Skipper Hogan ‘disappointed’ at simple run chase
GLAMORGAN skipper Michael Hogan was left disappointed as Northamptonshire easily chased down a target of 218 to win their Division Two County Championship in Cardiff yesterday.
Simon Kerrigan, who is on loan from Lancashire, ostensibly for his left-arm spin, shone as a batsman as Northants reached their target with seven wickets in hand.
After coming in as nightwatchman after Ben Duckett was dismissed the previous evening, Kerrigan never looked in any trouble against a Glamorgan attack, who were guilty of bowling too many poor deliveries in the morning session giving the batsmen opportunities to score freely and set up the run chase.
Resuming on 42 for one, the second-wicket pair were soon scoring at four runs an over, and apart from Hogan, they scored freely and quickly shared a 50-run partnership.
Newton reached 50 from 99 balls with nine fours – his second halfcentury of the game – but was out shortly afterwards when he was bowled by Craig Meschede.
This was Newton’s 10th score over 50 in the championship this season, the most by any player in the two divisions.
Kerrigan’s commendable contribution ended when he was bowled, shouldering arms against Hogan, for 62, equalling his previous careerbest score made for Lancashire against Hampshire at Southport in 2013.
Following Kerrigan’s dismissal, Richard Levi joined Alex Wakeley, the captain having recovered from his injured finger, and Levi, the first innings centurion, made his intentions clear by hitting two sixes as Northants accelerated towards their target.
Rain then descended and it was a frustrating wait for the visitors, but when play restarted they needed only a further nine balls to reach their target.
It was an outcome which left Hogan frustrated. He said: “I’m disappointed by the way the game has gone.
“I felt we didn’t have the penetration to take the wickets early this morning,
“The wicket did play a few tricks and we saw a few bats jammed down late. We probably needed them to cannon onto the pads or nthe stumps. It didn’t quite go for us,” he added.
“We were always chasing the game and did not bat well enough in our first innings or bowl well enough in theirs.
“That said, we got ourselves in a good position at the end of the third day.
“We needed things to go our way today, but they played the situation perfectly.”
Glamorgan still have two games left in the County Championship and entertain Gloucestershire in a four-day match at the SSE SWALEC in Cardiff, starting on Tuesday.