Glamorgan lead by 78 runs at Northampton

Glamorgan`s bowlers made a spirited fightback on the second day of their County Championship match against Northamptonshire at Wantage Road. They dismissed the home team for 262 with David Harrison taking 4/64 and Michael Kasprowicz 3/77 to give the Welsh county a first innings lead of 7.

With conditions still giving generous assistance to the bowlers, Glamorgan lost four wickets as they batted again in the 22 overs remaining. Carl Greenidge made the early breakthrough when Glamorgan batted again as Adrian Dale edged a lifting ball to second slip, and then David Hemp was leg before to Andre Nel as Glamorgan lurched to 22-2

Jonathan Hughes and Mike Powell briefly steadied the ship, with Hughes bringing up the fifty with a sumptuous cover drive off Ben Phillips, before on-driving the same bowler for another crisp four in his next over. But the former Kent bowler gained revenge by bowling Mike Powell, and then had night-watchman Dean Cosker caught in the gulley for a duck.

Phillips also saw Hughes survive a sharp chance at second slip, but the young opener was unbeaten on 34 as Glamorgan finished the day on 71-4 to give the Welsh county an overall lead of 78 and to set up the prospect of an interesting third day`s play.

The day had begun with Northants resuming on 70-0, but both Michael Kasprowicz and David Harrison were soon beating the bat on numerous occasions. In the ninth over of the morning the Australian made the important breakthrough as Mike Hussey edged a ball that moved late and the Northants captain was caught by wicket-keepeer Mark Wallace.

Kasprowicz`s hostile spell continued as in his following over he had Phil Jacques caught at second slip by David Hemp, then next ball he trapped Jeff Cook, another Australian left-hander, leg before. Northants had slumped to 101-3 as Kasprowicz finished his morning spell with a return of 10-2-18-3.

It soon became 113-4 as Alex Wharf, who had replaced David Harrison at the Abingdon Avenue end, took a wicket with his second delivery as Rob White miscued an attempted pull and was well caught by Robert Croft at mid-on.

David Sales and Mark Powell then patiently added 48 in 26 overs, until in the fourth over after lunch David Harrison dismissed David Sales, thanks to a fine diving catch by Mark Wallace, and five overs later the accuracy of the metronomic Harrison was rewarded as Tobin Bailey edged to second slip where David Hemp took a fine low catch.

The impressive young all-rounder finished with a fine post-lunch spell of 2-11 in ten overs as Northants found run scoring difficult against the accurate Welsh attack, adding just 20 runs in the hour after lunch.

Even though he played and missed on umpteen occasions, the obdurate Powell became the second Northants batsman to register a half-century and he received useful support from Phillips as the seventh wicket pair added 55 until Powell was adjudged leg before playing across a ball from Cosker. Three overs later Phillips was well caught one-handed by Dale at silly point off Robert Croft who had little hesitation in taking the new ball shortly after tea.

Despite a few lusty blows by Nel, Harrison polished off the Northants innings as he spreadeagled Greenidge`s stumps and then had Nel caught on the third man boundary as the South African attempted another flamboyant drive.