Cricket

Glamorgan's batsmen took advantage of inconsistent Leicestershire bowling to amass a formidable 352 for 8 on the opening day of their Vitality County Championship clash at Leicester.Eddie Byrom (86) and Kiran Carlson (80) capitalized on the loose bowling, with Glamorgan reaching 190 for 2 at lunch. However, Leicestershire fought back after the break, reducing the visitors to 277 for 7.Sam Northeast, who famously scored an unbeaten 410 at this ground two years ago, provided stability with an unbeaten 61, anchoring Glamorgan's resistance in the final session.Scott Currie emerged as the standout bowler for Leicestershire, claiming 4 for 53, including the wickets of Marnus Labuschagne and Chris Cooke. Ian Holland, making his Leicestershire debut, also impressed with the new ball.Despite the early setbacks, Glamorgan's batsmen found the boundary with ease, with Byrom and Billy Root scoring freely in the first hour. Leicestershire tightened things up in the second hour, but Byrom and Carlson added 83 in just 12 overs.Byrom's dismissal for 86 off a careless inside edge sparked a collapse, with Carlson (80) and Zain-ul-Hassan falling in quick succession. Northeast and Timm Van der Gugten (32) steadied the ship, but Currie struck again with the second new ball to remove Van der Gugten.Northeast remained unbeaten on 61, ensuring Glamorgan ended the day in a strong position. The Welsh county will be hoping to build on their advantage on day two, while Leicestershire will need to find a way to break through Northeast's resistance.

Middlesex emerged victorious in a thrilling Vitality County Championship encounter against Glamorgan at Cardiff, securing a two-wicket triumph on the final day. Mark Stoneman's crucial contributions with the bat proved pivotal in the hard-fought win.Glamorgan's batting woes continued in the second innings, with Zain-ul-Hassan and Mason Crane once again providing some resistance. However, their partnership was broken by Ethan Bamber, who dismissed Zain for 34. Crane's valiant effort of 48 was ended by Luke Hollman, leaving Glamorgan with a daunting task.Middlesex's chase began promisingly, with Sam Robson and Stoneman forming a solid opening stand. Robson's dismissal for 31 opened the door for Glamorgan, and Crane's spin proved to be a potent weapon. He accounted for Max Holden and Leus du Plooy, while Andy Gorvin removed Mark Stoneman for 63.With Middlesex still 93 runs short of victory, the match hung in the balance. Crane continued to torment the batsmen, dismissing Nathan Fernandes and Toby Roland-Jones in quick succession. However, a defiant ninth-wicket stand between Tom Helm and Jack Davies guided Middlesex to victory with just five overs remaining.Helm's unbeaten 44 and Davies' 25 proved to be the match-winning contributions, as Middlesex secured a hard-earned triumph. The win earned them 21 points, while Glamorgan managed only two bowling bonus points.

Glamorgan's fightback in their Vitality County Championship clash against Middlesex was led by centuries from Colin Ingram and Marnus Labuschagne, but the home side remains in a precarious position heading into the final day.After Middlesex extended their first-innings lead to 160 runs, Glamorgan's bowlers rallied to dismiss the visitors for 343. Andy Gorvin, Jamie McIlroy, and Mason Crane shared the remaining four wickets.In response, Glamorgan lost three early wickets before Labuschagne and Ingram combined for a 156-run partnership. Labuschagne reached his ninth century for Glamorgan, while Ingram notched his fourth of the season.However, both batters were dismissed before the close, leaving Glamorgan 294 for 7 and needing further batting heroics to prevent their first defeat of the campaign.Middlesex's bowlers, led by Tom Helm's 4-44, will be confident of securing their second victory of the season on the final day.

