Close of Play Report

Leicestershire were 168-2 after 64 overs at tea but after adding a single, Louis Kimber was run out as he drove Andrew Salter to mid-on but was run out at the bowler’s end attempting a single by a direct throw from Michael Neser. Wiaan Mulder began by on-driving Labuschagne for a pair of fours before lofting Salter for six over long-on. Patel then repeated the stroke as he reached his maiden Championship fifty from 105 balls with bis second maximum.

Leicestershire were still one run short of a batting point when Mulder played back to Labuschagne and departed l.b.w. before next ball Labuschagne bowled Scott Streel before Harry Swindells survived the hat-trick ball, prior to cover-driving and sweeping Labuschagne for four. Glamorgan took the new ball after 80 overs with the visitors on 230-5 as Neser and Hogan, with Swindells lofting the former to mid-wicket for four. But Neser made amends in his next over as he bowled Swindells.

238-6 saw Ben Mike join Patel and he began with a firmly struck on-drive against Hogan before Patel, on 75, had a life as he was dropped at mid-wicket. But it did not prove too costly a miss as seven runs later he chopped James Harris onto his stumps. 260-7 saw Callum Parkinson join Mike but it proved to be a brief stand as, on 268, James Weighell bowled Mike.

Afternoon Report

Leicestershire had reached 82-0 at lunch as Michael Neser and Marnus Labuschagne resumed the bowling to Hasan Azad and Sam Evans. Azad was nearly caught at slip by David Lloyd off Labuschagne but in his next over the Australian broke through as he lured Evans down the wicket and had him smartly stumped by Chris Cooke. 90-1 saw Rishi Patel join Azad who completed a 108-ball fifty during the next over before his new partner on-drove Neser for four as the hundred came up in the 41st over.

Patel also lofted Labuschagne over long-on for six before Patel greeted the return of Andy Gorvin to the attack by driving him through the covers for four. Patel also biffed Weighell through extra-cover for four before Michael Hogan returned at the Cathedral Road End with Patel also on-driving Gorvin for four. James Harris also had a second spell at the River End as Azad continued to accumulate in singles throughout the session.

But his patient accumulation was ended in the 58th over as he flicked Gorvin to deep square-leg and attempted to break his sequence by coming back for a second run, but he failed to beat a fine throw from Sam Northeast with a diving Cooke removing the bails. 152-2 saw the arrival of Louis Kimber shortly before the tea interval, with Patel glancing Harris to fine-leg for four.

Morning Report

Glamorgan returned to Wales after their thrilling run-chase on Sunday afternoon at Derby which nearly saw them reach a target of 330 from 55 overs in a contest which saw, for only the tenth time in the Welsh county’s history, all four innings exceed the 300-mark. They made two changes to their line-up with the injured Timm van der Gugten being replaced by James Weighell and Andy Gorvin replacing Tom Cullen.

David Lloyd duly won the toss and opted to bowl first on the green-tinged surface with the two Michael’s – Messrs Hogan and Neser – sharing the new ball as Hasan Azad opened the batting with Sam Evans. As at Derby, both bowlers beat the outside edge during a probing spell with the first boundary not coming until the 12th over when Weighell replaced Hogan at the River End and was scythed through backward point for four by Azad.

James Harris also replaced Neser and was clipped to the square-leg boundary by Azad, with Evans also flicking Harris to fine-leg for four. Azad also outside-edged Harris just wide of second slip before Gorvin had his first trundle in Championship cricket. Azad also square-cut Weighell for four as Leicestershire reached the 50-mark in the over, before Azad flicked Gorvin to square-leg and extra-cover in successive deliveries.
Hogan also returned for a second spell and was twice cover-driven by Azad who moved towards a fifty shortly before lunch.

Evening Report

When play resumed after tea, with Glamorgan on 220-3, Sam Northeast and Kiran Carlson had already added 157 runs for the fourth wicket and seen their team to their first batting point. It was therefore no surprise that the new ball pairing of Chris Wright and Beuran Hendricks returned to the fray in a bid to end the stand.

Carlson square-drove Hendricks whilst Northeast continued his sober innings by pulling the Protea for four. Carlson then unfurled another majestic cover-drive for four before Northeast played a booming on-drive for four against Wright. But later in the over Wright got a delivery which jagged back in to rap Carlson on his pads as he departed leg before for 91 having added 182 in 37.5 overs with Northeast.

