Record stand leaves County in trouble

Date: Friday 07 August 2009

Day Three Report: Glamorgan 566 (Croft 121, Shantry 100, Bragg 80, Rees 44, Dalrymple 40, Powell 40, Henderson 6-152) lead Leicestershire 313 (Ackerman 92, Dippenaar 85, Dalrymple 3-11, Harris 3-90) and 77-2 by 176 runs.

Centuries from Robert Croft and Adam Shantry put Leicestershire firmly on the back foot on the third day of the Championship game against Glamorgan at a sun-drenched Colwyn Bay.

The game was in the balance with Glamorgan starting the day just seven runs ahead with two wickets in hand, but the home side ended firmly in control as the duo shared 197 for the ninth wicket.

The home side built a first innings lead of 253, which stood at 176 by the close as County ended proceedings on 77-2. The team therefore have plenty of work to do to salvage something from the game.

However, with in-form duo Boeta Dippenaar and HD Ackerman at the crease, Leicestershire are in safe hands going into the final day.

After battling back gamely on day two, County were hoping for a swift end to the home side’s innings.

That never materialised as the team had to wait until the final session to start their second dig as Croft (121) and Shantry (100) put on the second highest ninth-wicket stand in Glamorgan’s history.

It was one of those days where records tumbled for the hosts. Not only did the partnership beat the previous ninth-wicket best against Leics, it was Shantry’s maiden first-class century and the team’s highest ever score against County.

County suffered a frustrating morning as Croft and Shantry got through the session unscathed, extending their stand to a precious 118.

Although four of the Glamorgan top five missed out on half-centuries when well placed, there was no such problem for this duo, who both made fifties by lunch.

Boeta Dippenaar unsurprisingly utilised Claude Henderson from the off and he kept a lid on things at the Penrhyn Avenue End.

However, despite Henderson’s accuracy and a rotation of seamers, wickets were not forthcoming and the duo patiently constructed.

The partnership not only saw Glamorgan past a fourth batting point, it also denied County a third bowling reward.

Croft was happy to rotate the strike and largely score singles while Shantry added three fours to the tally in the first hour.

Dippenaar tried everything within his disposal to try to break the stand in the session, using seven bowlers in all – including himself.

The pair would not be budged though and the lead moved past fifty. Chances were at a premium, although one particular Chris Thompson over caused problems.

Croft would have been run out by some distance after misjudging a single in the covers, while the seamer also had a loud leg-before shout against Shantry from the next ball.

Croft made the most of his luck by driving Henderson for a well-timed four, before twice edging Thompson to the boundary.

The second bought up a gritty 135-ball fifty while Shantry soon bought up his own half-century.

An edge through his own legs off Henderson was hardly the style he would have liked to bring up his maiden first-class 50, but it mattered not. It came from 105 balls with five fours and was a crucial contribution.

The score had passed 400 at this stage, and by lunch the lead was more than a hundred. It marked a fine session for the hosts and they continued to make hay after the interval.

Shantry continued his fine knock after the break and was first to reach three figures from 192 balls with a straight four.

Harry Gurney bowled him with the very next ball on exactly 100, with the pair going in the record books as easily breaking the previous ninth-wicket Glamorgan record against Leicestershire of 84.

They couldn’t quite surpass the all-time ninth-wicket record of 203* set back in 1929, but it was an astonishing stand nevertheless.

Croft and David Harrison (26*) then took the lead past 200 and then 250, with the former England man making the eighth century of his first-class career from 237 balls.

Glamorgan’s total of 566 was the first time the county had passed 500 against Leics, so the achievements of the final three batsmen had historical value as well as in the current game.

Thompson finally ended the innings by claiming a well-deserved maiden first-class wicket when removing Croft’s middle stump in the 177th over.

Henderson, despite not picking up another wicket today, was the pick of the attack with 6-152, and for the second successive innings the hardworking bowlers over-count went well into the 60s.

Leicestershire needed a solid reply, and Greg Smith set off impressively with Thompson providing good support.

However, Smith was bowled by Jamie Dalrymple’s third ball for 20, and when Thompson was trapped leg-before by Dean Cosker for 16, County were really up against it.

Dippenaar and Ackerman negotiated the final half-hour though, and they will look to build on their tallies of 18 and 7 respectively tomorrow.

ounty will need them to. After a day to forget, it is imperative that partnerships of substance are constructed if the team are to leave the beautiful venue in Rhos-on-Sea with a draw.