Evening Update

Glamorgan resumed on 172-4 after tea with Chris Cooke driving the first ball from Blair Tickner to mid-wicket for four. He also edged the Kiwi for four before Colin Ingram on-drove him for three. However, Thomson removed Ingram who drove uppishly to Anuj Dal at short extra-cover with the total on 190-5.

Dan Douthwaite was Cooke’s new partner but with the total on 201 the spinner struck again as Cooke feathered a ball down the leg-side and was well caught by a diving David Lloyd at leg-slip. Having been joined by James Harris, Douthwaite drilled Chappell for four through point, followed by a rasping cover-drive. Harris then swept Thomson for four but three balls later he was bowled attempting to repeat the stroke.

209-7 saw Mason Crane make his way to the middle with Douthwaite straight-driving Thomson for four. He then pulled the spinner to fine-leg but was then caught and bowled as the spinner held onto a fierce return drive. 220-8 saw the arrival of Jamie McIlroy who punched Thomson off the back foot for four through extra-cover. Crane then top-edged Conners for four to third man, but the bowler then re-arranged McIlroy’s stumps before Crane reverse-pulled Thomson prior to being the spinner’s seventh and final victim as he was bowled in the 78^th over with the total on 237.

There were sixteen overs remaining when play resumed with Luis Reece and Harry Came opening the batting with Hamza and Harris sharing the new ball. But Reece, who made four hundreds in as many innings last year for Derbyshire against Glamorgan, departed for nought as he under-edged a pull against Harris onto his stumps. David Lloyd began by flicking Hamza for four to square-leg before on-driving the Pakistani, with Crane and Carlson then having a short spell in tandem. Lloyd cover-drove Carlson for four before pulling him for another boundary

Afternoon Update
Glamorgan had reached 60-2 at lunch with Kiran Carlson opening his account by clipping Sam Conners to mid-wicket for four, before Zain ul Hassan off-drove Zak Chappell for four. Carlson then flat-batted Chappell for six into the Grandstand. He then on-drove Conners before greeting the return of Blair Tickner by punching him through the covers off the back foot for four as the 100 came up in the 31st over.

Carlson then square-cut Alex Thomson for four but the spinner saw the Peakites to their first bowling point as next over he lured Zain ul Hassan down the pitch and had him stumped by wicket-keeper Brooke Guest for 35. 113-3 saw Colin Ingram join Carlson who reached his fifty by gliding Tickner to backward point for four – his 65th ball – before Ingram opened his account with a brace of singles.

Carlson greeted the return of Anuj Dal at the Cathedral Road End by square-driving him for four followed by a booming cover drive. But on 74 he was trapped l.b.w. by Thomson as Chris Cooke joined Ingram with the home side on 155-4. Ingram pulled Thomson for four before Cooke began with a flurry of singles before pulling Conners to fine-leg

Morning Update

Augusta and Aintree might grab the global headlines over the next few days as the US Masters and Grand National takes place, but for Glamorgan supporters all eyes will on events at Sophia Gardens and seeing if Sam Northeast can significantly add to his already impressive seasonal aggregate of 349 runs and move even closer to becoming the first batter since Graeme Hick in 1988 to score 1,000 runs in first-class cricket before the end of May.

After a lot of rain yesterday and overnight, conditions underfoot at Cardiff were not good enough for play to start on time at 1100, with the umpires – Neil Bainton and Rob Bailey – delaying things until 11.30.

With Craig Miles having been recalled by Warwickshire, the Welsh county made one change to their line-up with Mason Crane – also on loan from Hampshire - making his Championship debut, with Zain ul Hassan and Billy Root opening the batting whilst Zac Chappell and Sam Conners shared the bowling duties. ul Hassan off-drove Conners for the day’s first four before Root cover-drove Conners for three. ul Hassan then clipped Conners to square-leg for four.

