No one managed to look quite as comfortable as Hooper did (except maybe Ben Phillips and Min Patel later on). His efforts here with the bat mean that Hamilton has now passed 50 five times in his last nine innings, and has therefore emerged from Yorkshire's promising pack of young quick bowlers as a valuable middle- order asset.The diligent stand between Dale, often a rock on the Glamorgan beach, and Powell, who announced himself last year with an undefeated 200 on his first-class debut, was worth 98 when the off-spinner James Middlebrook, a recent graduate of the Yorkshire Academy, fooled both of them in successive overs.After the early demise of Wayne Law yesterday morning, Glamorgan were reduced to 22 for two when Steve James was adjudged caught at slip from a looping gloved attempt at a hook off the fast Matthew Hoggard, though the batsman only felt the ball on his helmet.After Glamorgan's hopes had been raised by the repair-work of Dale and Powell, Hamilton returned to end the match. The fact that the crowd was robbed of another Carl Hooper hundred in the match, or that the probability of a Kent victory disappeared with the great man into the Canterbury pavilion. Worcestershire 360 and 333-8 Kent 344 and 270-9 Match drawn IT IS difficult to work out which was the more disappointing.
His five for 43 was his second career-best of the match, one with bat and one with ball, and gave him his first 10-wicket tally.. But only a determined afternoon stand between Adrian Dale and Mike Powell threatened to spoil the Scottish-qualified Hamilton's pleasant memories of Cardiff.In his familiar role as a thoughtful fast-medium bowler, Hamilton took five wickets for 69 in Glamorgan's first innings. But by this time he had already hinted at his burgeoning all-rounder status by scoring a career- best 79 in Yorkshire's opening knock.Second time round, he re-marked his guard yesterday morning on 64, and there was little shame in soon being castled by the brisk Owen Parkin - the bowler was himself in the process of establishing a career-best mark of 5 for 67. Newport did not manage to win a single league match last season and since then the departures of Jan Machacek, Ian Gough and Alex Lawson have left some gaping holes.BRIDGENDBridgend never really got going last season and they were only saved from the spectre of relegation by Newport's even worse form. The wicket was laid with no devilish booby traps but was nevertheless a little deceitful, sometimes booming the ball through and on other occasions halting it slightly.On the other hand, weather permitting, Glamorgan had the best part of two days to graft out 337 runs, and could afford to watch and wait. Nevertheless, they are likely to struggle for survival again.EBBW VALEMay find it tough living up to their best league finish last season.
The club have suffered much in recent times from being unable to hang on to their top players, so the return of Gareth Jones from Cardiff is significant. The progress of the exciting fly-half Craig Warlow will be crucial to their hopes of playing to their considerable potential.NEWPORTThe famous old Black and Ambers have been thrown a Premier Division lifeline following Cardiff and Swansea's final decision on Friday not to play in Wales. That being so, consolidating their place in the top flight will be the priority for Chris Davey's team, and winning a fair share of their home matches the realistic target.LLANELLIBy Scarlet standards, last season was an absolute shocker. They managed to live up to their cup specialists' reputation with a 10th victory in the final, but achieved a mere five Premier Division wins to finish sixth in the table. "I fancy they will come good again but my only real concern is making sure Neath prosper," Jones said.
A lot of decent players went in search of the end of the rainbow in England and found it wasn't there," he said. "Of course the really big contracts will continue to tempt the really big names but I can see others now opting to stay in Wales and that will certainly strengthen our club scene."In the short term he expects that scene to be dominated by Pontypridd, who have side-stepped much of the summer mayhem and gone quietly about their business.. On the debit side they have lost the forwards Ian Boobyer, Ben Evans, Darren Morris, Glyn Llewellyn and Neil Watkins but Jones believes this is the season that the second row Steve Martin "will achieve his enormous potential".Colderley is symptomatic of a summer trend this year, being one of several players who have returned to play their rugby in Wales after brief flirtations in England. They had planned for First Division action and could now be found wanting through no real fault of their own. After the traumas of summer, mid-table solidity would certainly fit the bill.A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN: THE WELSH PREMIER DIVISION CLUBSABERAVONAlong with Newport they are in the top flight by circumstance rather than merit or achievement.