Rothesay County Championship, Division One, Uptonsteel Grace Road, Leicester (day one)

Leicestershire: 113-7 (Van der Gugten 2-43)

Glamorgan: Yet to bat

Glamorgan 2 pts

Match scorecard

Title hopefuls Glamorgan hold the upper hand after a stop-start opening day against Leicestershire.

In the 47 overs possible as heavy afternoon showers forced two long stoppages, the impressively consistent visiting bowling attack had their bottom-of-the-table opponents struggling at 113-7.

Each of the five bowlers used took at least one wicket, with Timm van der Gugten claiming 2-43.

After opting to bowl, Glamorgan reduced Leicestershire to 63-4 at lunch on a two-tone pitch.

In an injury-hit line-up, Rishi Patel and Sheridon Gumbs survived for the first hour.

But then Patel and new man Rehan Ahmed were caught in the slips in consecutive overs.

Ahmed was a first victim in Glamorgan colours for Ray Toole, a South African-born left-arm seamer who has joined for the remainder of the campaign following a successful season with Central Districts in New Zealand.

Gumbs, somewhat comically run out after changing direction twice when chancing an always-risky single to gully, was the next casualty, before Hamza Shaikh – on his Championship debut for Leicestershire – feathered a catch behind against Ben Kellaway’s off-spin.

Leicestershire lost their fifth wicket when Nick Kelly edged behind.

But, having been off the field for the best part of four hours in total, another 12 overs were possible before the close – and Andy Gorvin pinned Jonny Tattersall in front, before Ben Mike fell to Van der Gugten with two balls left in the day.

Glamorgan, who last won the title in 1997, were promoted as runners-up to Leicestershire in Division Two, but have fared much the better in the top flight.

And their June victory over Surrey – the Championship’s dominant force until last season – demands that this year’s challenge be taken seriously.

They sit 35 points ahead of One -Day Cup finalists Leicestershire, who still hope for a relegation-defying end to their campaign.

Report by ECB Reporters’ Network, supported by Rothesay.