Croft's successful role reversal

Derek Hodgsonreports Taunton
Friday 28 April 1995 23:02 BST
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Somerset 277 and 5-0

Glamorgan 405

If Glamorgan are not the best-prepared team in the Championship they are playing suspiciously like it. They dominated a colder, clearer second day and seem likely to add a first first-class victory to their two Benson and Hedges successes.

They first wrapped up the Somerset first innings in 31 minutes and then took full advantage of a dry surface and quick outfield to win a lead of 128, their batsmen showing the form and confidence of the well practiced, Robert Croft, at No 6, having the most memorable day.

Glamorgan started in a rush: 30 runs off six overs, 59 off 10 before Van Troost, off seven paces while his back injury clears, switched ends and fired one through Steve James's defence.

Sandwich-munching Welshmen might have realised their target of 600 by the close but for an excellent spell of nine overs from Graham Rose from the Old Pavilion end. His late swing first restricted the flow then cost Adrian Dale his middle stump before, three overs later, persuading David Hemp to reach to drive and clip to cover. Glamorgan's rate was slowed only temporarily for Matthew Maynard and Croft, disconcerted as they might have been by Mushtaq Ahmed's indefatigable variations, added another 121 in only 28 overs.

Rose returned at the River end to remove Maynard, to a fine catch at backward point, leaving Croft in charge, a responsibility he seized so successfully that he may have changed in this one innings from a bowler who can bat to the reverse. He completed his first Championship 100, and career-best score, in just 117 balls and finished with 143, with 23 fours and two sixes, off just 147 balls.

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