Croft reaches county landmark
Robert Croft created history by becoming the first player Glamorgan player to achieve the 1,000-wicket, 10,000-run double in county cricket on the second day of their County Championship clash against Leicestershire at Swansea
Cricinfo staff
22-Jul-2010
Robert Croft created history by becoming the first player Glamorgan player to achieve the 1,000-wicket, 10,000-run double in county cricket on the second day of their County Championship clash against Leicestershire at Swansea. He becomes the ninth player in the post-war era to reach the landmark in county cricket, joining Trevor Bailey, Tony Brown, Tom Cartwright, Ray Illingworth, Derek Morgan, John Mortimore, Peter Sainsbury and Fred Titmus.
Despite only 28.5 overs being possible because of rain Croft managed to get the one wicket he needed, after being stranded on 999 overnight, when he had Wayne White caught behind. That wicket helped Glamorgan to bowl Leicestershire out for 247 in their first innings with Glamorgan then reaching 45 without loss in their reply from 10.3 overs before more rain ended the day's play with 4.3 overs remaining.
The morning session was a complete wash-out with play delayed until 1.40pm. Croft was in the attack immediately but the first wicket of the day went to James Harris who removed Tom New, who was caught brilliantly by wicket-keeper Mark Wallace diving to his right.
It was 25 minutes after the start of play that Croft broke through to reach the milestone when he had White was caught down the leg-side by Wallace. That prompted the crowd to give a standing ovation as club president Peter Walker and Don Shepherd, the county's leading wicket-taker, came on to the field with champagne to toast the achievement.
White's wicket reduced Leicestershire to 242 for seven meaning the visitors had lost five wickets for the addition of 41 runs. But 10 minutes rain later stopped play with Leicestershire having reached 244 for 7 after 110 overs.
When play resumed at 5pm Leicestershire lost their remaining three wickets inside 4.3 overs. Claude Henderson edged David Harrison to Jamie Dalrymple at second slip, before Dean Cosker mopped up the tail with Nadeem Malik taken at slip by Jim Allenby before Matthew Hoggard went lbw sweeping.
Cosker ended with figures of 3 for 35 and Croft 3 for 54 from 33 overs. Leicestershire had managed a run rate of only 2.1 an over but that was put in to its full perspective as Glamorgan raced to 14 from the first two overs and 40 from the opening 10 with openers Mark Cosgrove and Gareth Rees looking for quick runs.
