Glamorgan frustrate Worcestershire to claim draw thanks to Chris Cooke rearguard

The Pears are denied their second win of the Bob Willis Trophy are failing to take the final three visitors' wickets

Worcester (fourth day of four): Worcestershire 455-8 & 276-6d, Glamorgan 374 & 141-7 - match drawn

Scorecard

Glamorgan captain and wicket-keeper Chris Cooke had a day to remember as his side clung on for a draw in the Bob Willis Trophy Central Group encounter with Worcestershire at Blackfinch New Road.

The 34-year-old equalled the Glamorgan record for the most dismissals in a game before his side were set a 358 target in 51 overs by Worcestershire captain Joe Leach.

He then struck an invaluable 74 after the Welsh county had lost three early wickets to ease fears of a spectacular collapse.

Worcestershire probed away throughout a tense final session, with occasional spinner Jake Libby taking two wickets, but Cooke’s defiance, until he perished with 17 balls remaining, proved decisive as Glamorgan closed on 141 for 7.

The home team had to be content with 15 points to add to the 22 picked up in last week’s win over Gloucestershire at Bristol to keep them firmly in contention to qualify from the group and they are only three points behind leaders Somerset.

They again batted with a new-found solidity with Jake Libby’s arrival from Nottinghamshire having already yielded 330 runs from four knocks and a productive partnership with Daryl Mitchell at the top of the order.

On the bowling front, Leach led by example with six wickets in the game – a sterling effort given the flat nature of the pitch and the sweltering conditions. 

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For Glamorgan, the big plus was Root who shepherded his side through troubled waters in the first innings via two century partnerships with Kiran Carlson and Graham Wagg and then shut up shop this afternoon with Cooke long enough to frustrate Worcestershire’s victory hopes.

There was also the encouragement of spinner Kieran Bull sending down 57 overs in the game and picking up four wickets after a lay-off with a back problem.

Worcestershire had resumed on day four on 98 for 2 – an overall lead of 179 – and Mitchell pressed home their advantage with a composed 94.

He had looked set to complete his sixth first-class ton against Glamorgan but then gave Bull the charge just before lunch and was stumped by Cooke. 

The 36-year-old struck 10 fours and faced 163 balls.

Tom Fell (36) had earlier given Mitchell solid support during a third-wicket stand of 85 in 21 overs before he tried to work away a legside delivery from Timm van der Gugten and feathered a low catch to Cooke.

Worcestershire batted on for a further eight overs after lunch and lost Brett D’Oliveira (22) and Riki Wessels (0) to the Cooke-Mark Wagg combination in the same over.

The latter of those scalps enabled Cooke to equal the Glamorgan record for the most dismissals in a game.

It was his ninth victim of the match and only Colin Metson and Mark Wallace had achieved that feat previously for Glamorgan.

Some improvised hitting from Ben Cox (33 not out off 23 balls) and Jack Haynes (30 not out off 41 balls) added 44 in six overs before the declaration.

^{Joe Leach took two wickets but couldn't finish the job}

It left Michael Hogan wicketless in Glamorgan’s second innings and still one dismissal short of his 600th in first-class cricket.

Glamorgan were immediately on the back foot and Joe Leach broke through with his second delivery when Nick Selman (0) was trapped lbw.

He enjoyed another success when Charlie Hemphrey (1) offered no stroke and departed in the same manner.

In between Dillon Pennington accounted for Kiran Carlson who looked to work the ball to leg and outside edged through to keeper Ben Cox.

First innings century-maker Root and Cooke added 82 in 22 overs to calm Glamorgan’s nerves before the former on 34 was caught down the legside off Pennington.

Cooke went onto complete his fifty from 78 balls with his 10th four.

Charlie Morris gave Worcestershire another ray of hope when Tom Cullen (17) went lbw with still 12.5 overs remaining.

Then Dan Douthwaite (0) became the fourth leg before victim of the innings in the next over to give Libby his first wicket for his new county but Cooke stood firm until he pushed half forward to Libby and saw the ball roll back onto his stumps.

His 133 ball knock contained 11 fours.

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