Jacques Rudolph continues to lead from the front, playing an unbeaten captain’s innings of 81 in Glamorgan’s  187-5 against Essex in teh English County Championship on Monday

Sent in to bat on a lively pitch in difficult conditions at Cardiff, he stood like a monument to patience and experience, batting for 69 overs while the wickets clattered around him. Within those, there were just eight fours. To illustrate the difficulties, just 17 runs were ascored off the first 10 overs.

Colin Ingram, who scored 91 from 47 balls in the T20 Blast game last Friday, announced himself with two boundaries from his first three deliveries and looked in prime form until he flicked at one from Ryan ten Doeschate that was taken behind by James Foster. Rudolph meanwhile, played watchfully, accumulating mostly in singles and struck only two boundaries in his first 40 runs, and one other in his fifty which came from 147 balls.

‘I reckon 300 will be a good score on that pitch.’ Rudolph said. ‘It was a far more difficult that the previous pitches we have played here this season, and the odd ball really went through. I played and missed far more times than I have this season.’

Elsewhere, the rain disrupt proceedings across the country.

But there was enough play at the Rose Bowl, South Hampton for Gareth Berg to add a useful 50, batting at No 8, as Hampshire accumulated 413 against Middlesex. Berg, who hit ficve fours and a six off 75 balls,  helped put 92 for the seventh wicket with Will Smith, the top-scorer with 97. At the close Middlesex were 102-3 with Nick Compton unbeaten on 32.

Alviro Petersen and Ashwell Prince, who had scored eight and 29 respectively for Lancashire on day 1, had a cold day in the field ad Leicestershire struggled to 195-6, still 173 behind.

Compiled by Mark Salter