Glamorgan play soundly to beat Northants

Glamorgan beat Northamptonshire by 5 wickets in Cardiff on the strength of Matthew Elliott's third championship hundred of the season and an undefeated 68 runs stand between Keith Newell and Adrian Shaw.

The Australian left-hander's 117 with 13 boundaries from 247 deliveries took 213 minutes as the spine of the county innings in chasing a target of over 300 to win for the second consecutive match. The 28 year-old Elliott had scored the hundred which had brought victory over Middlesex a week ago and he has now garnered 877 first-class runs this season at 48.72.

In the morning Elliott and Mike Powell resumed at 125-1 needing another 184 to win but were restricted by some accurate bowling and keen fielding so that only 11 runs from the day's first ten overs. The run-rate increased slightly throughout the morning and Powell achieved his second championship fifty of the summer with three boundaries from deliveries. Three runs later he was l.b.w to a ball which kept blow - thus ending the 129 runs partnership. In the next over Matthew Maynard hit a simple return catch to Graeme Swann. Elliott kept to his task and his perseverance was rewarded as he hit Swann through mid-wicket to reach his hundred.

Then off-spinner Jason Brown induced the Australian to edge a very thin catch to wicketkeeper David Ripley. When Adrian Dale was caught Glamorgan were 242-5: it was still either side's match. Newell and Shaw batted sensibly with no signs of nerves and the former assured victory by driving Swann through the covers.