Root greeted the introduction of Blair Tickner by steering him through backward point for four but two balls later the Kiwi made the breakthrough as the opener feathered a catch into Brooke Guest’s gloves. Sam Northeast arrived with his team on 31-1 and opened his account by on-driving Tickner for four before clipping Anuj Dal to mid-wicket for three. The 50 came up in the 15^th over but three runs later Tickner struck again as he bowled Northeast for 11 with Kiran Carlson joining ul Hassan and flicking the Kiwi to square-leg for four.

Evening Update

There were 32 overs remaining as Zain ul Hassan and Billy Root began Glamorgan’s second innings with both cover-driving Chappell in the opening three overs. Alex Thomson shared the new ball and in his fifth over he made the breakthrough as ul Hassan departed l.b.w. with the total on 27. Sam Northeast joined him, a week after completing his record 335* at Lord’s, but he departed first ball as he became another l.b.w. victim.

Kiran Carlson survived the hat-trick ball before sweeping Thomson for four, but the light drizzle which had been falling then intensified as the light deteriorated and the players briefly left the field in the 13th over. A flurry of singles saw Glamorgan to the 50-mark with Harry Came’s spin also being employed in tandem with Thomson who then claimed his third wicket as he advanced down the wicket to the off-spinner and was bowled as the ball ricocheted onto leg stump.

51-3 saw Colin Ingram join Root and he duly off-drove Came for four to take the lead into three figures, followed by a sweep against Thomson. But with the total on 69 Sam Conners returned to the attack and clean bowled Root with Mason Crane acting as night-watchman until bad light ended play after 27 overs.

Afternoon update

Derbyshire had reached 117-3 at lunch with Wayne Madsen getting the scoreboard moving after the interval by cover-driving Mir Hamza before sweeping Mason Crane. But the Pakistani made the breakthrough as Brooke Guest chipped a ball into the hands of a diving Billy Root at square-leg. 130-4 saw Aneurin Donald join Madsen with the former Glamorgan batter pulling a long-hop from Crane to the ropes at mid-wicket.

Dan Douthwaite then replaced Hamza at the Cathedral Road End and removed Donald as he feathered a ball down the leg-side with a tumbling Chris Cooke completing the catch with Derbyshire on 146-5. Madsen responded by cover-driving Douthwaite before Kiran Carlson replaced Crane at the River End. But with the total on 165 Douthwaite struck again as Madsen was nonchalantly caught one-handed above his head at cover by Asa Tribe who was fielding as substitute for the injured Jamie McIlroy.

Alex Thomson began by cover driving Carlson but Harris returned at the Cathedral Road End and found the edge of Dal’s bat with Colin Ingram at slip completing the knee-high catch. 174-7 saw Zak Chappell join Thomson and he opened his account with a thick outside-edge for four against Harris. But Crane then returned at the River End and removed Thomson who miscued a lofted drive into the hands of Douthwaite at mid-on.

178-8 then became 180-9 as Crane bowled Conners before Chappell pulled Crane for six followed by a paddle-sweep for four. Blair Tickner glanced Harris to fine-leg for four before Crane bowled Tickner leaving Derbyshire 198 all out and 39 runs in arrears.

Morning update

Derbyshire’s first Championship match of the summer had been washed out without a single ball being bowled, yet it was all smiles in the visiting camp yesterday as the Peakites enjoyed the better of the opening day at Cardiff as, after opting to bowl first, Glamorgan were dismissed for 237. David Lloyd, on a return to his old stamping ground, must have hoped that in the damp conditions his seamers might have held sway but instead it was the slow bowling of Alex Thomson, the former captain of Cardiff MCCU, who took the headlines rather than any of his seamers, with the off-spinner claiming career-best figures of 7/65 - an analysis only eclipsed by England and Somerset’s Jack Leach in terms of the university’s spinning alumni in professional cricket, and the best by a Derbyshire spinner for 42 years.

Lloyd had also struck some fierce drives in the hour’s batting which his team faced at the end of the day with his trademark shots allowing his team to reach 46-1. Mir Hamza and James Harris resumed the bowling duties with Lloyd punching the Pakistani off the back foot before slashing him over the slip cordon for four. The visiting captain duly completed his 50 from 65 balls by square-driving Hamza.

