Cricket

Northamptonshire's hopes of salvaging a draw against Glamorgan in their Vitality County Championship clash hang in the balance after a tense final session in Cardiff.Glamorgan, resuming on 111 runs ahead, extended their first-innings lead to 211 thanks to a late-order resurgence led by Mason Crane (56*), James Harris, and Andy Gorvin. Crane, enjoying his most prolific season as a batter, shared a 63-run stand with Harris, while the final wicket partnership between Crane and Gorvin added a further 53 runs, taking Glamorgan's total to 490 all out.Northamptonshire's second innings got off to a solid start with a 59-run opening stand between Emilio Gay and Ricardo Vasconcelos. However, Glamorgan's bowlers gradually gained control, with Gorvin dismissing Gay for 24 and Prithvi Shaw edging to Chris Cooke for 23.Vasconcelos remained resolute, reaching 99 before falling LBW to Crane in the final session. Crane also accounted for Rob Keogh first ball, leaving Northamptonshire four wickets down and level with Glamorgan's first-innings score.Luke Procter (55*) and Lewis McManus guided Northamptonshire to the close without further damage, but the visitors still face an uphill battle to save the game. They will resume on the final day with a slender 25-run lead and six second-innings wickets in hand.Glamorgan, buoyed by Crane's leg-spin brilliance, will be eager to push for victory and secure valuable points in their pursuit of promotion.

Glamorgan's Marnus Labuschagne and Kiran Carlson led a dominant batting performance against Northamptonshire in their Vitality Championship match in Cardiff. The duo's impressive partnership of 140 runs propelled Glamorgan to a commanding position, leaving them 111 runs ahead at the close of day two.Labuschagne, the Australian Test star, top-scored with a well-crafted 93, while Carlson contributed a valuable 71. Chris Cooke also chipped in with a crucial 58 as Glamorgan amassed a formidable 390 for 8.Northamptonshire's bowlers struggled to contain Glamorgan's batsmen, with Luke Procter's 3 for 36 being the only notable return. The visitors missed a few chances in the field and were unsuccessful with several close lbw appeals.Glamorgan's innings began steadily with Billy Root and Eddie Byrom putting on 63 runs for the first wicket. However, the introduction of Liam Patterson-White's spin proved decisive as Byrom was caught at slip. Root followed soon after, trapped lbw by Justin Broad.Labuschagne and Carlson then took control, punishing the Northamptonshire bowlers with their aggressive approach. They ran well and scored at a brisk pace, putting pressure on the fielders. Labuschagne looked set for a century but was eventually dismissed by Broad's inswinging delivery.Sam Northeast and Carlson departed in quick succession, but Timm van der Gugten and Cooke steadied the ship with a 68-run partnership. Van der Gugten's aggressive 41 took Glamorgan into the lead, while Cooke's patient fifty further extended their advantage.James Harris and Mason Crane saw Glamorgan through to the close with the lead past three figures. The pitch in Cardiff has historically flattened out as the match progresses, but Glamorgan's substantial lead gives them a strong chance of securing victory.

Northamptonshire's Emilio Gay anchored their batting performance with a composed half-century on the opening day of their Vitality County Championship clash against Glamorgan in Cardiff.Opting to bat first, Northamptonshire posted 279 all out, with Gay's 65 serving as the cornerstone of their innings. Luke Procter and Gus Miller also contributed valuable runs, helping the visitors recover from a mid-innings slump.Glamorgan's bowlers, led by Timm van der Gugten, Andy Gorvin, and James Harris, shared nine wickets among them. However, Northamptonshire's resilience in the face of adversity allowed them to post a challenging total.Harris struck early, dismissing Ricardo Vasconcelos and Prithvi Shaw to leave Northamptonshire reeling at 19 for 2. Gay and Procter steadied the ship with a 90-run partnership, but Gay's dismissal to Gorvin triggered a collapse.Procter and Rob Keogh added 48 runs before Glamorgan's bowlers tightened their grip. Gorvin trapped Lewis McManus lbw, while Liam Patterson-White fell to a catch at point.Miller and Raphael Weatherall combined for a 37-run stand, taking Northamptonshire past 250 and securing their first batting bonus point. Miller's impressive debut innings included two sixes, helping his team reach a potentially formidable total.Glamorgan's openers, Eddie Byrom and Billy Root, negotiated the final seven overs of the day without incident, leaving their side trailing by 243 runs.

