County Championship: Owen Morgan's ton helps Glamorgan grind out win

Owen Morgan made his Glamorgan first team debut against Sussex in June 2016

Glamorgan ground their way to a five-wicket victory over Worcestershire thanks to a marathon career-best of 103 not out by Owen Morgan.

Morgan, 22, played a composed knock to register the highest ever score by a Glamorgan nightwatchman.

Morgan shared partnerships of 59 with Jacques Rudolph, 88 with Will Bragg, and 99 with Aneurin Donald (57).

Worcestershire's third defeat of the season is a big blow in their pursuit of Division Two leaders Essex.

Worcestershire did not manage to overcome a slow and unresponsive New Road pitch despite the continuing efforts of vice-captain Joe Leach, who made 108 runs and took eight wickets in the match.

Donald started slowly, but changed the tempo with 17 runs off the first over after the new ball was taken, to erase lingering home hopes.

Morgan wrote his own script by reaching his century with the winning boundary, having batted since the third ball of the innings.

His knock, to secure only a second Championship win of the season. overtook the previous best by a Glamorgan nightwatchman of 84, by Colin Metson, against Kent in 1991.

Worcestershire have a rapid turn-around of less than 24 hours ahead of Wednesday's One-Day Cup quarter-final away to Somerset at Taunton.

Worcestershire director of cricket Steve Rhodes told BBC Radio Hereford & Worcester:

"The first-innings batting cost us at 37-5. We tried to play catch-up cricket and fought back really hard but we need to start the match better.

"It was 50-50 overnight but the wicket wasn't deteriorating. It got a bit flatter and the foot-holes didn't react badly for the batsmen.

"We'll take our hat off to Morgan, who applied himself really well and deserved to be on the winning side, although Joe Leach was unlucky to be on the losing side.

"Somerset have had a week off. It would be lovely to have that to prepare for white-ball cricket. We've had a tough four days, but energy levels seem to come back in a quarter-final with a lot at stake and a big crowd."

Glamorgan's Owen Morgan told BBC Wales Sport:

"My main target was to see out the first hour and hopefully build from there. Thankfully I managed to bat the whole day.

"I didn't think of seeing it through until Aneurin started whacking a few and the winning line came in sight quite quickly.

"At the start of the year I wouldn't have imagined myself in this position, so I'm very pleased. I've always been able to bat but this year it's glued together a bit more.

"It's given me a lot more more confidence. Being a bowler is obviously my main suit but hopefully I can become a good all-rounder."