Gumbs’ 93 puts Leicestershire in control heading into final day

Glamorgan are at risk of seeing their Rothesay County Championship ambitions suffer a setback at Uptonsteel Grace Road, where they are five wickets down still needing 131 runs to beat Leicestershire and keep their place among a raft of contenders as the race for the title heads into the final stages.

Chasing a target of 257 on a difficult pitch after bowling Leicestershire out for a second time just before tea on the third day, they closed on 126 for five with skipper Kiron Carlson unbeaten on 73.

Earlier, Sheridon Gumbs, on only his third first-class appearance, had played the innings of the match so far, hitting 16 fours as he turned his maiden half-century into an outstanding 93 as Leicestershire recovered from 128 for six to post 257 in their second innings.

Glamorgan, who were promoted from Division Two last season as runners-up to champions Leicestershire, began this round of matches just nine points behind Division One leaders and title-holders Nottinghamshire. By contrast, Leicestershire, chasing only a second win of the campaign, are fighting for survival at the bottom.

Gumbs, a 22-year-old left-hander who began his career with Surrey, shared a vital 71-run partnership with Ben Mike (28), with Tom Scriven adding a valuable 43. Glamorgan seamer Zain ul-Hassan took three for 46.

The former England Under-19 international batted for almost four hours on a difficult pitch prone to unpredictable, sometimes steep bounce, underlining the technical quality and patient approach that have persuaded Leicestershire to hand him a contract for the next three seasons.

Yet just over an hour into the morning session, Leicestershire had looked to be squandering an opportunity as 79 for two overnight became 128 for six.

Runs from the middle order had looked key but Hamza Shaikh, Nick Kelly, Jonny Tattersall and Ian Holland all fell cheaply.

Shaikh, caught behind, was a wicket well earned by Andy Gorvin but the hazardous nature of the pitch played a part in the three other dismissals.

Kelly survived a ball from Ray Toole that reared up off a length but edged the next delivery to first slip. Ul-Hassan then took two in two overs, Tattersall offering no shot to one that jagged back, Holland looping a catch to third slip from another that climbed sharply.

Gumbs, though, remained unruffled, even if it was a streaky four - through the legs of Colin Ingram at slip - that took him to his maiden first-class fifty. Off 96 balls, it contained nine boundaries.

With Mike playing a sensible hand at the other end, the left-hander guided Leicestershire to lunch at 178 with no further losses, helping himself to three boundaries as Glamorgan looked to no avail to Mason Crane’s legspin.

Two nicely-timed boundaries through the off side took him into the 90s before more questions about the pitch were raised as veteran wicketkeeper Chris Cooke, standing up to ul-Hassan, was struck in the grill by another delivery that jumped off a length.

The force knocked his helmet off and there was relief when concussion checks passed him fit to continue.

Gumbs fell in the next over, bowled by a ball from Timm Van der Gugten that straightened just enough to clip his off stump. He walked back to dressing rooms with head down yet, given the conditions, he had played an impressive innings.

Mike was run out by Carlson’s direct hit from wide mid-on and Ajaz Patel found backward point with a leading edge but, with Josh Hull doggedly keeping out 33 balls at the other end, Scriven chipped away enterprisingly to leave Glamorgan facing a stiff chase.

It became harder still as Holland removed both their openers in his first four overs. Ul-Hassan nicked behind and Asa Tribe was barely half forward as he was struck in front.

Carlson and Ben Kellaway scrapped away for 10 overs until Kellaway, unluckily, was bowled by a ball from Scriven that barely bounced.

The Glamorgan skipper, who survived a half-chance to third slip on 11, looked to hold the key if his side were to go close. He reached fifty from 71 balls when he drove Hull through the off side for his ninth boundary.

But Leicestershire made another breakthrough with the pitch beginning to offer more turn when New Zealand left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel removed Ingram via a one-handed bat-pad catch by Shaikh at short leg, Rehan Ahmed striking near the close as Sean Dickson edged to slip.