Andy Gorvin shows all-round ability as Glamorgan seize control

Andy Gorvin announced his return in style as Glamorgan pressed for a Derbyshire follow-on at Sophia Gardens.

The Glamorgan seamer, who was dropped after taking a four-for in the opening match of the season, took 4 for 49 after a dogged 39 as part of an 86-run partnership with Timm van der Gugten for the eighth wicket to help the hosts reach 431.

Wickets were shared for Derbyshire as the visitors bowled over 330 overs consecutively - having made Middlesex follow on in their previous match - and showed periods of resistance in their own innings in between clusters of wickets.

Martin Andersson and Brooke Guest combined for 76 before Alex Thomson and Luis Reece finished the day with momentum for a 53-run partnership to reduce the deficit to 216 - despite Reece being unable to run.

After controlling day one, fears of an early collapse and not fulfilling their bonus point potential were heightened as Colin Ingram was dismissed in the first over; a third wicket to fall to a mishit hook shot. Thankfully for Glamorgan, they managed to pass 400 for the first time this season despite Gorvin being hit on the head by a sharp bouncer by New Zealand international Blair Tickner.

Coming out after lunch fresh for both sides, the hosts continued to control proceedings, Asitha Fernando bowling David Lloyd attempting an expansive drive inside the first over of the innings.

Good old-fashioned County Championship battles went on as van der Gugten had three maidens from four overs and Celeb Jewell and Harry Came bided their time at the crease, enjoying the occasional punch through vacant cover or straight regions while Glamorgan attacked.

Then enter Gorvin. Striking first ball, Came strangled down the leg side, immediately enjoying the cloud cover that came with the sun disappearing over lunch, as if controlled by the Glamorgan bowlers. Wayne Madsen, who chose to bowl at the toss, was next to fall, Ned Leonard in on the action, Kiran Carlson with a sharp catch at second slip.

Jewell couldn't continue his run of half-centuries since joining Derbyshire as Gorvin found one to stick, the Australian through his shot prematurely for a return catch.

Guest and Andersson stabilised as the ball and pitch started to do less, counterattacking a wayward second spell from Asitha, bringing up their 50-partnership with a boundary on the final delivery of the second session.

But further wickets hampered Derbyshire, Andersson replicating Lloyd by chopping on and a spectacular Chris Cooke leg-side stumping in the same over after a long spell on the shoulders of a now-trusted Gorvin, moving to the top of the 2025 Glamorgan wicket takers chart in the process.

With the injured Reece finally entering, two places lower in the order than anticipated, stability still couldn't be renewed. Zain-ul-Hassan starved the Derbyshire batters of anorther half-century milestone as Guest fell agonisingly short after a length ball kept low.

Still with 120 to avoid the follow-on with three wickets in hand, Reece, accompanied by runner Came, and Thomson negotiated a less threatening ball and pitch combination positively for the remainder of day two despite a dropped catch from Carlson and economic spells from Zain and van der Gugten.