Specsavers County Championship Div Two
Glamorgan 442
Gloucestershire 161-1
BENNY HOWELL, who has not played any championship cricket this season, finished day two of the match with Glamorgan at SSE Swalec only four runs away from a second championship century, the first made against Leicestershire two years ago.

Gloucestershire will resume on 161-1, still trailing by 281, with Howell on 96 and James Bracey on 45.

All-rounder Howell adapted well to his new role as opener, and with Chris Dent in fluent form, the opening pair put on 53 in 15 overs, before Dent gave wicketkeeper Chris Cooke a straightforward catch.

Howell was then joined by 20-year-old James Bracey, a local product from the Bristol area, and after playing himself in, the wicketkeeper-batsman hit some elegant shots through the offside.

The second-wicket pair have added 108 for the second wicket, and with a slow pitch and further rain likely to cause interruptions over the final two days, a draw is the likely outcome to this end-of-season encounter.

Earlier Kiran Carlson was dismissed nine runs short of becoming Glamorgan’s youngest double centurion, when he chipped Jack Taylor to mid-on.

Howell said: "It was very pleasing to hit the ball well after a frustrating season where I have been out of the side because of various niggles and injuries.

"I began my career as an opener, and after today hopefully I can push on and refresh my career in that position.

"I still want to play in all forms of cricket, especially the one-day format, and I could possibly move up the order and bat higher.”