da pinnacle： Robert Croft, with 5 for 93 saw Glamorgan claim maximumbowling points on the opening day of their Championship matchagainst Northants at Cardiff, as the visitors collapsedduring the afternoon session and lost seven wickets for 155 runsbefore
Andrew Hignell10-Sep-2003Robert Croft, with 5 for 93 saw Glamorgan claim maximumbowling points on the opening day of their Championship matchagainst Northants at Cardiff, as the visitors collapsedduring the afternoon session and lost seven wickets for 155 runsbefore being dismissed after tea for 319.Northants rather squandered the promising start that they had made duringthe morning session, having reached 142/1 after Mike Hussey andTim Roberts had added 95 runs in a breezy opening stand beforeRoberts was caught behind by Mark Wallace off Alex Wharf.The game then completely changed complexion after lunch, and largely becauseof a fine spell of off-spin by Robert Croft, who had not been named in England`s party for thewinter tour to Bangladesh announced shortly before the interval.Croft was one of three spinners put on stand-by for the Sri Lankantour by the England selectors, and during the afternoon session, he led the Welsh county`sfightback by putting the brake on Northants progress, as they slipped to 279/8 by tea.To the delight of his many supporters, who had been surprised by his omission from theBangladesh tour party, Croft also became the leading English-qualified spinner in Championship cricketby taking four wickets in the post-lunch session.Croft began by trapping Phil Jacques and David Sales leg before, before havingJeff Cook well caught by Jimmy Maher. But the off-spinner could not dislodgeMike Hussey, the Northants captain, who recorded his fifth consecutive Championshiphundred, and held his team together as wickets fell to the accurate Croft.Michael Kasprowicz also made inroads shortly before the intervalremoving Tobin Bailey and Graeme Swann in successive balls, beforeCroft claimed his third l.b.w. as Mike Cawdron departed for 5. After tea,Kasprowicz bowled Andre Nel, and then after a merry last wicket stand withJason Brown, Hussey was finally bowled by Croft for 147 to give the Glamorgancaptain his fifth wicket, and to take his summer`s tally to 60 victims.Bad light interrupted Glamorgan`s reply on three occasions, but they ended play on 20/0and will begin tomorrow`s play 299 runs behind with all ten wickets in hand,eager to pick up further bonus points in their quest for promotion into Division One.