Steve James - captain's knock for Glamorgan Photo CricInfo

On a Grace Road pitch that delivered less to the batsman than it appeared to promise at the outset, Glamorgan Dragons successfully defended a total of 194 for six to defeat Leicestershire Foxes by 45 runs in their Division One match in the Norwich Union League. The telling innings was played by the Dragons' skipper Steve James, and spin played its part for both teams, with Dean Cosker and Robert Croft both enjoying success for the visitors.

The Foxes began their pursuit of the Dragons' total with a terrible mix-up, as Trevor Ward called Iain Sutcliffe for a sharp single after the left-hander dropped the ball down on the off-side. Sutcliffe initially failed to respond, and as he tried to get back Ward was well beaten by Jonathan Hughes' throw to the bowler's end. After six overs the Foxes were seven for one. A brilliant opening spell by Michael Kasprowicz contributed to the batsmen's discomfort, but the left-handed Sutcliffe eventually got off the mark from his 19th ball, with four through mid-wicket, and Stevens struck his first boundary through extra cover. After 15 overs the Foxes were 49 for one to the Dragons' 63 for two.

A half-chance to Robert Croft at mid-wicket from Darren Stevens brought up the 50 partnership, but Croft held on to something much simpler in the same position as a fretting Stevens clipped Adrian Dale there, departing for 21. As spin was introduced in the form of Dean Cosker, a misunderstanding between Sutcliffe and Grant Flower almost led to another run-out. Dale won an lbw decision against Flower as the Zimbabwean tried to work him to leg, and with the required rate approaching six an over the Dragons were back in the hunt. Dale made it three from 12 balls by trapping Maddy lbw to leave the Foxes on 80 for four in the 27th over.

Vince Wells counter-attacked with two off-side boundaries, and Sutcliffe was the beneficiary as Croft missed another difficult chance at mid-wicket. Sutcliffe was given the benefit of the doubt in a hairline stumping decision off Cosker, and celebrated with another off-driven boundary. Dale finished his nine-over spell with excellent figures of three for 28, and Croft came on in the 33rd over. The ploy immediately paid dividends, as Croft deceived Wells by fractionally delaying the release of the ball, and the Foxes skipper was bowled as he played too early.

Dean Cosker's arm ball then accounted for Sutcliffe, whose watchful innings of 57 came to an end as he came down the wicket, missed and was smartly stumped by Mark Wallace. With the required rate now over seven an over, Neil Burns was run out attempting a non-existent single to Hughes at cover. Andrew Davies returned to bowl Phil DeFreitas middle-and-off as he played across the line, and the writing was on the wall. Jamie Grove played on to Croft first ball, and a run out ended it with Leicestershire on 149.

When Steve James won the toss at the start, he was surely hoping for more than 194, but despite his own knock there were no weighty contributions from his team-mates. Darren Thomas was the next highest scorer, with a useful unbeaten 28 at the end of the innings. There were just twelve boundaries, four of which were scored by Robert Croft, who made 24 off 42 balls at the top of the order before he was caught by Darren Maddy off Matthew Whiley. The same bowler had already had David Hemp caught behind by Neil Burns for just four.

James played watchfully but not without aggression, once launching into an off-side delivery from DeFreitas that carried over the extra cover boundary. After losing Hughes for nine, caught by Stevens off DeFreitas, James found a useful partner in Dale, who helped him add 53 for the fourth wicket.

It was Leicestershire's spin attack of Flower and Carl Crowe that put the brakes on Glamorgan two thirds of the way through their innings. After Crowe had bowled Dale for 16, Michael Powell also succumbed to the pressure. Coming down the wicket and attempting to drive Flower through long-on, he saw the ball fly off the outside edge to give Sutcliffe the most straightforward of catches at third man.

Wells kept his spinners on almost to the death, as James and Thomas provided a mixture of clouts to mid-wicket and reverse sweeps to keep the scoreboard ticking. Boundaries were in short supply though, and James was trying to hit Crowe over long-off when he was caught there by Trevor Ward. Wallace joined Thomas, who at last managed a pulled six off Flower over mid-wicket – the first boundary for 16 overs. Nevertheless, Flower's one for 43 off nine consecutive overs late in the innings was an impressive return. Vince Wells returned to bowl the final over, but his optimism about the chances of overhauling the Dragons' eventual total proved to be unfounded.

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