A defiant half-century by Andrew Salter was the highlight of Glamorgan’s 207 on the opening day of their Specsavers County Championship match against Northamptonshire at The SSE SWALEC . In reply, the visitors were 59/2 when bad light halted play.
DAY ONE ACTION
Evening Update
There were 31 overs remaining when Northants began their innings at 3.55pm with Ben Duckett starting in grand fashion by cover-driving Marchant de Lange whilst his opening partner Rob Newton straight drove the fast bowler for four. But Lukas Carey struck in his third over as Duckett pulled a ball straight into the mid-riff of Jack Murphy at mid-wicket.
24/1 saw David Murphy make his way to the middle to join Newton who unleashed a firm square-cut in Hogan’s opening over before Murphy drilled Carey through mid-wicket for four. But with the total on 49 Murphy miscued a drive against Hogan with Carlson at point diving low to complete the catch as Richard Levi joined Newton as dark cloud built up over the Stadium.
Newton pulled Carey for four as the East Midlands side reached the half-century mark but shortly afterwards, the light had deteriorated and the umpires took the players off the pitch mid-way through the 16th over.
Afternoon Update
Having reached 75/3 when a heavy shower brought an early lunch, Glamorgan lost their fourth wicket to the second ball of the session as Colin Ingram edged a ball from Rory Kleinveldt into the slip cordon with the ball ricocheting from the fielder’s hands into the gloves of wicket-keeper David Murphy. Without further addition, Kiran Carlson departed l.b.w. to Richard Gleeson.
Chris Cooke began by clipping Gleeson to the ropes at mid-wicket and fine-leg, whilst Andrew Salter square-drove Kleinveldt for four. But with the total on 102, Cooke played forward to Gleeson and feathered a catch into Murphy’s gloves, whereupon the heavens descended and the players briefly left the field for a second time.
When play resumed Salter guided Gleeson to the vacant third man boundary for four before straight-driving Simon Kerrigan when the on-loan spinner joined the attack at the River End. Craig Meschede then edged Gleeson through the slips before greeting the return of Azharullah by straight-driving him for four. Salter then nurdled Kerrigan for four through backward point before square-cutting Azharullah for two fours, plus a ferocious pull for four to the ropes at mid-wicket followed next ball by an on-drive in the same area.
Kleinveldt then returned and was deftly guided to backward point and fine-leg by Salter before Meschede, on 38, had a life as he was dropped at slip off Kerrigan. To rub salt into the visitor’s wounds, Kleinveldt then pulled up after two balls of his 17th over and Azharullah had to complete the over. Salter duly completed his fifty from 100 balls as he clipped Gleeson to square-leg for four before Meschede did the same later in the over. The all-rounder then despatched Kerrigan for six into the River Stand but next over, in attempting to complete his fifty in the grand manner he was stumped advancing down the wicket to the left-arm twirler.
Marchant de Lange saw Glamorgan to their first batting point with a flick to fine-leg for three but next over he undercut Kerrigan onto his stumps as Glamorgan slipped to 205/8. One run later Gleeson returned to bowl Carey, before next over Salter chipped Gleeson to Kleinveldt at mid-on as Glamorgan ended on 207.
Lunchtime Report
After pink balls in the floodlit game during June and white balls during the NatWest T20 Blast in July and August, this is the first day of red ball Championship action for the Welsh county at their headquarters since May 22nd and the unbeaten sixth wicket stand of 226 between Colin Ingram and Chris Cooke, which deprived table-topping Nottinghamshire of victory. Both feature in the Glamorgan line-up today with the Welsh county naming an unchanged side from the match last week at Derby, with Jacques Rudolph and Nick Selman opening the innings after the Welsh county opted to bat first.
Rory Kleinveldt and Richard Gleeson shared the new ball with the latter striking with his sixth delivery as he bowled Rudolph. This was the first of three successive maidens he delivered at the River End with the sequence being ended by a leg-glance for two by Jack Murphy.
Selman had earlier guided a ball from Kleinveldt through the slip cordon for four during a spell from the Protea in which he beat the outside edge of the opener’s bat on several occasion. Selman then clipped Gleeson to the ropes at square-leg before Murphy pulled Kleinveldt for four followed by a guided edge through the ships against the burly all-rounder.
Mohammad Azharullah then replaced Gleeson at the River End and saw Selman edge the ball to second slip where Alex Wakely completed the catch. 35/2 then became 36/3 as Murphy departed l.b.w. to the Pakistani. Kiran Carlson announced his arrival with a cover driven four against Rob Keogh when the off-spinner had a brief spell at the Cathedral Road End. Ingram brought up the fifty by pulling Azharullah for four, before cover driving the seamer for four. Carlson also off-drove Azharullah before Colin Ingram twice cover-drove the seamer. Rain then started to fall forcing the players off for an early lunch