GLAMORGAN are making a real fight of their LV County Championship Division Two clash at the Swalec Stadium after Hampshire dominated the opening day.

The hosts’ bowlers worked hard in the morning session, dismissing the visitors for 341, just ten minutes before the scheduled lunch break after they’d resumed the day on 274-5.

The Welsh county, maintaining their excellent form in one-day cricket, struck early on day two at a sun-kissed Cardiff to claim the prized wicket of Liam Dawson.

He was caught behind by Jim Allenby from the bowling of Australian seamer Michael Hogan for 72.

And he was soon joined in the pavilion by Sohail Tanvir, the Pakistan international all-rounder out cheaply.

He was caught by captain and wicket-keeper Mark Wallace for just four runs, Allenby the bowler and Hampshire reeling on 286-7.

But incoming batsman Danny Briggs (26 not out) and the stubborn Adam Wheater (43) steadied the ship for the visitors, building a partnership of 43 and frustrating the home supporters.

But the latter was caught by Will Owen off spinner Dean Cosker as he tried a reverse sweep.

Thereafter, Briggs ran out of partners, the last two wickets tumbling swiftly as David Balcombe (3) was caught by Wallace off Michael Reed and last man James Tomlinson succumbed to a duck, Cosker claiming it thanks to Allenby’s safe hands at slip.

It was Gareth Rees who led the Glamorgan charge as he scored 84 not out on his first appearance of the season.

Out of favour all summer, the left-handed opener was only playing in the home side because of an injury to Cwmbran’s Will Bragg.

But Rees and the veteran 40-year-old Zimbabwe international Murray Goodwin (57 not out) put on an unbeaten 112 in 39 overs for the fourth wicket as Glamorgan finished the day on 196 for three in their first innings, now 145 behind Hampshire.

Glamorgan had reached 114 for three by tea with opener Rees reaching his half century from 110 balls, hitting eight fours.

But he had to watch as he lost three partners in the afternoon session.

Ben Wright was caught behind chasing a wide one from Tomlinson.

And 24 for one became 35 for two when Stewart Walters went for a nine ball caught at slip by Sean Ervine off Tanvir.

Rees and Marcus North combined to put on 49 for the third wicket but North was stumped by wicket-keeper Wheater going down the pitch to the first ball of spin he had faced from slow left-armer Briggs.

From 84 for three Rees and Goodwin took their stand to 100 just before the close.

And in the last over of the day Goodwin completed his half-century from 115 balls with seven fours to leave the game finely poised.