Vitality County Championship Match Report Day Two: Glamorgan v Yorkshire

Yesterday at 19:46

Yorkshire have made a further step towards Division One as they dominate in Cardiff

Yorkshire ended day two in Cardiff in a strong position at 116/1, a lead of 238. They had dismissed Glamorgan for 239, the innings finishing just after tea and Yorkshire then set about building a big lead. Batting had become easier, as tends to occur at Sophia Gardens, so they will want to give themselves at least four sessions to bowl Glamorgan out and there is some risk of rain on day four.

It was a chillier morning and a stiff breeze that greeted the players as they walked out and with Sussex and Middlesex starting the second day well on top in their games, Yorkshire would have wanted to get off to a fast start and that they did.

Glamorgan were 12/0 overnight and Sam Northeast struck a boundary before Ben Coad trapped him lbw. Asa Tribe got off the mark with a back foot punch to the short off side boundary, but then slashed at a wide delivery from Matt Fisher, the catch taken by Adam Lyth at second slip. Kiran Carlson then departed first ball as a defensive push caught the outside edge and George Hill took the catch. The Yorkshire opening bowlers were making far better use of the conditions than their Glamorgan counterparts, but Ben Kellaway negotiated the hat trick ball. Glamorgan had been reduced to 28/3 and that became 37/4 when Kellaway nicked Coad to Jonny Bairstow for 4.

Life was a little easier for Colin Ingram and Chris Cooke as the sun appeared along with the change bowlers, although the ball was still beating the bat. They moved the score to 81, before Coad and Fisher were brought back and Fisher struck with his second ball. Cooke (20) played a loose shot to a wide delivery and Bairstow took the catch, diving low in front of first slip. Yorkshire were now into the bowlers, with Timm van der Gugten coming in at seven. He and Ingram appeared to have negotiated their way to lunch, but Fisher capped off a fine morning by trapping van der Gugten lbw for 8 and Glamorgan were on the ropes at 98/6. He finished the morning session with figures of 8.5-4-18-4 while Ingram was the only batter able to hang around, going into lunch on 41.

Ingram and Mason Crane moved things on after lunch as the bowling was not quite of the standard of the morning session and they posted the first 50-partnership of the innings. Ingram had moved to his half century and the Yorkshire bowlers went to some short pitched tactics. Crane (29) was unable to resist and top edged a catch, well taken by Bairstow high above his head and Glamorgan were 161/7, still 51 runs short of the follow on target. Ingram's stay was eventually brought to an end by Dom Bess when he attempted a forcing shot to a quicker delivery, bowled for 82.

Yorkshire would have been hopeful of at least having the opportunity of enforcing the follow on, but a dogged ninth wicket stand between James Harris and Andy Gorvin held them up. They had put on an unbeaten stand of 59 for the ninth wicket at tea, taking Glamorgan to 231/8.

Harris succumbed in the third over after tea, lbw to Coad for 40 and Ben Morris departed four balls later, giving Coad figures of four for 55. Fisher also took four for 55 and Glamorgan finished their innings on 239, trailing by 122.

When the Yorkshire openers came out to bat they set off with a positive intent, the Glamorgan seamers again unable to bowl with the control that was needed. The first 50 came up in 63 balls and the second in 67. Morris found the edge twice in one over, but the ball evaded the slip fielders. Only Gorvin was able to keep a lid on the flow of runs. Finlay Bean's half century came off 73 balls, the first time he had reached that mark since June. Lyth reached the same landmark from 68 balls, but he was dismissed by Harris in the penultimate over of the day, trapped lbw for 55. At 115/1 Fisher came out as night watchman and saw out play.

Yorkshire will go into day three hoping to wrap things up.