COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION TWO, Swalec Stadium:
CLOSE OF PLAY, DAY THREE: Glamorgan 198 & 232, Middx 181 & 200-4
Middlesex 3pts, Glamorgan 3pts
Match scorecard

Scott Newman added 64 to the 99 he scored in the first innings

Half centuries from Scott Newman and Dawid Malan put Middlesex on the verge of a final-day victory against Division Two leaders Glamorgan at Cardiff.

Jim Allenby's unbeaten 91 helped Glamorgan, 156-8 overnight, to 232, to set 250 for victory in five sessions.

Newman then hit 64, while Malan is still there on 52 as Middlesex reached 200-4, needing a further 50 to win.

That would, in all likelihood, see Glamorgan replaced at the top of the table by Sussex.

After a delayed start, Glamorgan's second innings lasted another 19.4 overs either side of an early lunch, which was taken because of rain.

Despite still being hampered by a broken right thumb, home skipper Jamie Dalrymple (27) and last man David Harrison (26 in 19 balls) helped Allenby eke out another 76 runs.

606: DEBATE Looks like Middlesex have salvaged this one armitageroberts

Middlesex then suffered an early setback when John Simpson was caught at second slip.

But, from 31-1, Middlesex's second-wicket pair of Owais Shah and, in particular, Newman started to knock the runs off.

The pair added 71 in 24 overs, during which time Newman completed his second half century of the match before throwing his wicket away, when he went down the wicket to Robert Croft and was stumped.

Malan was given a life on 19, dropped at midwicket by Ben Wright attempting to sweep Dean Cosker.

But Cosker got his revenge when Shah swept him straight down the throat of James Harris at deep backward square leg for 47.

Malan went on to make his half century from 123 balls and he and Gareth Berg looked well set to knock off the remainder of the runs required on the final day.

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