After fifty minutes, Mason Crane’s wrist spin was introduced at the River End and with his eighth delivery of the day he removed Lloyd who departed l.b.w. attempting a sweep against the loanee. 78-2 saw the arrival in the middle of Wayne Madsen and he began by flicking Dan Douthwaite for four to fine-leg before cover-driving the all-rounder. He did the same to Harris who returned at the Cathedral Road End as Crane continued to probe away at the River End. But it was Harris who made the breakthrough as he trapped the obdurate Came l.b.w.

Evening Report
Chris Cooke was within nine runs of his first century of the year and the 1000th first-class hundred in the Club’s history as Glamorgan resumed after the tea interval on 280-7 with a lead of 319 runs. James Harris began with a flowing straight drive for four against Alex Thomson, before Cooke punched Blair Tickner for three through extra-cover. Harris also flat-batted Tickner for four before Cooke pulled the Kiwi for a single prior to reaching the coveted landmark by flicking Alex Thomson through square-leg for two – his 173rd delivery.

Harris then drilled Thomson for successive fours to long-off to take the lead over the 350-mark before square-driving Sam Conners. Cooke then drilled Thomson through extra-cover for four before Harris square-cut the weary spinner. Harris then outside-edged Luis Reece for four to complete an 82-ball fifty before Cooke launched Reece over long-on for a massive six.

Harris also flayed Reece through backward point before a pair of cover drives by Cooke took the lead past 400. The players left the field for bad light but it was only a short stoppage whereupon Glamorgan declared leaving Derbyshire a target of 401 runs in a minimum of 112 overs. Harris was swiftly back in the action as he opened the bowling with Mir Hamza and with his eighth delivery Harris trapped Harry Came l.b.w. 7-1 saw David Lloyd arrive in the middle and he began by cover-driving his first delivery but shortly afterwards the light got worse and one over was lost as the players briefly left the field.

Mason Crane and Kiran Carlson then delivered the remaining overs with David Lloyd unfurling some booming drives as Derbyshire ended on 40-1 when bad light stopped play after 12 overs.

Afternoon Report

Glamorgan had reached 166-6 at lunch with a lead of 205 runs with Chris Cooke and Dan Douthwaite looking to further improve Glamorgan’s position after the interval. Cooke was immediately into his stride as he cover-drove Thomson’s first delivery for four before pulling him next over behind square-leg for another invaluable boundary. Douthwaite continued to quietly work the ball around for one’s, as Cooke completed his fifty with a cover-driven three against Anuj Dal.

He celebrated by punching Thomson off the back foot through extra-cover for four before Douthwaite did the same off the front foot. Cooke then clipped Dal to the fence at mid-wicket before Douthwaite repeated the stroke, followed by a scooped on-drive for another firmly-struck four. Cooke then guided Blair Tickner through the slips for four before the hundred stand came up as Cooke drove Tickner through the gully for four.

Douthwaite also steered the Kiwi in front of square on the offside but his doughty innings ended shortly after Thomson returned at the River End with Dal completing a good catch at mid-wicket. 245-7 saw the arrival of James Harris as well as the taking of the new ball by Derbyshire but Cooke was unfazed as he continued to drive assertively, square-driving Chappell through extra-cover to bring up the 300-run lead and to move closer to recording the 1,000^th first-class hundred in Glamorgan’s history.

Morning Update

They say that a week is a long time in politics, and Glamorgan captain Sam Northeast could be excused for thinking the same in cricket as, a week after his monumental triple-hundred at Lord’s, the Glamorgan captain departed first ball for nought yesterday afternoon at Cardiff. His golden duck came as Sam’s team looked to build on a handy first innings lead of 39 runs after a disciplined bowling performance, supported by some smart fielding, had seen Derbyshire suffer a post-lunch wobble, like the home side had experienced on the opening day, with the Peakites losing their last seven wickets for just 68 runs in 27.4 overs.

