Wright Takes Three on Second Day at Glamorgan

Chris Wright took three wickets, while Ben Mike claimed two, as Glamorgan closed day two on 305-5, trailing by 15 runs.

Leicestershire’s tail added 35 further runs in the morning before the end of innings. Wright crunched a couple of boundaries to bring up the third batting bonus point in the process, before he was caught behind for 18.

Callum Parkinson the last man to go, making 27 before he became the third man to be run out in the innings after an overthrow encouraged a daring second run. Beuran Hendricks unbeaten on five. The Running Foxes all out for 320.

With ball in hand, County got off to the perfect start, earning a breakthrough in the first over. Glamorgan skipper David Lloyd edged behind, with Harry Swindells taking a wonderful diving catch to complete the dismissal.

Swindells almost took a second sensational grab to dismiss the hosts’ talisman, Marnus Labuschagne, for two. The word’s number one ranked Test batsman glancing Wright behind, but Swindells couldn’t quite hold on.

County may have been left to rue that chance. However, on the final ball before lunch, Labuschagne pulled Mike straight to Scott Steel for 17. A vital wicket, leaving Glamorgan 58-2 at the break.

The Welsh county were in a spot of bother straight after the resumption, as Wright had Andrew Salter caught behind by Swindells, reducing the hosts to 63-3.

The 36-year-old almost had a third when Sam Northeast shouldered arms at one that seamed back in and narrowly missed the top of off. An appeal for leg-before followed, but again Northeast survived.

Kiran Carlson helped the pair motor through the afternoon session, adding 157 runs together before tea was called. Northeast survived two further chances, with an aerial leading edge narrowly evading Hendricks’ grasp off Mike, while Parkinson diverted a drive to almost run him out at the non-strikers’ end.

The partnership, worth 182, was eventually curtailed by Wright, who trapped Carlson leg before on 91. Glamorgan 245-4.

A further 22 runs were accumulated before Northeast (84), the other set batsman, was also adjudged LBW. Mike wrapped the former Kent and Hampshire man on the pads, and after slight consideration the umpire’s finger went up.

Former Glamorgan captain Chris Cooke got a very fortuitous second life, as Swindells shelled a simple edge of Wiaan Mulder’s bowling when the home ‘keeper was on nine.

In contrast to the tempo of the afternoon’s session, Cooke, along with debutant Andy Gorvin negotiated the remainder of play of at a slower scoring rate, reaching 305-5, as bad light brought stumps two overs early.

Glamorgan trail by 15 runs. Play resumes tomorrow at 11am.