Date-stamped : 03 Jun97 - 06:16 James on the attack again By Edward Bevan at Cardiff First day of four: Glamorgan 433-3 v Durham STEVE JAMES and Hugh Morris have averaged 44 as an opening pair for Glamorgan since 1992, and their consistency was again evident yesterday as they posted a first-wicket stand of 229 on a placid Sophia Gardens pitch. Durham`s bowlers made little impression and James raced to a century by lunch, when Glamorgan had reached 169 without loss. England selector David Graveney arrived shortly before the interval, no doubt casting an approving eye on the opening pair who are the country`s leading scorers despite recent wet weather which had deprived Glamorgan of the equivalent of six days` play in their previous four games. James, whose aggregate last season was bettered only by Graham Gooch, has again made a productive start to the campaign with scores of 50 or over in his seven championship innings. He devoured the medium-pacers, striking most of his 26 fours through the off side with perfect timing, while he countered James Boiling`s off-spin by using his feet and clipping the bowler wide of mid-on despite the presence of six on- side fielders. When he drove a low return catch to Boiling shortly before 3pm James had faced 185 balls, but Morris then went on to score his 51st first-class hundred. The Glamorgan left-hander, in his 17th first-class season, followed an unbeaten double-century on this ground last month with another faultless innings which included 18 boundaries as Glamorgan gained their fourth batting point in the 89th over. There was little respite for Durham`s weary bowlers as Adrian Dale (73) maintained the momentum of the innings after tea and, with Matthew Maynard (47 not out) ready to resume this morning, Glamorgan could surpass their highest championship total of 587 for eight declared - against Derbyshire in 1951. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Glamorgan gala led by Maynard By Edward Bevan at Cardiff Second day of four: Durham (230-6) trail Glamorgan (597-8 dec) by 367 runs DESPITE a partnership of 140 for the sixth wicket between David Boon (66) and Mike Foster (66 not out), Durham still face the prospect of an innings defeat unless they produce a bet- ter batting perfor- mance over the remaining two days. Boon, who batted for 50 overs, appeared to have set his stall to continue this morning but Waqar Younis produced the perfect yorker to shatter his stumps in the day`s penultimate over. Earlier, Glamorgan had posted their highest total in first- class cricket on the day their former players held their annual re- union. They surpassed by 10 runs their score against Derbyshire at the Arms Park in 1951, although Jim Pleass, the secretary of the Asso- ciation, recalled yesterday that he was run out in that game for nought by the late Wilfred Wooller. Matthew Maynard led the onslaught, when Glamorgan resumed at 433, reaching his first 100 of the season from 108 balls, 18 de- liv- eries quicker than Steve James, who scored 100 before lunch the pre- vious day. For Durham, Paul Collingwood struck two leg-side boundaries off Waqar before he pulled a short delivery to the fielder placed there the previous over. Durham soon subsided to 81 for five after Steve Watkin dis- missed Jonathan Lewis and John Morris in seven deliveries then Nick Speak fended a bouncer from Waqar to the wicketkeeper. Boon and Foster set about rebuilding the innings with Boon watchful in defence but eager to dispatch anything off line. Foster, who scored a half century in the previous game, survived a difficult caught and bowled chance to Robert Croft but other- wise dealt capably with an accurate attack. Boon reached 50 from 135 balls before Foster celebrated his ca- reer-best score by hooking Waqar for six then pulling suc- ces- sive deliveries to fine leg. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Foster builds spirit in Boon`s Army By Geoffrey Dean at Cardiff Third day of four: Durham (345 & 142-4) trail Glamorgan (597-8 dec) by 110 runs FOLLOWING on is hardly a new experience for Durham, but hun- dreds from their No 7 are collectors` items. Michael Foster`s yesterday was, therefore, particularly gratifying, especially as the 24-year- old Yorkshireman had only made his first champi- onship fifty last weekend against Worcestershire. That he also came to the wicket at 81 for five in the face of Glamorgan`s highest total made his maiden hundred all the more laudable. The reassuring sight of David Boon at the other end was an obvious help. The pair added 140 before Boon fell late on Friday evening but Foster had only the tail to bat with when he resumed on 66 yes- terday morning. His no-nonsense approach was appropriate for a 6ft 2in 15-stoner nicknamed The Bear. Foster is one of those batsmen who likes to stand there and hit the ball, an aptly untiring method for someone who includes among his recreations walking his dog and drinking. Newcastle United is another of his passions, which gives him dual member- ship of the Toon and Boon Armies. Durham is his third county and he quipped before the start of the season that his sights were set on the record of four. Many more innings like this one, and Durham will be his last county, though his claims to all-round status were rejected by one ex-Glamorgan player who compared him to a pie-thrower. That might be a tad unfair given that plenty of bowlers can look like pie-throwers on pitches as flat as this one. It has al- so had the effect of making every ball used in the match go soft "like an orange" according to James Boiling. The slowness of the wicket ex- plained why Foster was prepared to take Waqar Younis on, pulling and hook- ing the Pakistani when he banged it in short. Foster clobbered 15 fours, four in one over from Dean Cosker, and hit three sixes, all straight off the spin- ners. With Waqar unable to get any significant reverse swing, Durham, were able to get within five runs of maximum batting points. Sent back in again, they soon lost both openers. But lose or draw this match, their new-found optimism will have been enhanced by Foster. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Waqar fires up the dormant Welsh dragon By Edward Bevan at Cardiff Glamorgan (597-8 dec) bt Durham (345 & 244) by an innings and eight runs GLAMORGAN`S comprehensive win in Cardiff yesterday elevated them to the top of the county championship table, a position the Welsh county last occupied in June 1993, when they finished third under the leadership of Hugh Morris. Matthew Maynard, who succeeded Morris at the start of last season, believes that this team have "a slight edge" on the side of four years ago, which included Viv Richards as their overseas player. "It is interesting to compare Viv and Waqar Younis," said Maynard. "Each was the main catalyst in the team, but Waqar has given us an extra dimension with the ball and has al- ready made a huge impact. "I suppose if this team played against the `93 side I would back them to win three games out of 10, lose one and draw the other six." Glamorgan have certainly made an encouraging start in their five games this season, despite the rain which deprived them of a win against Warwickshire in the opening game. Only 34 overs were bowled on the last two days, with the oppo- sition struggling to avoid an innings defeat. There were dark clouds hovering over Sophia Gardens yesterday morning when Durham resumed on 142 for four, needing a further 110 runs to avoid an innings defeat. Waqar and Robert Croft soon dispelled any thoughts of prolonged resistance from Durham`s batsmen by cap- turing a wicket apiece in the opening five overs. James Boiling, who batted for two hours for 10 not out in the first innings, edged Croft`s drifter to slip, then Martin Speight was beaten for pace by Waqar, who knocked back his off stump. The only resistance came from John Morris (149) who, fol- lowing last season`s dis- asters, struck his first champi- onship hundred since September 1995, when Durham last won a cham- pionship game. Morris hit 22 boundaries and his colleagues would have done well to emulate him as he adapted perfectly to an easy-paced pitch which gave little encouragement to the bowlers. Steve Watkin soon dismissed Mike Foster and David Cox, who prodded a catch to gully from his first ball. Croft then disposed of Si- mon Brown, who sliced his arm ball to slip. Morris batted for 4.25 hours and faced 297 balls. He eventual- ly succumbed to the wiles of Waqar, who completed a match haul of seven wickets. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Contributed by The Management (help@cricinfo.com)