GLAMORGAN'S hopes of maintaining their championship promotion push have been boosted by Mark Cosgrove passing a fitness test on his damaged finger.

The Australian left-hander dislocated a finger in his right hand while fielding during Glamorgan's CB40 win over Sussex on Sunday, raising major doubts as to whether he would be able to figure in the crucial LV= Championship clash with Gloucestershire in Cheltenham, which started today.

Cosgrove had an X-ray on Monday, which revealed no break, and he was given the all clear to play after coming through a nets session at the Swalec Stadium yesterday.

The news is a major shot in the arm for Matthew Maynard's men, who currently sit second in the second division table.

The 26-year-old opener has been in scintillating form for the Welsh county in recent weeks.

He finished the Twenty20 campaign as the second highest run-scorer in the competition and followed that up with a blistering century against Leicestershire in the championship draw in Swansea.

After a sticky start to the summer, Cosgrove is currently averaging 49.53 in championship cricket and 58.40 in the 40-over game.

Glamorgan went into this weekend's match looking to cement their position among the leading challengers for promotion.

With six matches remaining, they are 11 points adrift of leaders Sussex and five ahead of third-placed Gloucestershire, with Northamptonshire, Leicestershire, Surrey and Worcestershire all lurking close behind.

The daffodil county will also be buoyed by a decent record at the Cheltenham festival.

They enjoyed the better of a drawn game in 1991, won by two wickets in 2002 and recorded a 10-wicket victory on their last visit four years ago.

Meanwhile, the St Helen's Balconiers will be holding their annual dinner and Glamorgan player awards evening at the Towers Hotel in Jersey Marine on Monday, September 13, at 7pm.

Robert Lloyd