Kleinveldt stars for Northants in stop-start day

Kleinveldt stars for Northants in stop-start day

Stumps, day two: Glamorgan 166/6 (Lloyd 64*; Kleinveldt 5/53) v Northants, at Wantage Road

Rory Kleinveldt took 5-53, his fifth five-wicket haul of the season for Northamptonshire, but rain and bad light meant that only 37 overs have been possible over two days at Wantage Road, with Glamorgan reaching 166-6.

Having taken the sole wicket to fall in the five overs of play on the opening day, Kleinveldt took the first four on the second to reduce Glamorgan to 88-5, with Mark Wallace having also retired hurt, but David Lloyd hit an unbeaten 64, a career best as the visitors recovered.

For Kleinveldt it took his tally of Championship wickets for the season to 55, whilst only Chris Rushworth has taken more five-wicket hauls across both divisions.

After only 5.5 overs were possible on the opening day, with Kleinveldt removing James Kettleborough for 16 on his return to Wantage Road, overnight rain meant the outfield was too wet for play until after lunch.

When play did resume, Kleinveldt found Colin Ingram’s edge to remove his fellow South African for five shortly before rain forced the players off after 33 balls.

A short delay followed but only 32 deliveries later the rain returned in more substantial form, but only after Aneurin Donald was comprehensively bowled by Kleinveldt for eight.

After an early tea play resumed for a further six overs, in which time Wallace, who was opening the batting for the visitors, hit five fours in his 27, but pulled up attempting a single and was forced to retire hurt with a calf injury, which could put his historic run of 230 consecutive Championship games, stretching back to June 2001 at risk.

Having survived a huge appeal in the previous over, Chris Cooke was LBW to Kleinveldt for seven the ball before the rain returned, and after the break Graham Wagg edged the next ball to slip for Kleinveldt’s fifth.

Together with Olly Stone, he had bowled the opening 26 overs unchanged throughout the delays, but as Northants turned to Mohammed Azharullah and Richard Gleeson, Lloyd was able to take advantage as he played with confident, particular on the drive.

He survived one chance, dropped low at cover on 45, but completed a third career half century from 49 balls, before passing his previous best score of 59.

Craig Meschede provided support in a partnership of 82 added in less than 14 overs, but Stone returned to find his edge on 17, Kleinveldt taking the catch at slip, and as had happened in all three previous delays, two balls after the wicket the umpires took the players off the field for bad light.

That was it for the day, and with further rain forecast on the third day, chances of any kind of a positive result look remote, meaning Northants look likely to record a ninth draw of the season.

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