and it was as if the Chelmsford regulars knew what was in store

Wests Tigers longest-serving player Chris Lawrence says theres been significant change at the NRL club, but denies there was a culture of bullying as suggested by a damning newspaper report over the weekend.News Corp Australia claimed a Rugby League Players Association report alleged at least two NRL players considered committing suicide and others had spoken of being bullied at the club.Centre-turned forward Lawrence, who has played close to 200 games since his debut in 2006, suggested disgruntled former players may have been responsible for some of the negativity surrounding the club.He stressed the present Tigers culture was good and while there had been changes at the club, that didnt mean there had been dark days in their past.I wouldnt say dark, Lawrence said.With every administration that comes in theres always going to be people coming and going.You see it at every club, whether its players, coaching staff or administration , people come and go.So with that theres a cleanout of people, theres always maybe some people that are going to be unhappy about leaving.Lawrence emphasised there had been changes across the club in all departments.I think you can see with the energy and the vibe around the place that now theres a good culture, he said.While there has been speculation about the relationship between coach Jason Taylor and some of his players, forward Tim Grant had nothing but praise for the Tigers mentor.Coming to the club not only JT (Taylor), but (Tigers CEO) Justin Pascoe and also the playing group, everyone is so encouraging here and we look out for each other, Grant said.Ive been at other clubs and I think the Wests Tigers welfare and wellbeing is second to none.Tigers recruit Jamal Idris said he hadnt been affected by the report and hadnt seen evidence of anything bad in his short time at the club.Im in the middle of it and I havent seen havent seen any of it, thats coming from someone who is right in the thick of it all, Idris said.Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467.MensLine Australia 1300 78 99 78.Multicultural Mental Health Australia www.mmha.org.au.Local Aboriginal Medical Service available from www.vibe.com.au. 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Glamorgan 256 for 7 (Carlson 101*, Morgan 51*, Napier 4-46) v Essex Scorecard Delayed at the start of the day by the absence of Glamorgans equipment from the ground, Essex were delayed at the end by the presence of a record-breaking teenager at the crease. Needing six points to confirm promotion and the Division Two title, Essex managed two in short order before Kiran Carlsons maiden first-class hundred staved off a seemingly inexorable collapse. At 18 years and 119 days, Carlson became the youngest player to score a first-class century for Glamorgan.These are heady days at the ECG but Essex are not yet champions and Carlsons unheralded intervention - his previous best score in four innings was 10 - meant the metaphorical bunting that was being brought out by the time Graham Napiers fourth wicket reduced Glamorgan to 83 for 6 had to be stowed away by the close. As if to compound the frustration Napier, playing in his last home match before retirement, limped off during the afternoon and will have to wait until the morning to find out how much more of a role he can play.A club that have become so used to near misses have embraced their status as frontrunners warily. The Essex members who had seen their team finish third in each of the last three seasons were convinced that, with only one promotion spot available as the ECB whittles away a couple of games from the Championship schedule, this would doubtless be the year they finished second. Three innings wins in a row at the climax of the season - not to mention Kents welcome capitulation against Northamptonshire last week - has grudgingly brought people around.They have become used to waiting, however, and the news that the start would be put back, ultimately by an hour and a half, because Glamorgans kit van was stuck on the A12 was met with ironic chuckles by those Essex fans who had got in early to see every moment of a game that is expected to be a coronation. Bonus points alone could be enough to see Essex go up - they lead Kent, who only have one game left, by 20 points and Sussex by 43 - and this game pitted the team with the most wins in Division Two against the team with the most losses.Napier began the first spell of his final appearance at Chelmsford with two wickets in two balls and it was all beginning to seem disconcertingly easy. It took the contributions of a couple of young Welshmen to give the Essex worry ball a squeeze, as Carlson and Owen Morgan put on an unbroken 129 during the second half of a shortened day. Truly a case of better late than never for Glamorgan.Carlson took a five-for with his offspin on debut at Northamptonshire a couple of weeks ago but this performance, eclipsing that of Mike Llewellyn in 1972, was less of a surprise. Batting at No. 6, he produced several stylish drives and cuts among plenty of watchful accumulation that was capped off by a scampered single to bring up three figures and an ovation from his team-mates on the balcony.I am more of aa batsman, its lovely to get my first hundred under my belt pretty soon into my career, he said.dddddddddddd Its amazing, I cant put into words how I feel. When you start playing cricket, aged seven or eight, you go and watch Glamorgan and think that could be me in a few years. Its great to have Welsh boys doing well.To emphasise the latter point, his team-mate Morgan then went on to conduct an interview in Welsh. Both players gave chances, with Carlson dropped on 67 in the gully by Daniel Lawrence - a sharp catch that would have given Napier his five-for - and coming close to running himself out on 81. Morgan was put down at second slip when he had 7, by Nick Browne off Ravi Bopara, and gave a tough caught-and-bowled opportunity to Jamie Porter when had reached his half-century.Glamorgans young batsmen are making their mark. Carlson was the fourth Glamorgan player aged 22 or under to score a first-class hundred this season and three of them are Welsh born: reasons for pride in a challenging season.After a sorry morning session (which technically began at noon), it appeared losing their bats on the motorway had been Glamorgans best chance of holding Essex up. A great cheer went up from the pavilion when the van was spotted driving in through the gate shortly before 11.30am - an hour after the scheduled start due to an accident on the motorway - and it was as if the Chelmsford regulars knew what was in store.Glamorgan were initially compliant extras. Jacques Rudolph requested a toss, doubtless concluding that the pitch was firm enough and the sun high enough to bankroll a day of batting if only the opening exchanges against the new ball could be won; he and Nick Selman then got through nearly a dozen overs of fretful playing and missing before Napier, the local hero and man for this season of all seasons, took centre stage.His fifth delivery was full and wide - it is probably not a calumny to call it a half-volley - but Rudolphs flailing bat could only deflect a thick edge to second slip. The next ball, to Will Bragg, offered no such margin for error and thudded into the front pad, Steve OShaugnessys front finger duly raised. Graham Gooch, watching on from the executives boxes, might well have repeated his enquiry to Ian Botham in 1986: Who writes your scripts?The slide became 3 for 0 in six balls when Selman was bowled by Porter - Essexs other 50-wicket bowler this year - and although Aneurin Donald stroked Napiers hat-trick delivery through the covers for four, he followed David Lloyd back to the pavilion a couple of overs later as the carefully piloted Glamorgan dirigible plummeted from the cautious optimism of 30 for 0 to the grim reality of 34 for 5. It was all too much for one wag to resist the question: their kit has turned up but have Glamorgan? Time for Carlson and Morgan to deliver a pithy riposte. ' ' '