COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION TWO ROUNDUP: An intriguing final day beckons at Bristol after hundreds from Cameron Green and James Bracey put the hosts in charge
Cardiff (day three of four): Northamptonshire 185 & 304, Glamorgan 424 & 66-1 - Glamorgan won by eight wickets
Glamorgan wrapped up a second consecutive three-day win to propel themselves up the table after an all-round performance to blow away Northamptonshire by eight wickets at Sophia Gardens.
Northants had a respectable day from a troubling 49 for 3 to make Glamorgan bat again in the evening session, preventing the innings result. Saif Zaib's 71, along with gritty knocks of 66 and 56 from Lewis McManus and Luke Procter, respectively, weren’t enough to pile on pressure into a final day.
Set just 66 to win thanks to shared wickets, Asitha Fernando, the best of the bunch with twin three-fors helped Glamorgan to victory despite an early wobble at 6 for 2. Sam Northeast and Asa Tribe negotiated the Ben Sanderson charge with the ball to see the hosts home.
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Bristol (day three of four): Kent 424 & 135-4, Gloucestershire 516 - Kent lead by 43 runs with six second-innings wickets remaining
Gloucestershire called the shots on day three of the County Championship match against Kent at the Seat Unique Stadium to raise the prospect of a first home win in three seasons.
The home side posted 516 to establish a useful first-innings lead of 92 courtesy of hundreds from Cameron Green and James Bracey, who scored 128 and 127 respectively and staged a fifth wicket stand of 222 in 54 overs.
Nathan Gilchrist took 3 for 141 and Jake Ball 3 for 132 as Kent fought to stay in the game, but Tom Price hit 76 to give Gloucestershire a potentially crucial advantage.
Required to show resilience in the face of pressure, Kent were undone by seam on a batter-friendly track, losing openers Harry Finch and Ben Compton, captain Daniel Bell-Drummond and Tawanda Muyeye as they subsided to 98 for 4 in the late-afternoon Bristol sunshine.
Jack Leaning and Chris Benjamin dug in to advance the score to 135 for 4 by the close, but the visitors are just 43 runs ahead and face an uphill task if they are to save the game on the final day.
Lead image: Huw Evans Picture Agency.
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