Yorkshire v Glamorgan April 8-11 2021

COUNTY Championship Yorkshire v Glamorgan at Headingley April 8-11

Neil Whitaker reports

Day One
AUSTRALIAN Timm van der Gugten, who has played international T20 for the Netherlands, hit an unbeaten 80 against Yorkshire on the opening day of  the LV County Championship.
He shared in an eighth wicket partnership of 122 in 33 overs  with Dan Douthwaite to rescue Glamorgan’s first inning and swing  the first day Glamorgan’s way, but Yorkshire only had themselves to blame as they dropped three catches.

When the pair came together Glamorgan had lost four wickets for 21 runs.  But with some solid blocking  and big hitting they amazingly got Glamorgan two batting points. Douthwaite made Yorkshire pay for dropping him early in his innings.  On eight he was dropped at third slip by Harry  Brook off Matthew Fisher.  

A leg glance by Douthwaite off Steven  Patterson raced to the fine leg boundary to give the Welsh county their first batting point of the season.  In the next over Douthwaite pulled Duanne Olivier to the square leg boundary for a six.  Glamorgan got their second batting point when Douthwaite hit Olivier for another six.  With 11 overs left in the day Douthwaite was beaten by Ben Coad and was bowled.

Not to be outdone by his partner, van der Gutten decided to have some fun.  He drove Fisher delightfully to the cover boundary to bring up the fifty partnership. and clubbed Joe Root for a six.  He brought up his fifty which came from 97 balls with seven fours and that six with a thick edged a drive off Fisher.

Kieran Carlson said: “Douthwaite and van der Gugten put us in a good spot especially with Hoges joining in at the end. It’s one of those wickets where if you get in, you can cash in. We were staring down the barrel for a bit there but it’s even at the end of the day.”
Yorkshire skipper Patterson won the toss and on a cold and gloomy morning put the visitors  into bat.  Opener Nick Selman drove the first ball of the season from Coad to the cover boundary.  That was his only scoring shot, four overs later he got an inside edge to Coad and lost his off stump.

Selman was soon joined in the hutch by his opening partner David Lloyd. Lloyd left two balls in a row from Fisher but when he left his third consecutive ball Lloyd was bowled.

Andy Balbirnie, making his championship debut for Glamorgan,got off the mark like Selman with a boundary but his went through mid wicket.  Glamorgan lost their third wicket in the 12th over when Balbirnie played around a straight ball from Patterson and was leg before.  

Glamorgan were now relying on Billy Root and Carlson to steady the innings and get them to a score which they could pressure Yorkshire with.  They saw Glamorgan through to lunch without any further loss only just. Carlson was lucky on four when he got an inside edge to Olivier which just evaded stumper Jonny Tattersall and ran to the boundary.

On 15 Carlson was dropped by Tom Kohler-Cadmore at first slip off Olivier then two balls later to add insult to injury Carlson placed Olivier to the cover boundary. He bludgeoned the next ball to the boundary.

Root called Carlson for a quick single as he pushed Dom Bess out to mid wicket and Carlson was just quick enough to beat Olivier’s throw. Root brought up the Glamorgan fifty when he turned Olivier off his legs to the square leg boundary. After he was completely beaten by Olivier, Root edged the next ball just wide off Tattersall for a boundary.

As so often happens Nelson struck to break the partnership of 82 in 26 overs when Carlson fended at a short ball from Olivier and ball raced to the slips where Adam Lyth at second slip took the catch above his head.  Carlson brought up his fifty, which came from 75 balls, when he  clipped Coad off his legs to the mid wicket boundary. 

Carlson added: "Billy and me enjoyed batting together, we put together a little partnership and it was a shame I couldn’t kick on. It was all very friendly between Billy and Joe out there.

The conditions were harsh and it gets very cold when the wind picks up but it’s something you have to deal with in April, you just have to get on with it and do your job."

Carlson’s wicket brought another three in 14 overs.  First to go was Glamorgan skipper Chris Cooke, who got off the mark with a single, but he was soon back in the hutch when he edged Paterson to Kohler-Cadmore at first slip who  dove forward to take the catch. After the departure of Cooke, Glamorgan went five overs without scoring. Callum Taylor seemed to have done the hard work when he left one from Fisher that came back at him and was bowled.  His nine came from 48 balls.

On 38, Billy Root pushed Fisher out to brother Joe at mid off and set for a quick single with Billy having to dive to beat Joe’s throw. Coad angled one away from Root and managed to find his bottom edge and Tattersall took a good low catch diving to his left.

