Wharf succeeds while wickets fall

Alex Wharf (101 n.o.), 25 years-old, made his first championship hundred as Glamorgan fought back from a disappointing start against Northamptonshire at Wantage Road. Seven wickets fell in the day - a reminder of the Test Match at Lord's. Wharf, now with his third county, amassed 16 fours from 127 deliveries to lift the Welsh county from 77-6 at lunch to 234.

With commendable support from Adrian Dale (47) he passed his previous championship best - 78 for his previous county Nottinghamshire (against Glamorgan!) last season. Stand-in skipper Steve James could not have been too unhappy about his decision to bat - though the best batting conditions came later in the day.

Northamptonshire, at the foot of Division Two, were themselves soon in trouble as the score dipped to 85-7. Wharf struck quickly with the ball, too, in dismissing Matthew Hayden quickly. However medium-paced Dale wrecked the middle-order with three wickets. Mal Loye was called back by umpire Graham Burgess before he had left the pitch from an adjudged l.b.w to Dale, but had no reprieve for a similar decision from John Holder shortly afterwards.