Ricardo Vasconcelos hit a magnificent unbeaten 166, his ninth first-class century and first in two years, as he indulged his love of Glamorgan's bowlers on the second day of this Vitality County Championship match at Wantage Road.
He shared a 52nd-wicket partnership with captain Luke Procter for 191 and a 103-run stand with Karun Nair, who reached 7,000 career first-class runs, to help Northamptonshire to 314 for 2 in reply to Glamorgan 271, a 43-run lead.
Vasconcelos, playing his first match for the Steelbacks this season since returning from injury, put a lacklustre 2023 behind him to register his first century since 156 at Warwickshire in May 2022. It was also his highest score since 79 against Surrey in September that year, although he did make 106 against Glamorgan in the One Day Cup last season.
He has two previous Championship scores in the 180s, against Glamorgan in 2019 and 2021.
If Vasconcelos looked rusty early on, with a couple of miscues falling short of the fielders, he grew in fluency and confidence, timing the ball beautifully and taking the attack to Glamorgan with some crisp hitting that earned him 23 boundaries from 246 deliveries.
Earlier, Mason Crane hit 61, his maiden first-class half-century, to frustrate Northamptonshire's bowlers and earn Glamorgan a valuable batting bonus point. Crane shared a spirited last-wicket partnership of 35 with Mir Hamza after Ben Sanderson's 19th career five-wicket haul threatened a quick end to Glamorgan's innings.
Resuming on 203 for 7, Glamorgan had resumed their innings. Colin Ingram, 69 overnight, was on 82 and within sight of a second century of the season when he fell to a stunning one-handed diving catch by Nair at first slip. Sanderson then had Brad Wheal caught behind without scoring to claim his fifth wicket of the innings.
Crane proved to be a thorn in Northamptonshire's side as he eclipsed his previous highest score of 29. He was proactive, producing shots such as a cheeky late dab to third man and an uppercut over the keeper. Strong on the pull, he smashed a short ball from Chris Tremain for six before sending a Raphy Weatherall delivery over mid-on to reach 50 and take Glamorgan past 250. He eventually departed after flicking a short delivery from Procter to slip.
For Northamptonshire, Emilio Gay looked fluent after scoring 261 against Middlesex last weekend, hitting two fours off James Harris' first over before the Welshman was trapped lbw.
Even without as much support for the bowlers as on the opening day, Hamza kept things tight, showing admirable control and conceding just 13 runs in his first nine overs after lunch. He got the ball swinging in the evening session and deserved some reward for his efforts.
Vasconcelos edged him just short of the first slip on 10 and top-edged an attempted hook off Wheal that landed between two advancing fielders on 13.
But he began to find his groove, hitting Harris through point to bring up Northamptonshire's 50, before hitting boundaries off the bowler's next over. He drove fluently and played with his legs throughout his innings, an early highlight being a perfectly controlled uppercut through point for four off Dan Douthwaite. He brought up Northamptonshire's 100 and his own half-century from 95 balls, driving Zain-ul-Hassan to ground and then playing an elegant front-foot shot off Hamza.
Vasconcelos continued the attack after tea. He twice drove Crane high over long-on for a boundary and dabbed Wheal to third before running in a single to bring up his century from 153 balls.
Procter was happy to fly under the radar as Vasconcelos raced at the other end. Strong off the legs, he clipped three balls to the ropes early in his innings before pulling Wheal through midwicket after tea on his way to a half-century. His downfall came after 158 balls when he tried to sweep Crane and had Billy Root at backward square take a juggling catch.
Nair played some graceful shots, driving and cutting sweetly and hitting five boundaries as Northamptonshire passed 300 in the 81st over.