County Championship: Matt Kuhnemann bowls Glamorgan to win against Middlesex

25
The Glamorgan flag was flying at half-mast in memory of former Glamorgan groundsman Len Smith as Middlesex followed on 228 runs behind.

The visitors surprised everyone with Robson and Max Holden racing along at a run a ball for the first hour in an opening stand of 98.

Robson hit seamers James Harris and Andy Gorvin out of the attack with a series of ferocious drives, as they were unable to find the lengths that served them so well the previous day with the former England man racing to a 40-ball 50.

It looked like the T20 Blast had come early, but as Glamorgan switched their attack round, it was left-arm spinner Kuhnemann who made the breakthrough as Holden was well taken at short leg by Asa Tribe for 35.

Robson had blasted 13 fours when he was trapped lbw by Kuhnemann, who then bowled Leus du Plooy, and with Luke Hollman edging Timm van der Gugten to slip Middlesex had lost four wickets for 17.

Glamorgan kept chipping away after lunch with Ben Geddes trying to get after Kuhnemann but being well taken by Zain ul Hassan back-pedalling at mid-off for 12.

Harris's second spell was a considerable improvement as he got rid of Ryan Higgins for 19 and Zafar Gohar, brilliantly caught by a leaping Chris Cooke.

Kuhnemann completed his five-for as Jack Davies (12) swung to mid-wicket before Roland-Jones launched a magnificent counter-attack, smashing three successive sixes into the grandstand off Gorvin, and speeding to 50 off just 33 balls.

The scores were level when Roland-Jones swung Gorvin to a diving Harris at deep square leg, and fittingly Kuhnemann had the final word when Dane Paterson was taken by Gorvin at mid-on.

Glamorgan knocked off the eight needed in 14 balls as Middlesex ran round to salvage a potential points deduction for their over-rate.

Middlesex now start their T20 Blast campaign against Sussex at Lord's on Thursday 29 June, while Glamorgan's opener sees them travel to face Middlesex at Northwood on Sunday, 1 June.

Glamorgan coach Richard Dawson told BBC Sport Wales:

"Middlesex put us under a bit of pressure in that first hour but the way we responded was really good, Matt coming on with the ball changed the game and bowled beautifully backed up by the other lads, and we caught really well throughout the game which was pleasing.

"Matt controlled the scoreboard for us straightaway, but he was also a wicket-taking threat and the way he started his spell was exceptional.

"Since after the third game when we had the break, we made a few changes on how we wanted to play four-day cricket and we've controlled the first two days of the games, put the pressure on the opposition.

"It was a tough start in those first three games (two defeats and following on in a draw), but how we've responded has been really pleasing and the lads can be proud of themselves."

Middlesex captain Toby Roland-Jones said:

"It was really frustrating, we let them get too many on that wicket in the first innings which was always going to make the game an uphill task.

"The frustration is that we weren't able to post more in our first innings, with the batting group we've got and the form over the early part of the year, but we've struggled a little bit over the last couple of weeks and come up short.

"As a group we know we can perform better than that.

"It gives us a real clear objective when the championship games next come around, we're going to have to look to be positive and force results, I know we've got a team that's capable of putting a real run together."

Click here to read article

Related Articles