Michael Hogan decided to follow Douthwaite and van der Gugten’s example and was another Glamorgan batsman to get off the mark with a boundary. Going for another boundary he chipped Coad to Olivier at deep mid on who dropped him.  He even hit Olivier straight back over his head for a six.

Day 2
BEN Coad took three wickets in 26 balls for 18 to bring Yorkshire back into the match.

Trailing by 137 Coad and Duanne Olivier had Glamorgan in trouble at 29 for four in the ninth over. Coad struck with his fifth ball when Nick  Selman feather touched him to Jonny Tattersall without adding to their lead. 

They went two down five overs later when Andy  Balbirnie played Olivier away from his body and Harry Brook at third slip took a great catch moving to his right.

David Lloyd got a thick outside edge to Coad and Brook at third slip took a comfortable catch. Two balls later Kieran Carlson edged Coad to Tattersall. But Yorkshire were unable to break the partnership between Billy Root and Glamorgan skipper Chris Cooke who added 39 in 20 overs to give the visitors a lead of 205. At the close Root was unbeaten on 25 and Cooke was not out on 17.

Glamorgan added 20 to their overnight score. Michael Hogan dug out the first ball of the day, a yorker from Coad out and much to his amazement the ball raced to the fine leg boundary. Two balls later Hogan drove Coad straight for another four and to finish the over he cut Coad to the point boundary to bring up his fifty from 47 balls with eight fours and a six.

Two overs later his luck ran out when he lofted Coad to Steven  Patterson at deep mid off. Hogan  hit eight fours and a six in his 53 ball knock.  Jamie McIlroy’s debut innings in championship cricket lasted 11 balls before he was  trapped leg before to a a yorker from Patterson for a duck. Timm van der Guten was unbeaten on 85, adding only five to his overnight score.

Van der Guten said: “I used to be a batter back in the day so I always love spending time in the middle. It was enjoyable to bat with Douthwaite last night and then there’s always a bit of excitement to bat with Hogan

My eyes lit up a bit when there were a few more catchers in place and a few gaps in the field, Douthwaite calmed me down and we enjoyed ourselves out there.

I don’t really think about personal milestones, it’s more about the team and it’s a goal of the team’s to get big first innings runs so it was nice to get above 300 and get a lead.”

In Yorkshire’s reply Tom Kohler-Cadmore and his opening partner Adam  Lyth looked comfortable against the Glamorgan new ball attack of Hogan and van der Gugten. Kohler-Cadmore was the first to go in the fifth over when he drove Hogan without moving his feet and stumper Cooke took a comfortable waiste high catch.
Tom Loten was the next to go when he  missed a straight ball from Hogan and was bowled for a duck.
Joe Root got  off the mark with a straight drive off Hogan to the long off boundary.  On four he tried to sweep brother Billy  but missed the ball and he survived the leg before shout.

Joe’s knock, which included an all run four, ended  when he pushed Dan Douthwaite out to the cover boundary.  Two Glamorgan players chased the ball down but one of them slipped pushing the ball further towards the boundary and allowed the all run four.

Lyth grew in confidence as his innings progressed but as neared 40 he had a wild swing at McIlroy and was lucky not to be bowled.  After lunch  the players had stood in silence for HRH Prince Phillip, Lyth hit two fours off Douthwaite to bring up his fifty from 66 balls. But just as you thought that a ton was on the cards he was beaten by one that came back at him, was hit full on the boot by Douthwaite and was adjudged leg before.

Without adding to the score Root had a flat batted a  yahoo shot at Taylor  but top edged it and Douthwaite took a running catch at mid off.

Brook hit consecutive boundaries in the V off Hogan. The first through mid on brought up the Yorkshire hundred the second went to the long off boundary. He did the same in another over from Hogan. This time he hit the first to the cover boundary, the second he pulled to the mid wicket boundary.

Brook and Tattersall added fifty in only 12.1 overs  when Tattersall pushed forward at van der Gugten, he  was hit on his back foot and was leg before.
Brook looked good throughout his innings but he played  around a straight ball from David Lloyd which kept low and became the third leg before victim of the innings. Lloyd got his second wicket when he squared up Yorkshire skipper Patterson up who thick edged it to Selman at second slip who took a comfortable catch.
Dom Bess got off the mark with an edgey four off van der Gugten at ankle height which ran to the third man boundary, he got his second boundary when he drove the next ball to the cover boundary.
Matthew Fisher had a torrid over from left armer McIlroy bowling over the wicket, every ball he faced in that over was wide outside his off stump but Fisher couldn’t get a touch on one till the fifth ball when he a feather touch to Cooke to give  McIlroy his first championship wicket.

