On-song Saif Zaib joins elite club as he racks up sixth century of the season for Northants

The left-hander is enjoying a stunning season with the bat, and his effort saw him match the season's-best total of South African Lance Klusener, who was the most recent player to achieve the feat of six tons in one summer back in 2006.

The other two players to have managed that in the recent past are Australian star Mike Hussey in 2003 and former skipper and County great Allan Lamb, who did so in 1992.

Zaib actually played under head coach Hussey for Welsh Fire in the recent Hundred tournament, and he revealed that his fellow left-hander had quickly congratulated him on his achievement.

“I was with Mike Hussey in The Hundred, so we spoke a little bit about it, actually," revealed Zaib. "And he sent me a message which was quite nice. It's always nice to be in that company."

Zaib's incredible effort leaves him two shy of the club record of eight centuries in a season, which was set by Bob Haywood, the little matter of 104 years ago in 1921.

With the potential of another five innings to play this campaign, does Zaib think he can even match that long-standing record?

"I try to take each game as it comes, and it'd be amazing if I could do that and hopefully I've still got a few more years in myself to achieve that," said the 27-year-old, who has now amassed 1,192 runs at an average of 66.22 in red ball cricket this summer.

"But obviously, yes, it's pleasing for myself to have this season I have had, but trying to win trophies and trying to win games, as much as I can, is more important to me than records.

"So, obviously, I’m looking forward to Saturday (Finals Day) and hopefully next few years as well in the Champo stuff.”

Zaib's effort on a rain-affected day at Wantage Road saw Northants close on 413 for nine in reply to Glamorgan's 467 all out, meaning the County go into the final day of the match trailing by 54 runs.

The Welsh county are likely to be keen to manufacture some kind of run chase as they are still in the hunt for promotion to division one, and Zaib says he and his team-mates will just try and take on whatever challenge is laid out in front of them on Thursday.

“Hopefully we can get over the line with some sort of result in this match," said the Wycombe-born all-rounder.

"We can't really control the weather but hopefully there is enough time for us to do something.

"Like our game away to Kent, going down to the last couple of wickets, anything can happen and we’ve put ourselves in a nice position with the bat.

"So hopefully we can get bowling and roll them out as quickly as we can and then knock off whatever they set us."

Play is set to resume at the County Ground at 10.30am on Thursday.

Quotes courtesy of Jeremy Blackmore