Glamorgan ended the third day of their rain-affected LV=County Championship match against Northamptonshire at the SWALEC Stadium on 96/4, still trailing the visitors by 62 runs.
Mopping up operations after yesterday's monsoonal downpours allowed play to start promptly on time at 11am with Jim Allenby completing the over which had been interrupted by the inclement weather before switching ends, with Dean Cosker having an over before Michael Hogan re-entered the attack. A firm off-drive by Andrew Hall saw Northants to the 150-mark, before James Middlebrook scythed the tall seamer over the head of backward point for another boundary.
With the total on 177, Hall had a life as Mike Reed, diving forward at mid-off, could not cling onto a miscued drive against Allenby. Reed then entered the attack as Allenby switched back to the Cathedral Road End, and the tall bowler also kept things tight as the sixth wicket pair eked out a series of singles against the accurate attack.
Wagg then returned to the fray and was steered to the vacant third man boundary by Middlebrook who then helped Northants secure a batting point in the 63rd over as he punched Wagg through mid-off. But with the total on 202, Hall perished to a Reed and Wright combination, as the former South African all-rounder skewed a drive to backward point as Glamorgan also gained another bowling point.
Middlebrook responded by pulling Wagg over deep backward-square for six as the visitors continued their watchful progress towards further batting points and a larger lead.
Having quietly accumulated during the morning session, James Middlebrook clubbed his first delivery after lunch from Dean Cosker to long-on, as well as unleashing another lusty drive as he lofted the spinner for a straight six into the River Stand. David Murphy also drilled Jim Allenby for four to long-off as Northamptonshire plundered some quick runs before rain sent the players back to the pavilion for a dozen minutes after lunch.
When play resumed, Murphy hoisted Cosker for a couple of lofted drives before Middlebrook ondrove Allenby to the boundary boards. Glamorgan then took the new ball with the visitors on 256/6 after 81 overs with Middlebrook greeting the return of Hogan by fiercely cutting him through backward point before drilling Wagg through extra cover.
But the new ball accounted for Murphy who edged Hogan to Allenby at first slip as Northants lost their seventh wicket on 266. David Willey then pulled his first ball for four before another heavy shower forced the players off the field again for s further 25 minutes. When play resumed, Middlebrook despatched Hogan through backward point for four, but Wagg then bowled Willey as Northants slipped further to 283/8.
Next over, it nearly became 283/9 but an inside edge from Middlebrook's bat against Hogan just evaded the grasp of a diving Mark Wallace. Stephen Crook then pulled Wagg for six, but the all-rounder struck back by trapping Crook l.b.w. before Wagg ended Middlebrook's defiant knock as he edged to Allenby at slip with Northants 292 all out.
Glamorgan had half an hour to bat before tea, and with Will Bragg having an abdominal injury, Dean Cosker was employed as his runner as the southpaw accompanied Ben Wright to the middle and safely negotiated this period, striking Willey for a pair of fours as Glamorgan went to tea on 21/0.
Resuming after tea on 21/0, Ben Wright clipped Stephen Crook to the mid-wicket boundary before unfurling a rasping square drive against Trent Copeland as the opening pair negotiated the new ball, and after a series of one's and two's, the Welsh county reached fifty in the 21st over, courtesy of a majestic square drive by Bragg against Andrew Hall. He then unfurled a rasping cut against David Willey, but the bowler produced the perfect riposte later in the over as he trapped the left-hander l.b.w.
Four balls later, 62/1 became 62/2 as Wright edged a spiteful delivery from Hall to Copeland at slip, and the stutter continued as five overs later, Marcus North edged a rising delivery from Stephen Crook into David Murphy's gloves, before nine balls later the wicket-keeper pouched another victim as Stewart Walters fell to Hall with Glamorgan on 71/4.
Jim Allenby and Murray Goodwin duly joined forces for the next forty minutes and watchfully saw the Welsh county through to the close without any further losses.
