At the start of the week, the County Championship looked like a two-horse race. A few days later, two became three. I would have put money on Yorkshire seaming their way to victory against Somerset at Headingley. However, it all went pear-shaped on the first day as the hosts were bowled out for 145. Despite Ryan Sidebottom’s 5-51, Somerset opened up a considerable first innings lead. The champions fared a bit better on day three but, with Root and Bairstow banned from participating, there was too little support for centurion Jake Lehmann. This time it was slow left-armer Jack Leach who did most of the damage, completing his fourth five-for in five matches. Incredibly Somerset are just one point behind Yorkshire with the final round of games to come.
Gareth Batty may have been called up for England but Leach is by far the most successful leftie in the Championship this summer. At Chester-le-Street neither Batty nor fellow potential Bangladesh tourist Ansari took any wickets as Durham sneaked a 21-run win over Surrey. Sam Curran did his best on the final few days, taking 7-58 then compiling an unbeaten 50 before Stoke and Onions applied the coup-de-gras.
Jason Roy aggregated more than 200 runs in the match but Durham’s Keaton Jennings stole the show with another double-century. He is by some margin the highest scorer in Division One and can add to his tally next week.
With Yorkshire stumbling, Middlesex must have seen the finishing line looming large at Old Trafford, but Lancashire showed some admirable fight. At 248-2 on day one, all was going the leaders’ way, then Jarvis and Kerrigan instigated a collapse. Haseeb Hameed is the talk of the town at the moment but he was dismissed for a duck, while his senior opening partner, 20 year-old Rob Jones carried his bat for 109. Unfortunately, too many hours’ play were lost to produce an exciting climax and a draw ensued.
The bonus points ensured that Middlesex remain on top by nine points. But we’re in for the best finish to the Championship in years. If Somerset beat relegated Nottinghamshire and the Yorkshire-Middlesex clash is drawn, there is a distinct possibility of Somerset’s late charge yielding that elusive first title. Too many ifs and buts, of course, but it keeps things interesting to the last.
In Division Two, Essex were surprisingly humbled at home by struggling Glamorgan. However, the six bonus points collected were sufficient to confirm them as champions. Chris Silverwood seems to have succeeded where others have failed in recent seasons. They have some decent young batsmen but in this game relied too much on captain Ryan Ten Doeschate, James Foster and Graham Napier. Special mention should go to the Welsh side’s Kiran Carlson. Following his embarrassing ‘pair’ last week, the Cardiff 18 year-old struck 119 to become Glamorgan’s youngest ever centurion. It was a very close conclusion but van Gugten and Hogan got the better of the Essex tail and Glamorgan won by eleven runs.
The margin of Worcestershire’s triumph over Sussex was identical at Hove. Nobody made three figures but two bowlers claimed ten wickets or more. Steve Magoffin’s 5-38 and 5-32 deserved to win the game, but Worcester’s new arrival from Barbados, Miguel Cummins snared 12 for 166, claiming the last four to fall.
Northamptonshire have enjoyed an impressive September but their victory over Gloucestershire came to late to challenge for promotion. Ben Duckett signed off with 78 and thoroughly deserves his chance with England. He’s been magnificent in 2016. However, it was Rob Newton and Alex Wakely who produced first innings hundreds which laid the foundation for their final success of the summer. Nevertheless, it took another impressive bowling performance from Ben Sanderson to deny Gloucester an improbable run chase. He took 8-73, taking his season’s first-class tally to 55 at an excellent average of 21.
The Derbyshire-Leicestershire fixture ended in a draw but, while Mark Cosgrove was at the crease, the visitors were in with a chance of knocking off the 347 required. However, when he fell victim to Callum Parkinson for 110, he brakes were applied and it took dogged defence by Jones and Sayer to avoid defeat and hand Derbyshire their first Championship success of the season. Now they must travel to Worcester in hope of ending their 2016 drought. Meanwhile Kent entertain Essex at Canterbury and should have enough points in the bank to join their Thames-side neighbours in the top tier next year.
Team of the Week: Jones (Lan), Jennings (Dur), Cosgrove (Lei), Roy (Sur), Madsen (Der), Ten Doeschate (Ess), Hosein (Der +), Kerrigan (Lan), Cummins (Wor), Magoffin (Sus), Sanderson (Nor)