245-4 saw Chris Cooke join Northeast and he opened his account by driving Wright through the covers. Northeast greeted the return of Wiaan Mulder by cover-driving the South African for four but in the next over he departed l.b.w. to a full-length ball from Ben Mike. Andy Gorvin joined Cooke on 267-5 and pulled Mike off the front foot for four.

Cooke then on-drove Mulder before Gorvin drilled him through mid-off, followed by a crisp on-drive against Parkinson. Cooke then flicked Wright for a single to mid-wicket to bring up the 300 and a third batting point, before Gorvin flicked Parkinson for four to square-leg as Glamorgan came closer to parity before bad light curtailed play with two overs remaining,

Afternoon update

Sam Northeast joined Andrew Salter as Glamorgan began the post-lunch session on 58-2 following Labuschagne’s dismissal to the final ball before lunch. Salter began with a deft late cut against Callum Parkinson but next over he feathered a catch to Swindells as Chris Wright made a further incision.
Kiran Carlson joined Northeast who square-drove Ben Mike for a couple of fours before clipping Wright to the mid-wicket ropes. Carlson opened his account with a handsome drive through point against Mike before unfurling a flowing cover drive against Wright. Northeast then biffed Wright through extra-cover for four before later in the over swotting a short ball to the fence at mid-wicket. Carlson then square-drove Hendricks for four before Northeast welcomed Wiaan Mulder into the attack by steering the Springbok to third man.

Carlson also caressed Mulder through extra-cover off the back foot before two balls later repeating the stroke off the front foot. He then nurdled Mulder through third man for four before greeting the return of Callum Parkinson by flicking him to long-leg as Northeast continued to quietly accumulate at the other end. Carlson completed his 50 from 69 balls by cutting Mulder to the ropes. The rebuilding work continued as Northeast deftly late cut Parkinson for four before reaching fifty by repeating the stroke against Mike – also his 69th delivery – before clipping Mike to fine-leg for another boundary as a bonus point loomed shortly before the interval.

Morning Report

“If at first you don’t succeed, try, try and try again” – the words of this famous mantra must have been ringing in the ears of David Lloyd and his team yesterday after Glamorgan opted to bowl first against bottom-of-the-table Leicestershire, but failed to take a wicket in the opening session. Two had eventually come by tea, including the wicket of Hasan Azad who had scored exclusively in singles since the lunch break and was then run out by Sam Northeast from fine leg attempting to end this sequence attempting a second run. Six further wickets then tumbled during the final session with Michael Neser also running out Louis Kimber with a direct hit at the bowler’s end as he also tried to sneak a single.

The net result was that Glamorgan required two quick wickets this morning to polish off the visitor’s innings, whilst Leicestershire need fifteen runs to reach the 300-mark for the first time this summer. Callum Parkinson edged Michael Hogan just short of the slips with the ball speeding away for four before next over nearly being caught down the leg-side by a diving Chris Cooke. Chris Wright duly saw Leicestershire to their third bonus point by clipping Hogan to fine-leg for four before Parkinson on-drove Michael Neser to the ropes at mid-wicket.

Wright also nurdled Neser to third man for four but next over, with the total on 311, he edged Hogan into Cooke’s gloves. Beuran Hendricks then pulled Neser for four but in Hogan’s next over, Leicestershire’s ended on 320, with a third run out as Parkinson was out of his ground at the bowler’s end as he tried to complete a second run.

David Lloyd launched the Glamorgan innings with a firm on-drive followed by a booming cover drive, but next ball he edged another drive and the diving Harry Swindells completed a fine catch sprawling to his right in front of the slip cordon. The wicket-keeper nearly completed a second diving catch in the seventh over as Marnus Labuschagne attempted a leg-glance but Swindells could not cling onto the deflection.

Salter repeated the stroke in Wright’s next over as he secured boundaries to fine-leg from successive deliveries before Labuschagne steered Hendricks through backward point for his first boundary. Marnus Labuschagne had unfurled some sublime strokes with home supporters hoping that these were the hors d’oeuvres before the post-lunch session but to the final ball of the morning he hoisted Greg Mike in the air to fine-leg where Scott Steel took a fine running catch.

Close of Play Report

Leicestershire had reached 76-2 by tea, with a deficit of 41 runs, with Hasan Azad and Louis Kimber resuming against Andy Gorvin and Michael Neser. The latter struck with his third delivery as he bowled Kimber as Wiaan Mulder joined Azad who thick-edged Gorvin to the vacant third man ropes before completing his second fifty of the match from 88 balls by on-driving Gorvin for two, before flicking him to the ropes at long-leg .

