Cricket: Wharf makes waves on Glamorgan return.

THE first day of their Frizzell County Championship match at Chelmsford belonged undoubtedly to Glamorgan but a sensational morning was rather blighted by two frustrating afternoon sessions.

At lunch Glamorgan, with three wickets for Alex Wharf, made a mockery of Ronnie Irani's decision to bat as Essex limped into the interval at 1066.

But it took Glamorgan almost two sessions to take the remaining four wickets. After some really turgid Essex batting they were finally dismissed in the 103rd over for 231. The last 125 runs coming in 73 overs.

Before the close Glamorgan were forced to face one over, but nightwatchman Dean Cosker guided his side to 6-0 at the close.

After losing the toss and with a depleted attack, minus leading wicket-takers Simon Jones and Mike Kasprowicz, one could have feared for Glamorgan's ability to tax a strong Essex top order.

But the sceptics need not have worried as Alex Wharf, only in the side because of injury, set the tone by almost single-handedly leaving Irani cursing back in the pavilion on his decision to bat first.

The home side found themselves 383 inside 12 overs after the 6ft 9in Will Jefferson failed to dig out a yorker - Wharf's first Championship wicket of the season.

Aftab Habib had faced just two deliveries before being turned around by Wharf and edging a regulation catch to Matthew Maynard at first slip. Wharf completed an impressive trio by having one of the best batsmen in the world, Andy Flower, lbw offering no stoke.

If it was seam that aided Wharf, an overcast sky helped Darren Thomas and Adrian Dale to swing the ball before lunch by which time Essex had been reduced to 97-6.

Darren Robinson and Irani celebrated a 50 partnership for the fourth wicket, but the ball after Thomas accounted for Robinson with an edge behind and three overs later Dale claimed the prize wicket of Irani, who had been averaging 94.87 in Championship cricket after scoring 207 and 184 in his previous two innings.

Just for good measure Thomas struck to remove Jamie Foster four overs before lunch with Glamorgan probably expecting to start their reply soon after the interval.

But Glamorgan could only manage a further two scalps in a dour afternoon session that saw Essex add a paltry 68 runs in 40 overs. The main culprit for such a slow run rate was Jon Stephenson who was 14 not out at tea having faced 81 deliveries.

Though the spinners - Robert Croft and Dean Cosker - did a good job in containing the Essex lower order, with 36 runs coming off 25 overs, the new ball couldn't come quick enough for Glamorgan.

But with Essex 203-8 after 90 overs it took a world class catch to prise apart Stephenson and Justin Bishop, who put on 44 in 32 overs. Bishop drove Parkin through wide mid-off but somehow Steve James stuck out a left hand and an amazing catch stuck.

Essex's innings was finally put out of its misery in the penultimate over of the day when Grant offered a bat-pad catch to Dan Cherry.

GLAMORGAN have announced details of their one-day friendly against Scotland at Sophia Gardens on August 5.

The game will be played as a 45 overs per side fixture, and will start at 1pm.

CAPTION(S):

TRIPLE CROWN; Alex Wharf picked up three Essex wickets at Chelmsford yesterday to open his season's account.