Despite Kiran Carlson’s second innings hundred, Glamorgan lost their first match of the County Championship season at Leicestershire by 10 wickets.

Glamorgan failed to score more than 250 in either of their two batting innings, leading to a 198-run deficit.

Carlson’s ton, ably supported by Andy Gorvin’s unbeaten 50, was not enough to trouble Leicestershire, who knocked off the measly target of 51 runs in six overs.

Put in to bat under cloudy skies, the new opening partnership of Zain-ul-Hassan and Eddie Byrom only lasted seven balls, as the former was turned around by a probing Ian Holland delivery.

Too many of Glamorgan’s batters got in and got out in the first innings: Byrom with 41; captain Sam northeast with 17; Carlson with 25; last season’s hero Colin Ingram with 32.

Only wicketkeeper Chris Cooke passed fifty, scoring 55 and looking good for it. Some late-order resistance from new loan signing Shoaib Bashir with 20 helped Glamorgan get up to 229, before he was bowled by his England teammate, Rehan Ahmed.

Whereas Glamorgan’s batters struggled to reach half centuries, their Leicestershire counterparts reached the landmark with ease.

Sol Budinger (56), Lewis Hill (96), Peter Hanscomb (63), Ben Cox (51), and Chris Wright (74) all scored fifties and, despite none of them reaching three figures, Leicestershire posted a formidable score of 427.

The partnership of 102 between Cox and Wright for the ninth wicket was a sickener for Glamorgan, who let slip the opportunity to bat again only 80 runs behind.

Gorvin, who can be pleased with his efforts this week, took 4-51 in an economical display, while overseas Sri Lankan international Asitha Fernando also took four wickets, showing why Glamorgan were so keen to sign him up for the season.

Tasked with the difficulty of trying to overturn an enormous deficit, Glamorgan fell to 46-5, and then 133-7, with only Kiran Carlson giving any resistance to the Leicestershire bowlers.

Only three batters made it to double figures, as Cooke and Gorvin supported Carlson who ended with 113.

Set a fourth innings target of just 51, England spin bowling all-rounder Rehan Ahmed was sent out to open the batting, but his partner Budinger took the initiative, scoring 32 from 20 balls to end the match in a flash.

For Glamorgan, they have a short trip across the channel before they face Gloucestershire in Bristol on Friday, looking to register a first win of the season.

 

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