Glamorgan in sight of historic victory at Lord’s

Lord’s (second day of four): Glamorgan, with four second-innings wickets in hand, are 274 runs ahead of Middlesex
Glamorgan are well-placed to secure their first championship victory at Lord’s since 1954 after 17 wickets fell on the day. David Harrison bowled excellently on a sporting pitch to claim his first five-wicket haul for four years, getting strong support from James Allenby, who took four for 29, as Middlesex were bundled out for 160. Andrew Strauss top-scored with 44, timing the ball well until he chopped on, trying to force Allenby off the back foot.
After declining to enforce the follow-on, Glamorgan soon lost Mark Cosgrove retired hurt when the Australian was hit on the head by a Steve Finn bouncer. But, after reaching 57 without loss, the Welsh county fell to 117 for six to give Middlesex a glimmer of hope.
After Harrison had taken two quick wickets, Scott Newman being held in the slips and Sam Robson yorked, Strauss played several vintage strokes. Having driven James Harris imperiously through extra cover for four, he later played the shot of the innings, an exquisitely timed clip off his legs off the same bowler that beat the fielder on the deep mid-wicket boundary. Strauss got out, however, to one of a number of loose shots from batsmen on both sides.
Middlesex’s callow middle order looked ill-equipped for what was a testing examination on a greenish pitch that offered regular seam movement and good carry. After Dawid Malan was bowled by a beauty from Allenby that came back down the slope, Adam London played across a full-length ball to be castled by Harrison. John Simpson looked untroubled until he was leg-before trying to sweep Dean Cosker, the only batsman so far in the match to fall to a spinner.
Cosgrove almost suffered the ignominy of a pair at Lord’s, but a fast-travelling edge at catchable height off Finn eluded the slip cordon. Finn was a handful with his bounce and hostility, returning later to claim the important wicket of Allenby, leg-efore.
Mike Powell made his second important contribution of the match before chopping on, as Middlesex’s bowlers at last found the right length for this seamer-friendly pitch. They were too short in the Glamorgan first innings, which still looks like being the key part of the match unless Middlesex’s fragile batting line-up can atone in the second innings.
Glamorgan: First Innings†M A Wallace not out 79H T Waters c Robson b Finn 5Extras (lb 13, w 1, nb 6) 20Total (97.2 overs) 315
Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-84, 3-105, 4-131, 5-147, 6-258, 7-274, 8-291, 9-300.
Bowling: Murtagh 24-7-57-2; Finn 22.2-5-69-2; O’Brien 20-2-59-2; Berg 17-4-59-3; Udal 10-2-33-0; Malan 4-0-25-1.
Second InningsG P Rees c Malan b Berg 20M J Cosgrove retired hurt 17M J Powell b Murtagh 47B J Wright lbw b O’Brien 4*J W M Dalrymple c Malan b Berg 0J Allenby lbw b Finn 15†M A Wallace not out 12J A R Harris lbw b Murtagh 2D A Cosker not out 0Extras (lb 2) 2Total (6 wkts, 40 overs) 119
H T Waters and D S Harrison to bat.
Fall of wickets: 1-57, 2-72, 3-73, 4-101, 5-107, 6-117.
Bowling: Murtagh 11-2-31-2; Finn 12-2-27-1; O’Brien 9-1-24-1; Berg 8-1-35-2.
Middlesex: First InningsS A Newman c Cosgrove b Harrison 7A J Strauss b Allenby 44S D Robson lbw b Harrison 0D J Malan b Allenby 17A B London b Harrison 6†J A Simpson lbw b Cosker 32G K Berg lbw b Harrison 14*S D Udal lbw b Allenby 15T J Murtagh c Cosgrove b Allenby 13I E O’Brien c Wallace b Harrison 0S T Finn not out 0Extras (lb 12) 12Total (51.2 overs) 160
Fall of wickets: 1-11, 2-21, 3-71, 4-72, 5-80, 6-103, 7-141, 8-153, 9-160.
Bowling: Harris 7-1-21-0; Harrison 18-2-62-5; Waters 10-1-28-0; Allenby 13.2-3-29-4; Cosker 3-1-8-1.
Umpires: R J Bailey and S A Garratt.
Source:The Times