COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION TWO ROUNDUP: The Welsh County remain on course for promotion to the top flight as they secured the first first-class win at Old Trafford this season to beat pre-season title favourites, Lancashire, by 154 runs
Old Trafford (day four of four): Glamorgan 261 & 348-7d, Lancashire 137 & 318 - Glamorgan won by 154 runs
Glamorgan extinguished any hope of a record-breaking run chase from Lancashire as they wrapped up a vital 154-run victory at Old Trafford, which keeps them on course for promotion from County Championship Division Two.
After a delay for rain, in which 20 overs were lost, the hosts were faced with scoring 247 runs with five wickets in hand off the 76 remaining overs but with Marcus Harris at the crease accompanied by nightwatcher Tom Bailey, the Red Rose still held ambitions that a win could be salvaged from a game in which they had been dismissed for 137 in their first innings.
It took just 45 minutes before lunch for Glamorgan to make huge strides towards the victory with Bailey bowled by a brilliant Asitha Fernando inswinging yorker for 16 to make it 259 for 6, with all-rounder Chris Green following 18 balls later, top edging a sweep to Kiran Carlson off Ben Kellaway for nine to leave the score 270 for 7.
With Harris remaining, Lancashire still harboured a glimmer of a chance, and the Australian reached a battling half-century off 89 balls.
But when Harris was out for 61, caught at short leg by Carlson off the impressive Mason Crane, the game was well and truly up, with Tom Hartley and George Balderson left with an almost impossible task.
***
Despite the best efforts of Marcus Harris, Lancashire fell to defeat against Glamorgan (Lancashire Cricket)
Canterbury (day four of four): Leicestershire 471, Kent 445-8 - Match drawn
The County Championship match between Division Two leaders Leicestershire and Kent at Canterbury ended in a draw, after the hosts reached 445 for 8 on day four, trailing by 24 when bad light stopped play.
Ben Compton hit a career-best 221 and Harry Finch made 54 not out, while Rehan Ahmed took 3 for 134, but the chances of a positive result were effectively neutered on day three, when a mere 9.5 overs were possible.
Leicestershire remain top of the table, while Kent stay bottom.
Related: Landmarks galore for Ben Compton, the glue holding Kent together
Northampton (day four of four): Derbyshire 377 & 185-5, Northamptonshire 550-9 - Match drawn
Brooke Guest and Luis Reece both made attacking half-centuries as Derbyshire salvaged a weather-assisted draw on the final day of this County Championship fixture against Northamptonshire at Wantage Road.
With heavy morning rain preventing play until 3.30pm, Northamptonshire were unable to press home their overnight advantage, having reduced the visitors to 52 for 4 on the third evening, still 121 behind.
But while Rob Keogh (2 for 37) removed nightwatchman Joe Hawkins without scoring in just the second over of the day, Guest and Reece quickly settled into their work, finding boundaries easy to come by as they posted a stand of 131 in 36.2 overs.
With no further wickets falling, Derbyshire cleared the deficit and moved into the lead, the teams shaking hands at 5.30pm with the visitors on 185 for 5, both teams taking 13 points.
***
Cheltenham (day four of four): Middlesex 445, Gloucestershire 404-9 - Match drawn
Gloucestershire's Joe Phillips hit his maiden first-class century as the rain-ruined County Championship Division Two match with Middlesex ended in an inevitable draw.
After the third day washout, a still-wet outfield prevented any play until 1.25pm, with a minimum of 68 overs left in the game.
Resuming their first innings on 54 for 1, a deficit of 391, Gloucestershire extended it to 400 for 9 by stumps, 21-year-old Cornishman Phillips making 136 off 182 balls.
Miles Hammond contributed an attractive 71 and Cameron Bancroft 58. But there had been too little time on a placid pitch for the teams to conjure a decisive outcome, and both had to settle for 15 points.
Welcome to www.thecricketer.com - the online home of the world’s oldest cricket magazine. Breaking news, interviews, opinion and cricket goodness from every corner of our beautiful sport, from village green to national arena.