Dalrymple hundred lifts Glamorgan

Northamptonshire 253 v Glamorgan 348 for 5
Scorecard

Jamie Dalrymple cracked his first century of the season as Glamorgan took control on the second day of their County Championship clash with Northamptonshire at the Swalec Stadium.

Having dismissed the visitors for just 253 in their first innings at the end of play on day one Glamorgan responded by reaching 348 for 5 at the close of the second day, giving them an overall lead of 95.

Dalrymple's century - from 174 balls with 13 fours - was his fifth for the Welsh side but he was dismissed just before the close for 105 having shared in a stand of 79 with Jim Allenby (39) for the fifth wicket. As well as the captain's contribution, the Welsh county were indebted to a solid platform set by openers Mark Cosgrove and Gareth Rees (64), who put on 147 for the first wicket in 36.4 overs.

Cosgrove looked set to score another century against Northamptonshire following the 102 he plundered against them last season. And he certainly made his mark. In the seventh over he hit strike bowler Jack Brooks on the shin with a hard hit drive. Brooks was helped off the field but did manage to return to the action later in the day.

The south Australian left hander brought up his half-century in only 54 balls and looked relatively untroubled, although he did survive a difficult stumping attempt by Niall O'Brien off James Middlebrook when he was on 60. Cosgrove responded by striking the same bowler for a six over long on. Rees had been happy to drop anchor at the other end but brought up his half-century in the penultimate over before lunch.

Glamorgan continued to go well but in the fifth over after lunch Northamptonshire got the breakthrough they needed when Cosgrove, 15 short of his century, edged Lee Daggett to David Sales at second slip. And with Cosgrove's departure the tempo of the innings changed as the Northamptonshire seam battery began to find a better line and length.

That improvement was rewarded with the wicket of Rees, who was caught down the leg side by O'Brien off Andrew Hall to leave Glamorgan 170 for 2, which became 223 for 2 by tea.

After the interval Glamorgan continued to make progress but Dalrymple lost both Ben Wright, caught at slip off Daggett, and Michael Powell, who was trapped in front by Hall.

Despite being off the field for 30 minutes because of rain Dalrymple and Allenby took the lead to almost 100, but in the final over of the day the captain was snared at slip off Nicky Boje.