Middlesex seized control of their Vitality County Championship clash against Glamorgan in Cardiff, closing the opening day on a commanding 62 without loss after dismissing the hosts for a modest 183.Tom Helm spearheaded the Middlesex bowling attack with an impressive 4-44, exploiting the decision to bowl first. Ethan Bamber, Toby Roland-Jones, and Ryan Higgins provided valuable support with wickets of their own.Glamorgan's top-order crumbled under the pressure of the Middlesex seamers, with Marnus Labuschagne, Eddie Byrom, and Kiran Carlson all falling cheaply. Zain-ul-Hassan emerged as the top scorer with a gritty 34, but his efforts were overshadowed by the consistent bowling performance of Middlesex.When these teams met earlier in the season, Sam Northeast had plundered an unbeaten 335 against this same attack. However, this time around, he struggled to find his rhythm and was dismissed by Helm's devastating delivery that uprooted his off stump.Chris Cooke's dismissal two balls later left Glamorgan reeling at 92 for 5. Colin Ingram, the leading run-scorer in first-class cricket this season, also failed to make an impact, playing onto his stumps for a mere 10.Amidst the batting collapse, Zain played a composed innings, reaching 34 before being caught at slip. Andy Gorvin and Mason Crane briefly resisted the Middlesex attack with a 31-run stand, but Gorvin's top-edged hook shot ended his innings on 12.Crane, who had scored a career-best 61 against Northamptonshire earlier this season, remained unbeaten on 32, providing some respectability to Glamorgan's total.In response, Sam Robson and Mark Stoneman made light work of the Glamorgan bowling, navigating the new ball with ease. Stoneman, in particular, looked fluent, reaching 42 not out at the close. Robson, at the other end, played a patient innings, scoring 18 from 57 deliveries.Middlesex will resume their second innings on day two with a substantial lead of 121 runs, putting them in a strong position to secure a positive result in this match.

Glamorgan's dominance continued in the Vitality County Championship as they secured a resounding nine-wicket victory over Sussex, thanks to a stellar bowling performance led by Andy Gorvin.Resuming on 411, Glamorgan's innings ended swiftly with a run-out, setting Sussex a target of 245. However, the Sussex batting lineup crumbled under the pressure of Glamorgan's relentless bowling attack.Mir Hamza initiated the Sussex collapse, claiming three wickets in quick succession. Andy Gorvin then took over, dismissing Cheteshwar Pujara and John Simpson in his first over. Despite a valiant partnership between James Coles and Fynn Hudson-Prentice, Sussex's hopes were dashed by Gorvin's career-best figures of 5-40.Hudson-Prentice's 70 and Coles' 61* provided some resistance, but Glamorgan's bowlers remained relentless. Mason Crane and Gorvin wrapped up the Sussex innings, leaving Glamorgan with a modest target of 56.Billy Root led Glamorgan's chase with an unbeaten 36, guiding his team to victory in just 7.5 overs. The win marked Glamorgan's first County Championship triumph since May 2023, earning them 23 points. Sussex managed only four bonus points in the contest.Gorvin's exceptional performance was the cornerstone of Glamorgan's success. His ability to generate late movement proved too much for the Sussex batters, who struggled to cope with his variations.Glamorgan's victory is a testament to their resilience and determination. After a disappointing start to the season, they have bounced back with two consecutive wins, demonstrating their potential to challenge for the County Championship title.

Glamorgan's bowlers put in a commendable performance on the opening day of their Vitality County Championship clash against Sussex, restricting the visitors to 278 all out despite a late-order fightback.James Harris and Mir Hamza shared eight wickets between them, with Hamza claiming three in a devastating 18-ball spell that saw Sussex collapse from 131 for 3 to 136 for 5.Sussex's innings was characterized by a series of starts but no substantial scores, with Fynn Hudson-Prentice's 48 the highest contribution. The Cardiff pitch proved challenging for batsmen, with several wickets falling to deliveries that took the edge or bounced awkwardly.After a solid start from openers Tom Clark and Tom Haines, Sussex lost wickets in clusters, with Hamza and Harris exploiting the variable bounce and pace of the surface. Cheteshwar Pujara, who has struggled against Glamorgan in the past, made a promising 41 before falling to Hamza's seam bowling.Jack Carson and Hudson-Prentice steadied the innings with a 66-run partnership, but Harris's dismissal of Hudson-Prentice triggered another collapse. Sussex's tail-enders, led by Ari Karvelas and Jayden Seales, added valuable runs to take the visitors past 250 and secure a bonus point.Glamorgan's bowlers were supported by some sloppy fielding, with Karvelas dropped twice before finishing unbeaten on 39. However, the hosts managed to claim the final wicket with just six overs remaining in the day, with Andy Gorvin dismissing Seales to end Sussex's innings.Glamorgan faced six overs before the close and lost one wicket, with Eddie Byrom falling lbw to Karvelas for 12. The hosts will resume their innings on day two with a deficit of 257 runs and will be looking to build a solid foundation to put pressure on Sussex.

