Glamorgan boost promotion chances as they play out draw with Northants

Despite Northants declaring 54 runs behind overnight, Glamorgan ran out of time to force a result after most of day three had been lost to rain.

However, with Derbyshire and Middlesex also drawing at Lord’s, Glamorgan stole a march by earning three more bonus points than both their promotion rivals, further boosting their promotion hopes.

It allowed the Welsh County to further cement their second-place position in division two. Third-placed Derbyshire now lie in third, 27 points behind, while Middlesex sit in fourth, 30 points behind, with all the teams having two matches to play.

As for Northants, they remain second bottom in the table, but are now just two points behind sixth-placed Lancashire and nine adrift of fitgh-placed Gloucestershire, who they play at Bristol next week.

Former South African international Ingram reached the 1,000 runs milestone in 10 games after missing two matches in May during Australian Marnus Labuschagne’s stint at Sophia Gardens.

His 55 (85 balls, 11 fours) was his seventh championship half-century this season to go with three tons.

Ingram was joined by Kiran Carlson (39) in a fourth-wicket partnership of 88 in almost 23 overs, while Nottinghamshire loan man Calvin Harrison took three for 46 to take his tally in nine loan games for Northants this summer to 35. Justin Broad claimed two for 18 in five pacy overs.

With Chris Cooke making an unbeaten 40, Glamorgan declared on 241 for seven, 295 runs ahead, when the players shook hands on the draw at 4.20pm.

Earlier Northants declared at their overnight total of 413 for nine, 54 behind.

Luke Procter found significant movement in his opening spell. After leaving one which jagged back, Zain ul Hassan failed to learn his lesson and was bowled in the Northants captain’s next over, shouldering arms to a similar delivery.

Procter almost picked up a second wicket when Sam Northeast edged low to the slips, a diving Broad only able to get his fingers to it.

First innings double centurion Asa Tribe made 24 before he was caught behind down the legside off Broad, who then found some sharp bounce to surprise Northeast (20), keeper Lewis McManus taking the catch above his head.

Carlson got off the mark pulling a short delivery from Broad for four, but he got into a tangle against a well-directed bouncer from the all-rounder which he could only glove safely over the keeper and slips.

Ingram was harsh on anything wide from the seamers and swept and cut the spinners as he moved through the 20s, Glamorgan going into lunch on 95 for three.

After lunch Ingram brought up Glamorgan’s 100 with a thick edge through gully off Ben Whitehouse for four.

The debutant almost picked up Ingram’s wicket when he hooked him to fine leg, but Nirvan Ramesh injured himself when he fell attempting the catch, the ball running away for four.

After a delay, Ingram dispatched the next two Whitehouse deliveries for four, a dismissive pull shot and a punch through cover, while Carlson pulled a full toss from Saif Zaib for six.

Ingram duly passed 1,000 runs for the season by swinging Zaib through midwicket before a reverse sweep off Harrison took him to his half-century off 66 balls.

Harrison then made a triple breakthrough in the space of 32 deliveries, turning one past Carlson’s bat as he edged through to the keeper.

Ingram’s innings ended in bizarre fashion when he miscued an attempted sweep off Harrison onto his foot, the ball looping up to slip where Ricardo Vasconcelos took the catch.

Batting with a runner due to a calf injury, Ben Kellaway made 18, but Harrison bowled him around his legs for the second time in the match as he attempted to sweep.

After tea, Cooke and Timm van der Gugten (21) played some lusty blows in a partnership of exactly 50 off 141 balls, before Whitehouse claimed his maiden first-class wicket when van der Gugten cut straight to Harrison at point.