England v South Africa, Cardiff, 24/08/12

It was a disappointingly damp and dismal scene that greeted both the players and supporters of England and South Africa at Cardiff's SWALEC Stadium, which meant that only 5.3 overs were possible in the 1st one day international between the countries. 

 

 

Play eventually got under way at 3pm.

South Africa take the field

Cook and Bell open up

 

 



The lights on in the gloom

Alistair Cook

England v South Africa, Third Test, Day 3, Lords, 18/08/12

In a mini heatwave affecting London (the temperature was in excess of 30C), Day 3 of the Lords Test was fairly even, although of course by Monday evening, South Africa had won the Test Match, won the series 2-0 and gone to the top of the world Test rankings.

England battled their way to a small 1st Innings lead, and had taken some South African wickets by Saturday's close, although ultimately it has to be said that the Proteas were worthy winners of the series.

Scorecard

Pics

The start of the Saturday of the Lords Test - there's really nothing like it

England battle on...

Morne Morkel in the field

England close in on their total

A very popular meeting with Mark Ramprakash in the lunch interval!

Former Glamorgan captain, Alviro Petersen

England draw level...

...and pass South Africa

Johnny Bairstow, who was out for 95 unfortunately

Stephen Finn

Graeme Smith, South Africa's captain

Jonathan Trott

Alviro Petersen, batting

The masterful Jacques Kallis

Hashim Amla, the series top scorer

Kallis, rock solid

The shadows lengthen at the end of an excellent day

The Who at the Olympics Closing Ceremony

The set is available here:

What a pity we had to sit through 3 hours of dross before it.

Glamorgan v Hampshire, Pro 40, Cardiff, 10/08/12

Glamorgan's final home one day game of 2012 was a shocking 107 run defeat to Hampshire, as usual our very worst displays reserved for an appearance on Sky Sports.

Undisciplined in the closing overs in the field, and then lacking strategy and backbone when batting, the defeat put pay to Glam's chances of qualifying from the group stage of the Pro 40.

Scorecard

John Glover bowling....

...and rehydrating on a rare sultry summer's day in 2012

Riazuddin getting caught at mid on off Dean Cosker

The lights come on at the start of Glam's run chase

Allenby works one away

The SWALEC Stadium looked great, just a shame about the display

Warwickshire v Worcestershire, LVCC1, Day 2, Edgbaston 09/08/12

Taking the opportunity of a free day and some gloriously sunny August weather, I made my first trip to the revamped Edgbaston to watch some Division 1 Championship cricket.

I've always liked Edgbaston as a spectating ground, a good bowl and plenty of viewing points, but am less enthused about the local support who've never been particularly friendly to visiting Glamorgan fans.

Nonetheless, with free street parking and £10 on the gate, it was well worth a visit, as Warwickshire turned the day around with a gutsy display worthy of potential champions, although it didn't look that way as Worcestershire's bowlers made regular inroads in the first hour.

The new ground is impressive with the Pavilion End having been completely modernised.

Scorecard.

The new pavilion and media centre from the City End

Jim Troughton faces Alan Richardson...

...and Chris Powell

More new stands

The view from the old Press Box stand

A decent arena now



By the end of the day, Warwickshire has reasserted dominance...

needing another 200 to win, which they duly did the next day

Glamorgan v Notts, Pro 40, St Helens, Swansea, 050812

An excellent five days cricket at St Helens, Swansea, ended with a 2nd win for Glamorgan, as Nottinghamshire failed to chase down 33 in 3 overs to get a rain revised target.

Glamorgan's total owed much to the efforts of Ben Wright (62) and Marcus North (61) who put on a decent partnership after the home side had been reduced to 88 for 5.

Scorecard and report

Samit Patel bowls to Mark Wallace

Stephen Mullaney

Luke Fletcher bowls

Marcus North works a single away

Andy Carter

England T20 opener, Alex Hales

Croft bowls for Glamorgan before the rain came

Glamorgan v Gloucestershire, St Helens, Swansea, 01-04/08/12

In what has been widely described as Robert Croft's last first class game at his beloved St Helen's (although you wouldn't bet on it), the veteran off spinning master mopped up the last 4 Gloucestershire wickets on the final afternoon to give Glamorgan a hard earned victory by 26 runs.

A Glamorgan win looked pretty unlikely on the first day as the usual batting collapse left the home side in dire straits at 58/6.

But some indifferent bounce, and a spinning surface from the off, were always going to produce a result if the weather held (and it did in defiance of forecasts).

Scorecard and report

Jim Allenby bats...

 

...as does Mark Wallace

Forecast defying weather on the Swansea coast

 

Allenby picking up Rob Nicol after lunch on Day 2

St Helen's, still a fine setting

 

Crofty, now the longest serving first class pro...

 

...mopping up the final wickets on Day 4...

...whirling away...

...and the final ball...

ID Saxelby c Cosker b Croft 3

...and a victory at last

To quote David Hopps on Twitter:

"Crofty wins his last championship game at Swansea with four wickets in 23 balls and minutes to spare. That's not rain, that's tears, that is"

Magic. See it here