Solanki resigns as Glamorgan go top

Glamorgan 369 and 397 for 8 dec beat Worcestershire 350 for 8 dec and 175 by 241 runs
Scorecard

Glamorgan went to the top of County Championship Division Two after sealing their seventh win of the season, beating Worcestershire by 241 runs at Colwyn Bay. After the match, Vikram Solanki tendered his resignation as Worcestershire captain after five years in charge and Daryl Mitchell will take over as skipper for the rest of the season.

Glamorgan's victory, which saw them leapfrog Sussex into top spot, came after they bowled Worcestershire out for 175 with 27.1 overs to spare after setting them 417 to win. David Harrison led the way with three wickets in three overs - claiming the important scalps of Mitchell, who has now passed 1,000 first-class runs for the season, and Alexei Kervezee - while Dean Cosker took 4 for 27.

Although David Wheeldon survived a sharp chance to wicketkeeper Mark Wallace off Harrison, the opening pair looked relatively secure either side of lunch. But they were separated by the run-out of Wheeldon, who was well out of his ground at the bowler's end after a fine piece of fielding by Mark Cosgrove.

At 49 for 1, however, there was still no indication of the collapse that was to follow. It was James Allenby who began Worcestershire's demise by dismissing Solanki and Moeen Ali with consecutive balls. Solanki was adjudged leg before by umpire Peter Hartley, while Moeen was caught behind down the leg side.

Worcestershire still had faint hopes of saving the game while the prolific Mitchell, who had scored consecutive 100s in his previous three innings, and Kervezee were still there. The fourth-wicket pair had put on 55 until the wheels came off the Worcestershire innings as Harrison, in his 100th first-class match, took three wickets for three runs in 12 balls.

First he captured the prize wicket of Mitchell thanks to a brilliant diving catch by captain Jamie Dalrymple at extra cover. It ended a remarkable sequence of batting by the right-handed opener, who had accumulated 344 runs from 624 balls in 14 hours and 13 minutes in three innings before being dismissed - having also made a ton in the previous knock.

In his next over, Harrison had Kervezee caught behind and then trapped James Cameron leg before. All the wickets at that stage, apart from the run out, had come at the Penrhyn Avenue end where there had been uneven bounce.

But at the other end - the Embankment end - Cosker struck twice with consecutive balls. First Ben Cox was sharply caught by Dalrymple at slip and then Richard Jones went leg before, meaning five wickets had fallen for just 26 runs. Cosker also got the final two wickets as Glamorgan wrapped up the win 20 minutes after tea.

At the start of the day Glamorgan decided to bat on for a further seven overs, adding 42 runs. On 97 overnight, Ben Wright went to his third Championship century - his second of the season - by pulling a Shakib Al Hasan full toss for six over midwicket. That was after he lost Robert Croft to the third ball of the day as the veteran edged Matt Mason, who finished with four for 87, to Moeen Ali in the gully. Harrison followed three overs later, bowled by Shakib.

Glamorgan ensured a lead of 400 when Wright planted Mason over long-on for his second six. Dalrymple declared after 25 minutes, leaving Wright not out on 121 from 144 balls.