Hampshire beat Glamorgan by 43 runs at SWALEC Stadium

Yesterday, Mark Wallace was rewarded for his enterprising declaration with a clatter of wickets in Hampshire's second innings, before Neil McKenzie and Sohail Tanvir shared a century stand for the seventh wicket to improve their team's position as the visitor's ended the day 215 runs ahead to set up the prospect of a enthralling final day.

The Welsh county were eager to record their first Championship win at Cardiff over Hampshire since 1985 - but there was still the small matter of ending the Hampshire second innings after Marcus North had yesterday claimed four wickets to complete his best bowling performance for the Welsh county, eclipsing his return of 3/40 last summer at Derby.

Michael Hogan resumed at the River End, with North continuing at the Cathedral Road End as he looked to complete a "five-for". With James Tomlinson as his new partner, Danny Briggs nudged a series of one's and two's until with the total on 179 he propped forward and gave a regulation catch to Gareth Rees at short-leg as North claimed his fifth wicket and to leave Glamorgan needing 221 in a minimum of 90 overs.

Rees was swiftly back in action as he opened with Ben Wright against Tanvir and Tomlinson, and as in the first innings Wright was swiftly off the mark with two well guided strokes down to third man, before Rees square drove a no-ball from Tanvir. But Tomlinson struck with his seventh delivery as Wright sparred the ball into Liam Dawson's hands at second slip.

11/1 saw Stewart Walters join Rees and after a couple of singles, the new batsman drilled Tanvir to the ropes at mid-wicket but in the sixth over he became Tomlinson's second scalp as he edged to first slip with Glamorgan on 23/2. North then became Rees' new partner and he began in an assertive way with a pair of booming off drives against Tanvir.

Rees duly cover drove Tomlinson for four but next ball he became the third batsman to edge into the slips against the left-armer - who went to Cardiff University - as Dawson completed the catch with Glamorgan slipping to 42/3. His departure saw Murray Goodwin join North who responded by striking fours off successive balls from Tomlinson to cover point and fine-leg.

Goodwin duly opened his account with a crisp flick to square-leg when David Balcombe entered the attack, but with the total on 55, Tomlinson took his fourth wicket as he had an l.b.w. appeal upheld against North. Three runs later, Jim Allenby edged Balcombe to second slip as the nosedive continued to 58/5 leaving Goodwin and Mark Wallace to take Glamorgan to lunch without further loss.

When Mark Wallace and Murray Goodwin resumed after lunch on 64/5, the equation for the Welsh county was 157 from the remaining 69 overs and the sixth wicket pair began by working the ball around for a series of singles before Goodwin swatted successive balls from David Balcombe to the boundary boards at backward point.

Liam Dawson's left-arm spin was then introduced at the River End and the twirler was immediately swept for four by Goodwin. Wallace then greeted the return of James Tomlinson by clipping the former Cardiff MCCU bowler to backward square-leg for three, whilst Goodwin drilled the left-arm seamer to long-off for four as the pair continued to chisel away at the target.

Another flowing drive by Wallace against Dawson, followed by a deft sweep saw Glamorgan reach the 100-mark in the 35th over as Danny Briggs returned to the fray as Hampshire switched to an all-spin attack with both bowlers getting the occasional ball to turn and bounce alarmingly out of the footholds. A deft glance by Wallace against Dawson brought up the fifty stand before the Glamorgan captain swept the spinner again for four as the target dropped below one hundred.

This flurry of runs prompted the return of Sohail Tanvir at the River End whilst Briggs continued to wheel away at the Cathedral Road End. Wallace responded by on-driving the Pakistani for four whilst his doughty partner survived a couple of loud appeals for caught behind and l.b.w. as they continued to blunt the visiting attack.

But shortly before the interval Tomlinson returned at the River End and trapped Wallace l.b.w. for 44 as Glamorgan went to tea on 138/6 still needing 83 to win.

After Mark Wallace had departed three balls before the interval, Dean Cosker joined Murray Goodwin with the target having been reduced to 83 from a minimum of 35.3 overs. Glamorgan's quest seemed to take a blow as Goodwin was struck on the gloves by a sharply rising delivery from Tomlinson and he required attention from the physiotherapist before being able to continue his resolute innings.

But he swiftly showed that the blow had not done any adverse damage as he swept Briggs for four and glanced Tomlinson off his hips, but with the total on 151 a smart piece of wicket-keeping by Adam Wheater saw Cosker stumped down the legside. With Michael Hogan as his new partner, Goodwin duly completed a 156-ball fifty.

Hogan began by twice lofting Briggs straight for a couple of fours, before playing him off the back foot through the covers. This was followed by a booming off drive for four as Tanvir returned at the River End, but with the total on 172 Hogan drilled Tanvir into Tomlinson's hands at mid-off.

With 49 runs needed, Will Owen joined Goodwin but after five had been added by Goodwin, Owen was bowled second ball by Briggs , with his departure seeing Mike Reed hobble out to the middle with Dean Cosker as his runner. But two balls later he was trapped leg before by the spinner as Hampshire wrapped up a 43 run victory with 22 overs to spare.