Five wickets soothe Croft

The Glamorgan captain, Robert Croft, cast aside his disappointment at missing out on selection for England's tour of Bangladesh next month by picking up five Northamptonshire wickets at Sophia Gardens yesterday.

It was the opposing captains who shone on the opening day of this match, which is crucial for Northamptonshire's Division Two title hopes and the hosts' promotion chances. Croft took his first-class wicket tally to 60 this season by claiming three of his victims lbw, before bowling Michael Hussey to end the visitors' innings.

Yet the Northamptonshire captain continued his rich vein of form with his sixth century of the summer, scoring 147 off 262 balls to dominate their total of 319. In reply, Glamorgan finished on 20 for 0.

Hussey took his Championship total to 1,564 runs this season at an astonishing average of just under 98. But it could have been different for Hussey, and Glamorgan, if Adrian Dale had hung on to a tough chance in the morning session at midwicket off the bowling of David Harrison when the visitors' opener was only on 32.

Hussey received strong support from tailenders Andre Nel and Jason Brown, while the pace bowler Michael Kasprowicz took three wickets for Glamorgan.