Timm van der Gugten claimed 5/45 (including his 100th first-class wicket for the Welsh county) as Northamptonshire dramatically collapsed after Glamorgan took the new ball, collapsing from 275/5 to 281 all out on the opening day of their Specsavers County Championship match at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff . By the close, the home team were 21/0 in reply.
Evening Update
Northants were within one run of their first batting point at tea and this was duly secured by Richard Levi as he off-drove Owen Morgan. Wakely celebrated by pulling the spinner for six into the Grandstand. Levi then cover-drove Smith for four to complete his fifty from 90 balls before clubbing a full toss from Sisodiya to the ropes at mid-wicket.
But with the total on 223 Wakely edged Smith to first slip where Usman Khawaja completed a good tumbling catch. Adam Rossington was Levi’s new partner and he announced his arrival by straight-driving Sisodiya for four, but this proved to be his sole boundary as Smith struck in his next over as Rossington spliced a ball into Andrew Salter’s hands in the gully.
231/5 saw Steven Crook join Levi and he began by lofting Salter to long-on for four before cover-driving Sisodiya for four. Levi greeted the return of Owen Morgan by pulling him for four whilst Crook twice cut him to the ropes at backward point. Glamorgan then took the new ball after 84 overs with van der Gugten returning to bowl, and with his first delivery he removed Levi who edged to Salter at second slip, giving the Dutchman his 100th first-class wicket for the Welsh county. Two balls later, 275/6 became 275/7 as Seeku Prasanna miscued a drive to mid-on where 12th man Lukas Carey was stationed.
The wickets kept tumbling as Hogan returned and removed Crook l.b.w before van der Gugten had Brett Hutton magnificently caught at first slip by Usman Khawaja before next ball bowling Ben Sanderson to finish with figures of 5/45 as the visitors were dismissed for 281 having lost five wickets for six runs in the space of seventeen balls.
This left Glamorgan with seven overs to face which Jack Murphy and Nick Selman safely negotiated with the latter cover-driving Hutton for four as the Welsh county ended on 21/0.
Afternoon Update
Northants resumed on 87/2 after lunch with Ricardo Vasconcelos greeting the return of Timm van der Gugten by steering him through backward point for four before edging him again through the slip cordon to record his tenth four in his 101-ball fifty. Alex Wakely then brought up the 100 by on-driving Andrew Salter for four but with the total on 105, Timm van der Gugten ended Vasconcelos’ stay at the crease as he edged a rising delivery into Cooke’s gloves.
Richard Levi joined Wakely who pulled Salter for four to the ropes at mid-wicket before under-edging van der Gugten to fine-leg for four. Hogan then returned and found the edge of Wakely’s bat with a sharply-rising delivery which flew over the head of the slip cordon. He then completed his fifty, from 81 balls, by on-driving Salter for a single. Smith then returned at the River End and nearly removed Wakely who top-edged a pull just short of the fielder at fine-leg.
Levi then clubbed Smith through extra-cover and mid-wicket for a pair of rasping fours before pulling him to the ropes for two further fours as the 150 came up in the 50th over. Wakely found the ropes again as he clipped Hogan to fine-leg before surviving a close run out call as he ran a quick single against Smith. He celebrated his good fortune by punching Hogan through backward point for four.
The fourth wicket pair continued to watchfully accumulate as Sisodiya returned at the River End, in tandem with van der Gugten shortly before tea. The latter was cover-driven by Levi before nearly being caught at mid-wicket as he attempted to drive Sisodiya in the penultimate over of the session.
Lunchtime Update
The Welsh county made two changes from their line-up which drew on Saturday with Derbyshire at Swansea with Timm van der Gugten, returning from international duty with the Netherlands and replacing the injured David Lloyd, whilst Ruaidhri Smith returned in place of Lukas Carey. It was van der Gugten who shared the new ball with Michael Hogan. It was the latter who made the initial breakthrough as with his ninth delivery he removed Ben Duckett courtesy of an outstanding one-handed catch by Nick Selman at second slip.
10/1 saw Ricardo Vasconcelas join Luke Procter and he clipped Hogan to square-leg for four before inside-edging van der Gugten to fine-leg. Procter then clipped the Dutchman to square-leg for another boundary but next over he survived a chance as he miscued a drive to mid-off which the fielder could not grasp. But it did not prove to be an expensive miss as a couple of overs later Smith entered the attack and with his second delivery had Procter caught behind with the total on 36.
Alex Wakely joined Vasconcelas and began with a series of one’s and tow’s, plus a firm clip through mid-wicket against Murphy before his partner brought up the fifty by outside edging Smith through the slips. His next scoring shot though was more convincing as he drilled Smith through mid-off for four. Wakely also straight drove and cover Smith for a pair of fours before Prem Sisodiya had a spell at the River End and was driven for successive fours by Vasconcelas through mid-wicket and extra cover.