Northants grateful for Hussey's resistance

Northamptonshire have not won a County Championship match at the Sophia Gardens ground in Cardiff since 1976, and this sequence looks like continuing after they were forced to forced to follow-on in mid-afternoon after being bowled out for 344 as Glamorgan secured a healthy first innings lead of 212.

Robert Croft was the Welsh county's leading bowler with 5-95, and following his first innings score of 93, it was a timely reminder to the England selectors of his excellent credentials with both bat and ball. He also had good fortune when claiming the wicket of Mal Loye, who on 73 attempted to sweep the off-spinner, only for the ball to ricochet off the body of Mike Powell at short-leg into the hands of Steve James at short mid-wicket.

But for Michael Hussey, the contest might already be almost over. The Australian left-hander used his feet well against Croft and Cosker to score his first Championship hundred for Northants. He received useful support from Mal Loye and also Graeme Swann, but after the dismissal of Swann who bottom edged a ball from Darren Thomas into his stumps, the follow-on was a formality, as wickets continued to fall at regular intervals at the other end.

Firstly Darren Thomas dismissed David Ripley as the visiting captain lobbed a short delivery into the hands of Adrian Dale running in from square leg. Then in the next over Dale took another catch as Paul Taylor attempted a pull against Dean Cosker. After some brief defiance from Michael Strong, Cosker dismissed the Northants seamer, before Croft ended Hussey's fine innings by bowling the Australian for 159 - his highest score for Northamptonshire.

There was little time however, for the left-hander to rest on his laurels, as ten minutes later, he was back at the wicket as Northants began their second innings. Together with Adrian Rollins, Hussey continued to defy the Glamorgan bowlers, as the two Northants openers occupied the crease throughout the rest of the day to finish on 126 without loss after 46 overs, with Hussey unbeaten on 50, and Adrian Rollins on 64 in his first CricInfo Championship match of the season.

Northants still need 86 runs to avoid an innings defeat, and much will depend on Michael Hussey if they are to stave off defeat on the final day on a wicket that appears to be giving increasing help to the spinners. Hussey has so far been on the field for all of the match, and with 209 runs to his name so far, Northants will be hoping for at least another hundred runs from the elegant left-hander.