Leicestershire and Northamptonshire played out a thrilling tie in the Vitality Blast at Wantage Road, with Rishi Patel's blistering century for the Foxes matching David Willey's impressive knock for the Steelbacks.Patel, the Blast's leading run-scorer, smashed 104 from just 45 balls, equaling the Foxes' fastest ever T20 century. His onslaught propelled Leicestershire to a competitive 208 for 7, despite Raphy Weatherall's 4 for 50 for Northamptonshire.Willey, celebrating his 300th career T20 game, led the Steelbacks' charge with a top score of 71 from 48. He became the first player to pass 4,000 runs in the format for Northamptonshire. Matthew Breetzke (47) and Sikandar Raza (36 not out) also contributed to the home side's total of 208 for 5.In reply, Patel dominated the Leicestershire innings, hitting 18 runs off Willey's first over and forming a 61-run opening partnership with Sol Budinger. He reached his half-century in just 22 deliveries and continued to punish the Northamptonshire bowlers, reaching his century with a six off Ben Sanderson.However, Weatherall pegged the Foxes back with three quick wickets, including Patel's dismissal for 104. Peter Handscomb (43) and Ben Cox (10) kept Leicestershire in the hunt, but Weatherall struck again to leave the Foxes needing five runs from the last ball.Lewis Goldsworthy's outside edge flew to the boundary off Weatherall's final delivery, securing a tie for Leicestershire.

Northamptonshire and Yorkshire played out a thrilling draw in their Vitality County Championship match at Wantage Road, with Ricardo Vasconcelos' valiant century ultimately securing a share of the spoils for the hosts.Yorkshire set Northamptonshire a challenging target of 326 to win in just over two sessions, but Vasconcelos' unbeaten 129, featuring 17 boundaries, kept the home side in the hunt. However, a late fightback from Yorkshire's bowlers, led by Adam Lyth's career-best figures of 4-56, saw Northamptonshire lose eight wickets in quick succession.Vasconcelos, who had shared a rapid 63-run stand with Karun Nair (36), had to dig deep to ensure his side held out for the draw. The 33-year-old Portuguese batsman showed great character and maturity, guiding Northamptonshire to safety with eight wickets down.Earlier, Yorkshire captain Shan Masood declared his side's innings on 264 for 6 just before lunch, setting up an intriguing run chase. However, the loss of 17 overs due to rain interruptions ultimately proved too costly for Yorkshire.The draw leaves both sides winless after seven games, with Yorkshire taking 14 points and Northamptonshire 13.

Ashton Agar, the Australian all-rounder, has signed a short-term deal with Northamptonshire to play in the Vitality Blast T20 tournament. Agar will join the squad after the conclusion of the T20 World Cup, replacing Zimbabwe's Sikander Raza, who will depart for national duty.Agar, 30, is a key member of Australia's T20 team and was part of their victorious squad in the 2021 T20 World Cup. He has also won the Big Bash League with Perth Scorchers.The left-arm spinner has taken 48 wickets in 47 T20Is for Australia, including a career-best 6 for 30 against New Zealand in 2021. He is known for his ability to bowl economical spells and take crucial wickets.Northamptonshire head coach John Sadler expressed his delight at signing Agar, saying, "Ashton is a remarkable player with a real ability to change and win matches. He's got a winning mindset, has played at the highest level, and we're delighted to get someone of his caliber to the club."Agar is expected to make his debut for Northamptonshire on July 5 and will play four matches before Raza returns for the final two group fixtures."We've got a real like-for-like replacement in Ashton, which is great," said Sadler. "We're pleased with the business we've done. Obviously, the Zimbabwe series was announced after we signed Sikandar, which is a shame, but we've still got him for eight games at the start, then for the last two games, and we're very excited about that."Agar's signing is a significant boost for Northamptonshire, who are currently in contention for a place in the Vitality Blast knockout stages. His experience and skill will be invaluable as they look to challenge for the title.

