Close of Play Report

Glamorgan had reached 192-3 at tea with Carlson sweeping Green for four when play resumed but the bowler responded by trapping Colin Ingram as he also attempted to sweep the off-spinner. 199-4 then became 200-5 as Ben Kellaway was bowled by a delivery from Tom Bailey which appeared to keep a fraction low.

Chris Cooke was Carlson’s new partner and he began with some a series of singles as George Balderson returned to the attack in place of Bailey. Carlson then lofted Green over mid-wicket for four before clipping Balderson to the ropes at backward square-leg followed by a delicate late-up to the vacant ropes at third man. But Green ended his jaunty innings as with the total on 226, Carlson edged the off-spinner to Luke Wells at slip.

226-6 then became 229-7 as Cooke advanced down the track to Green and was stumped by Phil Salt. Three overs later Lancashire took the new ball as James Anderson returned to the fray in tandem initially with Green before Tom Bailey had his third spell of the day with the floodlights coming on for the final passage of play.

Harris edged Bailey through the slips for four as Glamorgan reached the 250-mark and their first batting point after 87 overs. Tom Hartley returned at the Statham End and bowled Harris with Green having another stint at the Anderson End. Mason Crane and Ned Leonard defended stoutly as Glamorgan ended on 260-8.

Teatime Update

Glamorgan had reached 91-1 at lunch after 32 overs, with Asa Tribe having made serene progress to an unbeaten 51 with a series of sumptuous drives off the front. He began by pulling Tom Hartley for four as Lancashire continued with their all-spin attack with the left-armer operating in tandem with Chris Green’s off-spin. With the total on 102, the latter claimed the second wicket as Sam Northeast departed l.b.w. to the Australian.

Kiran Carlson joined Tribe and reverse-swept Green, but the spinner claimed a third wicket as, with the total on 113, Tribe swept him to deep backward square-leg where Tom Bailey took a good tumbling catch. Having been joined by Colin Ingram, Carlson square-cut Green for four – his first four conceded in his 14th over - before sweeping Hartley to the boundary boards at mid-wicket.

Carlson continued to play assertively against Green as he on-drove for four before Ingram swept him to mid-wicket followed by a scorching off-drive. Carlson also slog-swept Hartley for four with their aggression prompting the return to the attack of James Anderson. The veteran stemmed the flow of runs with Green also being replaced by Hartley shortly before the interval with Carlson completing his fifty from 90 balls by sweeping the left-armer to fine-leg.

Lunchtime Report

Glamorgan’s five-wicket victory over Kent last Friday at Sophia Gardens has seen the Welsh county storm into second place in the Division Two table, 34 points behind leaders Leicestershire who defeated Derbyshire by 189 runs, with the Peakites slipping back into third place. Lancashire are also in the promotion race having risen up to fourth place in the table, 21 points behind Glamorgan, after thrashing Gloucestershire by nine wickets at Cheltenham College. (writes Andrew Hignell)

With Timm van der Gugten nursing a heel injury and Sam Northeast returning from paternity leave, there were two changes to the Glamorgan line-up from the side which defeated Kent, with Northeast replacing Billy Root and Crane playing instead of the Dutch international. After a one-minute silence to mark the anniversary of the Southport attack, Zain ul Hassan and Asa Tribe opened the batting against Tom Bailey and James Anderson who was leading the Lancashire side on his 100th first-class appearance for the Red Roses.

Tribe guided Bailey to the vacant ropes at third man for the day’s first boundary, with Anderson bowling a probing spell of three maidens before being off-driven by ul Hassan. Tribe again guided Bailey along the floor through the gully for four before crisply driving George Balderson through mid-wicket for another boundary. Tribe then drilled Balderson through mid-off for three before ul Hassan cover drove successive balls from the seamer for four before off-driving Bailey to the ropes as Glamorgan reached fifty in the 16th over.

ul Hassan again drove Bailey through mid-off for four before the off-spin of Chris Green was introduced with Anderson switching ends for a second salvo. He was drilled through mid-off by Tribe who then flicked the next ball to fine-leg for another boundary. With the total on 76, ul Hassan departed as he played forward to Green and feathered an edge into the gloves of Phil Salt, as Northeast made his way to the middle, with Tom Hartley replacing Anderson as Lancashire switched to an all-spin attack.

