After all the column inches and amendments to record books in the wake of the Trent Bridge Test match, tailenders are enjoying the cricketing limelight right now. Forget a ten-for, a typical 'rabbit' would surely gain more headlines by scoring ten runs in an hour and saving his side from defeat.
Some of this week's Championship fixtures went right to the wire, including Nottinghamshire's game at Liverpool. There may have been a day to go, but it was Harry Gurney's cover driven single, not his 4-22, which was celebrated by his skipper Chris Read after Notts squeezed a victory against unlucky Lancashire. Insodoing they took an eleven-point lead in Division One.
Somerset were also playing a relegation-threatened county. To their credit, Northamptonshire made a decent fist of their second innings, even threatening to secure their first win of the summer but this set of tailenders couldn't quite do an Anderson or Kumar. They did progress from 117-6 to 351-8, giving my heart a few worried flutters yesterday afternoon. However, Lewis Gregory secured his eleventh wicket of the match and Craig Overton had Andrew Hall caught to end the home side's resistance and take Trescothick and co into their familiar runners-up spot. They will probably have to face the rest of the season without Craig Kieswetter, whose nose and right eye socket suffered severe damage from a David Willey bouncer which penetrated the batsman's helmet visor. Come back Jos Buttler!
Meanwhile Warwickshire took maximum points from Chester-le-Street, thrashing Durham by an innings and 189. For once, their top order produced most of the runs, including 76 from Jonathan Trott, before that solid attack of Keith Barker, Boyd Rankin and Jeetan Patel twice ripped a Stokes-less Durham to pieces. Warwicks now lie fourth but, like Yorkshire just above them, have a game in hand on the top pair and a deficit which can be overturned with a single victory. Warwickshire visit Sussex and Yorkshire entertain Middlesex in the last round before the 50-over competition intervenes. It will be a nervy interruption for Northants and Lancashire though who will need to do some serious rallying when four-day cricket resumes next month.
In Division Two, Hampshire suffered their first loss this season in a game that the first two days' weather threatened to ensure a draw. In the end it was a tense affair at Colchester where Essex needed just 133 to win but the Hants spinners were on top. Sensible stuff from Ravi Bopara, twice top-scorer for his side, and two boundaries at the death from Saj Mahmood (see first paragraph!) took Essex fourth and left Hampshire a mere five points ahead of Surrey having played the same number of games.
Meanwhile Worcestershire opened up a 22-point lead after defeating Leicestershire by 204 runs. No centuries but I do feel sorry for Tom Kohler-Cadmore. The teenager was bowled by Dan Redfern was bowled by Dan Redfern just a single away from a maiden hundred. His time will come soon, I'm sure. At the time of writing, Gloucestershire's contest with Derbyshire is nicely poised. The two Wills Tavare and Gidman each reached three figures in the Gloucester first innings as they look to put daylight between themselves and Derby near the foot of the table.
Next week's match to watch must be Surrey's home tie against Kent. Another victory will put Surrey hard on Worcester's heels and have Hampshire ruing what has gone wrong.
