North ton puts Glamorgan ahead

Glamorgan 302 for 5 (North 116) lead Leicestershire 271 (Thornely 97, Allenby 4-39) by 31 runs
Scorecard

Marcus North's first century for Glamorgan helped the team take control on the second day of their County Championship Division Two clash with Leicestershire at Cardiff.

North, who scored a century in the Ashes Test at the same ground in 2009, was in sparkling form and struck 116 as Glamorgan reached 302 for five to claim a 31-run lead after Leicestershire were all out for 271.

He had previously scored three half-centuries in four innings for the county and shared in 103 and 91-run partnerships with Gareth Rees (66) and Ben Wright (44) respectively, with Leicestershire captain Ramnaresh Sarwan using eight bowers. Glamorgan's overseas star was out just two overs before the close, with his 148-ball knock containing 11 fours.

Rees and Will Bragg stand of 75 had earlier broken the record for Glamorgan's best opening partnership of the season - beating the 59 against Derbyshire. They were, however, helped by a number of no-balls sent down by the Leicestershire seamers.

But the pair were separated when Bragg gave a sharp catch to Josh Cobb at mid-off off Wayne White, who followed that up by removing Stewart Walters' off-stump. Rees went on to score his first championship 50 of the season in his 13th innings from 88 balls with seven fours.

But after tea Preston Mommsen took a fine diving catch at backward point to remove Rees for 66 off the bowling of Robbie Joseph. The Rees dismissal did not concern North who went on to complete a classy century from 120 balls with 10 fours. He struck the last two of those consecutively to go to three figures.

Wright and North were then caught behind off Nathan Buck and Claude Henderson respectively, which saw Glamorgan employ nightwatchman Dean Cosker for the final 12 balls of the day

Leicestershire's first innings lasted only another 22.5 overs of the second morning. After resuming on 199 for 6 it took 18 balls for the visitors to register their first batting point.

But the seventh-wicket partnership looked well set until both White and Mommsen were both out with the score on 241. White holed out to Huw Waters at mid-off to give Cosker a second wicket, while Mommsen was bowled by Jim Allenby, who then trapped Henderson, but not before the South African had hit a six off Cosker.

Last man Buck lasted only five balls. He was bowled by Cosker missing the ball with a big swish of the bat, leaving Joseph stranded on 18.