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Day one Worcestershire 232-9
Glamorgan might have a new bowler at the Helm but it was the same old faces who starred for the Welsh county.
Teenager Tom Helm produced 13 wicketless overs on his debut just two days after joining Glamorgan on-loan from Middlesex.
It was left to in-form all rounder Graham Wagg and veteran spinner Dean Cosker to share eight wickets against Worcestershire on the opening day at the Swalec Stadium as the visitors finished on 232 for nine.
Wagg, who took career-best figures of six for 29 in the opening 10-wicket win against Surrey at the Kia Oval, again demonstrated the form which has seen him emerge as the Division Two leading wicket taker so far this season with another four victims taking his tally to 20.
The all-rounder is also ranked as the leading county cricketer in the country, alongside England and Middlesex fast bowler Steven Finn, after also weighing in with crucial half-centuries with the bat in the last two matches against Gloucestershire and Leicestershire.
Cosker also returned fine figures of four for 35 from 26 overs, including 12 maidens, as he continued his superb start to the seamer bowling in conditions more suited to the seamers with the veteran slow left-armer now boasting 13 wickets.
This action was for the county cricket connoisseur as Worcestershire meandered along at not much more than two runs an over as they coped with a slow pitch with Glamorgan captain Mark Wallace winning the toss and electing to field.
Captain Daryl Mitchell epitomised the visitors approach with a painstaking but crucial century as he finished the day unbeaten on 101 from 294 balls.
The opener was joined by Jack Shantry who helped Worcestershire recover from 143 for seven with an eighth-wicket stand of 57.
The visiting batsmen were rarely troubled by Helm, brought into help fill the void left by Australian Michael Hogan, who has returned home for the birth of his second child and also act as cover for long-term injuries to Huw Waters and Mike Reed.
The Buckinghamshire-born bowler was used in four separate spells and did not feature at all in the afternoon session.
The 19-year-old, who will turn 20 on Wednesday, is regarded as a promising talent having been involved in the England performance programme squads over the last two winters and is highly rated by Middlesex boss and former England paceman Angus Fraser.
But Helm is also very raw having only played one first-class game before this Glamorgan debut and two list A matches.
Helm has also not been to break into the Middlesex bowling attack this season with Steve Finn, Tim Murtagh, Toby Roland-Jones and former Glamorgan paceman James Harris all ahead of him in the Lord’s pecking order.
Helm had also only just pitched up in Wales and it was always going to be a risk to throw him in straight away which is what Glamorgan chose to do after the new signing was given the nod ahead of Ruaidhri Smith.
Glamorgan will be hoping for more rewards when Helm has settled into his new surroundings following his whirlwind 48 hours on and off the field.
Helm took the new ball ahead of Will Owen, who also bowled 15 overs without any luck. It was Wagg who struck first in the third over when Matthew Pardoe edged to Gareth Rees who took a superb catch at third slip.
Tom Kohler-Cadmore (11) was the next wicket to fall when he was trapped lbw by all-rounder Jim Allenby as Worcestershire slipped to 33 for two.
England T20 star Alex Hales was the prized wicket for Wagg as the on-loan Nottinghamshire batsman’s leading edge went straight to Murray Goodwin at point.
Hales is ranked as the third leading T20 batsman in world cricket but has been unable to break into the Notts batting line-up or feature in the England 50-over one-day squad.
Hales had been brought in to fill the void left by England all-rounder Moeen Ali after the Worcestershire star was included in the squad to face Scotland in Aberdeen on Sunday. His reputation sparked Wagg’s wild celebrations after he dismissed the England batsman.
Worcestershire moved onto 73 for three at lunch but the visitors had not added any more runs when Cosker claimed a wicket with the fifth ball of the afternoon session as Alexei Kervezee holed out to Jacques Rudolph at mid-on for 10.
Cosker struck again when he bowled Ross Whiteley for nine before trapping wicket-keeper Ben Cox (20) lbw as Worcestershire slumped to 125 for six. The slow left-armer bowled unchanged during the afternoon session while Mitchell stood firm with his 50 coming off 179 balls including six fours.
Worcestershire reached 136 for six at tea before Helm made his first Glamorgan contribution by taking a low catch at point to give Wagg his third victim and dismiss Gareth Andrew.
The resistance kicked in with the defiant eighth-wicket partnership before Glamorgan took the new ball and Shantry cut Wagg straight to wicket-keeper Wallace.
Mitchell brought up his century in 292 deliveries, which included 11 fours, before Saeed Ajmal was snapped up by Allenby at slip to hand Cosker his fourth victim.
Wagg tried his luck with his left-arm spin in the final over of the day but Worcestershire survived.
Glamorgan win the toss and bowl first.
Team news
Tom Helm, on-loan from Middlesex, was included as one change for John Glover from the side who drew against Leicestershire at Grace Road last week.
Helm has been brought into act as cover for Michael Hogan who has returned home for the birth of his second child and misses three county championship games and the opening Twenty20 match at Hampshire.
Ruaidhri Smith was not included in the Glamorgan starting side from the original 12-man squad.
Glamorgan:
J Rudolph, G Rees, W Bragg, M Goodwin, S Walters, J Allenby, M Wallace (capt), G Wagg,W Owen, D Cosker, T Helm.
Worcestershire:
D Mitchell (capt), M Pardoe, A Hales, T Kohler-Cadmore, A Kervezee, R Whiteley, B Cox, G Andrew, J Shantry, C Morris, S Ajmal.
