WHILE the difficulties surrounding the fielding of two overseas players remain all too evident, home-grown talent came to Durham's rescue at Cardiff yesterday.

Helped initially by Graeme Bridge in a stand of 96, Nicky Peng steered Durham off the rocks at 141 for six by contributing a championship-best 133 to their 353 for eight against Glamorgan.

Showing all his new-found application, Peng continued to look a high-class performer as he completed his third half-century in successive championship matches and went on to his first hundred in the competition since late April last year.

That was when he made his previous best of 108 at Derby, a score he passed with the second hooked six of a majestic innings which combined the necessary periods of vigilance with glorious strokeplay.

His final 33 runs came off 29 balls and he was playing so well it was a shock when he pushed forward to the day's penultimate ball and was bowled by left-arm spinner Dean Cosker.

But he left Durham in a good position at the end of the first day on a pitch of variable bounce on which Robert Croft's four wickets either side of lunch threatened to wreak havoc.

Shoaib Akhtar was absent ill, while some batsmen were present in body but not in spirit as they almost squandered the advantage of winning the toss on a glorious day.

A day after hearing he would not be retained next season because he could be called away three times by Australia, Martin Love was culpable when he got out in the over before lunch for 38.

Durham expect his replacement, Herschelle Gibbs, to be available until mid-August before he has any South African Test commitments.

The other overseas man will again be a bowler, but it is unlikely to be Shoaib, who was apparently taken ill on Saturday night and put on medication. It was hoped he would be fit to play, but now his target is to be well enough to fly home to Pakistan before Sunday to play in the first two Tests against Bangladesh. Durham still expect him back to play at Northampton on September 3.

Jon Lewis won a crucial toss yesterday as both sides went into the match with two spinners hoping to take advantage of a worn pitch in the fourth innings.

While Glamorgan were still able to field three frontline seamers in Michael Kasprowicz, Yorkshire reject Alex Wharf and Newport-born David Harrison, Durham have only Neil Killeen and Mark Davies, with Vince Wells as back-up.

The idea when winning the toss in such circumstances is to keep the opposition baking in the field all day, and while Peng ultimately achieved that three batsmen got out carelessly in the 30s.

Lewis could be absolved of blame as he was playing back defensively when he was adjudged caught behind off Kasprowicz. Lewis's reaction suggested he was not aware of making any contact.

Michael Gough was beaten several times by Kasprowicz and was lucky on 15 when he top edged a pull off Harrison over the wicketkeeper. He went for the same shot next ball to hit a beautifully-controlled four, but on 30 an attempted hook off Wharf was skied straight to deep backward square leg.

At 51 for two Gary Pratt emerged to outshine Love in a stand of 73, playing handsomely on either side of the wicket.

Spinners Croft and Cosker came on after 26 overs, and although some turn was immediately evident neither batsman looked in any trouble.

But both departed trying to force Croft through the off side off the back foot.

Love got a clear edge to wicketkeeper Mark Wallace and after being becalmed for six overs after lunch Pratt made room to cut and was bowled.

Wells had made only one when he advanced to drive Croft and was bowled via an inside edge, then Phil Mustard thrust his pad at the next ball and was lbw.

While the Durham of old would have turned this mini-collapse into a full-scale capitulation, Bridge again proved crucial to their new resilience.

As with his 50 against Yorkshire and 42 against Somerset, he mixed gritty defiance with positive strokes.

He was out for 49, caught off bat and pad off Cosker, leaving Nicky Phillips to show that he has also learnt how to get stuck in. He contributed an unbeaten 38 to the stand of 116.

The new ball was taken at 249 for seven after 90 overs and Peng showed admirable defensive qualities to keep out an excellent first over from Kasprowicz before taking him on.

The Queenslander conceded only two runs in an eight-over spell after lunch, but on 63 Peng hooked him for six then took three fours off his next over.

He had 15 fours in his 199-ball century, which he reached by driving Harrison to long-off for three and his relief was obvious after getting out for 99 at Derby last month.

He moved rapidly on, with ten coming off Croft's final over to underline the transformation.

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