GLAMORGAN v SUSSEX

An unbeaten 127 from Kiran Carlson plus 84 by David Lloyd helped Glamorgan to 285 after being put in to bat by Sussex on the opening day of their LV=County Championship match at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff. By the close the visitors were 99-0 in reply.

Close of Play Report

Kiran Carlson resumed after tea on 107 having enjoyed good fortune shortly before the interval with a dropped catch at first slip depriving Tom Clark of claiming a wicket with his first-ever ball in first-class cricket. Carlson’s efforts had taken his side to 247-6 when play began with Ollie Robinson and Stuart Meaker sharing the bowling duties. Carlson steered the latter through point before Douthwaite pulled him for four just over the head of the fielder at deep backward square-leg. However, the all-rounder departed to the next ball as Clark at short extra-cover held onto another drive by Douthwaite.

266-7 saw Timm van der Gugten join Carlson as Jack Carson’s spin was utilised seemingly until the new ball was available, but the off-spinner removed the Dutchman as he edged a ball into Ben Brown’s gloves. With James Weighell as his new partner, Carlson again swatted Meaker for four but on 285-9 Carson struck again as Weighell departed l.b.w. before the spinner had Hogan stumped without further addition as Carlson was left unbeaten on 127.

Sussex’s batsmen had 23 overs remaining in the day’s quota as Aaron Thomason and Tom Haines began their reply against van der Gugten and Hogan, with the latter having a loud appeal for l.b.w turned down against Haines. Thomason cover drove van der Gugten for the first boundary before Haines repeated the stroke the following over. Weighell then entered the attack and was punched twice by Thomason through point for four.

Haines also cover drove Hogan for four before Thomason again drove Weighell to the ropes at mid-off before clipping him to the boards at mid-wicket. Haines greeted the introduction of Douthwaite by punching him through extra-cover for a pair of fours before Thomason also drilled Weighell through the covers for four en route to a 64-ball fifty.

Teatime Update

Glamorgan began the session on 120-3 having feasted on Sussex’s change bowlers following the loss of three early wickets. Kiran Carlson brought up the 100-stand with a straight drive for four against Henry Crocombe whilst David Lloyd unfurled another sumptuous cover-drive against George Garton when the left-armer returned at the River End. But next over Lloyd edged Crocombe to second slip where Garton atoned by completing a waist-high catch.

133-4 saw the arrival of Chris Cooke to join Carlson who hooked another short ball from Garton for four to fine-leg before completing his fifty by driving Garton through the covers – his 88th delivery. But with the total on 169 Cooke became the fourth man to depart l.b.w. as Ollie Robinson returned to snaffle his third wicket with another delivery which jagged back in.

Carlson then cover-drove Robinson with aplomb but the seamer claimed his fourth victim as Callum Taylor edged to first slip where Stiaan Van Zyl took a good catch low to his left. Dan Douthwaite joined Carlson who nearly became the bowler’s next wicket as he edged twice just in front of the slip cordon before cover-driving Meaker for four. He repeated the stroke when Crocombe returned to the fray, with Douthwaite also surviving a difficult chance at mid-on as he miscued a pull against Meaker.

A cover drive by Douthwaite against Garton saw Glamorgan to the 200-mark and their first batting point before Carlson sweetly flicked Crocombe to the fine-leg boundary. Douthwaite punched Garton to mid-wicket for another boundary before swatting Tom Clark’s medium-pace for six into the enclosures at the River End. Carlson, on 93, survived a stumping chance as Jack Carson’s off-spin was employed at the Cathedral Road End before Douthwaite steered Clark to the point boundary.

Shortly before tea Carlson cover drove Carson for four before completing his hundred from 152 balls by steering Clark through backward point to record his first Championship century since making 111 in the opening game of the 2019 season, also at Sophia Gardens, against Northamptonshire

Lunchtime update

On the day that a player poised to celebrate his 45th birthday has been chosen as one of Wisden’s Five Cricketers of the Year, James Weighell, at the comparatively tender age of 27, made his Championship debut for Glamorgan with the former Durham and Leicestershire all-rounder replacing the injured Jamie McIlroy in the Welsh county’s team after their praiseworthy draw last week amidst the snow of Yorkshire.

