Glamorgan braced for tense finale

Derbyshire 234 for 8 v Glamorgan 166
Scorecard

Glamorgan's bid to win promotion to Division One of the County Championship will go down to the final day of the season. The Welsh county will hope they can play out a draw against Derbyshire at Cardiff, and that Worcestershire, nine points behind Glamorgan at the start of the final round of matches, do not beat Sussex at New Road.

Glamorgan finished the third day 68 runs adrift after Derbyshire made 234 for 8 in their first innings in reply to the home side's 166 all out. After 151 overs were lost on days one and two because of rain, Glamorgan resumed the third morning on 120 for 6.

James Allenby, who passed 50 for the 11th time this season, and James Harris (36) took the score to 154, having put on 88 for the seventh wicket. But Glamorgan lost the prolific Allenby when he was bowled by a full-length delivery by Jon Clare before their remaining wickets fell in the space of seven overs.

Left-arm spinner Robin Peterson claimed his 50th first-class victim of the season by bowling Robert Croft before Harris was trapped leg before. Huw Waters became the last man to fall when he was caught by Chris Rogers at slip off Peterson.

Harris struck with the fifth ball of the Derbyshire first innings when he trapped Wayne Madsen lbw but Chris Rogers and the impressive Chesney Hughes guided the visiting side through until lunch. Hughes, who had a lifeline on 13 when he was dropped from a sharp chance by Gareth Rees at short leg from Croft's bowling, was eventually bowled by Jamie Dalrymple to leave Derbyshire on 42 for 2.

Rogers and Wes Durston put on 56 for the third wicket. Their stand was broken when Croft struck to trap Rogers lbw for 33 to give Glamorgan their first bonus point of the match.

Harris returned to claim his 60th wicket of the summer to dismiss Durston for 46 as the visitors were reduced to 116 for 4. That became 126 for 5 when Dan Redfern was caught down the leg side by wicketkeeper Mark Wallace off Dean Cosker.

After tea, which Derbyshire reached at 127 for 5, Cosker picked up his second wicket when Robin Peterson edged to Allenby at slip. Captain Greg Smith and Clare put on 45 for the seventh wicket before Harris took a wicket in the first over of his spell for the third time when Smith was caught by Ben Wright at point.

Clare was dismissed for 24 when he was bowled by Cosker. But there were no more scares for Derbyshire as the eighth-wicket pair - Steffan Jones and Tom Poynton - added 45 runs for the ninth wicket by the close.