Evening Report

Middlesex began the final session on 75-3, just 47 runs in arrears with Glamorgan eager to make further inroads in the final session to prevent the visitors from amassing a sizeable lead. Mark Stoneman began where he had left off before the interval by square-cutting Harris for four en route to completing a 68-ball fifty. But Harris struck again during his third over of the session as Max Holden edged another probing delivery into Cooke’s gloves.

86-4 then became 94-5 as van der Gugten’s accuracy was rewarded as he also found the edge of Stoneman’s bat, with Cooke completing his fourth catch of the innings. John Simpson brought up the hundred by nurdling Michael Hogan through backward point before punching him through mid-off for another boundary, but with the total on 110, the umpire upheld Neser’s appeal for l.b.w. against Andersson.

Toby Roland-Jones began by clipping Neser to mid-wicket for four as Middlesex went into the lead during the 40th over. Simpson greeted the return of Harris to the attack by pulling him for four with Roland-Jones also off-driving the former Middlesex man. Van der Gugten also returned for another salvo with Roland-Jones also off-driving him for a couple of fours, before pulling Harris to backward square-leg.

Afternoon Update

Glamorgan began the afternoon session on 71-7 with Chris Cooke cover-driving both Shaheen Afridi and Toby Roland-Jones. But with the total on 93 he hooked the latter to fine-leg where Shaheen safely pouched the ball. Timm van der Gugten replaced him and clipped the bowler to the boards at mid-wicket, before Harris twice off-drove Afridi to see Glamorgan into three figures in the 33rd over.

Van der Gugten also swatted Roland-Jones for four to mid-wicket but Harris then tried to repeat the stroke against Helm and was caught on the boundary’s edge by Afridi who then returned to the fray and ended the Glamorgan innings on 122 as Michael Hogan skewed a drive into Max Holden’s hands at backward point. Hogan was swiftly back into action with the new ball as he opened the bowling in tandem with Neser as Sam Robson and Mark Stoneman began Middlesex’s reply. The latter square-drove Hogan whilst the former clipped both bowlers to the ropes at fine-leg.

Robson also crisply off-drove Neser for four before drilling Hogan through mid-off, whilst Stoneman greeted the introduction of Harris into the attack by square-driving him for four. But later in the over Harris made the breakthrough as Robson departed leg before. 42-1 saw the arrival of Robbie White who began with a brcae of singles as Stoneman continued to unfurl some flowing drives through the covers. White inside-edged van der Gugten for four but then outside-edged Harris into Cooke's gloves as Middlesex lost their second wicket before in the final over before tea, Peter Handscomb also edged van der Gugten to Cooke.

Lunchtime Report

The Welsh county began the game on top of the Division Two table, besides making one change to their line-up from the side which defeated Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge with James Harris replacing James Weighell. David Lloyd and Andrew Salter opened the batting against Shaheen Afridi and Toby Roland-Jones. Lloyd skewed a drive over the head of third slip in Shaheen’s opening over before Roland-Jones removed Salter with his third delivery as the opener chipped a ball to square-leg where Mark Stoneman completed a tumbling catch.

2-1 heralded the arrival Marnus Labuschagne with the Australian opening his account with a series of singles before Lloyd clipped Shaheen through mid-wicket for four. Labuschagne repeated the stroke against Roland-Jones before Lloyd pulled Shaheen for four, but later in the over the left-armer struck as Labuschagne inside-edged the ball as he attempted to shoulder arms. 21-2 immediately became 21-3 as Sam Northeast edged the next delivery into Robbie White’s hands at second slip. Kiran Carlson survived the hat-trick delivery but next over he also inside-edged a ball from Roland-Jones with John Simpson, the visiting wicket-keeping completing a sprawling catch down the leg-side.

24-4 saw Chris Cooke make his way to the middle on his 100th first-class appearance for the Welsh county before Lloyd guided Shaheen through the slips for four. But next over Lloyd was run out by Sam Robson as Cooke drove Roland-Jones into the covers with the fielder making a direct hit at the batter’s end. 30-5 saw Callum Taylor join Cooke as Tom Helm replaced Shaheen at the River End with the sound of gun fire also echoing across the river from Bute Park as the military celebrations took place at mid-day to celebrate the Queens 96th birthday.

Cooke greeted the introduction of Martin Andersson into the attack by pulling him for four whilst Callum Taylor cover-drove Helm, but in the bowler’s following over, he had an l.b.w. appeal upheld as Glamorgan lost their sixth wicket with 51 runs on the board. One run later Michael Neser departed in identical fashion to Andersson before Cooke cover-drove Helm. James Harris repeated the stroke in Andersson’s next over as well as nurdling him to third man. Shaheen then returned for a second spell at the River End shortly before lunch

Evening Update

There were 43 overs remaining in the day’s quota when Glamorgan began their second innings immediately after tea, 214 runs in arrears, with David Lloyd and Andrew Salter facing the bowling of Shaheen Shah Afridi and Toby Roland-Jones. Lloyd square-drove the latter for four before nurdling him to the vacant third man position as well as punching him through extra-cover. But with the total on 25, Roland-Jones bowled Lloyd as Marnus Labuschagne made his way to the middle.

Salter responded by off-driving Helm for four before Labuschagne clipped Roland-Jones to the ropes at square-leg, but with the total on 35, Helm bowled Salter as Sam Northeast joined Labuschagne. Shaheen then switched to the Cathedral Road End and was straight driven for a pair of fours by Labuschagne, with the Australian twice cover-driving Helm for a pair of high-class fours before Northeast straight-drove Afridi for another well-timed boundary. But the Pakistani struck later in the over as he had an l.b.w. appeal upheld against Labuschagne.

