Zaib notches sixth Championship hundred as Northants near parity

Saif Zaib continued his prolific summer, becoming the first Northamptonshire batter to score six Championship tons in a season since Lance Klusener in 2006 as he posted 145 (186 balls) on day three of this Rothesay County Championship against Glamorgan at Wantage Road.

Zaib, the second leading run-scorer in Division Two, extended his overnight score of 76, smashing a total of 22 fours and two sixes as he shared a ninth-wicket partnership of 56 in 15 overs with debutant Ben Whitehouse (6 not out).

Despite Mason Crane taking 5 for 126, his second five-wicket haul this season, Zaib's innings further held up Glamorgan's promotion hunt as Northamptonshire moved to 413 for nine, 54 runs behind, when rain ended play early after just 95 minutes. With Ben Kellaway off the field injured, part-time spinner Kiran Carlson finished with 2 for 43.

Earlier heavy morning rain prevented play getting underway until 1.50pm, Northamptonshire resuming on 309 for five. New batter Aadi Sharma (25) came out determined to make up for lost time, saving the follow-on when he pulled a dragdown from Carlson for six before flicking Crane through midwicket and slog sweeping him for another maximum. Sharma's aggression ultimately proved his downfall though as he pulled Carlson straight to the deep midwicket fielder on the side with the longer boundary.

Zaib moved through the 80s as he reverse swept Carlson for four, while Lewis McManus ran a single to take Northamptonshire to 350 and secure a third batting bonus point.

But McManus soon became Crane's fifth victim when he went to cut and edged behind, Northamptonshire quickly losing an eighth wicket when Liam Guthrie was adjudged lbw to Carlson.

Zaib though was undeterred, advancing closer to his century when he reverse swept Crane for four to move to 99. He turned down a single to protect Whitehouse, before crunching one straight down the pitch to reach three figures off 136 balls.

Whitehouse proved an admirable foil as Zaib continued to attack the Glamorgan spinners, sweeping a full toss from Crane for four and depositing Carlson over deep midwicket for six.

With the skies starting to darken, Timm van der Gugten and James Harris took the new ball under the floodlights, Zaib responding by playing a remarkable pull shot over fine leg for six.

Despite Whitehouse's stoic defence, Glamorgan's seamers will regret not targeting his stumps more, the debutant bringing up Northamptonshire's fourth batting bonus point when he edged Harris low through the slip cordon for four. Zaib then emphatically pulled the Glamorgan quick through midwicket to bring up the 50 partnership off 74 balls.

It took a dazzling bit of fielding from sub fielder Zain ul Hassan at deep cover who initially fumbled the ball, before turning in a direct hit to run out Zaib coming back for a second run without putting in a dive to ground his bat.

With the rain returning shortly afterwards, the players took an early tea, but hopes of a resumption at 5.30pm were dashed by further downpours.