Ingram Double Century Puts Glamorgan On Top

By Rob Cole | ECB Reporters' Network

Colin Ingram became the first batter this summer to reach 1,000 first class runs as he plundered his fifth century of the season, and his highest score, to put Glamorgan into a commanding position at the end of the second day against Leicestershire as they led by 180 runs.

It was the first time the South African had reached 1,000 first class runs in a season and after more than six hours of batting he passed his highest score of 190. It had taken him a mere 13 innings to crack the 1,000 runs mark “ the quickest by a Glamorgan batter since Majid Khan in 1972.

Shorlty after he celebrated reaching his double hundred with a leap in the air as he took a single off the spin bowling of Louis Kimber in the 118th over. He had received 312 balls and hit 23 fours and one six.

He eventually carried his bat throughout the day to remain 205 and ensured the Welsh county picked up three batting points. On one of the nicer days of the summer at Sophia Gardens he made hay to add to his previous Championship scores of three-figures this year against Middlesex (132 no), Yorkshire (113), Sussex (170) and Middlesex again (105).

Leicestershire seamer Ian Holland was the most successful bowler on both the day and in the innings as he ended with 4-88 from his 25 overs. Reham Ahnmed picked up two wickets

The South African resumed on 63 and helped Kiran Carlson take the overnight score of 114-2 up to 201-3 in a stand of 174 for the third wicket. Carlson reached his half-century in the sixth over of the morning and then punched England all-rounder Ahmed to the boundary to bring up the 150 partnership in the 47th over.

Not to be outdone, Ingram hit Ahmed back over his head for six two balls later. Ingram’s century arrived three overs later (150 balls, 15 4s, 1 6) and it was another Ingram boundary that took Glamorgan past 200 runs a few overs later.

Carlson departed in the 55th over thanks to a classy piece of glove work by Peter Hanscomb as he stumped him off the bowling of Ahmed. It meant the home side reached lunch at 201-3.

Holland had been Leicestershire’s best bowler on Day 1 and he returned to the attack after lunch to pick up two more wickets as he removed Chris Cooke (47) and Dan Douthwaite (7) either side of the tea-interval. His dismissal of Douthwaite at least brought up a second bowling point, but it was a real slog all day on a hybrid pitch that offered little or nothing to the bowlers.

Earlier on, Ahmed trapped Billy Root (6) lbw. None of this deterred Ingram, who kept grinding out the runs. His 150 came up in the 82nd over with a tickle to leg and by tea he had steered his side to 318-5 at tea.

He put on 86 for the fifth wicket with Cooke and then 39 with Timm van der Gugten for the seventh. Van der Gugten became Tom Scriven’s first victim in his 20th over when he was trapped lbw.

That made it 370-7 and he partnered with Mason Crane to safely steer Glamorgan past the 400 mark in the 114th over of a slow paced innings that saw the home side score 87 in the morning session, 117 in the afternoon and then 113 after tea.