Glamorgan 449 and 137 for 1 (Labuschagne 90*) lead Worcestershire 370 (D’Oliveira 103) by 216 runs
Marnus Labuschagne saw off (in Glamorgan’s eyes at least) rival claims on behalf of Warwickshire’s Dom Sibley in the race to reach 1,000 first-class runs this season, so becoming the first Glamorgan batsman to achieve that particular feat since Steve James in 1997.
His achievements this season were duly rewarded when he was presented with his county cap by Glamorgan stalwart Alan Jones during the lunch interval.
Sibley’s record included runs in the season’s curtain-raiser betweern MCC and the Champion County which was traditionally played at Lord’s but which this season took place in the UAE.
Brett D’Oliveira summoned a dogged century in a rare Championship appearance to lead Worcestershire’s resistance but Division Two leaders Glamorgan took an overall lead of 216 to set up an exciting final day of their Specsavers County Championship clash in Cardiff.
Glamorgan will begin the final day on 137 for 1 in their second innings, with the prolific Australian Marnus Labuschagne 90 not out,after they had gained a first innings lead for the first time this season.
He built a second wicket partnership in excess of a hundred with Nick Selman to take his side a step closer to the win, and himself closer to a fifth first-class hundred this season. But the innings had begun poorly, when Owen Morgan was caught behind off Joe Leach from just the sixth delivery.
Earlier in the day, having resumed their first innings on 191 for 5, Charlie Morris and Ed Barnard looked to reduce Worcestershire’s deficit from the outset. However, they got off to a calamitous start as Morris, attempting a quick single, was run out by Billy Root in the seventh over.
Barnard reached his half-century from 93 deliveries, bringing up the milestone with successive boundaries after Glamorgan’s Lukas Carey had taken the new ball. But he was dismissed, leg before wicket to Michael Hogan for 56.
The visitors had obtained a second batting point shortly before Ben Cox edged Dan Douthwaite to wicket-keeper Tom Cullen, who picked up his third catch of the innings.
They gained a third batting point early in the afternoon session, but they soon lost Joe Leach when he was caught behind off Michael Hogan, as Tom Cullen claimed his fourth catch and Glamorgan claimed full bonus points for the match.
D’Oliveira reached his half-century from 70 deliveries, including five fours. A patient Adam Finch, who had got off the mark from his fifteenth delivery, took until his 36th to score again, when he drove Michael Hogan through the off-side for four.
D’Oliveira, who prior to this innings had had a lean season with scores of 31 and 0 in red ball cricket, faced 154 balls and had struck 12 fours before he was caught and bowled by Michael Hogan for 103 from the final delivery before tea, with the bowler finishing with five wickets for 62.
Source: ESPN Crickinfo