County Championship: Lloyd ton puts Glamorgan on top against Surrey

David Lloyd's 121 was his fifth first-class century

David Lloyd's career-best 121 led the way for Glamorgan as they piled up an impressive 379-4 against Surrey in the Oval sunshine.

Joe Cooke also made a career-best 68 as the visitors took full advantage of a benign pitch.

Spinners Amar Virdi (2-69) and Dan Moriarty (2-88) saw plenty of first-day action to keep some control.

The batting display was a welcome relief for Glamorgan in the final match of the year, after three heavy defeats.

It looked a good toss to win for Glamorgan and all their batsmen made a contribution as Surrey's first-time captain Ollie Pope juggled just three front-line seamers and three spin options, with slow left-armer Moriarty starting a tidy first spell as early as the 12th over.

Although Lloyd and Hamish Rutherford began positively, retiring former England all-rounder Rikki Clarke should have had Lloyd on 33 when Amar Virdi dropped a straightforward, and expensive, chance at fine-leg.

Virdi made some amends when he trapped Rutherford lbw for 36, but a stand of 86 for the first wicket was followed by a partnership of 125 between Lloyd and Joe Cooke as Surrey toiled in the sun.

Cooke hit some fluent off-drives with 11 fours in his best county score of 68 off 144 balls, but was eventually caught at mid-off off Moriarty.

Eddie Byrom brought momentum with 45 off 57 balls but was stumped charging at Moriarty to give fit-again England wicket-keeper Ben Foakes his first senior victim since May.

Meanwhile Lloyd was caught in the next over, going for a big hit off Virdi shortly after passing his previous best, and striking 13 fours and a six in an astute knock.

Any thoughts of Surrey getting back into the game in the final hour were quashed as Kiran Carlson (45 not out) and Chris Cooke (44 not out) put together a lively stand of 90 to drive home Glamorgan's advantage.

Glamorgan vice-captain David Lloyd told BBC Sport Wales:

"It was a great day for us as a batting unit after winning the toss, we batted well and we had partnerships throughout the order, and played with good intent.

"After lunch it was quite slow especially for me, but it was a question of staying in and things got easier, hopefully we can progress to a really big score.

"It was pleasing for me to get a career-best, I would like to have got some more, but I've felt good all year and after a tricky spell a couple of weeks ago I went back to an old technique where I feel a bit more comfortable.

"Joe Cooke came in and batted well with great intent, it's good for him and hopefully now he can keep scoring more runs, he did a good job at three."

Surrey spinner Dan Moriarty said:

"Unfortunately we were on the wrong end of the toss but the Glamorgan boys batted really well and made it difficult for us.

"It was always going to be a hard day with the ball on a good pitch but we were not as consistent as we would have liked even though we bowled well in patches.

"There is still a lot of hard work to do but we are very hopeful that it will spin more as the match goes on so it might be a different game in the last two innings."