a wicket that offered constant encouragement to the Dragons' pace attack.

Vikram Solanki, after two attractive boundaries, was caught in the gully cutting at Davies, and Graeme Hick also took a brace of fours before he was caught at first slip driving at Owen Parkin. Mark Wallace then held a skier from Stephen Peters, attempting an indescribable paddle to leg.

That heralded the best partnership of the innings, between the Norwich Union's batting star of the season so far, Ben Smith, and Lee (41 off 50 balls), who was particularly severe on Robert Croft, the Dragons' most expensive bowler.

It ended when Smith was yorked by Davies for 25 to start a flurry of wickets. Lee was lbw walking across a straight ball from Dale, who took his third wicket when Rhodes failed to clear short fine leg. Batty did well to touch a ball that seamed and bounced, and Powell brilliantly caught Leatherdale at mid-wicket, two-handed diving to his left.

At 155 for seven the Dragons were hardly fired up, but Kabir managed 17, including a six as Croft toppled into an advertising hoarding while holding a brilliant catch at long-off. Kabir was run out, slow to answer a call for a second from Stuart Lampitt. On such a surface the Royals' eventual total of 202 initially looked defendable, but Maynard, James and the weather ensured otherwise.