Away to Wales (part 1)

posted by John Winn

Encouraged by a weather forecast that suggested an improvement towards the end of the week Thursday morning saw me on the 8:45 train from York to Cardiff (change at Bristol Parkway). This was the first opportunity of the season to see one of several of my listed matches 2013 has thrown up. I walked through the gates of the Swalec Stadium just as play resumed after lunch. 'Walked through the gates' is something of a simplification because I had followed the instructions of the two gatemen to purchase a ticket in the shop then return to them to have the barcode swiped: a system designed for an ashes test but retained for the one man and his dog (no dogs allowed) size of crowd that had come to see the second day of Glamorgan v Worcestershire, That rite of passage over I sought a seat where the sun might shine on me but where I was protected from the wind. Denied access to anywhere behind glass this was impossible. The wind did not blow from one point of the compass to another; it blew round and round a stadium filled to about 2% of its 15000 capacity, seeking whom it may discomfort.

Glamorgan had bowled out their visitors on the first day for 123 and during an absorbing (i.e.slow) afternoon when the run rate hovered round two and half an over and the over rate was held back by the use of four seamers with the veteran Alan Richardson leading the attack. Runs did come, mainly from Marcus North and later from Allenby and Wagg so that by the close Glamorgan had a lead of 112 with three wickets to fall. The players were on overtime thanks to the loss of some time on the first day.

I had last visited the Swalec in 2009 when it was still basking in the glow of the dramatic test against Australia earlier that year. When it is in championship mode it is somewhat less hospitable, at least on the face of things. Lots of areas are closed off and this is made clear by notices like 'stand closed' 'keep out', 'no entry', and my favourite 'this toilet is drained down for the winter'. Things were not quite as bad as these warnings might have suggested for at tea the excellent public address informed us that refreshments were available to all spectators in the members' lounge 'while stocks last'. Finding my way in there I enjoyed a cup of tea in a china cup for £1. Headingley please note.

I left at six when there were still twelve overs of the daily ration to be bowled. Even on exit one cannot escape the gatemen for I had to delve in my bag to find my ticket to have it scanned again. Don't ask why, I don't know, but there will be more of these officials in part two. In the meantime the cricket season starts for at least the third time in the last fortnight this afternoon with the opening league cricket programme and having been away for a couple of days I have some catching up to do before heading out.