Labuschagne and Ingram Glamorgan hundreds hold up Middlesex
Marnus Labuschagne and Colin Ingram are two out of three overseas players Glamorgan have used so far this season
- Published
Vitality County Championship Division Two, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff (day three)
Glamorgan 183 & 294-7: Labuschagne 111, Ingram 105; Helm 3-43, Higgins 2-45
Middlesex 343: Stoneman 129, Higgins 75*; Harris 4-84
Glamorgan (2 pts) lead Middlesex (5 pts) by 134 runs with three second-innings wickets standing
Hard-earned hundreds from Glamorgan’s overseas duo of Marnus Labuschagne and Colin Ingram held up Middlesex, but the visitors are still favourites to win in Cardiff.
Glamorgan, on 294-7, lead by a precarious margin of 134 going into the final day of the County Championship division two match at Sophia Gardens.
Labuschagne’s 111 came in his first county match of the season, while Ingram’s 105 was his fourth century in just six games.
But the Middlesex attack, again led by Tom Helm, claimed four late wickets to turn the match back their way.
Earlier, Ryan Higgins was left 75 not out at Middlesex were bowled out for 343 in their first innings after starting day three on 303-6.
Strangely they opted against an all-out charge for batting bonus points, pottering to 326-8 at the 110-overs mark.
Higgins, on 53 overnight, could not find anyone to stay with him as night-watchman partner Helm, Jack Davies, Luke Hollman and Toby Roland-Jones all fell cheaply.
Andy Gorvin, Jamie McIlroy, James Harris (4-84) and Mason Crane all claimed a wicket apiece and Higgins was stranded.
Glamorgan were never going to knock off the 160 runs deficit quickly on a slow pitch with the ball tending to keep low, and seamer Higgins struck twice in successive overs.
He moved one past the defence of Eddie Byrom (24) before getting Glamorgan captain Sam Northeast, the ground record-breaker at Lord’s in April, caught at mid-wicket without scoring.
Helm then nipped a ball back through the attempted drive of Kiran Carlson (15) and Middlesex looked in firm control by mid-afternoon.
That brought the first sighting of Glamorgan’s two overseas batters, Labuschagne and Ingram, playing in the same Championship side and they did not disappoint in the afternoon session.
It was arduous work against the accurate Middlesex seam quartet, with the classy pair often struggling to pierce the field grouped tightly in front of the wicket, before the deficit was finally cleared in the 50th over.
Labuschagne and Ingram showed their experience and only attacked occasionally, with Labuschagne twice edging through a vacant first-slip position off the seamers and Ingram twice close to playing on.
But the pair seemed to have changed the shape of the match with a stand of 156 before Middlesex struck crucial blows late in a lengthy third session.
Labuschagne chipped leg-spinner Hollman to mid-wicket after hitting 17 fours in 200 balls, Chris Cooke fell to Roland-Jones via a marginal lbw decision, and the new ball saw Ingram driving Helm to point after striking 15 fours and a six.
Helm then removed former colleague Harris to strengthen Middlesex’s grip as play finished just before 19:30 BST.
Glamorgan batter Marnus Labuschagne told BBC Sport Wales: "It's nice to have helped us get into a position where we can win the game.
"Unfortunately both Colin and I would have loved to have gone on and got a big hundred and put us in real contention but that's not the case.
"We are going to have to make sure we get all the runs we can and eek things out.
"The wicket took a lot of mental energy out of you. It's tough to score, there is not much bounce out there and it's pretty two-paced, so you can't throw your hands through the ball and play with much freedom and rhythm."
Middlesex all-rounder Ryan Higgins told BBC Radio London: "I think we're on top, we didn't get as many as we would have liked for a first-innings lead, but we were always in a good strong position.
"When Colin and Marnus were batting it felt like it was going to be a tough day, but the boys worked hard and got our rewards, then Tom Helm with the new ball was fantastic.
"For the batters, it's about playing straight and not getting bored, there's a little bit of spin but not much for the seamers, although the odd one is keeping low."
