Essex endure miserable day in the field (From Gazette)

Essex endure miserable day in the field

10:13am Thursday 9th July 2009 in

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Michael Powell helped Glamorgan pile on the runs against Essex on the second day of their LV County Championship Division One match at Chelmsford.

Powell's 102, his second century of the summer, paved the way for a total of 515 for nine declared - to which Essex replied with 34 for none before the close.

On a pitch that offered bowlers very little in the way of encouragement, Powell seldom experienced an anxious moment as he recorded his fourth century against Essex and the 25th of his first-class career.

He reached his hundred from 157 balls, with the aid of 16 fours, and looked so at ease that it came as something of a surprise when he guided a straightforward catch to John Maunders in the gully off seamer Graham Napier.

Glamorgan had resumed on 155 for three and added a further 55 before nightwatchman Adam Shantry was bowled by off-spinner James Middlebrook - a dismissal that gave visiting captain Jamie Dalrymple a chance to confirm his good form.

He did so by scoring 50 with the help of half-a-dozen boundaries, the seventh occasion he has reached the milestone in 10 championship innings this season.

Even allowing for the slow nature of the pitch, Essex did not help their cause with some undisciplined bowling as the visitors were able to score freely to post their highest total of the summer.

Mark Wallace and Robert Croft ensured further toil for the home attack, while James Harris added an unbeaten 76.

Those runs came from 84 deliveries, with two sixes and 11 fours, and he shared in an unbroken last-wicket stand of 63 in seven overs with Garnett Kruger — whose contribution was 28.

Napier, Chris Wright and Ryan ten Doeschate each conceded more than 100 runs. But Napier did emerge with the satisfaction of claiming three wickets, along with Middlebrook.

The only crumb of comfort for Essex was that openers Varun Chopra and Maunders were able to steer clear of trouble in the 10 overs they were forced to negotiate.

But the home side still have an uphill task to reach the 366 needed to avoid being asked to follow on