GLAMORGAN SEIZE THE INITIATIVE by Marcus Hook
Glamorgan 363-8 v Surrey.

Thanks to two sizeable partnerships, Glamorgan seized the initiative on day two against Surrey by making 363-8 in what has, in effect, become a three-day contest, with rain and bad light putting paid to most of Saturday's play at the SWALEC stadium. Mark Cosgrove and Gareth Rees's opening stand of 135 in 32 overs set the tone. But the visitors' counter-attack was brought to a shuddering halt in the evening session thanks to an assured seventh-wicket alliance worth 107 in 35 overs between Mark Wallace and James Harris.

Cosgrove, who survived two confident lbw appeals on the foreshortened opening day, punched the second ball of day two, bowled by Chris Tremlett, through the leg-side for four. An over later, the Australian left-hander despatched Tim Linley to the rope at deep cover.

In the 14th over, Cosgrove, on 20, was dropped at first slip by Gareth Batty off the luckless Linley. Cosgrove marked his reprieve by driving the former Sussex seamer, one handed, over backward point for four. Four overs later, Linley was on the receiving end again when Cosgrove despatched him through the leg-side for two further boundaries.

Meanwhile, Rees was going about his business efficiently, pulling Jade Dernbach for four in the 21st over. Two overs later, Cosgrove edged Dernbach through the vacant third slip position for four. In the 24th over, he flicked Stuart Meaker through the on-side to bring up a 74-ball half-century with his ninth boundary.

Two overs later, the portly-looking 25-year-old brought up the hundred for the hosts with an authoritative drive through extra cover off Meaker. In the 30th over, Cosgrove moved to 77 by hitting Batty for a six and two fours. But, then, Meaker got the first ball of his fourth over to nip back and hit the top of Cosgrove's off stump.

With Meaker bowling Jamie Dalrymple off an inside edge for 11, Surrey went to lunch with a slight spring in their step. They were soon brought back down to earth, however, when Rees pulled Meaker for four and Ben Wright took four fours off Linley in the 44th over to make it 180-2.

Rees progressed to his fifty, which came from 155 balls and included just five boundaries, in the next over. But, five overs later, Wright fended short ball from Dernbach to first slip. 204-3 became 218-4 in the 54th over when Tom Maynard, looking to force Dernbach off the back foot, was caught behind.

Jim Allenby announced himself with a straight driven four off Tremlett. Three overs later the 27-year-old all-rounder cut Dernbach to the boundary to make it 234-4. Next ball, however, Allenby was dropped on 11 when Steven Davies floored a hard chance low to his right. In the 61st over, Rees, driving, was caught behind off Tremlett for 86. Four overs later, Allenby was also taken behind when he gloved a rearing delivery from Meaker to Davies.

Glamorgan went to tea on 264-6. Two overs after the break, Wallace pulled Dernbach for four. In the 76th over Harris hit the 24-year-old South African for two successive fours. After a period of containment, Harris despatched Meaker through cover point for four. Later in the same over, the 93rd, Wallace pulled Meaker to the rope at mid-wicket.

In the next over, the Glamorgan wicketkeeper cover drove Dernbach for four. Next ball, Wallace posted a 91-ball half-century. But the day ended well for Surrey when Harris fell just one run short of his fifty, in the 100th over, trying to flick a short ball down the leg-side. Dernbach struck again when Wallace, driving, was caught behind in the last over of the day.

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