Whether you were at Trent Bridge, Worcester or Southend, it was a day for the bowlers, and there were some amazing results in the Championship.
In the 2nd Test, the Indian seamers definitely had the better of England until one of our own fast men, Stuart Broad, showed Cook, Trott and Morgan how to score runs with a pugnacious 64 in 68 balls. If the ball swings under cloud cover during the weekend, the match will be all over before the Monday rush hour!
Pity poor Worcestershire. They amass an impressive 48 in their first innings against Somerset, yet on the final day succumb to an innings defeat. How on earth did that happen? I don't have a mass of stats at my fingertips but this must be one of the least likely defeats of recent times. When Moeen Ali was sharing century partnerships with Solanki and Kervezee on the first day, things looked very positive for the relegation-threatened club. Enter Marcus Trescothick. Ably supported by Suppiah and Compton, Somerset quickly reduced the deficit, the skipper making another double-hundred and declaring just shy of 600. A draw still looked odds-on favourite but on a deteriorating pitch offering bounce and turn, Trego, Thomas and Kartik spun the game on its head and bowled Worcester out for only 95 to win by an innings and eight runs.
Leicestershire lost their Division Two match to Essex in even more dramatic circumstances. Having earned a first innings lead, the home side defied an awkward seaside pitch and, with Ravi Bopara compiling an excellent 176, set James Taylor's men a challenging target of 315 to win. Astonishingly, the chase lasted a mere 88 balls, as former Leicester man David Masters claimed eight wickets for ten in 7.4 overs. Only Josh Cobb reached double figures and five were out for ducks. As well as a considerable amount of egg on their faces after such a humiliation, the off-pitch managerial shenanigans have left Leicestershire with serious problems. They are bottom of Division Two and, without new England Lions skipper James Taylor, they will be without any real batting quality. Club captain Matthew Hoggard was missing from this fixture but he must be shaking his head in disbelief at the way his charges capitulated so miserably.
Anyway, back in Division One, Lancashire blew their chance to overtake Durham at the top, despite my saying last week it was a foregone conclusion! It was a low-scoring affair at Southport, with seamers in control, but it was Nottinghamshire's Andre Adams and Darren Pattinson's combined tally of eighteen wickets which proved decisive. Lancashire's highest score of the game was Stephen Moore's first innings knock of 37, and their Championship credentials are looking a little shakier right now. With Somerset making their traditional late season charge, Durham, Warwickshire and Lancashire have a fight on their hands.
