Glamorgan were 87/2 when bad light brought an early finish in mid-afternoon followed by a snow and hailstorm on the final day of their Specsavers County Championship match at Derby, with the game ending in a draw (writes Andrew Hignell).
Afternoon Update
Glamorgan resumed after lunch on 47/2 with Andy Carter and Wes Durston sharing the bowling honours. Rudolph struck the first four of the session as he caressed Andy Carter off the back foot through point before next over clipping the flame-haired paceman to mid-wicket as the lead moved past the 100-mark.
Chris Cooke also on-drove Carter for four before Matt Critchley’s leg-spin was introduced, with a large bank of dark cloud also appearing over the ground and light rain starting to fall. The overhead conditions also prompted the floodlights being turned on but conditions were still sufficiently murky for the umpires to take the players off the field.
It was a wise decision as a few minutes later snow and hailstones started to fall out of the leaden skies, and within minutes there was more white than green on the outfield as the 3aaa ground resembled a scene from a Christmas card. Thunder and lightning then followed as the storm passed over the ground.
An early tea was taken at 3.10pm and with the precipitation having eased, the umpires decided to inspect at 3.45pm.But the outfield was still saturated and as they were heading back to the pavilion to tell the captains the match was over, a few more flurries of snow fell.
Lunchtime Report
If this were a one-day contest, Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons” would be the most appropriate musical accompaniment because yesterday the players, officials and hardy supporters all experienced Winter, Spring, Summer and Autumn during the space of seven hours of playing time as Derbyshire ended the day on 331/9, just 46 runs behind the Welsh county. During the morning session, glorious sunshine had bathed the 3aa ground, before a combination of rain, sleet and snow during the rest of the day as the weather gods played a full hand in proceedings which saw the loss of a further 33 overs from the schedule.
There were a few flakes of snow and drizzle in the air at the scheduled start time of 11am, prompting a short delay and the loss of two overs. With batting points still available, Tom Poynton and Andy Carter garnered some one’s and two’s against Michael Hogan and Timm van der Gugten, with the latter also having Carter dropped in the slips. The Derbyshire number 11 celebrated by on-driving the Dutchman for four but next over he miscued a swat against Hogan and Graham Wagg at deep extra cover held onto the skier.
With a first innings lead of 32 runs, Jacques Rudolph and James Kettleborough began Glamorgan’s second innings, with the latter striking the first boundary as he clipped Tony Palladino to the mid-wicket boundary. He then square-cut Luke Fletcher before Rudolph off-drove Palladino for four. Kettleborough struck further fours as he twice dispatched Palladino through mid-wicket but in Fletcher’s next over, and with the total on 26, he shouldered arms and for the second time in the match was bowled.
Will Bragg announced his arrival by steering a short ball from Carter through point before cover driving Fletcher. Rudolph then clipped Crater to fine-leg for four before Wes Durston entered the attack at the City End. The off-spinner struck in his second over as Bragg was adjudged l.b.w.