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Day 1: Wharf saves Notts from the abyss

Martin Searby

First day of four: Glamorgan (75-1) trail Nottinghamshire (228) by 153 runs

After just over half an hour there was a distinct smell of burning Wisdens as lowest totals in history were researched and Nottinghamshire's nadir of 13 against Yorkshire 98 years ago looked in distinct danger. Having opted to bat first on a pitch recovering from heavy rains in north Wales, they capitulated to nine for six with Steve Watkin, Glamorgan's old war horse, taking five of them without cost in 17 deliveries.

Two hours later it was hard to believe all the mayhem after Alex Wharf and Usman Afzaal added 132 in 34 overs of largely untroubled progress to mock the top order. They were helped as the early moisture disappeared and the ball did considerably less off the seam.

In Watkin's first over he had an appeal turned down, had Jason Gallian taken at second slip and yorked Mathew Dowman first ball. The hat-trick delivery went for two leg byes but Paul Johnson pushed at the fourth to give a catch behind and leave him still needing 36 to become the first English batsman to 1,000 runs in the County Championship this season.

Graeme Archer played on in Jacques Kallis's third over before Watkin had another brace, Chris Read leg before half forward and Vasbert Drakes completely undone by a beauty which hit the top of the middle pole four balls later.

But Nottinghamshire found an unlikely hero in the burly form of Yorkshireman Wharf, who had managed 199 runs in 17 previous innings but who now played like a master bladesman. Ten sweetly struck boundaries, pulled and driven, brought him a half-century from 44 balls.

Afzaal played with great care and his fifty was no less worthy and together the pair produced a much-needed record stand for the county's seventh wicket against Glamorgan.

Both fell in three deliveries, Wharf held at midwicket after hitting Robert Croft into the pavilion for six to go with a dozen boundaries in his summer's best effort.

The opener was leg before playing back to Darren Thomas with half a dozen fours in his 120-ball innings but the recovery continued apace with Stephen Randall, in his second game, playing some handsome drives before the last wicket added 59, mainly thanks to Glamorgan's stubborn refusal to post a third man, which wrecked Watkin's figures and gave away some 30 runs.

The sun and a bracing sou'westerly had dried the pitch and Glamorgan were untroubled after the early loss of Adrian Dale with Steve James, who has scored centuries in the previous four meetings again prominent before rain brought the close 12 overs early.

At Northampton, David Sales used the 19 overs possible yesterday to demonstrated amply his muscular talents against Gloucestershire.

A swept six off former team-mate Jeremy Sales signalled positive intent and Sales also had seven fours, mostly hit with a powerful flourish, in his unbeaten 39 as Northants put on 57 to reach 194 for four without loss before a terminal deluge.

Day 2: Powell piles on the agony

Martin Searby at Colwyn Bay

Second day of four: Glamorgan (416-2) lead Notts (228) by 188 runs

Three centuries, each quite different in character, marked the best day Glamorgan have enjoyed at the bottom of the table this season, although victory will be difficult to force on a slow pitch giving little assistance to spin and none at all to seam.

First came a powerful performance from Jacques Kallis, a lesson in how to play the game sideways-on with appropriate footwork and a blade which grew broader with every passing over.

The pick of his 10 boundaries from 232 balls was a blistering square cut to which cover failed to get his hands.

The second-wicket stand was worth 216 after 74 overs when the big South African went to hook a long hop and the ball looped up for the wicketkeeper to dive forward and hold it.

Steve James had already reached the three-figure mark for the seventh time against Nottinghamshire. This was his fifth consecutive hundred to go with a couple he scored while at university.

Playing with great common sense, James gave no chances in a resolute 8.5 hours of concentration, which brought him the highest score and his 38th century.

But the two internationals were eclipsed by a remarkable innings from Michael Powell, 22, who played quite superbly with an array of high-quality shots. An on drive on the up against Alex Wharf was stunning in its power and precision.

After taking 31 deliveries which brought only five runs, he raced to his fourth hundred from another 108 deliveries with a brace of straight sixes off Stephen Randall, the novice off-spinner, as well as 13 boundaries. Nottinghamshire's misery knew no end as the third-wicket pair piled on runs.

Day 3: Maynard adds to plunder

Martin Searby

Third day of four: Nottinghamshire (228 & 163-3) trail Glamorgan (648-4 dec) by 257 runs

The beleaguered bowlers felt their collective heart sink to their boots as, with the scoreboard reading 503 for three, Matthew Maynard, the Glamorgan captain, trotted down the pavilion steps.

It was with good reason as Maynard grabbed the weary attack by the scruff of the neck to smack 81 from 58 balls and lift the total to the highest in the county's history and a record first- innings lead of 420.

Maynard on song is a sight to behold and Nottinghamshire, already ground down by a 281-run partnership for the third wicket, could only live in hope as he belted Richard Stemp for six and thrashed a dozen boundaries before hooking to long leg.

Michael Powell, surely a candidate for the England A tour, survived two sharp caught-and-bowled chances to Stemp and Vasbert Drakes before a leading edge ended a fine innings which contained 21 fours and two sixes and lasted a little over five hours.

That was kids' stuff compared with Steve James's 11.25-hour vigil which brought him the highest score for Glamorgan since Emrys Davies made 287 not out against Gloucestershire at Newport 60 years ago. His concentration was unwavering and a chanceless innings contained 22 boundaries.

The bland pitch offered some slow turn and Robert Croft looked more like his old self in a long spell which induced many a false shot and produced the breakthrough with a lovely arm ball which hit the top of Jason Gallian's off stump.

A wonderful lakeside catch from a pukka glance by Adrian Shaw and a rare flyer from Jacques Kallis which robbed Usman Afzaal of a century made the mountain seem taller.

Day 4: James and Croft are ready for tour of duty

Edward Bevan at Colwyn Bay

Glamorgan (648-4 dec) beat Nottinghamshire (228 & 302) by an innings and 118 runs

Steve James and Robert Croft were overlooked for the Test series against New Zealand, but recent performances and England's inconsistent form could prompt selectors to consider them for the winter tour of South Africa.

James, who scored nearly 5,000 runs at an average of 57.04 during the past three seasons and averages 48 this summer, certainly has most of the attributes to succeed at Test match level. He possesses unwavering concentration, a quality demonstrated in this game while batting for 11.5 hours for his career-best 259 not out against Nottinghamshire, who were beaten shortly after lunch by an innings and 118 runs.

Croft, meanwhile, has rediscovered the loop and drift which made him such an effective off-spinner when he started his international career three years ago. Instead of just beating the bat on the outside, he is again the genuine article, as Paul Johnson, who was bowled through the gate by a beauty yesterday, would testify.

The cricket followers of North Wales, who only have five days first-class cricket each season, witnessed a remarkable contest in which Nottinghamshire lost their first six wickets for nine runs in 32 minutes on the first morning before Glamorgan broke 10 batting records on Friday.

Resuming on 163 for three yesterday, Nottinghamshire's hopes of survival depended on Johnson who, during the course of his innings, passed 1,000 championship runs for the season. But, after striking eight boundaries in an entertaining half-century, he was undone by Croft, who earlier had Alex Wharf caught at slip.

There was some brief resistance from Graeme Archer and Chris Read, but both were beaten for pace by Darren Thomas. Croft then had Vasbert Drakes leg before sweeping in the pre-lunch over, though Drakes was most reluctant to depart.

Dean Cosker took the two remaining wickets to give him and his team-mates enough time for a game of football before settling down to watch the Wales-Canada rugby union international on television.