Glamorgan put up a stubborn fight but taste defeat

MIDDLESEX overcame stubborn Glamorgan resistance and the rain to beat the visitors by nine wickets on the final day of their Rothesay County Championship — Division Two clash at Lord's.

- By JON BATHAM

Chris Cooke's stoic 213-minute 69 and Ned Leonard's career-best 47 led the Welsh rearguard, the pair sharing a heroic stand of 88 for the eighth wicket - this after Sunday's half-centurion Kiran Carl-son had fallen without adding to his overnight score.

Timm van der Gugten contributed a useful 28, but they were bowled out for 329 shortly after 3pm, Toby Roland-Jones return-ing three for 68.

Needing 59, despite a lengthy rain delay, Mid-dlesex got home with 13 overs to spare, Leus du Plooy 27 not out finishing the game with a six.

Carlson's dismissal in Roland-Jones’ second over of the day was highly controversial.

The Seaxes’ skipper bowled a great line, and the ball bounced a fraction on the batter who appeared to hit the back of his pad with the bat rather than making any contact. Carlson shook his head all the way back to the pavil-ion.

Cooke and new batter Van der Gugten dug in, the latter twice driving the Henry Brookes straight to the pavilion rope.

It took Dane Paterson's second delivery with the ripe cherry to beat the out-side edge and clip Van der Gugten’s off-stump to end the stand of 47.