In a summer of dramatic finishes and topsy-turvy performances, one thing has been constant: Northamptonshire's inability to win a County Championship match. They don't even get close. This week the beneficiaries were Sussex; the margin: an innings and 86 runs, achieved in barely two days. Nice to see David Willey back bowling after his back injury but Luke Wright's 158 defied everyone bar Andrew Hall, then the seaming pitch was tailor-made for Steve Magoffin. The Aussie took 5-12 and 3-28 as Northants - with the honourable exception of bowler Steven Crook - capitulated once more. Sussex advanced to sixth in the table, while the Wantage Road outfit languish sixty-four points adrift at the bottom.
With Nottinghamshire not playing this week, Yorkshire return to pole position despite failing to press home their first innings dominance over Durham. Openers Adam Lyth and Alex Leez shared another massive partnership (270) but on the final day the visitors held on for a draw thanks to half-centuries by Richardson, Stoneman and Mustard. Somerset cling on to third despite being second best to Middlesex for most of the game at Uxbridge. Dawid Malan made it two successive centuries, while Paul Stirling and newcomer Nick Gubbins each struck two 50s before Chris Rogers declared on the final morning. Fortunately for my lot, Nick Compton and James Hildreth remained in good nick and defeat was easily avoided.
Somerset have a reasonable chance of bouncing back with a trip to Wantage Road next weekend although, knowing our luck, Peters will strike a 'triple' and Azharullah will take 8-20 and 6-15 and that'll be that! Nottinghamshire can reclaim top spot by beating Lancashire at Liverpool.
In Division Two, Hampshire were given a scare at the Rose Bowl. Gloucestershire racked up 504-8 declared and might have won the match had Hampshire's last pair Tomlinson and Balcombe not hung around for thirty-odd overs and scored rare half-centuries. Will Gidman's 119 was the top score in the match. Worcestershire now have the luxury of a four-point lead with a game in hand, with Leicestershire next in line.
Hants must also be concerned to see Surrey's winning streak continuing. From another disastrous early season, Gary Wilson's side have won three of their last four fixtures, thrashing Glamorgan by nine wickets. The Colwyn Bay sea air clearly did Chris Tremlett the world of good. He took 5-60 and thumped four sixes on the first three days before Chris Cooke staved off an innings defeat. Zafar Ansari completed his second century, while both Rory Burns and skipper Wilson each made 97 in a mammoth score of 589-8 declared.
Kent also won as the Grace Road wicket seemed to get increasingly easy as the match wore on. Mitch Claydon and, unsurprisingly, Darren Stevens each weighed in with a half-century and five-for before Sam Northeast's measured 112 not out saw Kent home by six wickets. Finally at Chesterfield, it was a fairly even contest between Derbyshire and Essex. Even with Ryan Ten Doeschate blasting 104, the target of 367 in 61 overs was never going to be achieved. The game will best be remembered for the performance of Nick Browne. The 23 year-old opener scored his maiden hundred in the first innings then produced his second on the final day! Not only that, but in so doing he became the first Essex batsman to hit unbeaten centuries in both innings of a Championship contest. Maybe he should swap places with another Essex opener struggling for runs....?!