However, it was the Sussex bowlers who were in action first as the visitors opted to bowl after winning the toss this morning. With Ollie Robinson striking with the fourth ball of the contest as he removed Nick Selman leg before. Andrew Balbirnie responded by on-driving the bowler for four before Lloyd crisply cover drove Henry Crocombe, but with the total on 22, Robinson struck again with the first ball of his fourth over as Balbirnie also departed l.b.w. It then became 23/3 as Billy Root departed in identical fashion to Henry Crocombe who got another ball to jag back in to the centurion at Leeds.

Kiran Carlson joined Lloyd and scythed a drive over the heads of the slip cordon for four, before Lloyd drilled Crocombe through extra-cover for a more assured boundary. He then repeated the stroke against George Garton when the left-armer entered the attack before Stiaan van Zyl also had a trundle at the Cathedral Road End and was square-driven for three by Lloyd prior to being steered through the gully by Carlson as the fifty came up in the 15th over.

Lloyd twice cover-drove Garton prior to off-driving him for his sixth boundary before adding a seventh when the left-armer dropped short and was savagely cut to backward point by the vice-captain to complete a 53-ball fifty. Robinson duly returned for a second salvo in tandem with Stuart Meaker who duly found the edge of Lloyd’s bat with the ball speeding away to the ropes at third man. Carlson then pulled Meaker twice for four prior to Lloyd on-driving Robinson for four

Please note that the timings and allocation of overs for this match have been amended owing to the funeral for HRH Prince Philip taking place on Saturday afternoon when, as a mark of respect for the Duke of Edinburgh, no play will take place in any of the Championship matches between 2.50pm and 4.10pm. As a result, a minimum of 100 overs will be bowled today and tomorrow, with 88 overs on Saturday and the regular allocation of 96 overs on Sunday.

Sussex are 481-9 at the end of the second day of their LV=County Championship contest against Glamorgan at Sophia Gardens with the visitors leading the Welsh county by 196 runs.

Evening Update

Sussex resumed after tea on 340-6, plus a lead of 55 runs, with the visitors looking to further consolidate their position after the loss of five wickets in the previous session. James Weighell and David Lloyd joined forces with the ball as Garton flicked the latter to fine-leg for four before the former slashed a no-ball from Weighell over backward point. Garton then steered Lloyd through cover point before top-edging a pull over the wicket-keeper’s head for another boundary.

Robinson also cover-drove Lloyd before Garton off-drove Weighell to complete a 68-ball fifty. After two more off-driven fours against Weighell, Garton drove Callum Taylor to long-off as Sussex reached the 400-mark in the 99th over before greeting the return of Douthwaite by dispatching him through extra cover for another boundary. He found the ropes again as he clattered Taylor through the covers before Robinson completed his fifty from 88 balls with Sussex reaching the 110 overs mark on 454-6.

Hogan then returned and was edged by Garton for four to third man before the veteran seamer removed the all-rounder for 97 as he became another l.b.w. victim. 464-7 saw Stuart Meaker join Robinson and he began by edging Taylor for four. Robinson continued his quiet accumulation as Sussex approached a 200-run lead, but Lloyd returned at the River End and removed Meaker l.b.w. Jack Carson then followed in identical fashion next delivery before Harry Crocombe dug out the hat-trick ball.

Teatime Update

Sussex had moved onto 211-1 by lunch with Tom Haines unbeaten on 87 with his partner Stiaan van Zyl completing a 76-ball fifty in the over before the interval. But Michael Hogan returned to the attack when play resumed and removed Haines with his second delivery as the opener was adjudged leg before. Hogan nearly made another incision later in the over but Nick Selman at third slip could not quite grasp the ball diving low to his right.

Having been joined by Tom Clark, van Zyl square-drove and off-drove David Lloyd for a pair of firmly struck fours, before drilling Hogan through the covers. Having survived a couple of l.b.w. shouts, Clark cover drove Lloyd for his first boundary before pulling the all-rounder for four to bring up the 250 and a second batting point for the South Coast club.

But the complexion of the game dramatically changed as four runs later Clark’s innings ended as Glamorgan secured their first bowling point as he miscued a pull and was well caught at mid-on by a sprawling James Weighell. It immediately became 254-4 as Ben Brown was caught behind next delivery before Delray Rawlins survived the hat-trick ball. But with the total on 261 Callum Taylor returned to the attack and snared Rawlins l.b.w.

