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Hancock ensures the party goes on

Gloucestershire (274-6) bt Glamorgan (138) by 136 runs

These are heady days for Gloucestershire: seven consecutive one-day wins, a first Lord's final for 22 years in the Super Cup on Sunday, and now passage to their first NatWest Trophy semi-final since 1987.

But, for Glamorgan, there are more headaches other than propping up the County Championship. This was a particularly inept performance their all-out total failing to reach Gloucestershire's opening partnership, in front of a full house at Sophia Gardens.

The difference between the sides proved of Severn Bridge proportions; one exuding self-belief in every move, the other so flat that they drooped to the point of submission in the key areas.

Nowhere was this more apparent than in the way each innings took shape. Kim Barnett and Tim Hancock coaxed Gloucestershire along with a stand of 142 - their second century start in the competition this year - but Glamorgan withered during Mike Smith's straight-through spell of two for 19 in 10 overs.

Hancock's contribution of 90 from 108 balls earned him the man of the match award ahead of Smith's contribution with the ball.

As early as the 17th over, with Jacques Kallis and Matthew Maynard gone in Glamorgan's score of 36 for four, the game was effectively over.

Gloucestershire may have viewed a greenish pitch with some suspicion after losing the toss, but Barnett, who took much of the strike, skilfully worked the angles, while Hancock took out the sledgehammer.

Glamorgan used five bowlers, but not the newly-capped Kallis at this stage in his recovery from injury, before Robert Croft belatedly appeared with 107 runs on the board. An assortment of middle order heaves quickly presented him with figures of four for 47.

A wayward final over from Darren Thomas went for 22 as Matthew Windows and Jeremy Snape added 46 from 19 balls.

The value of these runs increased more in the mind than in raising Glamorgan's asking rate to 5.5 an over. A solid start was essential, but Croft's drive back to Ian Harvey was as wasteful as the run-out of Steve James, executed by Hancock from mid-wicket.

Everything then rested on the big strikers, but Kallis and Maynard failed to deliver.