Worcestershire enjoyed a strong opening day in their two-day warm-up fixture against Glamorgan at Sophia Gardens, with both bat and ball, showcasing valuable early-season form ahead of the competitive campaign.
Opting to bat first in chilly Cardiff conditions, the Pears posted a commanding 334 for 8 declared in 80 overs. Openers Gareth Roderick and Jake Libby laid a solid foundation with a composed stand, Roderick compiling a patient 39 (95 balls) before falling lbw to Kellaway, while Libby retired out on 75 (127 balls) after a fluent innings featuring 14 boundaries.
There were useful contributions throughout the middle order. Kashif Ali (30) and Adam Hose (13) looked to counter-attack but fell in quick succession, while Brett D’Oliveira (22) played with characteristic flair before falling to a return catch off Bevan.
A powerful lower-order effort, led by Matthew Waite’s unbeaten 57 off 64 balls, gave Worcestershire strong momentum. Ethan Brookes (31) and Tom Taylor (16) also chipped in, while Ben Allison closed the innings with a brisk unbeaten 19. Glamorgan shared the wickets around, with Carlson (2-34) and Bevan (2-30) the pick of the bowlers.
In reply, Glamorgan’s top order was rocked by a fiery burst from Ben Allison, who tore through the hosts with a superb spell of 4-3-1-3. He removed Byrom, Northeast, and Carlson in quick succession to leave the home side reeling at 16 for 3 at the close of play.
Tom Taylor supported well at the other end, bowling four tidy overs for just 10 runs. Glamorgan’s Zain ul Hassan remained unbeaten on 6, providing a rare positive in an otherwise difficult end to the day for the Welsh side.
With 16 wickets falling across the day and Worcestershire firmly in control, Day Two promises further opportunities for the bowlers and some potential time in the middle for the remainder of Glamorgan’s line-up.
