County Championship: Dane Vilas hits a career-best 266 for Lancashire to hurt Glamorgan

Lancashire skipper and wicket-keeper Dane Vilas scored at more than a run a ball

An imperious career-best 266 from Lancashire captain Dane Vilas put his team in complete control as they reached 544-9, 287 ahead of Glamorgan.

His runs came off just 240 balls, including 35 fours and six sixes as he dominated the bowling.

Keaton Jennings' patient 86 provided the platform in the visitors' innings after two early Michael Hogan strikes.

But Vilas upped the run-rate in century stands with Rob Jones and Danny Lamb, easily bringing maximum points.

Another packed crowd of around 2,000 saw the Division Two leaders move into a strong position to collect a sixth victory of the campaign.

They saw Vilas take his season's average to 107 with a brutal innings which brought back memories of the double hundreds racked up by two other South Africans.

On Lancashire's 2015 visit, Alviro Petersen (286) and Ashwell Prince (261) shared a Red Rose county record stand of 501.

But, while Lancashire South Africans are now responsible for three of the four best individual innings on this ground, the record is at least still held by a Glamorgan batsman.

Former England opener Steve James made the highest score, 309 not out against Sussex almost 19 years ago to the day, in the county record innings of 718-3 declared, in just 162 overs, which included a 374-run opening partnership with Aussie Test batsman Matthew Elliott, also a Glamorgan record, and a 134-run third-wicket stand with current coach Matthew Maynard.

Lancs captain Dane Vilas told BBC Radio Lancashire:

"I loved it. On a personal note it was nice to get a career-best but more important is the position we're in as a team. It's a big game for us.

"It's difficult to bat for the first 10 to 15 runs. The easiest time to bat is when you're on 100.

"You have to make the most of it when the bowlers are down, you're in form and hitting the ball nicely and you have to cash in.

"We try and keep it nice and relaxed in the middle so you can enjoy it, whoever you're batting with, and you feel very proud when you've achieved something like that."

Glamorgan coach Matthew Maynard told BBC Sport Wales:

"We bowled really well up front. Jennings played really well and it was great to get him out, but we saw a terrific innings from Dane Vilas who played positively.

"On a ground like this you can take the game away from the opposition, as they scored more than 200 in the last session.

"It was a terrific innings. Every now and again you have to admire that, although I don't think we executed our plans very well.

"There's two days of cricket left and we have to get ourselves in the right frame of mind to get partnerships together, like they did throughout their innings."