Yesterday, at Swansea, three partnerships of substance, in particular the 119-run stand in 38 overs for Glamorgan's seventh wicket between Nicky Peng and Alex Wharf, served to frustrate table-topping Surrey.

When the pair came together, the visitors, holding a lead of two hundred, needed four more quick wickets to pave the way for a near certain sixth win in seven championship outings. But then Peng, the former Durham batsman, who, on his debut, was hailed by Adam Hollioake as one of the best talents the former Surrey skipper had ever seen, registered his highest score since becoming an honorary Welshman. He was ably abetted by Wharf, who contributed 60 off 103 balls including a mighty six off Nayan Doshi.

To further irk the Brown Caps, Robert Croft and David Harrison combined for 29 overs late in the day to put on 88 runs for the ninth wicket, which gave their side a slender first innings advantage.

After Ian Salisbury had been bowled by Wharf, thus denying Surrey a fourth batting point, Glamorgan started brightly in the shape of Mark Cosgrove and Ryan Watkins, who put on 82 the first wicket before the hosts were reduced to 147 for six.

Cosgrove warmed a sparse Swansea crowd with 63 from 64 balls - the 22-year-old's sixth championship half-century of the summer - which included nine fours plus sixes over third man, off Mohammad Akram, and straight, off Nayan Doshi. But Rikki Clarke's introduction to the attack saw the 24-year-old claim the scalps of the two openers in successive overs.

Watkins was caught behind and Cosgrove fell to a low catch at mid-off by Mark Ramprakash. Briefly unmoved, the Australian's departure was eventually confirmed by square leg umpire Neil Bainton.

After lunch Doshi ripped out the middle order with a spell of three wickets for 10 runs in 25 balls that left the home side 52 runs shy of the follow-on figure and in some disarray.

David Hemp, who was dropped in the deep by Akram off the bowling of Doshi on nought before surviving two run-out attempts, had his undistinguished innings ended when he picked out Ramprakash at mid-wicket. The dangerous Michael Powell was then caught off bat and pad at silly point, before Richard Grant was bowled through the gate to become Doshi's one-hundredth first-class victim. Not to be outdone, Salisbury struck in the next over when he trapped Mark Wallace in front.

But then Peng and Wharf dug in. Both moved to their fifties in the first over after tea - Wharf from 80 balls and Peng from 112 - before falling in the same over, from Akram. Peng was leg before for 59 and Wharf was snapped up at mid-wicket.

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