Tribe pulled a full toss from Hartley to mid-wicket before sweeping him for a single to reach an impressive 50 from 87 balls shortly before lunch

Mason Crane completed career-best figures of 6/19 with a superb spell of leg-spin as Lancashire were dismissed for 137 on the second day of their rain-affected Rothesay County Championship encounter against Glamorgan at Old Trafford after the Welsh county were dismissed earlier in the day for 261. Leading by 124 runs on first innings, the Welsh county were 95-2 when bad light ended play after 25 overs.

Evening Report

Having completed an outstanding spell of 5/12 from 42 balls before tea, Crane resumed the bowling after the interval with the Red Roses on 132-8, with Asitha Fernando also returning at the Statham End. The Sri Lankan pinned Bailey l.b.w. with another full-length delivery before Crane fittingly finished off the innings as George Balderson tamely chipped a ball to Kiran Carlson at short mid-wicket as Lancashire were dismissed for 137 having lost their last seven wickets for 30 runs. The leg-spinner ended with best-ever figures of 6/19, as well as the best for Glamorgan against Lancashire since Waqar Younis took 7/25 at Liverpool in 1997, and the best for Glamorgan in 2025 beating Ben Kellaway’s 6/111 against Gloucestershire at Cardiff.

With their side having secured a first innings lead of 124, Zain ul Hassan and Asa Tribe opened the batting with 29 overs remaining in the day’s allocation. Tribe began by swatting Bailey for four through point before ul Hassan nurdled the bowler to the vacant ropes at third man followed by a rasping cover-drive for four against Anderson.

After his performance yesterday, Chris Green entered the attack after seven overs with Tribe dabbing his first ball through the vacant gully for four. But with the total on 23, ul Hassan had his stumps re-arranged by Anderson as he shouldered arms to the evergreen bowler who four balls later caught and bowled Tribe as a delivery appeared to stop to the opener who chipped the ball back to the 43-year old.

Sam Northeast opened his account by outside edging Anderson for four before playing a high-class on-drive for four against the seamer. Carlson then cover-drove Bailey when he replaced Anderson as well as edging him through the gully for another boundary besides nonchalantly clipping him to square-leg for four. Northeast also on-drove Tom Hartley for four when the left-armer entered the attack, with Carlson also off-drove and cover-drove George Balderson as Glamorgan’s lead went past the 200-mark on the capricious surface.

Carlson reverse-swept Hartley for four before clubbing Balderson to mid-wicket for four as the floodlights came back on, but after two more overs the light had deteriorated at the umpires took the players off for bad light.

Teatime Update

Ben Kellaway resumed the bowling after lunch in tandem with Asitha Fernando as the floodlights came on at Old Trafford with Lancashire on 62-2. Marcus Harris began by cover-driving the Sri Lankan but in his second over Fernando removed Bohannon with a delivery which torpedoed through and struck him low on the pads in front of middle stump as Lancashire lost their third wicket on 73.

Harris then under-edged Kellaway through the slips for four before biffing a full toss from the young spinner to the ropes at mid-wicket. Matty Hurst announced his arrival by harpooning Kellaway for six. The 100 came up in the 32nd over as Harris clipped his namesake for three but the Australian then departed when Mason Crane returned to the attack as he miscued his first delivery – a full toss – into the hands of Kellaway at mid-on.

107-4 saw the arrival of Phil Salt with Hurst square-driving Harris for four but Crane then struck again as Salt, playing half-forward, edged the leg-spinner into Cooke’s gloves with Lancashire slipping further to 119-5. It might have been 121-6 as George Balderson was nearly run out as a mix-up in calling almost saw Kiran Carlson, stationed at extra cover, run out the new batter.

Crane then struck again with the total on 128 as Hurst miscued a sweep with Colin Ingram at slip gleefully holding onto the edge, with Chris Green making his way to the middle after completing yesterday career-best bowling figures. But the Australian only managed a couple of singles before tamely chipping a ball back to Crane. 132-7 then became 132-8 as Tom Hartley was snared leg before by the jubilant leg-spinner.

