Colin Ingram shines for Glamorgan on rain-affected opening day against Durham

Colin Ingram starred for Glamorgan with an unbeaten half-century against Durham on a day where only 47 overs were possible due to rain.

Ingram contributed 71 not out as Glamorgan closed on 164 for four after being sent into bat at Cardiff on the opening day of the new LV= Insurance County Championship season.

Useful contributions of 28 from David Lloyd and 24 from Sam Northeast gave Glamorgan a decent start but two wickets in eight balls just before lunch brought Durham back into the game.

That left the hosts on 108 for four but South African Ingram and Chris Cooke (30 not out) joined forces in a stand of 56 to guide Glamorgan out of trouble before a huge hailstorm took the players off the field for the final time just after tea.

Glamorgan once again experimented with Andrew Salter as an opener, the third time in three different matches he has been given the job.

However, this one was no more successful than the other attempts as he was bowled by Matty Potts for one, leaving Salter with just seven runs in total from his three innings at the top of the order.

Hail showers

While there has been some batting success for the off-spinner – he has nine fifties from his 99 innings in first-class cricket – it remains to be seen how long-lasting his latest stint as opener will be, with Eddie Byrom expected to be given the job when he returns from injury.

Captain Lloyd, himself a relative newcomer to opening in first-class cricket, looked much more assured with real positive intent from the outset. He made an enterprising 28 before he edged behind to David Bedingham off the bowling of Ben Raine.

New Glamorgan signing Northeast also looked in good touch before he was trapped lbw by Chris Rushworth, and when Raine (two for 23) bowled Kiran Carlson for one in the next over, Glamorgan found themselves in a spot of trouble despite having looked in control for much of the morning session.

Ingram, who has played just one other first-class match since 2017, looked in fantastic touch though, passing his fifty from 76 balls with one half-chance in the gully being his only slip up.

Just 17 overs were possible after the lunch break with short but heavy rain and hail showers taking the players off the field at regular intervals before one huge downpour took them off for good.