Middlesex suffer 10-wicket defeat against Glamorgan
Rothesay County Championship Division Two, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff (day three)
Glamorgan 383: Northeast 122, Carlson 109; Higgins 5-59, Roland-Jones 4-95
& 8-0
Middlesex 155: Holden 42; Gorvin 4-39
& 235 (following on): Robson 66, Roland-Jones 57; Kuhnemann 6-53
Glamorgan (22 pts) beat Middlesex (2 pts) by 10 wickets
Matt Kuhnemann ripped through Middlesex’s top order either side of lunch as Glamorgan cruised to a 10-wicket victory over Middlesex in the Rothesay County Championship Division Two clash at Sophia Gardens.
The left-arm spinner, available for this match only before heading off to the World Test Championship final next month, ensured he left a lasting impression in Cardiff, returning career-best figures of 6-53.
It’s the first time since 2015 the Welsh county have achieved three Championship wins on the bounce and the only time in their history that they have achieved the feat by winning each match inside three days.
The victory propels Glamorgan, temporarily at least, into second place behind leaders Leicestershire and marks a truly remarkable turnaround for Sam Northeast’s men, who, after the opening three fixtures, sat 19 points adrift at the bottom of the table.
With a soggy bank holiday Monday predicted in Cardiff and a first hour utterly dominated by the Middlesex opening pair of Sam Robson (pictured) and Max Holden it was starting to look like a victory that might slip through the fingers of the home side.
Having been asked to follow-on 228 runs behind the hosts, Middlesex’s Sam Robson appeared to be on a one-man mission to reduce the deficit as he flayed Glamorgan’s attack to all parts during the early exchanges – his first 28 runs came courtesy of boundaries as he raced to a half-century off just 40 balls, which included 10 fours.
In an attempt to gain some control, Glamorgan turned to spin in just the 15th over of the morning. However, when Kuhnemann’s first ball was drilled disdainfully through extra cover for four by Max Holden it appeared little was about to change. However, with the score on 98, Kuhnemann found Holden’s inside edge and Asa Tribe took a sharp catch at short-leg to begin the Middlesex slide.
Robson soon followed, failing to pick a Kuhnemann arm-ball, the former England man was trapped on the crease and had to depart LBW for an entertaining 66 off just 58 balls. When the Aussie bowled Leus du Plooy through the gate, the game had suddenly been broken wide open with Middlesex reduced to 113-3.
As lunch approached, Timm van der Gugten got in on the act for Glamorgan, Luke Hollman edging the Glamorgan paceman into the cordon where Kiran Carlson took a smart, low catch at second slip. It capped an extraordinary end to what was looking like being a rather chastening morning session for Glamorgan, four wickets had fallen for just 17 runs and 98-0 had suddenly become 115-4.
Bright sunshine greeted the players as the afternoon session got underway, however, the upturn in weather failed to bring a change of fortune for Middlesex. Ben Geddes decided attack was the best form of defensive but his expansive drive off Kuhnemann was miscued and Zain ul Hassan took an excellent back-peddling catch at wide mid-off to give the spinner his fourth wicket.
James Harris (2-65) removed Higgins and Gohar to leave the visitors reeling on 160-7 before Kuhnemann had Middlesex keeper Jack Davies caught on the midwicket fence for his fifth wicket of the innings.
At 190-8, Middlesex were facing the prosect of an innings defeat but skipper Toby Roland-Jones refused to go down without a fight, unleashing a series of lofty blows on his way to 57 off just 42 balls with four sixes. He too was caught in the deep by Harris, this time off van der Gugten (2-29) before Kuhnemann dismissed number 11 Dane Paterson to record his maiden six-wicket haul in First-class cricket.
The Middlesex innings closed on 235, meaning Glamorgan required just 8 runs for victory, which they knocked off without any alarms after 2.2 overs.
With attention now turning to The Vitality Blast, both sides will be back in County Championship action on Sunday June 22. Glamorgan visit pace-setters Leicestershire while Middlesex will look to get their promotion push back on track with a trip to bottom side Northamptonshire.
