By Edward Hall
June 29 2002

Glamorgan succumbed to their 3rd Championship defeat of the season, losing to Middlesex by 8 wickets on the final day of their game at Sophia Gardens. Spirited half-centuries from Mark Wallace and Robert Croft meant that Middlesex needed to knock off 84 runs to win the game. They did so with a fair degree of comfort, openers Andrew Strauss and Sven Koenig putting on 81 before Dean Cosker dismissed them both in quick succession. Michael Kasprowicz was disappointing, with his 3 overs costing 33 runs. These early overs meant that any hope of a surprise victory disappeared quickly. These hopes had been raised by the decent batting performance from the lower middle order. Wallace and Croft took their overnight partnership to 66, before Wallace was caught off the bowling of Phil Tufnell.

Croft was 9th man out for 75 and shared a belligerent partnership of 80 with Darren Thomas, who stroked 47 off just 59 balls, as Glamorgan were bowled all out 481, a valiant attempt given the ease with which Tufnell had ripped through the first innings batting. The Middlesex spinners were more successful throughout the match. The match was certainly decided by spin, 21 of the 29 wickets falling to the four spinners in the match.

This defeat is a blow for Glamorgan’s promotion chances, while the 20 points that Middlesex collect sends them flying up the Division 2 table.