Miserable Glos slump to defeat

LVCC: Glamorgan 583-9dec. beat Gloucestershire 417 & 162 by an innings and four runs (PTS: Glam 23, Glos 6)

Gloucestershire didn't even put up half a fight on day four at Cardiff. A display of completely spineless batting saw them collapse to a humiliating defeat in a game that should always have been destined for a draw.

For the second time in four years, Glamorgan conceded over 400 in the first innings and went on to win the match. Only twice on the last 20 occasions they have done so.

This was not the day four pitch of old. There were no cracks in the surface, there was no ripping turn, there was no uneven bounce. The wicket played like it had throughout the match - slow and turgid. But once again, Gloucestershire showed no signs of any resistance and conceded 17 points to their promotion rivals.

Gloucestershire's top three in the match contributed 49 runs over two innings; Jon Lewis managed 87 on his own and was still going in the second innings - demonstrating what a simple task batting on this surface was.

There is something seriously lacking in the mental ability of the Gloucestershire batsmen. Two sessions of solid cricket was required to save the match - no more than four wickets before tea would have just about secured a draw. They got nowhere near to that target.

Just 15 minutes had been played before Jon Batty was out for another failure - star signing of the winter I think not. He has to be dropped for the match against Derbyshire starting on Monday. Batty conceded the third highest number of byes in an inning by a Gloucestershire gloveman in this match. Steve Snell filled his boots to a certain extent with 71 in the first innings and must be given another chance with the gloves.

Hamish Marshall was exposed to his major weakness around off stump - this time falling over an ball angled into his pads - and Alex Gidman defied belief when lbw attempting to paddle sweep Dean Cosker: senseless batting from the captain, just when a cool head and a captain's knock was required.

The farce was completed when James Franklin ran out Snell and Lewis repeated the trick calling Anthony Ireland back for a second run. Desperate stuff from Glos and their 12-year winless streak in Cardiff goes on.

Official report: www.gloscricket.co.uk