Queensland all-rounder Michael Neser broke a 95-year-old record in the County Championship over the weekend as Glamorgan mustered a draw against Leicestershire at Grace Road.
The 33-year-old, who missed selection for the upcoming Ashes series, scored 90 (129) in Leicester on Saturday afternoon, combining with wicketkeeper Chris Cooke for a 211-run partnership to help Glamorgan secure a first-innings lead. It toppled Glamorgan’s previous first-class record for the eighth wicket, set back in 1928.
After registering a career-best on English soil, Neser was bowled by Leicestershire seamer Chris Wright agonisingly short of a third first-class century, with Glamorgan all out for 465.
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“From the position we were in, it’s a great result for us to be able to put the pressure back on them, so it was a tough but rewarding day,” Neser told BBC Sport Wales at stumps on day three.
“We took it step by step, they were going really strong with the ball, and we just tried to bat time.
“It’s brilliant to be part of a record, I’ve played two games here and records seem to be broken each time so it’s special.
“Last year wickets seemed to fall on the last day so hopefully that happens again.”
Neser also claimed three wickets during the high-scoring contest, including the dismissal of Victorian captain Peter Handscomb, who was caught behind in the first innings for 95. However, judging by the 32-year-old’s reaction, there perhaps hadn’t been an outside edge.
Handscomb scored an unbeaten 12 in the second innings before players shook hands for the stalemate, with Glamorgan still searching for their first victory of the season.
Australian No. 3 Marnus Labuschagne scored 64 (106) for Glamorgan in the first innings before edging Leicestershire seamer Ed Barnes towards the slip cordon. Meanwhile, England spin prodigy Rehan Ahmed smacked 90 (129) for Leicestershire, but didn’t contribute with the ball.
Elsewhere in the County Championship, Gloucestershire opener Marcus Harris scored 37 and 5 during a rain-affected draw against Sussex in Bristol.
The Victorian, named in Australia’s Ashes squad last month, fell victim to a direct hit in the first innings from substitute fielder Tom Clarke — who had moments earlier come onto the field for a teammate in the bathroom. On day four, Harris was trapped on the pads cheaply by Sussex seamer Sean Hunt before the weather intervened once again.
Since last month’s superb 148 against Glamorgan in Cardiff, Harris has not reached fifty in four County Championship knocks, relieving some pressure on Test opener David Warner ahead of the Ashes.
“Whenever my opportunity comes up, I’ll be ready to go,” Harris told talkSPORT 2 last week.
“I’ve played a fair chunk of cricket over here now. I know what to expect.
“Whether that’s in the first (Ashes) Test or it’s not until the home summer, so be it.”
South Australian quick Nathan McAndrew took his second five-wicket haul of the season during the rain-affected contest, claiming 5-63 for Sussex to help roll Gloucestershire for 248 in the first innings.
“It’s one of those wickets where the batter’s never quite in – it’s not necessarily easy to take wickets on, but it’s not easy to score if you hold tight lines and lengths,” McAndrew said after play.
“A little bit of a run out sparked it and we were able to get a bit of a roll on from there.
“We’ve got full intentions to try and win this game – hopefully knock over the final wicket as quickly as possible and see where we get to.”
McAndrew, who last month snared 5-85 against Durham in Hove, is currently Sussex’s leading wicket-taker of the County Championship with 15 scalps at 20.60.
Fellow Redbacks paceman Wes Agar claimed 4-60 during Kent’s nine-wicket loss to Middlesex at Lord’s, while teammate Zak Crawley, who scored 170 against Essex last week, registered 11 and a golden duck in the low-scoring affair.
Only one Kent batter reached fifty in the three-day contest, while six players fell for ducks.
Meanwhile, former Australian seamer Daniel Worrall, playing under a British passport, claimed seven wickets and smacked 35 (24) in a stellar all-round performance during Surrey’s comprehensive nine-wicket victory over Warwickshire at Edgbaston.
Surrey teammate Ollie Pope, expected to bat at No. 3 for England in the Ashes, was trapped LBW by Pakistan’s Hasan Ali for 9 after charging down the wicket and attempting to flick the seamer through square leg. However, replays suggested Pope may have been struck outside the line of off stump.
Pope currently has a poor Test record at Edgbaston, which will host the first Ashes contest in June, accumulating 52 runs in four innings at 13.00.
England wicketkeeper Ben Foakes contributed 39 (100), Surrey’s second-highest score of the match, while Ashes hopeful Chris Woakes went wicketless for Warwickshire.
Elsewhere, Durham quick Matthew Potts, last week named one of Wisden’s five cricketers of the year, claimed eight wickets in a thumping innings victory over Derbyshire at Chester-le-Street.
Australian spinner Matthew Kuhnemann looks set for a lengthy stint on the sidelines after sustaining a back injury, while England wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow celebrated his long-awaited return from injury with an explosive 97 for Yorkshire’s second XI.
