Cricket: Stewart and Thorpe manage to shine despite the showers

Surrey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .233-6

Glamorgan

WHILE the Glamorgan bowling did not look quite the stuff of which Championship winners are made, they undoubtedly had the better of the exchanges on the first day. Two interruptions for rain claimed 28 overs and off the other 83 Surrey scored 233 for 6.

Although rain breaks can have a nasty way of interrupting the natural rhythm of a day's play they served for a time only to enhance the lovely stroke play of both Alec Stewart and Graham Thorpe which for a while threatened to run away with things after an early tea.

These two put on 136 in 37 overs and played with freedom against some rather loose bowling. Stewart's on driving, a stroke he plays as well as any of his contemporaries, was a joy. Thorpe was more watchful but he square cut and drove with lovely timing until he became marooned for more than 45 minutes on 85.

After being put in on a pitch which had a deceptive green tinge, Surrey lost two early wickets. Monte Lynch pushed half forward and inside a ball from Steve Bastien and was caught at second slip and, at 45, Darren Bicknell drove at one from Alan Dale and was bowled off the inside edge.

Then came Stewart and Thorpe's stand which should have left Surrey in charge of the match. But Stewart, who had been the first to his 50, tried to run Dale to third man and was caught at slip. Alistair Brown then drove Steve Watkin to cover.

Watkin took his 40th wicket of the season when David Ward played no stroke and was bowled. Glamorgan's attack, which has no frills, was summed up by Watkin who bowled an immaculate line and length and left it to the batsmen to make the mistakes. Andy Smith was the sixth out, bowled on the back foot to a ball of no great devilry from Roland Lefebvre .