Harris impresses as Glamorgan edge honours

Sussex 284 v Glamorgan
Scorecard

Teenage seamer James Harris claimed four Sussex wickets as Glamorgan shaded the opening day of their Division Two clash at a sunny Swalec Stadium. But Glamorgan, who had Sussex 153 for 6 and then 237 for 9, were held up by Robin Martin-Jenkins until he was last man out, one of three wickets for Dean Cosker.

Sussex were eventually bowled out for 284 with Martin-Jenkins batting for 47 overs for his 65 from 133 balls. Glamorgan captain Jamie Dalrymple decided to bowl after winning the toss. With frontline seamers David Harrison and Adam Shantry both injured and Glamorgan naming three spinners that seemed a foolhardy decision.

But after Sussex made a good start Glamorgan, thanks to Harris, pegged them back to 111 for 3 by lunch. Sussex, back in Division Two for the first time since 2001, made an ominous start to the season against young seamers Chris Ashling and Harris, 20 next month, who got through 23 overs.

Michael Yardy took 10 off Harris' opening over with Glamorgan conceding 17 runs in the first two overs. But on a pitch which started slightly damp Harris struck back to trap Chris Nash leg before with the first ball of his third over to have Sussex 27 for 1 in the fifth over.

After reaching 50 at the end of the 12th Joe Gatting, nephew of former England captain Mike, was given a life when he was dropped by Ben Wright at first slip off James Allenby. But Allenby then clung on to a catch at first slip in the next over as Harris claimed the wicket of Yardy to leave the visitors on 73 for two.

And two overs later Harris bagged his third victim by trapping Gatting lbw. But from 74 for 3 Goodwin and Wright took Sussex to lunch despite confident appeals against both batsmen. Goodwin sent Ashling to the boundary for four fours in an over to help bring up the 100.

After lunch the fourth-wicket pair continued to look comfortable until Allenby removed both in the space of three overs. First the former Leicestershire all-rounder bowled Goodwin, who shouldered arms, and eight balls later he struck again as Cosker took a brilliant left-handed catch at backward point as Sussex were reduced to 144 for 5.

Sussex's slump continued when Harris secured his fourth wicket, claiming a return catch from Michael Thornely. But from 153 for 6, Andrew Hodd and Martin-Jenkins set about a recovery either side of tea which Sussex reached at 193 for 6.

After tea Ashling trapped Hodd lbw before Cosker struck. He claimed the wickets of James Anyon and Monty Panesar with consecutive deliveries before ending Martin-Jenkins' 10th-wicket stand with Corey Collymore which was worth 47 runs.