County Championship: Glamorgan scent final day win over Warwicks

Despite rain interference every day, the Welsh county remains strongly-placed to press hard for victory on the final day.

Bamber’s all-round performance, meanwhile, will no doubt have been noted by England’s selectors, and also those involved in the search for the new James Bond which began this week.

After Warwickshire resumed on the third morning on 123-6, the follow-on became a real threat after they lost the big wicket of Beau Webster, caught low at first slip by Ingram off Norton.

That left the last three wickets with 69 to find, but the first of them, Bamber and Thompson, did the job in belligerent fashion. The follow-on figure was passed in grand manner when Bamber heaved Zain-ul-Hassan over long on for his third six.

When Bamber sought a similar blow off Ben Kellaway in the next over he found only long on, but Thompson advanced to his first half-century for Warwickshire (58 balls). The impressive Norton finally ended the innings by removing Thompson and Olly Hannon-Dalby in three balls.

Glamorgan negotiated six overs before lunch unscathed but met a Bamber blitz immediately after the rain-extended interval.

The seamer struck with his first, sixth and seventh balls of the session as ul-Hassan (bagging a pair), Kiran Carlson and Asa Tribe edged full-length outswingers into the cordon. Suddenly, Glamorgan were 13-3 – 121 in front – and this captivating contest had evened up again.

Kellaway and Ingram stalled the Bears’ fightback with a partnership of 92 in 28 overs before the irrepressible Bamber returned to have the former caught at slip.

Glamorgan’s control was underlined in the last hour, though, as Ingram advanced to an 81-ball half-century and added 83 with Sean Dickson (39) who fell lbw to Ed Barnard late on. But the last day is Glamorgan’s to dictate.

Report by ECB Reporters’ Network, supported by Rothesay.