History was created at Cresselly on Bank Holiday Monday, when Australian test cricketer Mat Nicholson opened the bowling against fellow Australian international batsman Jimmy Maher. It was the first ball bowled in a competitive match between two first class sides as the Glamorgan Dragons played against the Surrey Brown Caps in a Friends Provident Trophy match at Cresselly. A crowd of 2,829 ignored the blustery wind, the below par temperature and the rain, which resulted in a delay of two hours midway through the second over of the match. After the rain, 22 overs were lost as the match was reduced to 39 overs per side. Glamorgan recovered from being 35 for three to reach a total which the bowlers had a chance to defend on 203 for eight. Maher held things together with a chanceless 76 from 103 balls and had support of skipper David Hemp in a fourth wicket partnership of 46. The promising Ben Wright chipped in with 19 and another player of the future, Michael O'Shea, scored 17 to keep the scoreboard ticking over. Maher was eventually bowled by Rikki Clarke with the total on 159. Although Damien Martin was run out with the total on 161, wicket-keeper Mark Wallace and left arm spinner Dean Cosker had an enterprising unbroken ninth wicket partnership of 42. In the last over, Wallace thumped two big sixes off Clarke into and over the sightscreen at the Pavilion end to boost the total as he finished on 26 not out and Cosker was 18 not out at a run a ball. Pakistan test cricketer Mohammad Akram was the most economical bowler with a controlled one for 22 spell in eight overs, with Mat Nicholson and Neil Saker picking up two wickets each. James Benning and Ali Brown are the most destructive County opening partnership in the one day format of the game. The Dragons celebrated when Cosker held on to a catch from Brown at backward point off the bowing of Alex Wharf with the total on 18. Wharf was leaking runs, but has the ability to be a potent strike bowler. There were more high fives when 'Strictly Come Dancing' star and prolific scoring batsman Mark Ramprakash gave a return catch to Wharf to be dismissed for just two. From the crowd there were mixed reactions about this dismissal of the popular 'Ramps'. Glamorgan supporters would have liked to have seen the stylish technician and the country's leading batsman get say 40 before being dismissed in a Glamorgan victory. Benning continued to thrive briefly before falling to the Cosker and Huw Waters combination after a quickfire 38 from 24 balls. Brown Caps skipper Mark Butcher and former skipper Jonathan Batty then had a match-wining fourth wicket partnership of 81. There were a couple of "if only" moments. Wallace made a rare mistake to miss a stumping chance which would have sent Butcher packing when he was on only 15. Earlier, Butcher had survived another chance when Glamorgan's best fielder Dean Cosker put down a sharp chance at backward point. After the two lives, Butcher did not give another chance as he demonstrated to club cricketers and young boys around the ground how to build an innings and put away the bad ball. Batty backed up with a workmanlike 33, all-rounder Rikki Clarke scored 18, but the Dragons were back in the game when Chris Schofield was trapped leg before wicket to Wharf to be the seventh batsman out when the total was 185. By this time, however, there was no stopping Butcher and he steered his side to a three wickets win, ending the match with a six over long-off from the bowling of Huw Waters which scattered spectators in the stand. The enigmatic Alex Wharf was the leading Glamorgan wicket-taker and took four for 45 in his seven overs. Commenting on the result, Glamorgan captain David Hemp said: "It was disappointing to lose. As it was our first time to play here against first class opposition, it was difficult to know what would be a good score on a small ground. We did not know how the wicket would play. "To bat first was difficult as it seamed around a bit and it was a bit slow, which was understandable with the wet weather we have had recently. "To bat second was a bit easier as you knew how the wicket would play. We did OK to reach 200 after the position we were in and then to lose our main strike bowler Damien Wright through injury in the first over was a big blow. "Also we gave away too many extras with wides and no balls and there were a couple of half chances that we did not take. "It is very frustrating as we are getting quite close to beating sides. On paper the Surrey side was far stronger than the Glamorgan side. To push them as close as we did was a good effort, but we were 15 to 20 runs short with the bat." Asked for his views on the Cresselly ground, Hemp said: "I have not played here for at least 10 years. It looks different now with the tents, stand, new scorebox and advertising boards. "We could see how good the set-up is in Cresselly. The outfield looks lovely. The wicket was a bit slow and it seamed around a bit early on, but that was understandable with the wet weather we have had recently. "It has been nice to come down to Cresselly and the match has been very well organised and run." Glamorgan were already out of the Friends Trophy competition before the start of the Surrey match. What were his side's targets for the rest of the season? In reply, he said: "We can do well in the Twenty20 and we can build on that in the Pro40. Championship wise we have to hang in there and take each game as it comes. "We were very disappointed at what happened in Swansea last week, which was pretty much outside of our control. "We had a good result in Bristol the week before and it would have been nice to build on that. "We have a big two weeks of Championship cricket ahead. If we can play well in those two games with wins or even solid draws, it will give us a platform to build on in the Twenty20. "We are very positive about the one day competitions which are left and think that we can do well in them." Alan Butcher, the Surrey coach, is a former Surrey and England opening batsman. He also had a couple of very successful seasons with Glamorgan in the twilight of his playing career. What were his views on the day? "We came to the game knowing nothing about Cresselly Cricket Club. When we had to travel this far west we were a bit concerned about what we would find. It has been a fantastic day. It was spoilt a bit by the wet weather early on and by the wind which was cold. "It is a wonderful set up here. People have worked very hard to put it on and I was glad that the game was not spoiled by the weather as it is a lovely venue. "The pitch was a bit slow. You expect that as the weather had not been too dry recently, but in general it was a pretty decent pitch. The bounce was fairly even, although the ball did not come on to the bat as much as the players would have liked. Most of the Surrey players have enjoyed the day despite the culture shock after the Oval! "You have to take these things in your stride and with the result today we are aiming for a spot in the semi-finals." All in all, the decision to stage the match at Cresselly proved to popular with players, official and supporters and the omens look good about a return visit sometime in the future. The only disappointing note for Pembrokeshire cricket followers was that Cresselly's very own Dan Cherry was not in the Glamorgan squad on the day. With the Welsh county having no chance of progressing in this competition this season, many thought that it would be an ideal time to give the left-handed batsman his first one day game of the season. If not in the team, he could have been in the squad to mingle with spectators from a public relations aspect. Unfortunately, in the harsh world of professional sport, there is no room for sentiment and PR requirements sometimes take a back seat to what is in the best interests of the team. It was deemed more important for Dan Cheery to get in some batting practice as one of a number of Glamorgan players who were in the Welsh Minor Counties team to pay Wiltshire in Trowbridge. As luck would have it, rain wiped out play for the day, so Dan did not have the chance to bat. Pembrokeshire cricket enthusiasts believe that he can make the grade as a regular opening batsman for Glamorgan and hope that he can soon regain his place in the Championship team.