57-3 saw Kiran Carlson join Northeast who steered Helm for four through the gully, but with the total on 69 Martin Andersson entered the fray and with his first delivery removed Carlson as the umpire again upheld the appeal for l.b.w. Chris Cooke was the new batter and he responded by pulling Andersson for four, but with the total on 76 he edged Roland-Jones to Robbie White at second slip. Two runs later, Roland-Jones struck again as Callum Taylor edged into Simpson’s gloves.

Michael Neser flayed a trio of boundaries through the offside before deftly clipping Andersson to square-leg for another four but the light deteriorated and the players left the field shortly after 6 o’clock.

Afternoon Update

Middlesex resumed after lunch on 263-7 having already secured a lead of 141 runs, with Timm van der Gugten and Michael Neser continuing the bowling. John Simpson continued to quietly accumulate whilst Tom Helm edged van der Gugten to the ropes at third man. But with the total on 274 Neser removed Helm as he edged the Australian into Cooke’s gloves as the Glamorgan wicket-keeper claimed his sixth catch of the innings – a personal best and one behind the Club record held by Colin Metson who took 7 catches in an innings against Derbyshire at Chesterfield in 1991.

Shaheen Afridi began with a lusty swipe for four to fine-leg against Neser followed by a top-edged pull, before opening his shoulders again to heave van der Gugten to mid-wicket as Middlesex secured another batting point on reaching 300. Shaheen also swatted Harris for four to fine-leg before Simpson on-drove Hogan for three. Afridi also lofted Hogan for six over deep mid-wicket to take Middlesex’s lead past the 200-mark. Simpson then on-drove Salter for four before reaching his century from 236 balls by on-driving Hogan.

Labuschagne then returned in wrist-spin mode and ended Shaheen’s merry spree as he miscued another expansive drive into the hands of Sam Northeast at extra cover as Glamorgan picked up a third bonus point on 334-9. Two runs later Labuschagne ended the innings as he bowled Tilan Walallawita leaving John Simpson 104 not out.

Lunchtime Report

At noon yesterday, the sound of a military gun salute in Bute Park echoed across Sophia Gardens, with a few wags in the crowd of 650 suggesting that it may have been to celebrate Glamorgan starting this match at the top of the Division Two table or even the arrival in the middle of Chris Cooke for his 100th first-class appearance for the Welsh county, It was however part of the celebrations to mark Her Majesty the Queen’s 96th birthday, and coincided with some high-class seam bowling which had seen five wickets tumble during the first hour after Middlesex had opted to bowl first on a green-tinged surface.

After the home side were dismissed for 122, their own seamers found some assistance from the pitch until John Simpson and Toby Roland-Jones shared a vibrant and unbeaten stand of 61 during the final sixteen overs to give Middlesex a 49-run lead at the end of an enthralling day when sixteen wickets had tumbled in the bright and sunny conditions. Temperatures this morning were much lower and there was a heavy cloud cover as Simpson and Toby Roland-Jones resumed their stand against Michael Neser and Timm van der Gugten. Simpson cover drove Neser before Roland-Jones straight drove the Dutchman followed by a pull for four to complete his fifty from 62 balls.

Roland-Jones celebrated by straight-driving both van der Gugten and Neser for further boundaries, with Simpson also pulling Neser just out of the reach of Callum Taylor at deep backward square-leg, before another skied pull evaded two of Glamorgan’s fielders at the pair brought up their century stand shortly before Roland-Jones edged a ball from Harris down the leg-side with Cooke diving to his left to complete a tumbling catch – his fifth of the innings. Tom Helm repeated the stroke against Hogan, but with greater success as he collected a boundary before Simpson completed his fifty from 121 balls as Middlesex’s lead went past the 100-mark.

Simpson greeted the introduction of Andrew Salter’s off-breaks by cover-driving and off-driving the spinner before Helm biffed David Lloyd through mid-on for four shortly before Glmaorgan took the new ball in the overs before lunch.

When play began at 11am this morning, St.George’s Day and the halfway point in the game, Middlesex held a vice-like grip over Glamorgan with the visitors needing just four wickets after a patient century yesterday by John Simpson, who batted for five and a half hours and oversaw the addition of 226 runs for the last four wickets, as his side amassed a formidable lead of 214 runs.

After the loss of nine overs last night because of bad light, Sam Northeast and Michael Neser resumed this morning against Shaheen Shah Afridi and Toby Roland-Jones, but both batters were removed by Roland-Jones within twenty balls as Northeast edged the final ball of his opening over into the hands of Robbie White at second slip. Neser, who had put bat to ball in forthright fashion last night, was then joined by James Harris who elegantly off-drove Shaheen for four before Neser clipped Roland-Jones to square-leg for four, but it proved to be his final boundary as next ball he chipped the seamer into the hands of Sam Robson at mid-on.

113-8 saw Timm van der Gugten make his way to the middle and defended stoutly for half an hour until Tom Helm entered the fray at the River End and, with the final ball of his opening, trapped the Dutch international l.b.w. Harris greeted the introduction of Martin Andersson by punching consecutive deliveries through mid-on and extra-cover for four, but next over Helm re-arranged Hogan’s stumps as Glamorgan were dismissed for 132.