Bob Willis Trophy: De Lange hits Glamorgan record ton v Northants

Marchant de Lange has represented South Africa at Test level as well as One Day Internationals and T20.

Glamorgan's South African paceman Marchant de Lange hit the county's fastest ever hundred as they fought back against Northants.

De Lange reached three figures off just 62 balls, clubbing nine sixes and six fours in his 113.

He added 168 for the ninth wicket with Dan Douthwaite, who made his county best of 86.

Northants, set 189 to win, start day four on 62-1.

Earlier Northants seamers Blessing Muzarabani (3-67) and Jack White (a career-best 4-35) tore Glamorgan apart as the home side looked set for a three-day win.

Glamorgan slumped to 16-5 and were still 13 runs in arrears with eight wickets down when de Lange strode to the middle, announcing his intentions with a series of massive blows out of the ground.

With Douthwaite also swinging merrily, the pair's stand was a ninth-wicket record against Northants, while de Lange recorded the highest ever score by a Glamorgan number ten.

His century just edged Gary Butcher (100 off 64 balls v Oxford Universityin 1997) out of the record books but easily beat the previous best in a county match, off 79 balls by Gilbert Parkhouse against Northants in 1961.

Northants are still favourites to win the game, with Emilio Gay and Charlie Thurston batting maturely in the last session, but storms forecast overnight could complicate the outcome.

Glamorgan's Marchant de Lange told BBC Sport Wales:

"I'm a tail-ender so I try to keep it simple, just try to get bat on ball and play to my strengths and clear the rope, that's my goal. It's incredible from a personal point of view.

"It's amazing to be in the record books, I just wanted to contribute to the team. I just tried to play ball by ball, I wasn't aware of any of that (the county record.)

"Myself and Dan wanted a partnership, we knew if we just got a bit of bat on that shorter side of the ground, it would go the distance.

"There's no secret to my batting, I try to see ball, hit ball, keep it simple.

"Just to get into this (match) position, it's something we weren't thinking about but you never know."

Northants assistant coach John Sadler told BBC Radio Northampton:

"We could have been a bit smarter with how we bowled (in the match), in the first innings getting the guys to hit the ball into the wind and towards the longer boundaries.

"Sometimes tail-enders come in, they're a bit unorthodox and if they smack it to all parts it's difficult, but what works for the top order batters should work for the lower order.

"In the heat of the moment, it can be a challenge but fair play to them (Glamorgan's lower order) they've struck it well and given themselves a chance.

"Jack White has bowled beautifully, he's looked as though he belongs at this level and he's a good prospect."