County Championship: Billy Root career-best puts Glamorgan in control

Billy Root's career-best 229 came off 252 balls

Billy Root hit a fluent career-best 229 as he led Glamorgan into a powerful position against Northants at 452-9.

Root struck 30 fours and a six to earn the visitors a first-innings lead of 243 on day two, after coming in at 20-3 and being dropped on nought.

Charlie Hemphrey (37), Dan Douthwaite (44), and Tom Cullen (a career-best 63) all shared in important stands.

The fight-back came after Ben Sanderson (4-104) had put Glamorgan in early trouble.

The seamer bowled both Marnus Labuschagne and David Lloyd without shots being played, and Northants again looked at least on terms when Glamorgan were 120-5 just after lunch.

But Douthwaite's vigorous counter-attack took Glamorgan almost level, with Glamorgan completely dominating the afternoon session.

Cullen proved a valuable foil as he and Root set a new seventh-wicket stand of 167 for the county against Northants.

Root was remorseless in the evening session as he boosted the Glamorgan lead past the 200 mark, aided by some lusty blows from Marchant de Lange (36), before Luke Procter had both caught in the deep.

Root's innings was the highest by a Glamorgan batsman against Northants, beating 228 not out by Roy Fredericks in 1972, and the 15th best of all time for Glamorgan.

The home side's fortunes were not helped by seeing opener Ben Curran collide with an advertising hoarding and go off with an arm injury.

Glamorgan batsman Billy Root told BBC Sport Wales:

"Very pleasing to get a CB, when I first went in it was tricky and the ball was seaming about so I was just concentrating on getting through little periods in the game. Then the longer that went on I was allowed to score more freely and it was nice to have partnerships with Dan and Tom who played really well, and the scoreboard's always moving when Marchant plays.

"My first 30 runs were through third man, I got dropped on nought so I had a lot of luck and I'm just glad I made use of it. It's pretty pleasing to have got through that tricky period, being able to make a contribution to a very good score and the first time (in 2019) we've got full batting points.

"We're in a great position and hopefully the bowlers will be able to back up a great (first) day for them."

Northants assistant coach Phil Rowe told BBC Radio Northampton:

"It was a long day in the dirt. We're really disappointed because we think we bowled quite well for a lot of the day but dropped our chances, including Billy on nought, and he made us pay.

"We created enough chances to be batting at tea ourselves, but the ball went soft, the wicket flattened out and they punished us hard- it's a harsh lesson but a lesson we continue to be given."