Batting for a second time, the Welsh county had reached 74-4 with a lead of 113 runs when bad light ended play with Alex Thomson, bowling at the River End, again posing problems for the home batters as, having opened with the new ball, he removed Zain ul Hassan and Northeast in successive balls. Mason Crane, the night-watchman, and Colin Ingram resumed the batting against Thomson and Blair Tickner. The latter was cover driven by Ingram whilst Crane stoutly defended and survived a couple of loud appeals for l.b.w. against Tickner.

Ingram greeted the return of Sam Conners to the attack by regally cover-driving him for four, before Crane flicked him to fine-leg for four. Ingram then cover-drove Conners again before Crane steered him through backward point. But after an hour’s play, Thomson ended Crane’s tenure of the crease as the night-watchman departed l.b.w.

114-5 saw Chris Cooke join Ingram who nurdled Zak Chappell for a pair of fours before on-driving him for four to complete a high-class fifty from 76 balls. But next over he departed as a mix-up in calling saw him run out at the non-strikers end as Conners, at mid-wicket, threw the ball to Thomson who removed the bails with Glamorgan on 136-6. Having been joined by Dan Douthwaite Chris Cooke pulled Thomson for four and then drilled him through mid-off for a rasping four. Cooke also nurdled Chappell for a pair of fours as the lead went past the 200-mark

Evening Update

The equation after tea for Glamorgan was to secure seven wickets in the remaining 34.4 overs, whilst Derbyshire required 215 runs with Brooke Guest and Luis Reece having already shared a century stand. Both batters struck offside fours in the opening overs from Mason Crane, before Zain ul Hassan and Kiran Carlson bowled in tandem. After a flurry of singles, Reece on-drove Carlson for four but there was little on offer as the asking rate to nine an over. Colin Ingram also had a second spell at the River End before the players shook hands at thr start of the final hour .

Afternoon Report

Rain fell throughout lunch and into the early afternoon, preventing a resumption until 1430 with a further 13 overs being lost. When play began, Derbyshire needed 272 from 53 overs with Mir Hamza bowling in tandem with Dan Douthwaite, as well as having two men on the drive on both the off and leg side.
Mason Crane then returned to the attack and was on-driven for four by Brooke Guest who then cover-drove Hamza for four as Reece completed his patient fifty from 121 balls with Guest following suit shortly afterwards from 64 as he cover drove Crane who, by now, was bowling in tandem with Carlson in the lead-up to tea.

Reece brought up the century stand by on-driving Crane

Morning Report

It was a red-letter day yesterday for Chris Cooke as he scored an unbeaten 126 – the 13^th century of his first-class career and the 1000^th in the history of the Welsh county. During his innings, the right-hander also completed a career aggregate of 7,000 runs for Glamorgan with his high-class efforts, supported by a fluent 61* from James Harris helped their team secure a commanding position, with Sam Northeast declaring on 361-7 to set the visitors a target of 401 runs from a minimum of 104 overs.

Despite a couple of interruptions for bad light and drizzle, the Peakites had reached 40-1 by the close, and after further rain this morning, play began at 1115 with a minimum of 92 overs remaining in the day’s quota. Mir Hamza and James Harris resumed the bowling, and in the fourth over of the day a superb piece of fielding by Mason Crane at mid-wicket saw Lloyd run out at the bowler’s end as he tried to take a single.

Wayne Madsen joined Reece and flicked Hamza to fine-leg before also cover-driving the Pakistani before Reece cover-drove Crane for four when he returned to the attack at the River End. Madsen then swept Crane for four before inside-edging an expansive drive against Harris who switched to the Cathedral Road End. But later in the over and with the total on 79, Harris re-arranged Madsen’s stumps.

Brooke Guest became Reece’s new partner and he began by cover-driving Crane for four before pulling a pair of long-hops from the spinner to the ropes at mid-wicket. He also punched Harris off the back foot through extra-cover before Colin Ingram had a twirl at the River End with Dan Douthwaite replacing Harris at the Cathedral Road End shortly before the interval.