Yorkshire continued their dominance over Glamorgan on day three of their Vitality County Championship clash at Headingley, extending their lead to 127 runs. Joe Root, who resumed on 92 overnight, completed a superb 156, while Fin Bean's 173 helped Yorkshire post an imposing 519 for seven declared.Glamorgan's depleted bowling attack struggled to contain Yorkshire's batsmen, with Root and Bean sharing a 265-run partnership for the third wicket. Harry Brook added 65, including two sixes, before Mason Crane sparked the declaration with a five-wicket haul.Despite batting on a deteriorating pitch, Glamorgan's openers Eddie Byrom and Joe Root started their second innings brightly, sharing 56 inside 18 overs. However, both fell either side of tea, and Kiran Carlson was unfortunate to be run out.Sam Northeast and Colin Ingram steadied the ship for Glamorgan, reaching 46 and 43 respectively at the close of play. However, they will need to significantly build on their 78-run partnership to give Glamorgan a chance of avoiding defeat.

Glamorgan's Billy Root, the younger brother of England Test captain Joe Root, made a half-century against his sibling's Yorkshire side on the rain-affected opening day of their Vitality County Championship clash at Headingley.Billy Root, a left-handed opener, scored a measured 51 off 95 balls before lunch, helping Glamorgan reach 109 for four from 41 overs after electing to bat first. However, rain forced a three-and-a-half-hour delay from 1.45pm, and Yorkshire struck twice quickly in the delayed evening session. Bad light then meant no play beyond 6pm.Yorkshire, desperate for their first win in five matches, opted to play two frontline spinners in Dan Moriarty and Dom Bess on the pitch used for last weekend's draw against Derbyshire. Both bowlers claimed a wicket apiece in the morning session, with Moriarty dismissing Billy Root caught at short-leg just before lunch.Earlier, Yorkshire seamer Matthew Coad trapped Eddie Byrom lbw for 18, leaving Glamorgan 18 for one. Billy Root and captain Sam Northeast then put on a 74-run stand, with Root driving nicely against seam and sweeping and reverse sweeping against spin. Northeast went on to make 29 before being run out in the evening.The Root brothers have faced each other three times previously in county cricket, with Billy playing for either Nottinghamshire or Glamorgan. In the build-up to this game, Joe Root described the experience as a "horrible situation." However, both have performed well against each other in the past.In the two Championship matches they played in early 2021, Billy scored a century at Headingley and Joe a 99 at Cardiff. In this fixture, Joe Root dropped a tough first slip catch off Coad with Billy on six.When play resumed at 5.30pm following afternoon rain, Northeast was run out backing up two balls into the delayed evening, leaving Glamorgan at 96 for three in the 34th over. Matthew Fisher got a hand on a crisp Kiran Carlson drive and deflected it onto the stumps.Bess then had Carlson caught and bowled off an inside-edge with the first ball of his second over, his first of the session - 97 for four. Moriarty finished with one for 29 from 15 overs and Bess one for 14 from four.Both sides are searching for their first win of 2024. While Yorkshire have drawn three and lost one, Glamorgan have drawn all three and came into this fixture bottom of the embryonic Division Two table.The day's play was preceded by a minute's silence in memory of Worcestershire spinner Josh Baker, whose death at the age of 20 was announced on Thursday.

Northamptonshire's batting prowess was on full display as they amassed a mammoth 605 for 6 declared against Glamorgan in their Vitality County Championship Division Two encounter. Karun Nair's unbeaten double century (202*) was the cornerstone of their innings, while Ricardo Vasconcelos (182) and Saif Zaib (100*) also made significant contributions.Nair, a former India Test player, showcased his class with a masterful 253-ball knock, anchoring Northamptonshire's innings. He shared a crucial 212-run partnership with Zaib, who registered his maiden century of the season. Vasconcelos, who resumed on 166, missed out on a double hundred but played a pivotal role in setting the platform for their imposing total.Glamorgan's bowlers struggled to contain Northamptonshire's batting onslaught. Mir Hamza dismissed Vasconcelos, while Brad Wheal accounted for George Bartlett. James Harris trapped James Sales leg before, but Zaib's arrival injected fresh impetus into the innings.Zaib played with aggression, hitting boundaries off Harris and Mason Crane. He was dropped on 71 and again on 99, but eventually fell for 100 in Crane's next over. Nair continued to punish the Glamorgan attack, reaching his double century and prompting Northamptonshire captain Luke Procter to declare.In response, Glamorgan reached 104 for 3 at stumps, still trailing by 230 runs. Billy Root and Ul Hassan provided a solid start, but Northamptonshire's bowlers made inroads. Raphy Weatherall dismissed Ul Hassan, while Zaib and Ben Sanderson accounted for Root and Sam Northeast respectively.With persistent showers forecast for Monday, Glamorgan's hopes of salvaging a result may rest on the weather. However, Northamptonshire will be confident of pushing for victory, given their substantial first-innings advantage.