After Cooke brought the field in, Coad uppercut a short ball from Douthwaite and Taylor took an athletic catch moving backwards at third man.

The fall of Coad’s wicket ushered in the usual scenario when a number 11 batsman comes in, the other batsman turns down runs and the fielders come this went on until Taylor was brought into the attack and with his eigth ball of his second spell Duanne Olivier poked at him and Cooke took the catch.

Van der Guten added: “Everyone bowled well in different stages, Hogan started off very well, then McIlroy on debut was outstanding, Douthwaite bowled really well then Taylor chiming in with a couple of wickets and Lloyd as well, it was a collective effort and we would have bitten your hand off for a lead heading into day three.

I’m sure Callum will tell his kids about dismissing Joe Root when he’s older. The wicket does a fair bit with the new ball and we lost a few more wickets (in the second innings) than we would have hoped for but the way Chris and Bill batted at the end sets a blueprint, if we can get through the first hour tomorrow and bat further into the day.”

Patterson said: “After the disappointment of our first-innings bowling and the way we batted, it was vitally important that we had a bit of a fightback in that last session. We performed well, and if we start well in the morning we’re right back in the mix.

It’s a pitch which offers a bit with the new ball, and when the ball gets older it’s a nice surface to bat on. It’s just about limiting the damage with the new ball. Unfortunately, today, we didn’t occupy the crease for long enough. By the time the ball got older, we weren’t in a position of strength.

We’ve still got a newish ball in the morning. We have to try and make the most of that.”
Day 3

SNOW, yes snow came to Yorkshire’s rescue when play on the third day  was abandoned at 3.30 after snow had covered the outfield during the lunch interval.

In the morning session Billy Root and Chris Cooke had added 93 to take Glamorgan’s lead to 298 with both batsmen reaching their fifties.

Yorkshire had started the day with the bad news that both Matthew Fisher, with an abdominal injury, and Ben Coad out with a pectoral injury, would not bowl again in the match.  Hampered by that Yorkshire were unable to make a breakthrough in the first hour while Root and Cook added 39 in 14 overs.

Yorkshire’s first  X1 coach Andre Gale said: “It’s frustrating and a massive blow. We’re behind in the game anyway, but when you lose two seamers it’s always going to be tough.”

On 43 Root came down the wicket to Dom  Bess who spun the ball past everything to Adam Lyth at slip.  He swept  Bess to the square leg boundary to bring up the hundred partnership with Cooke in 42 overs.

Cooke played a great shot when he drove Steven Patterson off his back foot to the cover boundary.  He reached his fifty with an even better shot a straight drive off Harry Brook to the boundary.  Cooke’s fifty came from 130 balls with six fours.

There was no play in the afternoon session because of the snow and the umpires called for an early tea at 3.10.

Gale added: “Had we had Coad running down the hill early this morning, a couple of quick wickets and you never know.  But we’re certainly up against it now.  We’ve been pretty average in this game if we’re honest. We’ve got a lot of work to do, but we’ve been thrown a bit of a lifeline with the weather.

We have three sessions left in the game. There’s a lot of work to do, so we have to bring our A game. When we bat, we have to do it well. If we can walk off with a draw tomorrow, we can say, ‘We’ve haven’t been at our best, but at least we’ve got something out of the game’.”

Glamorgan’s assistant coach David Harrison cursed the Yorkshire weather.  “That’s a first for me, we played at Derby five years ago when we had a hailstorm but I’ve not seen a full-on snowstorm cause the end of a day’s play before.

It’s a shame because we had a really good first session and were looking forward to pushing on and trying to extend our lead. Root has been great since he joined us a couple of years ago and his form has been really consistent, he’s had a really good game against Joe in a bit of a side-plot, batted really well and nearly got Joe out.

Hopefully the weather holds, we’ll have a chat about what to do in the morning but we’ve played really well in this game against a strong Yorkshire team. When the fixtures came out and you’re playing Yorkshire first game, they’re a big club with a lot of good players. But pre-season was positive, we’ve had a good first three days and hopefully we can finish well.”

Day 4

AFTER  yesterday’s snow,  play on the final day started on time but  in cold sunshine and Glamorgan carried on batting for another 62 minutes to give both Billy Root and Glamorgan skipper Chris Cooke time to complete their centuries and then declared.