Morning Report

An enthralling opening day’s play had hinted that the sequence of draws in red-ball games at Old Trafford this summer would finally come to an end with Chris Green, the Australian off-spinner extracting lift and turn to claim six wickets after Glamorgan had opted to bat first under heavy cloud cover and after early morning rain. (writes Andrew Hignell)

Zain ul Hassan and Asa Tribe had given Glamorgan a decent start adding 76 in the opening 25 overs and had watchfully survived a probing opening salvo from Sir James Anderson in his 100th first-class appearance for the Red Roses. But Green, in tandem with left-arm spinner Tom Hartley, fresh from a ten-wicket match haul at Cheltenham, posed most questions for the Welsh county’s batters. After Tribe had swept Green into the hands of deep backward square-leg, it was the impish Kiran Carlson who defied the home spinners with his innings of 77 decorated by a series of wristy blows, before becoming one of five batters to depart during the final session as Glamorgan ended the first day on 260-8.

Light rain started to fall around 1030am just as both teams were undertaking their warm-up drills. The precipitation eased around 10.55am with the umpires - David Millns and Ben Peverall - deciding to delay the start and to make a further inspection at 11.15a.m. After a further short shower, there was a resumption at 12noon and the loss of 8 overs. The interruption was Glamorgan’s first since the end of May when they lost an hour and a half in their contest against Middlesex.

When play belatedly resumed, Mason Crane was l.b.w. to the day’s second ball from Tom Bailey before Sir James Anderson, on his 43rd birthday, had Ned Leonard caught behind by Phil Salt with his second delivery with the Welsh county not adding to their overnight total. The clatter of wickets continued as Asitha Fernando and James Harris opened the bowling against Luke Wells and Keaton Jennings, with Fernando striking with his eleventh delivery as he trapped Wells l.b.w. with the total on 4.

Josh Bohannon clipped Harris for four through mid-wicket as the skiddy pace of Fernando saw him beat the bat at the other end, before Jennings pulled the Sri Lankan for four. He then flicked Harris through mid-wicket for four before cover-driving him for another crisply-struck boundary. Bohannon then inside-edged ul Hassan for four with Ben Kellaway also entering the attack at the Sir James Anderson End and being swept for four by Kellaway.

Bohannon found the ropes again as he on-drove ul Hassan but with the total on 49 Kellaway removed Jennings as Asa Tribe took a superb catch diving one-handed, low to his left at short leg to remove the tall opener. Having been joined by Marcus Harris, Bohannon brought up the fifty by cover-driving ul Hassan before Mason Crane entered the attack at the Statham End shortly before the delayed lunch.

Close of Play Report

Play resumed at 15.55pm under clearer skies with Asitha Fernando bowling to Phil Salt and Keaton Jennings. The latter flicked the Sri Lankan – who is celebrating his 28th birthday today – to square-leg for four but James Harris removed Salt with his first delivery as he edged him chest high to Ingram at first slip. Luke Wells joined Jennings and also played and missed on several occasions to Harris before twice steering him through the gully for four – once off the back foot and once off the front.

Wells also cover drove Harris for a pair of fours before Ben Kellaway and Zain ul Hassan entered the attack. Jennings pulled Kellaway for four before Mason Crane returned to bowl with Jennings also sweeping him for four before Wells off-drove him for another boundary followed by a reverse-sweep. Jennings also cover drove ul Hassan before Wells off-drove Crane, with Jennings also dabbing ul Hassan through backward point. But with the total on 77, Crane snared Jennings who was caught at short-leg by Asa Tribe as he propped forward to the leg-spinner.

Having been joined by Josh Bohannon, Wells greeted the introduction of Ned Leonard into the attack by pulling him for six. Bohannon then cover drove Crane for four before Wells continued his assertive approach by off-driving the leg-spinner to reach his fifty from 63 balls. Bohannon then worked Crane through mid-wicket for four followed by a slog-sweep and a leg glance for further boundaries.