George Garton replaced him and on-drove his first delivery for four before lofting Billy Root for six into the Fosters’ Grandstand to put Sussex into the lead before van Zyl threaded Root through the covers for four as Glamorgan opted for an all-spin attack shortly before the new ball. It was taken with Sussex on 305-5 as van der Gugten and Hogan joined forces. Garton responded by flicking the Dutchman to fine-leg for four before van Zyl drove him through the covers in successive balls to complete his century from 146 deliveries.

Van Zyl repeated the trick in consecutive balls from van der Gugten but the bowler made the perfect riposte as two balls later he found the edge of the bat and Cooke took a fine catch diving high to his left. 330-6 saw Ollie Robinson make his way to the middle to join Garton shortly before tea.

Lunchtime update

Ollie Robinson showed yesterday why he is so highly regarded by the England selectors and spent much of the winter as part of the extended squad in biosecure bubbles in the sub-continent. Having swapped the heat of Sri Lanka and India for the sunshine and chill winds of Cardiff in April, the tall seamer gave an object lesson in the old-fashioned virtues of line and length, harnessed to an ability to extract late movement as he claimed a brace of l.b.w.’s to produce the standout bowling performance after Sussex had opted to bowl first. Despite a sublime century by Kiran Carlson supported by a more muscular 84 by David Lloyd, his efforts restricted Glamorgan to 285 and when Sussex’s makeshift opening pairing of Aaron Thomason and Tom Haines batted in the final hour, they put into context the value of Robinson’s efforts by racing to 99-0 by the close.

Glamorgan’s attack were eager to make early inroads this morning as Timm van der Gugten and Michael Hogan, on his 100th first-class appearance for the Welsh county, resumed the bowling duties. The latter nearly struck with the opening delivery as Thomason miscued a pull just short of the fielder at mid-wicket with the opener celebrating his good fortune by on-driving van der Gugten for four. A few overs later he also pulled the Dutchman for four but on 67 he departed after drilling a ball back to Hogan who, quite nonchalantly in his follow through, put down his right hand and joyfully completed a fine catch.

115-1 saw the arrival of Stiaan van Zyl and he opened his account with a pair of cover drives against Dan Douthwaite followed by a late cut against Callum Taylor when the off-spinner entered the attack, although the latter was off the under edge. Haines reached his fifty by repeating the stroke, and with greater certainty before unfurling another cover drive against Douthwaite to bring up the Sussex 150.

James Weighell also returned to the fray and was on-driven by Haines for three before the opener deftly flicked Taylor to fine-leg followed by another coruscating cover drive against Weighell. Van Zyl also drove Weighell through extra-cover and mid-on in successive deliveries before an outside edge for four by Haines against Taylor saw Sussex capture their first batting point shortly before lunch.

The second unbeaten century of the match by Kiran Carlson (128*) has steered Glamorgan to 257-5 at the end of the third day of their LV=County Championship contest against Sussex at Sophia Gardens with the Welsh county leading by 61 runs.

Evening Update

Play resumed at 4.10pm, after the extended tea break and a minute’s silence in memory of HRH Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, with Glamorgan on 146-4, still 50 runs in arrears. Ollie Robinson returned to the attack at the River End and, with his fifth legitimate delivery, he found the edge of Chris Cooke’s bat with Ben Brown completing a one-handed catch low to his right. Callum Taylor joined Carlson who on-drove and square-cut Robinson before clipping Jack Carson to the boards at square-leg.

Taylor began by skewing a drive against Robinson through backward point before steering Stuart Meaker to the vacant third man boundary. Carlson also pulled Meaker for four before steering him through backward point for another four as the arrears were wiped off. Carlson celebrated by clipping Henry Crocombe to fine-leg before running a series of singles with Taylor and then reaching his century by cover-driving Delray Rawlins for four – his 16th boundary and 116th delivery.

This was the first time a Glamorgan batsman had scored two hundreds in a match since Marnus Labuschagne made 106 and 100 against Worcestershire at Sophia Gardens in 2019. The last homegrown batsman to achieve the feat was Jonny Hughes who made 134* and 100* against Middlesex at Southgate in 2005 whilst the last homegrown to achieve the feat at Cardiff was Michael Powell who made 125 and 142 against Worcestershire in 2003.