Yorkshire's captain, Shan Masood, led his team to a commanding position in their Vitality County Championship match against Northamptonshire at Wantage Road. Despite a rain-shortened third day, Masood's unbeaten 82 propelled Yorkshire to a 217-run lead.Resuming on 362, Yorkshire lost early wickets, but Masood remained resolute. He punished Siddarth Kaul's wayward deliveries, hitting three sixes and eight boundaries. Masood's aggressive approach helped Yorkshire extend their advantage, reaching 156 for five when play was abandoned due to rain.Earlier, Ben Sanderson claimed two wickets, including that of first-innings centurion Adam Lyth. However, Masood's counterattacking innings put Yorkshire in control. He reached his half-century off 72 deliveries and was fortunate to survive a dropped catch on 50.Masood's partnership with James Wharton (20) yielded 67 runs before Wharton was dismissed lbw. George Hill also fell cheaply, but Yorkshire remained in a strong position.Northamptonshire's bowlers struggled to contain Masood, who targeted the spin of Rob Keogh and punished Kaul's width. With just 38.2 overs possible due to rain, Yorkshire will look to press their advantage on the final day and secure a victory.

Yorkshire's dominance continued in their Vitality County Championship clash against Northamptonshire, as they extended their lead to 61 runs despite a valiant century from the home side's captain, Luke Procter.Resuming on 312 for 7, Yorkshire added 50 runs to their overnight total, with Jordan Thompson reaching his first half-century of the season. However, the innings was wrapped up quickly, with Sanderson claiming three wickets and Rob Keogh dismissing Dom Leech for a duck.Northamptonshire's response began promisingly, with Ricardo Vasconcelos and Emilio Gay putting on 56 for the first wicket. But Fernando struck twice in quick succession, removing Vasconcelos and Gay, and Yorkshire looked to be in control.However, Procter led a spirited fightback, sharing half-century partnerships with Ben Sanderson and Jack White. The skipper's unbeaten 116, his first century in almost two years, ensured Northamptonshire reached 301, just 61 runs behind Yorkshire's first-innings total.Fernando was the pick of the Yorkshire bowlers, taking 4 for 48 on his debut. Matthew Revis also impressed, claiming two wickets, while Sanderson and Keogh chipped in with one each.Yorkshire's openers, Adam Lyth and Harry Brook, negotiated the final over of the day without loss, leaving the visitors in a strong position heading into day three.

Yorkshire's Adam Lyth marked his 200th Championship match with a commanding century, guiding his team to a solid 312 for 7 on day one against Northamptonshire at Wantage Road.Lyth, known for his elegant cover drive, played with authority throughout his innings of 109 (205 balls). His partnership of 116 with Shan Masood (60) provided Yorkshire with a strong foundation.Despite Northamptonshire's early advantage of winning the toss and bowling on a green top under lights, Yorkshire's batsmen held their own. Lyth's half-century came off 81 balls, and he survived several close lbw appeals.After lunch, Masood joined Lyth in a productive partnership. However, the hosts fought back after tea, with Luke Procter (3 for 63) and Siddharth Kaul (2 for 81) leading the charge. Yorkshire lost five wickets for 52 runs, including Lyth's dismissal for 109.Masood reached his half-century but was caught by a diving Emilio Gay at slip. George Hill and James Wharton also fell cheaply, leaving Yorkshire in a precarious position.However, Will Luxton and Jordan Thompson showed some resistance, taking the attack to the Northamptonshire bowlers. Luxton was eventually dismissed by Procter, while Tattersall edged to Gay at slip.Thompson remained unbeaten at the end of the day, giving Yorkshire hope of a strong total on day two.