Wells also swept Crane for six over deep backward square-leg before cover-driving him as Fernando returned in a bid to make further inroads. But Wells flat-batted him through point for four followed by a booming off-drive Kellaway also replaced Crane and was cover-driven by Bohannon, but in Fernando’s next over, he edged a ball into Cooke’s gloves as Lancashire lost their third wicket on 159.

Wells greeted the return of James Harris by twice pulling him for six as he raced to his century from 112 balls. Marcus Harris then cut Kellaway for four but James Harris then took a superb catch off his own bowling as Wells chipped a ball back to him. 188-4 saw the arrival of Matty Hurst as Mason Crane returned to the fray in tandem with Kellaway as Glamorgan looked to make further inroads as Old Trafford was bathed in glorious sunshine.

It did the trick as Kellaway bowled Hurst with the total on 206 as Tom Bailey made his way to the middle before Harris survived a loud appeal for l.b.w.

Teatime Report

It had definitely been Glamorgan’s morning as Kiran Carlson and Sam Northeast batted throughout the pre-lunch session to take their side to 239-2 and an overall lead of 363 against a despondent Lancashire attack. But Luke Wells who resumed the bowling made a breakthrough, as with his second delivery of the session, he had Carlson l.b.w. thereby ending the third wicket stand which had added 215 in 50.3 overs.

Colin Ingram joined Northeast who was nine runs away from reaching three figures and this soon became five as he flicked George Balderson to the ropes at fine-leg. Ingram drilled Wells through mid-off for four before Northeast guided Balderson to third man to complete his century from 183 balls. Ingram then continued his cameo by sweeping Wells for four before chopping Balderson to third man for four, followed by a scoop to the ropes at fine-leg to take the lead to 400.

Northeast nurdled Balderson for four, before plonking him over long-on for six, prior to harpooning Wells over mid-wicket for six to bring up the 300. Chris Green returned to the attack and was deftly cut to third man for four by Ingram, but next over the latter advanced down the wicket to Wells and was stumped by Phil Salt.

315-4 saw Ben Kellaway join Northeast and edged Wells through Keaton Jennings’ hands at slip, thereby avoiding a pair. But Northeast was not so fortunate in Green’s next over as he lofted the Australian to deep mid-wicket where Jack Blatherwick, the substitute fielder, completed the catch on the boundary’s edge as the visiting captain departed for 132. James Anderson briefly returned to the attack as the floodlights also came on as the overhead conditions became gloomy, but Kellaway was still able to swipe Wells for a pair of fours.

Green then returned and trapped Kellaway l.b.w. as Crane made his way to the middle. It proved to be a brief visit as he was bowled by Green attempting a reverse sweep with Glamorgan on 344-7. Four runs later Glamorgan declared on 348-7 leaving Lancashire with thirty minutes batting before tea and a target of 473 in a minimum of 147 overs – the third highest target ever set in a domestic match at the Manchester ground. But before play could commence a heavy shower descended over the ground and an early tea was taken.

Morning Report

Although the weather topped and tailed events yesterday at Old Trafford, and led to the loss of a dozen overs, it proved to be an absorbing day as Mason Crane completed career-best figures of 6/19 as the leg-spinner stymied Lancashire’s progress and, potentially, their promotion hopes back into Division One. The Red Roses had moved to 107-3 before Crane’s leg-spin was introduced at the Sir James Anderson End for the final over before lunch. He continued after the interval with his first wicket being quite fortuitous as Marcus Harris skied a full toss to mid-on but Crane proved to be virtually unplayable taking a further 5/13 in the course of the next 41 balls, with the exuberant fielders catching every edged or miscued stroke as he generated lavish turn besides deceiving the home batters with his subtle flight and dip. (writes Andrew Hignell)

Asitha Fernando and ul Hassan also bowled containing spells at the other end as Glamorgan secured a first innings lead of 124. When the Welsh county batted again, as in their first innings, Kiran Carlson was to the fore as, with the support of Sam Northeast, they extended Glamorgan’s lead to 219 before bad light heralded an early finish. Resuming this morning under leaden skies with 104 overs in the day’s allocation to make up for time lost yesterday, Northeast began by flicking James Anderson to fine-leg for four before Carlson nurdled Tom Bailey through the slip cordon for another boundary en route to his second fifty of the game from 61 balls.