Taylor then found the ropes himself by guiding Crocombe through backward point before Sussex switched to an all-spin attack of Carson and Rawlins. The scoring rate dropped as several appeals were also turned down for l.b.w. and caught at bat-pad but the sixth wicket pair grafted through to the 80-over mark and the new ball, taken with Glamorgan on 247-5. Robinson and Crocombe duly returned for a final salvo with Carlson cover-driving Robinson to bring up the 100-stand.

Afternoon Session

Glamorgan began the shortened afternoon session on 81-3, still 115 runs in arrears, with Ollie Robinson returning to the fray. Andrew Balbirnie straight-drove him for four before Kiran Carlson deftly late-cut Jack Carlson for three to third man but with the total on 95 Robinson struck again as Balbirnie became another l.b.w. victim.

Having been joined by Chris Cooke, Carlson pulled Robinson for four before off-driving the seamer before continuing his serene progress by cover-driving Stuart Meaker, followed by another forcing shot behind square on the off-side en route to his second half-century of the game from 53 balls. After Delray Rawlins’ left-arm spin had been introduced at the River End, Cooke pulled Meaker for four before Carlson on-drove him to the boards at mid-wicket.

Lunchtime update

The timings and number of overs to be bowled today have been adjusted as a result of the funeral of HRH Prince Philip at 3pm at Windsor. In all, 88 overs will be bowled today, rather than the normal 96 as the players and officials take an extended break from 2.50pm until 4.10pm so that they, like the rest of the nation, can pay tribute to the Duke of Edinburgh who did so much for sport and many other communities and organisations at home and abroad.

In addition to being a Patron of the Welsh Cricket Association since its inauguration in 1969, the Duke - in his guise at the Patron of the Lord’s Taverners – was the man who formally presented the County Championship trophy to members of Glamorgan’s playing squad in a special event held at Buckingham Palace in November 1997 following the Welsh county’s title success that summer. With Matthew Maynard away on England duty, it was Tony Cottey who received the trophy from the Duke and six years later, Tony was a member of another Championship-winning team as Sussex won the title in 2003 following the Swansea-born batsman’s move to the South Coast club in 1999.

His colleagues at his adopted county resumed this morning on 481-9, with an overall lead of 196 over Glamorgan, but it only took the Welsh county – or more precisely Michael Hogan – three balls to end their innings as Ollie Robinson became the 11th man, so far, in the match to depart l.b.w. He was swiftly back in action opening the bowling with five slips in tandem with Henry Crocombe as Nick Selman and David Lloyd began Glamorgan’s second innings, with the latter steering the teenage Crocombe through point for four and three before Selman guided Robinson to third man for four.

Lloyd again steered Crocombe for four to third man but he became the next men to depart l.b.w. as Robinson struck in the ninth over. 29-1 then became 30-2 as Selman departed in identical fashion in Robinson’s next over with Andrew Balbirnie and Billy Root joining forces after half an hour’s play. Root began by cover-driving Robinson before Jack Carson’s off-spin was introduced at the River End. Crocombe switched to the Cathedral Road End and he also had an l.b.w. appeal upheld against Root as Glamorgan slipped to 46-3.

Kiran Carlson brought up the fifty by steering Crocombe to the vacant third man ropes before under-edging a cut against Carson to the same position followed by a flowing cover-drive. Balbirnie also punched Crocombe off the back foot through extra-cover before Carlson steered the youngster to third man for another four. Balbirnie also off-drove George Garton for four through mid-off shortly before lunch.

Sussex beat Glamorgan by eight wickets on the final day of their LV=County Championship contest at Sophia Gardens with the visitors successfully chasing a target of 154 from a minimum of 51 overs after Ollie Robinson claimed a record-breaking 9/78.

Close of Play Report

Sussex began the final session on 47-2 needing a further 107 to win the game, with Aaron Thomason edging David Lloyd over the head of Nick Selman at second slip before drilling the all-rounder through the covers for four, before Tom Clark pulled him to mid-wicket for another boundary. At the River End, Michael Hogan delivered a typically probing spell before Thomason swatted a short ball to wide long-on for four.

Timm van der Gugten then replaced Lloyd and was driven square for four by Thomason before Callum Taylor entered the attack. Thomason duly completed his fifty from 78 balls before Clark hooked van der Gugten for six. Clark then drove van der Gugten square of the wicket on the off-side before Thomason also added a boundary to his tally with a crisp on-drive. He repeated the stroke against Weighell when he entered the attack in the 33rd over.

