County Championship: Glamorgan's Lloyd lights up gloomy day against Gloucestershire

David Lloyd is to join Derbyshire in 2024 after 12 years in Glamorgan’s first team

Glamorgan captain David Lloyd hit an attacking 81 as his side reached 152-2 on a rain-ruined first day against Gloucestershire.

Just 40 overs were bowled on the first day of the Cheltenham Festival.

Lloyd and Zain Ul Hassan (30) started with a stand of 111, Glamorgan's best start of the Championship season.

Zafar Gohar and Tom Price claimed a wicket apiece for the hosts but rain limited play to to just 20 minutes in the afternoon and evening sessions.

Lloyd made good use of winning the toss as he quickly went on the attack, while Ul Hassan weathered a tight opening spell from Price.

Lloyd survived a nasty blow on the helmet from Paul van Meekeren on 33, and should have been caught off Dominic Goodman on 44 when a diving Price could not hold onto a chance at point.

The Glamorgan skipper raced to a half-century off 57 balls and, with Ul Hassan starting to open up, the pair posted Glamorgan's first century opening stand of the campaign on the stroke of lunch.

Ul Hassan fell just after for 30 as he tried to pull a sharply-spinning delivery from Zafar Gohar from outside off-stump and was judged lbw in a marginal call as to whether the impact was in line.

But, with Glamorgan on 120-1, most of the afternoon session was wiped out by rain and Lloyd went quickly on the resumption, leg-before to Price after hitting 13 boundaries.

Gloucestershire thought they had a third wicket when Sam Northeast, on three, edged Van Meekeren to gully where Price claimed the low catch, only for the umpires to decide they could not be sure the ball carried.

South Africa batter Colin Ingram, playing only his third Championship game of the season, hit some sweet straight drives to get Glamorgan past 150 before the weather closed in again to spoil the festival occasion.

Glamorgan captain David Lloyd told BBC Sport Wales:

"I felt really good - and the way Zain batted was also extremely pleasing. It was nice to spend some time in the middle after a frustrating couple of months injured, but disappointed not to get to three figures.

"We're in a situation where we've got to get those wins but we can't do much about the weather coming on the weekend, so we've just got to get as many runs as we can and see where we are.

"Our goal is promotion after what we've built over the last couple of years. On a personal note I want to finish as well as I can, I'm as fully committed as I've always been.

"I had my head in my hands in the changing room (at the time of the appeal against Northeast). I heard the appeal but I haven't seen it."

Gloucestershire stand-in skipper James Bracey told BBC Radio Bristol:

"It's a pretty good wicket and it's a shame, because I we were getting into our groove.

"I don't think we bowled badly. They played well and, at Cheltenham, you put in the hard work and it comes to fruition later in the day.

"It's good to be committed for the next few years (after signing a new contract). It's a weight off my shoulders.

"It's frustrating (to have the appeal against Northeast turned down). It would have been a big pole. I couldn't see it but the lads were adamant it's gone straight in."