Lancashire persevered with their seamers as George Balderson replaced Anderson at the Statham End and operated in tandem with Bailey together with some funky field placings, including three men on the drive on the leg-side in a bid to frustrate the Welsh county’s batters. But Carlson and Northeast continued to make serene progress with a series of well-placed singles as their century stand came up after 29 overs.

Chris Green returned to the attack after three-quarters of an hour’s play with Glamorgan’s lead having reached 249. Northeast then on-drove Balderson for four whilst Carlson harpooned Green for six over mid-wicket before late-cutting him for four. Northeast duly reached his fifty by slog-sweeping Green for four – his 112th delivery – before Tom Hartley returned to the fray and was deftly reverse-swept by Carlson for four who then hoisted Green over deep mid-wicket for six. Northeast also reverse-swept Green for four as the lead sared past the 300-mark.

The runs continued to flow as Northeast dabbed Green for four through the gully before nonchalantly flicking a full toss from Hartley to the ropes at square- - leg. Carlson also slog-swept Hartley for six before reaching his hundred by square-cutting Green for two – his 120th delivery - before Balderson returned to the attack in tandem with Luke Wells. Northeast on-drove Balderson for four to bring up the double-century stand shortly before lunch.

End of Match Report

Lancashire were 274-7 with Glamorgan needing three more wickets when play resumed after lunch with the Manchester floodlights having also been switched on as a bank of heavy cloud lingered over Old Trafford. Marcus Harris began by pulling a full toss from Mason Crane for four but, with the total on 284, the leg-spinner snared his eighth wicket of the match as the Australian played forward but ended up thick edging a ball to Kiran Carlson at leg slip.

Tom Hartley joined Balderson and on-drove Kellaway for four but next ball lost his off stump as Lancashire slipped further to 293-9 as James Anderson made his way to the middle and reverse-swept Crane for four. Balderson then on-drove and off-drove Kellaway for a pair of fours but Crane ended the contest in the 75th over as he bowled Anderson with the total on 318 as Lancashire were dismissed for 318 having only lasted 23.5 overs today

Morning Report

The final day of this enthralling dog-fight between two of the leading promotion candidates began with Lancashire on 226-5, still requiring a further 247 runs to win and Glamorgan needing five further wickets in the 96 remaining overs, after a long and topsy-turvy day yesterday which in the first part was dominated by Glamorgan batters, especially captain Sam Northeast and his deputy Kiran Carlson. However, largely through the assertive batting of Luke Wells, Lancashire staged a fightback during the final session. The visiting bowlers however continued to chip away at the home batting and the superb caught and bowled by James Harris to dismiss Wells shortly after he had made a hundred may prove to be the pivotal moment of this game – and perhaps Glamorgan’s quest for promotion for the first time since 2004 into the Championship’s top tier. (writes Andrew Hignell)

Once again, it was overcast at Old Trafford, and with drizzle falling at 10.55a.m., the umpires delayed the start of play as the protective covers and sheets were brought out to cover up the square and run-ups. The precipitation eased around 1130am and after a couple of inspections, play resumed at 12.15p.m. with 20 overs lost. Ben Kellaway and Asitha Fernando resumed the bowling duties with Marcus Harris cutting and square-driving the Sri Lankan for a pair of fours before edging him through the vacant slips. Tom Bailey survived a loud appeal for l.b.w. against Kellaway before the spinner was plonked over long-off for six by Harris.

Bailey then outside-edged Fernado for four before being yorked as Lancashire lost their sixth wicket on 259 as Chris Green made his way to the middle. He began by an-driving Fernando for four before square-driving Kellaway for another boundary. However, next ball he attempted a sweep and top-edged the ball into Kiran Carlson’s hands at silly point. 270-7 saw the arrival of George Balderson as Mason Crane replaced Fernado shortly before lunch. Harris completed his fifty from 89 balls as he lofted the leg-spinner to mid-wicket.