Photo By Beefy

By Constance
August 23 2009

Many thanks to Constance, reporting on debut from Swansea. Unfortunately her internet access there performed in Middlesex fashion (it seemed to be working fine but actually failed at the vital moment) so her excellent Day One report has arrived after Beefy's Day Two report. But it is an excellent report and I hope the first of many from this new MTWD source of reporting talent.

Modern grounds are all very well in their own way, and the Swalec Stadium,  is a pretty good modern ground. But after the pleasure of a Middlesex win, and a morning journey through driving rain from Cardiff to Swansea, there was a pleasant homely feeling to arrive at a slightly ramshackle ground like St Helens, Swansea.

Doors that don’t open properly, taps that don’t work, uneven terracing, coffee in polystyrene cups, a scoreboard that is really hard to read and no clock in the ground all represent something about the timeless enchantment of county cricket.   And any place can be forgiven its shortcomings when you have a blue sky, warm sunshine, a gorgeous blue/green sea, and there are no big modern stands to stop your views of  wind surfers, kite flyers, dog walkers, and at the close of play, a most stunning rainbow with a pot of gold somewhere in the deep ocean.

My meticulous research for this match report led me to the scorecard for the game two years ago, which was over in four and a bit sessions, and where Glamorgan were 9 wickets down at the first lunch break.  With the Welsh batting first after heavy rain, and with cloud and wind about, there were some hopes about something similar, especially after the first few overs when accurate bowling from Murtagh and Finn beat the bat regularly and most of Glamorgan’s runs seemed to come from edges.

It took about seven overs for the first serious shot from the Glamorgan openers, and they were not helped by a pudding of an outfield that turned likely looking boundaries into twos or threes, and some committed Middlesex fielding. In spite of attacking fields with often only or two out fielders Glamorgan made painfully slow progress and the first boundary of Tim Murtagh was forty five minutes in the coming.

But it took an inspired bowling change to take the first wicket when Gareth Berg came on from the sea end and took a wicket in his first over. Inspired by this the skipper brought himself on, was hammered for four by Herschelle Gibbs first ball and than induced a catch to Sam Robson. Not quite nine wickets but two down when a passing shower led to an early lunch was a decent enough start. And is the wicket taking spin already?

There was time then for a very pleasant lunch in the St Helen’s Lounge which, unlike the Swalec’s swanky members’ area, actually has a view of the playing area. Because of the time difference in Wales we could also see something of the Test match post lunch and try and work out how to convince Andy Strauss that intervals are not really intervals so he won’t keep getting out just after resumptions.

Back in Swansea the afternoon session was marked by a speedy spell from Steve Finn taking two wickets in quick succession –  and then with the spin twins bowling a good deal of the afternoon, smart close catching accounting for a steady procession of Glamorgan batsman.

There was a dogged but not entirely convincing innings by Jamie Dalyrymple and the odd rain shower that was over as soon as the players had left the field, and many, many half chances, especially off Shaun Udal’s bowling. Tea at 168-7 with an extra over bowled was quite satisfactory. But can we make sure we do not allow Glamorgan to recover? My confidence in this is not helped when by someone helpfully stating that the Glamorgan no 11 – Shantry scored a century in a recent game! And Croft is still in – he has hung about many times against us.

Just after tea there is another short rain shower. As the players come out after it has passed I am sure I heard JD ask the Glamorgan 12th man to bring him some new raspberries.  Is this a Welsh euphemism for gloves which was what he actually wanted or had I got water in my ears?

Either way he proceeded to thump two boundaries of a Udal over, in spite of an even slower outfield, before Kartik gets him out in between no balls. How can he bowl no balls when he hardly has a run up! In fact he doesn’t run up; he strolls up – how can he bowl no balls!!

We have been fortunate so far not to lose any play but there is a prolonged shower which gives us another chance to watch England’s decline in the test and to ponder some of the more important questions of the day so far:

• What is in the pink bottle that David Burton brought out at one point?
• How many times will Burton bring out drinks, helmets, sweaters and than come out to collect them again?
• Why do people wear MCC ties when they are watching Middlesex away?
• How many different coloured bendy buses are there in Swansea;
• Why are there no pigeons in Swansea? (do they know something about Dawid Malan’s batting?)
• What does the Welsh dinning (SIC) club do?
• Why does a sign for refreshments point directly to a dustbin?

Swansea, now there's a land that I've heard of

With no answers to any of these questions, there is a last attempt to bowl the final overs but a final torrential shower ends that hope, although the day ends in bright sunshine and that most delightful rainbow. Who will find the pot of gold?