Van der Gugten and Ingram put Glamorgan on top v Leics
Vitality County Championship Division Two, Sophia Gardens (day one)
Leicestershire 251 (68.5 overs): Handscomb 46; Van der Gugten 4-45, Douthwaite 4-49
Glamorgan 114-2 (25 overs): Ingram 63*, Carlson 42*; Holland 2-48
Glamorgan (3 pts) trail Leicestershire (1 pt) by 137 runs with eight first innings wickets standing
A fine pace-bowling display from Timm van der Gugten allowed Glamorgan to take the early honours against Leicestershire as the Foxes were dismissed for 251.
Van der Gugten (4-45) claimed the first four wickets, while Dan Douthwaite also weighed in with four for 49.
Peter Handscomb’s 46 was the top score for the visitors.
Glamorgan, left 25 overs to bat, raced to 114-2 with Colin Ingram unbeaten on 63 and Kiran Carlson on 42.
With the dual experiment of a first hybrid pitch in Cardiff and a Kookaburra ball, it looked a good toss to win, and Van der Gugten took advantage by cleaning up openers Rishi Patel and Ian Holland with just 27 on the board.
Ajinkya Rahane was dropped at square-leg off Ned Leonard on 16 and Glamorgan had to wait for Van der Gugten’s next spell for another breakthrough as he trapped Lewis Hill lbw for 25, with the ever-reliable Dutch international making it four after lunch as Rahane edged to slip for 42.
Peter Handscomb was striking the ball nicely, but Leicestershire were struggling to build any big partnerships as Rehan Ahmed holed out to deep square leg off Douthwaite for 16, the all-rounder providing some belated and much-needed back-up to Van der Gugten’s efforts.
Handscomb hit seven fours before trying to run Douthwaite to third man and tamely edging to Cooke for 46, before Kiwi Fraser Sheat (2-71) took his first Glamorgan wicket as Liam Trevaskis lobbed to mid-on.
But from 182-8, the Foxes found some resistance with Tom Scriven making 25 and 19 year old debutant Sam Wood playing some useful shots in his 34 as they added 51, with a few late blows from last man Chris Wright earning a bonus point.
Holland’s medium pace disposed of the new-look Glamorgan opening partnership as Sam Northeast was caught behind first ball and debutant Asa Tribe, a Jersey international, played on for four.
Holland should have had Carlson caught at slip early on, but he accumulated busily while Ingram started to find the boundary as they put together the biggest stand of the day.
Ingram sped to a 67-ball half-century, the eighth time he had passed 50 in 13 first-class innings to underline his continuing class at the age of 39, although he appeared to survive a hard chance in Rehan Ahmed’s last over of the day.
Glamorgan’s Dan Douthwaite told BBC Sport Wales:
“We’re in a good position, Colin and Kiran batted well in the last hour, but a special mention to Timm and the way he bowled in the morning, taking all the first four and showing us how to bowl with the Kookaburra ball.
“He set it up for the rest of us seamers to finish off, he was really special today. It wasn’t my best spell, but I’m trying to contribute in any way I can with the ball so it was cool to take four.
“After having the Kookaburra on some flatter pitches at the start of the season, it feels like a bit of a lottery, but the pitch is pretty ok in my opinion and hopefully it’s not one that flattens out over days three and four.”
Leicestershire debutant Sam Wood told BBC Radio Leicester:
“I was excited to be told this morning I was making my debut, then it was nice to put on a partnership with Tom (Scriven), I batted with him on my List A debut against Surrey as well and enjoy batting with him.
“We almost had a bit of momentum and wrestled the game back, it was good fun and we managed to put some sort of a total on the board.
“It was more of a new-ball pitch (helping the bowlers early on) and with Kookaburra balls that’s always going to be the case, they get soft and it’s going to be tough. I’m disappointed with the way I bowled, but I’ll dust myself down and we’ll go again, there’s still plenty (of time) in the game.”
