Day 3 – Glamorgan lead by 134 runs.
Middlesex on top but made to work after securing 160-run lead on first-innings
Marnus Labuschagne made a second-innings century • Getty Images
Glamorgan 183 (Helm 4-44) and 294 for 7 (Labuschagne 111, Ingram 105) lead Middlesex 343 (Higgins 75*, Harris 4-84) by 134 runs
Glamorgan set about fighting their way back into their Vitality County Championship fixture against Middlesex on the third day with centuries from Colin Ingram and Marnus Labuschagne helping them to reach 294 for 7 at the close. However, both batters were dismissed before the end of the day, leaving Glamorgan in a precarious position in this match.
The day began with Middlesex still batting in their first innings and looking to extend their lead. Some disciplined bowling saw Glamorgan take the final four Middlesex wickets for 40 runs as they went from 303 for 6 to to 343 all out.
There were three early wickets in the Glamorgan innings but the 156-run stand between Labuschagne and Ingram allowed them to erase the deficit and give them a chance of saving the game. The home side go into the final day with a lead of 134 but will need further batting heroics to prevent their first defeat of the season.
Glamorgan started the day trailing Middlesex by 120 runs on first innings and in need of quick wickets to get back into the contest. They had an early breakthrough when Andy Gorvin bowled Tom Helm with a lovely ball that ducked in sharply.
Jamie McIlroy bowled well on the third morning and was rewarded with his second wicket when he trapped Jack Davies lbw to a ball that the batter left alone. That left Middlesex 324 for 8. That became 330 for 9 when Luke Hollman chopped a ball on to his stumps for 3.
The final wicket of the Middlesex innings fell when Toby Roland-Jones was lbw to Mason Crane. Middlesex were160 runs in front of Glamorgan’s first innings total. While wickets fell at the other end, Higgins batted beautifully for his 75 not out.
Glamorgan started their second innings batting efforts in a similar fashion to how they played on the first day with Eddie Byrom looking to be aggressive. They reached the lunch break at 33 for none but shortly after the resumption Byrom was bowled by Higgins for 24.
Sam Northeast was dismissed for a six-ball duck when he was caught at short midwicket off the bowling of Higgins to leave Glamorgan 45 for 2, still 115 runs behind Middlesex. Kiran Carlson was bowled by Tom Helm for 15 when he chopped on. He was the fifth batter to fall to a ball that was hit into their stumps in this match. Glamorgan were 79 for 3 at the fall of his wicket, still significantly behind Middlesex and in need of a partnership.
That is what they got from their two overseas players. The decision to leave out Pakistan international bowler Mir Hamza in favour of picking both Ingram and Labuschagne was a matter for much debate on the first morning of this match, but a sizeable stand between these two hugely experienced players went some way to justifying the decision.
Labuschagne took time to get settled but became more attacking as he grew into his innings, going to fifty with back-to-back boundaries off Hollman. Ingram looked to be more attacking and he hit 15 fours and a six on his way to his fourth hundred of the season.
Labuschagne fell to the bowling of Hollman after reaching his ninth century for Glamorgan and Ingram was dismissed for 105 by Helm. With James Harris and Chris Cooke before going before the close it leaves Middlesex as favourites to secure their second victory of the season.
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