Impressive Glamorgan clinch ten-wicket win

A typically hard-hit century from overseas batsman Mark Cosgrove and a fine innings from Gareth Rees ensured Glamorgan registered an impressive ten-wicket triumph against Leicestershire on the third day of the LV=County Championship match at Grace Road.

The visitors were set a target of 197 after Leicestershire were bowled out for 71 and made light work of it as their openers were on top form.

Cosgrove was unbeaten on 113 from 111 balls and partner Rees was 73 not out from 93 deliveries.They hit 31 boundaries between them in getting what looked to be a testing target inside 34 overs.

When Leicestershire gained a first-innings lead of 125 yesterday, hopes of a positive result would have been high. However, it all went downhill in the second innings.

James Taylor played well in making an unbeaten 34 but wickets tumbled at the other end as David Harrison (4-17) and James Harris (4-34) wreaked havoc. Taylor lost three partners last night and a further five this morning as the bowlers made hay.

Despite slipping to 45-5 last night, tomorrow is always another day and with Taylor there on 19, there would have been thoughts of batting time and gaining a decent sized lead. The team were hoping for a calm opening period but had a manic opening 45-minute passage instead and it proved costly.

Jigar Naik was first to go in the opening over when Harris trapped him in front leg before. Claude Henderson drove through the covers for four as the score passed 50 but he fell attempting to pull Harrison. The ball sailed high in the air and Tom Maynard took a good catch running backwards at square leg.

Nathan Buck was then well caught at slip by Jim Allenby off a good lifter from Harrison, who ended the match with figures of 8-88, and County were in some bother on 59-8.

Harris came round the wicket to try to unsettle Taylor but the batsman pulled powerfully for four through mid wicket. He then played a drive through the same region as he moved into the thirties.

There was then a disastrous moment as Taylor called through Matthew Hoggard for a single that simply wasn't there. The batsman, who had unfortunately not faced a ball, was well short of his ground when Harris threw down the stumps in his follow through.

Last man Gurney hit over cover for four but was then caught at mid off to end the innings. Taylor, who had battled away for two hours and faced 84 balls, was left unbeaten.

Hoggard and Gurney took the new ball and early wickets were needed to put some nervous thoughts inside the minds of the Glamorgan dressing room.

It didn't materialise and Rees and Cosgrove took control. The runs were still going to get some getting but the batsmen played exceptionally well. Indeed, both left handers found the boundary in the opening overs as Cosgrove hit through cover and Rees wide of mid wicket.

The Australian then punched off the back foot through mid off and Rees also drove squarely. There were early changes as Buck replaced Gurney from the Pavilion End and McDonald took over from the captain at the Bennett End but Cosgrove continued to be aggressive.

The batter found the boundary in Buck's next over and with the score approaching fifty, the slow left arm of Henderson was introduced.

Cosgrove continued to go well though and found the boundary through mid off and backward point in McDonald's fifth over. Rees reverse swept Henderson for four and the duo took the score to 79-0 at lunch.

That left a further 118 required to win after the break and Hoggard started down the hill. Cosgrove drove for four through cover in the opening over and another straight drive bought up a 57-ball fifty. It was his eighth four.

The ninth came just after as Cosgrove glanced down to fine leg and the batsman cut through point in the next over. A no ball bought up the hundred and Rees launched into an odd-looking shot over point as he moved towards his own half-century.

A deft touch from Cosgrove also raced away as the visiting batters asserted their authority. Henderson returned but Cosgrove twice used his feet to good effect to find the ropes and then waited in his crease to the next ball to cut through backward point.

It meant three fours had come from consecutive balls and Cosgrove was well into the seventies. A stroke through cover and a glance off his hips moved Cosgrove towards the nineties.

Rees played another crafty reverse sweep and an advanced drive through mid wicket as the stand passed 150 and played a similar stroke to move to his fifty. It came from 77 balls and his last four was his eighth.

He again found the boundary with two clever reverse sweeps and the victory line was now well within their sights.

Naik was bowling tidily from the Bennett End and Buck then came on for another burst at the Pavilion End. Rees continued to play well though and drove through backward point and cover.

Cosgrove then pulled over mid-wicket to move to a 104-ball century with his seventeenth four. He then swept in front of square as the target was reduced to single figures.

A powerful pull for four from Cosgrove finished the game and the Dragons went away with 19 points. Leicestershire need to regroup quickly ahead of the Championship game against Middlesex on Saturday.

The start of the Friends Provident t20 tournament then comes around on Wednesday so it is important that Leicestershire wipe this from the memory banks and go again.