Middlesex close in on victory after Glamorgan collapse

Toby Roland-Jones sparked a dramatic Glamorgan collapse as Middlesex pressed for victory on the third day of their vital LV= Insurance County Championship clash at Lord’s.

Division Two’s leading wicket-taker took two scalps in four balls as the visitors capitulated from 123 without loss to 144 for six.

Tim Murtagh and Ethan Bamber also picked up wickets amid the carnage as Glamorgan limped to 191 for eight before bad light ended play five overs before the scheduled close.

David Lloyd and Edward Byrom had given Glamorgan a dream start to their second innings before the collapse ensued.

All this came after 76 from John Simpson and Luke Hollman’s 58 took Middlesex to 390 in the morning session, giving them a first innings lead of 176.

There was little sign of the impending drama when Lloyd and Byrom had put on an unbroken century partnership shortly before tea.

Lloyd, who has been short of runs at the top of the order, played fluently despite a leg injury which impeded his running between the wickets.

Opening partner Byrom was given a life first ball when edging to Hollman at third slip off the bowling of Roland-Jones, with the all-rounder failing to grasp the chance away to his left.

The left-hander survived another scare when playing no shot to a Ryan Higgins in-swinger, but otherwise looked in little trouble.

Ten minutes before the tea-break Lloyd inexplicably guided a Bamber delivery into the hands of gully for 70, but there seemed little cause for alarm.

Two wickets

However, Roland-Jones broke the game open with two wickets in the first over after tea. The first had an element of luck as Byrom middled a leg-stump half-volley straight to square leg for 47, while Sam Northeast lasted just three balls before edging through to Simpson.

Roland-Jones would have had a third wicket in the spell had Max Holden clung on after another loose shot from Kiran Carlson.

The batter did not make the most of his reprieve as he soon slashed a Murtagh delivery into the hands of Stephen Eskinazi.

Billy Root drove Bamber to Sam Robson at slip and Shubman Gill edged to Hollman at gully.

James Harris and Chris Cooke briefly threatened to dig in, but Roland-Jones returned to have the former caught behind and when Cooke was pinned lbw by Higgins Middlesex scented victory in three days.

But Robson dropped Patel at slip and Glamorgan hung on until bad light intervened.