Saif Zaib leads resistance but hosts reassert command in final innings

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay18-May-2025Glamorgan wrapped up a second consecutive three-day win to propel themselves up the table after an all-round performance to blow away Northamptonshire by eight wickets at Sophia Gardens.Northants had a respectable day from a troubling 49 for 3 to make Glamorgan bat again in the evening session, preventing the innings result. Saif Zaib’s 71 along with gritty knocks of 66 and 56 from Lewis McManus and Luke Procter respectively weren’t enough to pile on pressure into a final day.Set just 66 to win thanks to shared wickets, with Asitha Fernando the best of the bunch with twin three-fors, Glamorgan eased to victory despite an early wobble at 6 for 2. Sam Northeast and Asa Tribe negotiated the Ben Sanderson charge with the ball to see the hosts home.Northants entered day three in an unlikely position after Andy Gorvin dismissed George Bartlett controversially and nightwatcher Calvin Harrison in the penultimate over on day two. The goal for the visitors had been to bat as long as possible from 190 behind.Procter continued to impress with the bat, leading from the front. His stubborn effort to support James Sales’ stroke-playing was not too dissimilar to Sam Northeast and his array of partners on day two for their half-century partnership kept Glamorgan bowlers at bay.The hosts eventually struck, Sales with a false shot to edge behind, a common theme in this match as the former England youth international still has to wait for a second half-century for the season despite six matches played.Rob Keogh was next to go before lunch, also one of the Northants batting contingent with worrying form at the start of this season. Zaib’s season of ups and downs consists of two ducks and two hundreds but he found some middle ground,making the most of an aging ball together with Procter and then Lewis McManus for a couple of milestone partnerships.McManus also found a way to play himself into form after an inconsistent start to 2025. Making most of his time at the crease, the keeper-batter spent the majority of his innings scoring at a strike-rate under 30 in a slow-scoring day while Glamorgan looked to wrap up the final wickets.A few attacking shots from McManus did get brought out when persisting with the tail-end against plenty of loose bowling and a short-ball ploy to the majority by the expensive three-wicket-taking James Harris, playing a key part in making Glamorgan bat again as the visitors passed 300, making for a respectable day.With 20 overs to secure the win with a day off, the Glamorgan batters stumbled their way to victory in a bizarre day of events which saw the visitors have the best of the day’s play. Nonetheless, the Glamorgan win breaks the run of draws between these two sides in the last three meetings.