Mulder had also earlier glanced Neser to fine-leg, before Michael Hogan returned to the fray at the Cathedral Road End. David Lloyd also came on at the River End and struck with his second delivery as Mulder feathered a catch to Chris Cooke. In his next over, the Glamorgan captain struck again as the obdurate Azad edged to Labuschagne at slip as Leicestershire subsided further to 115-5, still two runs in arrears.

Scott Steel on-drove Hogan before punching him through the covers whilst Swindells cover-drove Lloyd for a pair of fours. Steel also clipped Neser to the ropes at square-leg but next ball he trapped him l.b.w. as Glamorgan further tightened their grip on the match with the visitors on 139-6, or in effect, 22-6. Swindells was joined by Mike and off-drove Lloyd before the new batter clipped Neser to the ropes at fine-leg. Labuschagne and Weighell then bowled in tandem in the closing stages as Mike and Swindells attempted to see Leicestershire through to the close, but to the fourth ball of the final over of the day Swindells shouldered arms to Weighell and was bowled.

Afternoon Update

Michael Neser and James Weighell resumed with Glamorgan on 389-7 and a lead of 69 as Wiaan Mulder and Beuran Hendricks shared the bowling duties. Weighell immediately unleashed a booming off-drive but on 398 Neser edged Mulder to Louis Kimber at slip. James Harris replaced him and saw Glamorgan to 400, although not another point as it was in the 114th over. Weighell lofted Mulder for four but later in the over, the Protea had an l.b.w. appeal upheld against Harris.

Michael Hogan steered Hendricks through point for four as the lead went into three figures before Weighell biffed Hendricks over wide long-on for six. Hogan then drilled Ben Mike through mid-off for four but later in the over Weighell miscued a pull to Hasan Azad at fine-leg as Glmaorgan’s innings ended on 437, with their total swollen by 64 extras.

With a first innings deficit of 117, Azad and Sam Evans began Leicestershire’s second innings with the latter off-driving Hogan for four before Azad pulled Neser to fine-leg. But in Hogan’s third over, Evans was caught by Chris Cooke, diving full length to his left, to safely pouch an attempted leg-glance. 14-1 then became 15-2 as Cooke completed a second and more orthodox catch as Rishi Patel feathered a waspish delivery from Neser.

Louis Kimber began with a flick to fine-leg for four before punching Weighell and Hogan through the covers. He also did the same to Harris when he appeared at the River End followed by a firm straight-drive. Azad also punched Harris through point for four before Harris had a loud appeal turned down for a catch against Kimber behind the wicket. Azad also cover-drove Weighell shortly before tea as the pair continued to whittle away the deficit.

Lunchtime Update

On the day when Abergavenny’s place in the first-class batting records was erased by the hurricane hitting of Ben Stokes for Durham at Worcester, a pair of less flamboyant innings at Cardiff by Sam Northeast and Kiran Carlson allowed Glamorgan regain the upperhand against Leicestershire. Whereas the newly-appointed England captain blitzed a record 17 sixes during his 88-ball innings to eclipse the achievements of Gloucestershire’s Andrew Symonds at the Avenue Road ground in 1995, the measured efforts of Northeast and Carlson - who between them struck 27 fours – rested the initiative back from the East Midlands county after the departure of Marnus Labuschagne to the last ball before lunch during what could prove to be a match-winning stand of 182 in 37.5 overs.

Thanks to their efforts Glamorgan resumed this morning just 15 runs in arrears, with eyes on further batting points during the next 30 overs as well as a decent first innings lead. Chris Cooke and Andy Gorvin faced Chris Wright and Beuran Hendricks, armed with the new ball, with Cooke flicking Wright to square-leg for the day’s first boundary. However, Hendricks struck with his second delivery as Gorvin, shouldering arms, was adjudged l.b.w.
Michael Neser joined Cooke as the arrears were wiped off with both playing watchfully against the probing attack. Wiaan Mulder and Ben Mike returned to the attack after an hour’s play with Neser punching the latter off the back foot for four as the 350 came up in the 96th and a further batting point was accrued. Neser also on-drove Mulder before Callum Parkinson returned to the attack, with the seventh wicket pair quietly working the ball around as the lead was extended.

