By Ralph Dellor at Chelmsford
First day of four: Essex (23-1) trail Glamorgan (288) by 265 runs
WHEN Glamorgan were 106 for one in the 22nd over against bottom-of-the-table, injury-depleted Essex, Matthew Maynard must have been congratulating himself on winning a crucial toss.
Only the sunshine was blazing away with more purpose than Wayne Law who had hit 13 fours in a 68-ball innings at a run a ball from a stunning array of quality strokes, while Adrian Dale was providing the soundest of support at the other end.
It was at this point that the Glamorgan batsmen hit the self-destruct button and not until a gritty and determined last-wicket partnership of 58 between Andrew Davies and Owen Parkin pulled them out of a spectacular nose-dive did the bowlers meet substantial resistance.
Peter Such had begun wheeling away with his off-breaks from the River End to bowl the 14th over of the innings. After a flurry of shots from Law, Such was soon employing subtle variations of flight, turn and angle to work his way through the order. Neil Williams solved the seam-bowling crisis at the other end to pick up his best return of the season.
It was as well he did, because Ronnie Irani was below his best while bowling with a cracked finger, Mark Ilott limped off with a hamstring strain, and Danny Law also retired suffering from what looked like cramp. It was Such who ended the innings with his fifth wicket, six hours after he bowled his first ball in an unbroken spell of 39.2 overs.
Day 2: Sunshine inspires Irani to let loose
By Ralph Dellor at Chelmsford
Second day of four: Glamorgan (288 & 20-1) lead Essex (260) by 48 runs
The belated appearance of high summer in Chelmsford did little to inspire an Essex batting line-up missing key personnel through injury and Test calls. Take Nasser Hussain, Stuart Law and Paul Prichard out of most county batting orders and there would be a shortage of sparkle. Add confidence to the list of absentees and the plain fare served up needed the sunshine to became acceptable entertainment.
The overnight pair of Darren Robinson and Tim Hodgson appeared in little trouble early on against misdirected bowling. It was not until the fifth over of the morning that the first runs were scored, largely because so much could be left alone. Owen Parkin received an official warning for running down the pitch six overs later and within a couple of balls claimed Robinson lbw.
Hodgson was joined by Ronnie Irani who quickly put bat to ball. While his young partner studiously played his way through his first Championship innings of the season, Irani was in a positive frame of mind with a six and seven fours as he scorched to his fifty in 78 balls. When he was out two balls later to a well-judged catch at deep mid-wicket as he swept Robert Croft, much of the entertainment value of the day went with him.
Paul Grayson, captaining his adopted county for the first time in Championship cricket, was never in danger of being confused with Irani. Nevertheless, his patient innings provided the necessary substance to the middle order at a time when it was needed, while the tail proved both obdurate and productive.
Steve James passed his thousand first-class runs for the season when Glamorgan batted again, though he lost his opening partner, Wayne Law, to a catch behind.
Day 3: James hits flawless century
By Ralph Dellor at Chelmsford
Third day of four: Essex (260 & 40-2) trail Glamorgan (288 & 371-5 dec) by 359 runs
THE objective for Essex was to make it as difficult as possible for Glamorgan to score their runs in the hope of a reasonable declaration. On a still very good pitch and against some even better batting, it was not an easy strategy to apply.
Glamorgan could thank their Test opener Steve James for putting them into such a commanding position. The day after Mark Butcher cemented his place in the England team with his Headingley century, James showed again what a good professional he is by reaching another big hundred without offering a chance.
He was kept good company by nightwatchman Dean Cosker in a century partnership for the second wicket. Cosker succumbed to Paul Grayson's first ball when he was bowled round his legs, bringing in Adrian Dale who shared an imposing stand of 169 in 39 overs with James.
Dale raced to 82 before driving into the covers, and James followed next over for an excellent 147 when Grayson clean bowled him.
Essex were eventually left the unlikely target of 400 in a minimum of 114 overs. But any lingering hopes they had of a third championship win this season virtually disappeared with the loss of two wickets before the close.
Day 4: Youth proves too much for Essex
By Edward Bevan at Chelmsford
Glamorgan (288 & 371-5 dec) beat Essex (260 & 183) by 216 runs
ESSEX remain anchored at the bottom of the championship after they lost their sixth game of the season by the comprehensive margin of 216 runs against Glamorgan here with 24 overs of the final day remaining.
Although both teams were without leading players, Essex were outplayed from the moment they trailed by 28 runs on the first innings.
In contrast to their championship-winning squad of only 14 last summer, Glamorgan have been beset by injuries this year and have used 17 players, including nine opening combinations.
To lose Waqar Younis with an elbow injury after only four championship games was a huge blow, while Steve James, Robert Croft and Matthew Maynard have all missed games through injury or Test calls.
They were also without Steve Watkin for this game but the absence of senior players during the season has given the younger brigade opportunities in the first team with impressive performances justifying their inclusion.
In only five championship innings Wayne Law, a 19-year-old opener from Llanelli has played - according to an eminent former Glamorgan bowler - ``like a young Roy Marshall''.
Law, an uninhibited stroke-player, struck a superb 131 against Lancashire two weeks ago - hitting the last two balls before lunch for four and six - and in this game galloped to 68 from the same number of balls.
Michael Powell is another young batsman of high quality while Andrew Davies, 22, a medium-pacer who swings the ball late at a brisk pace, twice dismissed Nick Knight at Edgbaston last week.
Essex faced the daunting task of scoring a further 359 runs to win but soon lost Darren Robinson, who drove loosely to cover in Davies' opening over.
Glamorgan were then held up by Ronnie Irani and nightwatchman Mark Ilott, who emulated Dean Cosker's performance the previous day and showed that a straight bat and unwavering concentration were sufficient for survival on the slow pitch.
They remained together for 22 overs until Irani, forsaking his natural aggressive instincts, prodded Cosker to bat-pad.
Croft was gaining appreciable turn and then dismissed Paul Grayson on the stroke of lunch when the Essex captain drove him to short mid-on.
Ilott, who had resisted for 2.25 hours, scoring only 13, then fell in the first over after lunch when he dragged one from Adrian Dale on to his stumps.
There was some resistance from Stephen Peters and Neil Williams, who put on 55 for the ninth wicket before both were out in the space of seven overs.