Glamorgan`s bowlers made a spirited fightback on the second day of theirCounty Championship match against Northamptonshire at Wantage Road

Andrew Hignell31-May-2003Glamorgan`s bowlers made a spirited fightback on the second day of theirCounty Championship match against Northamptonshire at Wantage Road. Theydismissed the home team for 262 with David Harrison taking 4/64 and Michael Kasprowicz3/77 to give the Welsh county a first innings lead of 7.With conditions still giving generous assistance to the bowlers, Glamorgan lost four wicketsas they batted again in the 22 overs remaining. Carl Greenidge made the earlybreakthrough when Glamorgan batted again as Adrian Dale edged a lifting ballto second slip, and then David Hemp was leg before to Andre Nel as Glamorgan lurched to 22-2Jonathan Hughes and Mike Powell briefly steadied the ship, with Hughes bringing up the fifty witha sumptuous cover drive off Ben Phillips, before on-driving the same bowler for anothercrisp 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 wasunbeaten on 34 as Glamorgan finished the day on 71-4 to give the Welsh county anoverall 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 andDavid Harrison were soon beating the bat on numerous occasions. In the ninth over of themorning the Australian made the important breakthrough as Mike Hussey edged a ball thatmoved 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 Jacquescaught at second slip by David Hemp, then next ball he trapped Jeff Cook, anotherAustralian left-hander, leg before. Northants had slumped to 101-3 as Kasprowiczfinished 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 AbingdonAvenue end, took a wicket with his second delivery as Rob White miscued an attemptedpull 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 overafter lunch David Harrison dismissed David Sales, thanks to a fine diving catch by MarkWallace, and five overs later the accuracy of the metronomic Harrison was rewarded asTobin 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 oversas Northants found run scoring difficult against the accurate Welsh attack, addingjust 20 runs in the hour after lunch.Even though he played and missed on umpteen occasions, the obdurate Powell became the second Northantsbatsman to register a half-century and he received useful support from Phillips as theseventh wicket pair added 55 until Powell was adjudged leg before playing across a ballfrom Cosker. Three overs later Phillips was well caught one-handed by Daleat 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 spreadeagledGreenidge`s stumps and then had Nel caught on the third man boundary as the South Africanattempted another flamboyant drive.