Meschede, Wallace carry fight against champions

Glamorgan 286 and 293 for 9 (Wallace 75*, Rudolph 56, Bragg 54) lead Essex 319 (ten Doeschate 117, Foster 64, Wheater 59, Meschede 5-84) by 260 runs Scorecard

Essex were brought down to earth after their overnight celebrations on securing promotion to Division One of the Specsavers County Championship as Glamorgan kept them in the field for much of another hot day at Chelmsford.

Mark Wallace, with a run-a-ball fifty, threatened to take the game away from the newly crowned Division Two champions in the early evening after Essex had snapped up five wickets for 33 in 13 overs either side of tea, including a spell of three for five in 18 balls.

With Glamorgan only 130 ahead with three wickets in hand, Essex’s fourth victory on the trot looked a realistic prospect. However, by the close, Wallace’s belligerence had brought him 75 and helped Glamorgan into a stronger position, 260 ahead with one wicket still to fall.

It was a particularly memorable day for two Glamorgan players: allrounder Craig Meschede took the first five-wicket haul of his career, and Will Bragg became the Welsh county’s first batsman to 1000 Championship runs this summer.

Essex added 44 runs for the loss of four wickets in the first hour’s play to give themselves a first-innings lead of 33, captain Ryan ten Doeschate taking his score on to 117 and James Foster shepherding the tail before being last out for 64, becoming Meschede’s fifth wicket. …

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