GLAMORGAN will be hoping for an early breakthrough at Derbyshire this morning as the hosts reply to the Welsh county's 272 on day one.

Jim Allenby enjoyed another good day at Derby to help Glamorgan recover after Welsh paceman Steffan Jones had blown away the top order.

Jones took three for 24 in a seven-over opening spell but Allenby, Ben Wright and Mark Wallace scored half-centuries as Glamorgan fought back to reach 272 before Derbyshire closed on seven without loss.

Allenby scored 96 and 52 for Leicestershire at Derby last year and his latest fifty at the County Ground was his third in this season’s Championship.

He came in with Glamorgan in trouble after electing to bat first on a pitch that had enough in it to keep the seamers interested.

Jones struck a big blow with the ninth ball of the day when Australian opener Mark Cosgrove was lbw playing forward with only six on the board.

Mike Powell also went cheaply after he failed to control a pull shot and Tom Lungley took a well-judged diving catch on the run at long leg.

When Jones conjured up a good one to have Gareth Rees caught behind, Glamorgan were 43 for three.

And there was another big wicket for Derbyshire on the stroke of lunch. Jamie Dalrymple had been a big thorn in their side last season, scoring centuries in both County Championship matches and two fifties in one-day games, so the home side were relieved when he departed in the penultimate over of the morning.

The Glamorgan skipper looked set on 21 but he reached for a ball from Greg Smith outside off stump and edged to first slip.

That left the visitors in trouble on 80 for four but that was Derbyshire’s last success for 25 overs as Wright and Allenby added 73.

Allenby came down the pitch to lift Robin Peterson over long off for six to bring up the fifty stand and Wright reached his second half-century of the season when he cut the South African spinner for his eighth four.

He survived a sharp chance to short leg on 51 but nine runs later, he went back to a quicker one from Peterson and edged the ball into his stumps. Allenby and Wallace took their side to a batting point before Allenby appeared unlucky to be given out lbw for 57 when he was hit high up on the pad by Peterson in the last over before tea. Wallace made sure Glamorgan banked a second point by completing his second fifty in consecutive matches before he was caught behind aiming a loose shot at Lungley’s first ball back.

Jones took the last wicket to finish with four for 60 which left Derbyshire with four overs to negotiate, and they sent in a nightwatchman in Lungley who did his job to deny Glamorgan’s bowlers any success.