Cricket: Maynard's enterprise pays dividends in end

Glam 351-8 dec & forfeit Notts 31-2 dec & 274 Glamorgan win by 46 runs

THE WINNING habit has tended to elude both of these sides this season, more surprisingly in the case of the champions, Glamorgan, who have conceded that a successful defence of their Britannic Assurance title is probably beyond them now.

Against Nottinghamshire, however, everyone has a chance and the bold captaincy of Matthew Maynard ultimately enabled the Welsh county to secure only their second victory in this season's competition and the first since the opening round.

After rain had washed away virtually all of the first two days, enterprise was needed and Maynard's gained its reward eight overs into the last hour, despite a gallant century from Graeme Archer, only the second by a Nottinghamshire batsman this season.

This was the pay-off for Maynard's decision to forfeit Glamorgan's second innings at stumps on Sunday evening, allowing Paul Johnson's side the whole of the final day to chase 321, which proved enough of a carrot to keep them interested throughout.

Nottinghamshire lost both openers in the first 10 overs as Glamorgan's attack again found help from the pitch and after reaching lunch at 95- 3 suffered an appreciable blow to their ambitions when Johnson fell.

Typically, Johnson had given the chase a significant lift by smiting 40 off only 35 balls, including seven boundaries, only for an ill-judged pull to cost him dear, the ball flying off the top edge to Steve James at gully.

Usman Afzaal hung around doggedly, his 51 spanning more than three hours, but although he was finally snared by Adrian Dale and Chris Tolley then gave his wicket away with a loose glance, the home side were still in the hunt at tea, six down but with 30 overs left to score 131.

The important breakthrough came when a threatening partnership between Archer and the wicketkeeper Chris Read was broken at 55 when Read was caught by Tony Cottey, cleverly placed at leg slip for Darren Thomas.

Cottey was the key figure in the next two dismissals as Nottinghamshire's chance began to fade, running out Evans with a a throw from cover point after Archer's poor call and then holding on to a catch at wide third slip to remove Mark Bowen.

Andy Oram, nursing a rib muscle injury sustained on Sunday, appeared as the home side's last line of defence but in the end survived Archer, who completed his first hundred for two seasons with his 12th four but after clipping his second six over square leg edged Thomas to Croft at first slip.