Sussex vs Glamorgan: Day 4 match report

Glamorgan piled up a vast total of 737 – the highest second innings score made in England, and the second highest total ever made by the county - to save their LV= Insurance County Championship match against Sussex. 

Glamorgan turned a first innings deficit of 358 to a lead of 379 with Australia’s Michael Neser becoming the third century maker of the innings, following Marnus Labuschagne and Kiran Carlson. Both teams remain unbeaten after six matches.

At the start of play at the 1st Central County Ground the game was finely balanced, with Glamorgan – on 499 for five – leading by 141, with captain Kiran Carlson 187 not out and Chris Cooke unbeaten on 12.

Carlson achieved his career best when he reached 192, but he did not add to it.  In the seventh over of the morning he drove at Ari Karvelas and gave the bowler a simple return catch.

In a deeply impressive innings – despite giving tough chances at three and 21 – Carlson had faced 278 balls and hit 18 fours and two sixes as he reshaped the match.

Sussex were being led by their vice- captain Tom Alsop, with captain Cheteshwar Pujara off the field with a stiff neck.  Their interest in winning the match received another fillip at 573 when they took the seventh Glamorgan wicket. 

Chris Cooke was dismissed by Tom Haines, caught by Ali Orr at midwicket. Shortly afterwards, Glamorgan reached their highest second innings score, beating the 577-4 they made against Gloucestershire at Newport in 1939, a match in which Wally Hammond made 302.

Glamorgan lost their eighth wicket at 623 when Timm van der Gugten, hooking at a short delivery from the impressive Karvelas and edged it to Oli Carter behind the stumps.  

All-rounder Neser, vying for a place in Australia’s Test team, scored his first century in Glamorgan colours.

James Harris is also one of the most accomplished No 10s in the game, with 18 fifties and an average of over 22. 

Sussex finally took the ninth wicket when Harris pulled a long hop from Smith to deep midwicket where substitute fielder Sean Hunt took a remarkable catch, jumping up to palm the ball in the air, going over the rope but then stepping back inside it to complete the catch.

After that last man Jamie McIlroy had time to complete a career best 11 not out.  A late tea was taken with Glamorgan 730 for nine and, finally, Smith ended the innings when he bowled Neser for 123.

Report provided by the ECB Reporter's Network