Clark added two more fours against Weighell although one was fortuitously off an under edge before completing his fifty by square-cutting Taylor to backward point. Thomason punched Weighell for four off the back foot to bring up the century stand followed by an on-driven boundary. Thomason then straight drove Taylor for four as the third wicket pair duly saw their side to the victory target in the 41st over to end a match which will be long remembered for the bowling performance of Ollie Robinson.

Teatime update

Glamorgan only lost a solitary wicket in the pre-lunch session and duly began the afternoon on 332-6 with a lead of 136 runs and 63 overs remaining in the contest. George Garton resumed the bowling at the Cathedral Road End and was nurdled through the slips for four by Callum Taylor whilst Ollie Robinson returned for another stint at the River End in a bid to end Glamorgan’s resistance.

It proved to be the case after Taylor cover-drove him before surviving on 81 a loud appeal for l.b.w. against Garton. But next over Robinson broke the stubborn stand as he claimed his tenth wicket of the game as Douthwaite became the next l.b.w. victim. Next ball James Weighell departed in identical fashion before Timm van der Gugten survived the hat-trick ball by edging Robinson just in front of third slip. Next over the Dutchman became the record-equaling eighteenth man to depart leg before in the contest as Robinson claimed his eighth wicket with Glamorgan reeling on 349-9.

He then applied the coup de grace by having Taylor caught at deep extra cover by Stiaan van Zyl to return the exemplary figures of 9/78 – Sussex’s best-ever against Glamorgan beating the 8/30 taken by Maurice Tate at Horsham in 1923, and their best on Welsh soil recorded by Robin Marlar who took 8/51 at Swansea in 1952. Robinson’s return was also the best against Glamorgan in first-class cricket at Sophia Gardens since Pat Pocock took 9/57 for Surrey in 1979.

This left Sussex chasing a target of 154 from the remaining 51 overs as Hogan and van der Gugten shared the new ball with Aaron Thomason guiding the Dutchman to third man for a pair of fours, before Haines tucked Hogan to the ropes at square-leg. But with the total on 15, Haines edged Hogan to first slip where Andrew Balbirnie completed the regulation catch.

Van Zyl joined Thomason who straight-drove van der Gugten for four before the new batsman top-edged a pull to fine-leg against Hogan. David Lloyd and Douthwaite then joined forces with the ball shortly before tea with the former removing van Zyl as he edged into Cooke’s gloves with Sussex on 42-2.

Lunchtime update

Kiran Carlson is currently the renaissance man of Glamorgan Cricket. Having laboured through the past two seasons with just one three-figure score to his name. But Kiran appears to have put these travails firmly behind him and having made a mere 130 runs in four Championship matches in 2019, plus 109 in the same number of innings last summer in the Bob Willis Trophy, the right-hander began this morning with 311 runs already to his name in four knocks this summer. By registering yesterday his second century of the game Kiran also became the first uncapped player since 2005 and only the second in the Club’s history to achieve the feat of a century in each innings of a Championship match.

However, there was still plenty of work for Kiran and his overnight partner Callum Taylor, as Glamorgan began the final day on 258-5, just 62 runs ahead of Sussex and 96 overs remaining in the contest. Ollie Robinson and Henry Crocombe initially resumed the bowling duties with Taylor on-driving the latter for the day’s opening boundary. But with his seventh delivery of the day Robinson found the outside edge of Carlson’s bat and Aaron Thomason at second slip completed the regulation catch waist-high.

267-6 saw Dan Douthwaite join Taylor who cut and pulled Crocombe for boundaries before clipping Jack Carson for a single to complete his patient fifty from 135 balls. He celebrated by square-cutting Robinson for four before the lead went into three figures. Crocombe then replaced Robinson at the Cathedral Road End with Delray Rawlins’ left-arm spin replacing Carson’s off-breaks at the River End but the seventh wicket pair remained resolute with Douthwaite in defensive mode rather than being the dashing strokemaker.

After a lengthy spell of quiet reconnaissance Douthwaite duly opened his shoulders to swat Crocombe for four to long-on. Carson then returned at the Cathedral Road End to bowl in tandem with Stuart Meaker who was flicked to fine-leg by Douthwaite before peppering Taylor with a series of short-pitched deliveries, besides having an appeal for a legside catch by Ben Brown turned down by the umpire. Taylor responded in an impish manner by upper-cutting the bowler over the head of the wicket-keeper.