Yorkshire take significant step towards Division One return against Glamorgan

Yorkshire took a significant step towards a return to Division One, despite a late fightback from Glamorgan’s tail in saving the follow-on.

Matthew Fisher and Ben Coad took four wickets apiece to dismiss Glamorgan for 239 – a first-innings lead of 122.

Colin Ingram’s 82 made him the highest run scorer in County Championship cricket this season.

Adam Lyth and Finlay Bean had a century opening partnership to extend Yorkshire’s lead to 238, both notching half-centuries to close on 116 for one, Lyth lbw to James Harris just before the close.

Victory would put second-placed Yorkshire in a strong position to return to Division One after a two-year absence.

Overcast conditions

Coad and Fisher exploited the overcast conditions that faced Glamorgan’s batters before lunch, picking up six wickets with two spells each.

Glamorgan skipper Sam Northeast was out early, with a Coad delivery coming back and pinning the opener lbw.

Fisher got Kiran Carlson caught in the slips and Coad claimed the wicket of Ben Kellaway for four, caught behind by Jonny Bairstow.

Asa Tribe and Chris Cooke both contributed substantially to their own downfalls, throwing the bat at wide swinging deliveries.

Fisher claimed his fourth wicket from the final ball of the first session, pinning Tim van der Gugten lbw.

Off-spinner Dom Bess grabbed the all-important wicket of Ingram, clean-bowling the South African.

Mason Crane’s 29 still left Glamorgan 40 short of the follow-on target, however James Harris and Andy Gorvin saw them past that mark with surprising ease, in a partnership of 67.

The return of Coad ended the innings, trapping Harris lbw for a well-made 40 and then clean-bowling debutant Ben Morris to earn a lead of 122 and a total of six bonus points.

Glamorgan were all out for 239, having been 37 for four and 98 for six.

Yorkshire’s opening pair of Lyth and Bean were generally untroubled as they extended the lead, before the former was dismissed just before the close as they look for a declaration some time on Thursday.