Cooke set Yorkshire 379 in 76 overs but realistically the target was to see if Glamorgan could bowl Yorkshire out  in those overs.  After a good start the Glamorgan attack ran out of ideas and could only take four wickets.  Perhaps Cooke could have attacked more but he became  defensive after the scoreboard showed that Glamorgan were three overs behind schedule. He and his team began to race through their overs to get back on schedule instead of thinking of the best way to get the remaining six wickets.


The battle between the Root brothers ended in a victory for the younger Root. Billy Root, who was released by Yorkshire before he played for the first team, hit  his sixth first class century, shared in a record breaking fifth wicket partnership with his skipper to follow up his first innings 43,   While Root, the elder only scored 27 in the match.


Root was the first to reach his century, when he worked his brother off his legs for a couple to bring up his sixth first class ton.  This one came off 210 balls and included nine fours and a six.  At the end of the over Root senior patted junior on his back.


Billy said: “Joe is a far better bowler than people sometimes give him credit for, you’ve just got to play him like any other decent off-spinner. I was more focussed on what I was doing rather than on batting against my brother, at that point he’s doing his best to get me out and I’m doing my best for him not to, fortunately I came through that. It was really enjoyable, there were times when I was close to getting him out, he was close to getting me out, it was really enjoyable to play against him this week."


Root, the junior gave half a chance on 88 when he reverse swept Dom Bess but Adam Lyth at slip couldn’t hold on to it.  Earlier Root got the scoreboard moving when he glanced the first ball off the day from Harry Brook off his legs to the boundary.  He took the partnership over 200 when he swept Bess for a six over square leg.

His partner Cooke  was always looking for the runs.  He lofted Bess for a huge six that easily cleared the mid wicket boundary. Cooke then pulled a short ball from Brook for another boundary to take him into the nineties.  He reached his ton when he went down the wicket to Bess and pulled him to the mid wicket boundary and promptly declared.

Cooke and Root broke the Glamorgan fifth wicket partnership against Yorkshire by adding 212 for the fifth wicket, beating the 172 set by Peter Walker and James Pressdee at Cardiff Arms park in 1962.

Root added: “Personally it was great to come here and put a performance in, but more importantly for the team we can be really proud of what we’ve achieved. It’s always tough to come to Headingley and it’s a shame we couldn’t quite get over the line there, and about the snow, but we’ll take a lot from this game.  Since I was a little boy I always wanted to play here, so it’s nice to have some joy here, really nice to score some runs."

In Yorkshire’s second innings Tom Kohler-Cadmore never looked comfortable against the Glamorgan opening pair of Timm van der Gugten and Michael Hogan and was soon back in the hutch when he  feather touched a straight ball to Cooke.  Three balls later Tom Loten, on a pair, survived a strong leg before appeal.

He avoided the dreaded pair when he turned  van der Gugten off hips to the square leg boundary, but on the stroke of lunch he was adjudged leg before, a decision he didn’t agree with as he gave the umpire a hard stare before he departed.

The England captain Root was squared up by Dan Douthwaite in the fifth over after lunch edged him to Andy Balbirnie at first slip who took a comfortable catch. Now if Glamorgan could take at least a couple of wickets before tea the match would be there’s but they couldn’t and the match was drawn.

Lyth, was unbeaten on 115 his 25th first class century during which he passed 11,000 first class runs.  He managed to squeeze Hogan for a couple to bring up his century which came from 166 balls with 14 fours and two sixes.  Lyth pulled a short ball for a six over mid wicket to bring up the fifty partnership with Brook

After two overs were lost due again  to snow, Brook smashed Billy  Root for a straight six.  In the second over after tea Brook,without adding to his tea time  score, was through his shot quickly and chipped Hogan to Root in the covers. With Lyth they had added 133 in 31 overs.  Again Glamorgan failed to capitalise.

Lyth said: “We haven’t played our best cricket this game. We know that. But we’ve come away with a decent draw and some positives at the end. We’re just looking forward to next week against Kent at Canterbury.

Personally, it’s been a fantastic game for me. I was disappointed that I didn’t go on in the first innings, but that ball would have got me out eight or nine times out of ten. Hopefully there’s many more fifties and hundreds to come.

It was a good pitch, but there’s always a bit of seam at Headingley. We lost a few early wickets, but the way myself and Brook played was very pleasing to see. We were a bit fortunate they had to bowl spin for a while in the afternoon to get their over rate down.”

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