Tribe and Carlson centuries put Glamorgan on top against Essex
Glamorgan seized the opening day of their final Rothesay County Championship match of the season, closing on 318-3 against Essex at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff on 24 September.
Asa Tribe finished unbeaten on 135. Captain Kiran Carlson made 107 alongside him. The day-one position was reported by BBC Sport.
The County Championship is England and Wales' four-day, first-class league, where teams bat in long innings and can draw as well as win or lose. Glamorgan chose to make first use of a good surface. They did not waste it.
Tribe batted through the day. Still not out at stumps — meaning he had not been dismissed — he reached his century from 206 balls and passed 800 Championship runs for the summer during the innings. Colin Ingram was with him overnight on 24 not out.
Carlson gave the innings its pace. His century — 100 runs or more in one innings — came from 142 deliveries. He and Tribe added more than 150 together for the third wicket and left Essex chasing the game.
Essex toiled. The visitors missed two early chances and paid for them. Glamorgan's opening stand reached 76 before Zaman Akhter removed Zain Ul Hassan, caught behind by wicketkeeper George Bell.
Spin offered Essex relief. Matt Critchley took 2-56, including Ben Kellaway for two late in the day to secure a bowling bonus point. That left Glamorgan with two points overnight to Essex's one.
There was a sense of ending and beginning in the teams. Ingram returned for Glamorgan's finale in place of the injured Jack Hope-Bell, while Dan Douthwaite replaced Mir Hamza. Essex brought back Simon Harmer and Jack Auld, still searching for a first Championship win since beating Leicestershire on 12 June.
What makes this stand out is the platform. Three wickets down, two set batters in the hut, and two full days still to shape. For fans, this means Glamorgan can bat Essex out of the contest on day two — or give their bowlers early time with the ball.
