Sam Northeast cruises to 186 as Glamorgan dominate in Middlesex opener

Sam Northeast became the summer’s first County Championship centurion on the opening day of the season in Glamorgan’s Division Two clash with hosts Middlesex at Lord’s.

The Glamorgan skipper passed the landmark for the 30th time in his career, sharing century stands with Billy Root (67) and Kiran Carlson (77), finishing unbeaten on 186 as the Welsh county reached 370-3 by the close.

Middlesex were left to rue skipper Toby Roland-Jones’ decision to bowl first as Ethan Bamber with 2-66 was the only bowler to take more than one wicket.

Northeast was summoned to the crease early after Zain-ul-Hassan nicked a ball from Bamber to wicketkeeper Jack Davies.

Looseness

The wicket proved a solitary success for Middlesex in a pre-lunch session where, Ryan Higgins’ frugal opening spell apart, their bowling bore an early season looseness.

Tom Helm’s opening four overs yielded 36 to a flurry of boundaries by Northeast and second-wicket partner Billy Root.

Then, after surviving several drop scares, Northeast and Root feasted on some friendly offerings and moved to 50 at almost a run a ball, the latter reaching the landmark by punching his ninth four.

It was something of a surprise when Middlesex’s other debutant Henry Brookes produced an inswinging yorker to uproot Root’s stumps and send him back for 67.

But Northeast found another ally in former skipper Carlson and his second 50 took 95 balls as, having got his side on top, he consolidated that authority before reaching his hundred with a trademark drive creamed through the cover region.

Carlson became the third batter to pass 50 before depositing Helm over the short boundary for the day’s only six. His dismissal came out of the blue when driving Bamber straight to extra cover to end a stand of 176.

By then, Northeast had passed 150 with arguably the shot of the day, his third 50 coming in only 49 balls.