Northamptonshire are 163/4 following-on at Cardiff

June 1^st, from a meteorological point of view, marks the start of summer, but it was far from being Flaming Juneat the SWALEC Stadium yesterday as rain from 1.30pm onwards washed out the rest of the day's play. As a result, just 28 overs were bowled but there was plenty of drama during this time, with five Northants wickets tumbling for as many runs in the space of 35 balls as Glamorgan moved into the ascendancy and a position from which the visitors, currently 292 runs in arrears, might be invited to follow-on.


There was plenty therefore for the crowd to chatter about as the rain fell after lunch yesterday, as well as the curious incident to the third ball of the day when Northamptonshire had been awarded five penalty runs as Colin Ingram caught the ball behind the stumps with one of Mark Wallace's gloves after the wicket-keeper had shed his gauntlets as he set off to chase the ball down towards the fine-leg boundary.

However, the rain continued to fall throughout the night and into this morning, and it was still falling when the players arrived at the ground around 9 a.m. With the precipitation still falling at 9. 45a.m., the umpires decided to delay the start of play but the rain eased around 11.15am and the umpires, following a further inspection, decided to look again at 12.15pm. However, shortly before noon, the rains returned and scuppered any thoughts of play before lunch.

Following further inspections, play began at 1.50pm, with 70 overs remaining in the day's quota.

Play began at 1.50pm with Northants on 79/5, still 292 runs in arrears and with Glamorgan's bowlers looking to claim further wickets and to press for the follow-on. With 166 overs remaining in the game, Northamptonshire's overnight batsmen - Adam Rossington and Josh Cobb - knew that there was plenty of batting to be done in order to improve their team's position.


Michael Hogan and Graham Wagg resumed the bowling duties with the latter being cover driven by Rossington, before the former was edged through the slip cordon by Cobb. A sharply rising delivery from Wagg also struck Rossington on the gloves but after treatment, he showed no signs of discomfort as he twice cover-drove Hogan for four. Cobb also pulled the Australian to the ropes at mid-wicket, before Rossington did the same when Ruiadhri Smith entered the attack.


Cobb then greeted the return of Craig Meschede by straight-driving the seamer before a single by Rossington saw the Northants man to his half-century from 61 balls. But three balls later he was run out backing up at the bowler's end as Smith deflected a firm drive by Cobb onto the stumps with the non-striker well out of his ground. 124/6 then became 128/7 as Ben Duckett edged Meschede into Mark Wallace's gloves.


Shortly afterwards Andrew Salter entered the attack at the River End and with his second delivery he snaffled David Willey as Ben Wright held a smart catch at short-leg. 136/8 saw Rory Kleinveldt join Cobb who on-drove Smith for his seventh boundary, before reaching his half-century next ball - his 91^st - by straight driving Smith.


After off-driving Salter, Rory Kleinveldt bludgeoned Wagg for four through mid-wicket, but with the total on 157 Cobb departed leg before to Salter as a delivery appeared to keep low, and two balls later, the spinner ended the innings as he bowled Maurice Chambers as like Meschede, Salter ended with Championship-best bowling figures.


With Northamptonshire 214 runs in arrears Glamorgan enforced the follow-on, and they made the worst possible start as Stephen Peters edged the first delivery from Wagg into Wallace's gloves. Rob Newton then edged the left-armer's next delivery just short of the slip cordon before inside-edging a drive against Hogan as Glamorgan pressed for further wickets at their blustery headquarters. But in the penultimate over before tea it was Wagg who claimed the second wicket as he bowled Coetzer.

Northants had lost seven wickets in a dramatic session between lunch and tea, and the visitor's began the final session of the day on 15/2 and in danger of losing to the side that before the start of the contest were one place behind them in the Division Two table. Michael Hogan and Craig Meschede resumed the bowling duties with Rob Newton scoring the first boundary of the session as he clattered Meschede to the point boundary. Newton also scythed Hogan to third man before pulling Andrew Salter to the ropes at mid-wicket when the off-spinner returned at the River End.


Newton then cut Hogan to the point boundary before Rob Keogh straight drove Meschede. Newton also cover drove Salter before doing the same to Meschede, whilst Keogh deftly cut Salter behind square before clipping him to the ropes at mid-wicket. Newton then clipped Meschede just over the head of Salter at mid-wicket before driving the spinner back over his head for four. He then guided Wagg to third man to complete a 92-ball fifty.


He celebrated by pulling Smith to square-leg for his eighth boundary before adding a ninth and tenth as the next two deliveries were despatched to the boundary boards at deep mid-wicket. Colin Ingram's leg-spin was then introduced and he was swept for four by Newton as the deficit fell below the 100-mark. But with the total on 122, Keogh tried to take a quick single to mid-on but he was run out at the bowler's end as a direct throw from Hogan sent the stumps flying.


Newton responded by cover-driving Wagg as the ball again gravitated towards the boundary, but next over Ingram claimed his maiden wicket for the Welsh county as Cobb miscued an expansive drive and skied the ball into the hands of mid-on. 129/4 saw Adam Rossington join Newton and he began by cover-driving Hogan, as well as twice pulling him for further boundaries before Salter returned to the fray shortly before the close. Rossington responded by lofting him into the River Stand for six.