TEENAGE Welsh batsman Kiran Carlson made Gloucestershire suffer on day one of their Specsavers County Championship division two clash at the Swalec Stadium as home side Glamorgan reached 342-7 at the close.

Carlson struck a career best 137 not out after he and Chris Cooke (51) guided Glamorgan to 127-4 at lunch.

Gloucestershire decided to bowl first after an uncontested toss. The Welsh county got off to a poor start, Nick Selman removed lbw by David Payne from the second ball of the match after he survived a chance for a catch from the very first ball.

Colin Ingram struck three fours in the first four overs, though. However, it wasn’t long before he was bowled by Liam Norwell for 18.

Championship debutant Connor Brown joined Carlson at 33-2. It was short-lived, however, as he was dismissed lbw by Noema-Barnett for 35, having struck eight fours as Gloucestershire had Glamorgan in a spot of bother at 62-3.

Aneurin Donald played a poor shot outside off-stump on one, offering an easy chance to George Hankins at third slip off David Payne, reducing the Welsh side to 63-4.

Carlson and Chris Cooke looked to get Glamorgan back on track in the middle-order against Noema-Barnett and Matt Taylor. The rate continued at around four an over and Glamorgan finally reached the hundred mark in the 26th over, as the batsmen went past the fifty partnership.

They had added 65 by tea, as the home side reached 216-5. However, after a lengthy delay to repair a hole in the pitch at square-leg, Cooke was bowled by David Payne for 51, ending an 88 partnership for the fifth wicket.

Carlson kicked on, however, and reached his half-century from 131 balls with a crashing blow through the covers off Payne, his seventh four of the innings.

The wicket slowed Glamorgan’s scoring rate, but Andrew Salter looked to up the tempo with back-to-back fours, pulling through mid-wicket before cutting down to third man off Noema-Barnett as he moved into double figures.

Carlson continued to bat sensibly, allowing Salter to play the shots. However, it was Carlson who hit the first six of the match over the head of Gloucestershire spinner Jack Taylor towards the River Taff after Glamorgan had gained their first batting point. Another, slightly wider six soon followed off the same bowler before tea.