HALF-CENTURIES by Robert Croft and Mike Powell spared most of Glamorgan's blushes - but Surrey still had the edge on the opening day's action in the CricInfo Championship Division One match at Cardiff yesterday.

Glamorgan, 62 -4 at one stage and later 170-8, were eventually dismissed for 258 in 74.4 overs at Sophia Gardens.

All-rounder Croft was unbeaten on 70 from 83 balls with a superb straight six and eight fours.

It left Surrey with a potentially testing four overs to face before the close - but the rain then swept in to wash away hopes of any further play.

Surrey began the day needing a further four points to be mathematically certain of avoiding the relegation that already awaits Glamorgan, and quickly took the first steps towards accumulating them.

Steve James, who won the toss and decided to bat first despite the overcast skies that were to force four other interruptions, partnered Jimmy Maher in taking Glamorgan to an untroubled 30 in only five overs.

They looked comfortable enough, but Ben Hollioake and Martin Bicknell then combined to take three wickets without conceding a run and put Glamorgan in trouble.

Maher, in what could be his last championship match for the Welsh county, was leg before to Hollioake pushing half forward, and Newport's Ian Thomas went in similar vein in Hollioake's next over.

Bicknell tempted James to chase a wide one outside off-stump for Ian Ward to take a fine catch in the gully.

At that point, Glamorgan had plenty of work to do and their cause was not helped when Bicknell had Adrian Dale caught behind off an inside edge.

Powell found a willing and capable ally in Jonathan Hughes, a 20-year-old right hand bat making his championship debut in what could be Steve Watkin's last for Glamorgan.

Unafraid to put bat to ball, Hughes drove Ian Salisbury for a straight six and helped Powell add 81 in 24 overs for the fifth wicket before Powell edged a delivery from Ed Giddins that found some extra bounce, and was caught at first slip.

Giddins was not introduced to the attack until the second over after lunch, but soon made up for lost time by sending back Hughes, Mark Wallace and Darren Thomas in five overs to finish with 4-71.

Hughes had struck an attractive 66-ball 38 when he was cleverly caught by Ben Hollioake, running back from short mid-wicket and taking the ball over his head.

Wallace edged the first ball he received to first slip and although Thomas denied Giddins his hat-trick, it was not long before he top-edged a cut.

It seemedGlamorgan would once again finish without a batting point but Croft, with fine support from Cosker, ensured otherwise with a ninth wicket partnership of 77 in 17 overs.