Cooke also late cut Parkinson for four en route to a patient and invaluable fifty from 138 balls by flicking the spinner to long-leg, but next ball he was bowled with the total on 376 as James Weighell joined Neser shortly before lunch and lofted Parkinson for six.

Close of Play Report

Glamorgan were 125-3 at tea, needing a further 25 runs to record their 500th victory as a first-class county, with Kiran Carlson and Sam Northeast resuming their stand and looking to repeat their watchful efforts from the first innings as they chiselled away at the target against the spin of Callum Parkinson and Scott Steel. But in Steel’s first over of the session, Carlson skewed a drive into Mike’s hands at backward point as Chris Cooke became Northeast’s new partner and began with a pair of two’s before Northeast clipped Parkinson for four to square-leg followed by a rasping straight drive for four against Steel. Northeast then on-drove Steel for three before Cooke finished the match with a flowing cover drive.

Teatime Report

Glamorgan began their pursuit of 150 with David Lloyd and Andrew Salter facing the new ball pairing of Wright and Hendricks. Lloyd straight drove the latter for a pair of fours before drilling successive balls through extra cover and mid-off for further boundaries, followed by a well-timed cover drive for four against Wright as Glamorgan made another breezy start to a Sunday afternoon run-chase.

With Leicestershire’s over rate standing at minus four and the spectre of losing as many points, Callum Parkinson was soon into the attack, but it produced dividends as the left-arm spinner bowled Lloyd with the total on 43. Marnus Labuschagne arrived with 106 needed and he began by slapping successive balls from Ben Mike through extra-cover for four.

With Salter accumulating in singles, Labuschagne swept Parkinson for four but his cameo ended as he top-edged a reverse-sweep against the spinner and was caught at slip by Kimber who had initially moved towards the leg-side before diving back to his normal position to complete the catch.59-2 saw Sam Northeast join Salter, who ended his sequence of one’s by punching Mike through the covers for four before lofting Parkinson over long-off for four.
Salter found the ropes again as he swept Parkinson for four but, with the total on 92, he departed l.b.w. attempting to repeat the stroke against the visiting captain as Kiran Carlson made his way to the middle. He began with his trademark drive square of the wicket before quietly working the ball around with Northeast as the pair, for the second time in the match, shared an invaluable and watchful partnership.

Northeast square-cut Mulder for four shortly before the interval

Lunchtime Report

A group of undergraduates studying politics and economics were sat in the enclosures at Sophia Gardens yesterday afternoon, soaking up the sun’s rays, flicking through their revision notes and enjoying a good afternoon of cricket for the Welsh county. Should a question should crop up in their forthcoming exams about the virtues of socialism against capitalism, they could justifiably use the example of the collective approach which Glamorgan displayed yesterday (and throughout this contest) as all of their players, either with bat, ball or in the field, made a contribution as David Lloyd’s team moved further into a dominant position.

Leicestershire began the final day on 158-7 with a slender lead of 41 after Harry Swindells had been bowled, shouldering arms to James Weighell to the fourth ball of the day’s final over. Callum Parkinson duly replaced him as Weighell completed the over before Marnus Labuschagne resumed at the River End. Parkinson survived a loud appeal for l.b.w. against Weighell before Ben Mike on-drove Labuschagne for four.
Parkinson then biffed Weighell through point for four before Michael Neser returned to the attack and was lofted over square-leg for four by Mike, followed by an inside-edge to the ropes at fine-leg. Neser also bowled with three men on the drive on the legside to Parkinson who brought up the dogged 50 stand with a nurdle to third man. Mike also cover drove Neser for four with panache as the lead went into three figures.
Mike also flicked Lloyd to fine-leg for four before pulling him behind square and then twice cover-driving him to complete his fifty from 82 balls. He celebrated by lofting Labuschagne for a straight six before surviving a loud appeal for a catch at the wicket against Salter. With the visitors on 246-7 after 80 overs, the new ball was taken with Michael Hogan returning to the attack, and with his third ball, he removed Mike as he miscued a pull with Cooke safely pouching the skier.

246-8 saw Chris Wright make his way to the middle as Andy Gorvin returned to the attack and claimed his maiden Championship wicket as Wright departed l.b.w. Parkinson responded by hoisting him for six followed by a straight-driven four but shortly afterwards the innings ended as Hogan bowled Hendricks as Leicestershire ended on 266 and a lead of 149.