With Essex
head and shoulders ahead of everyone else, the Division One microscope was
focussed on the relegation battle involving the rest of the counties.
We Somerset
fans have endured a sorry summer and, after last week’s fillip, normal misery
was restored when we suffered a perfect storm. Not only did Abell’s men get
duffed up by Surrey but nearest rivals Middlesex and Yorkshire both won to open
up a gap which leaves Somerset probably needing to beat Middlesex this week to maintain
their record-breaking top tier stretch.
Steven Finn
took 8-79 in the second innings to despatch Lancashire while Yorkshire
scrambled to a two-wicket win over Warwickshire. Hampshire had Essex on the
rack when Kyle Abbott’s 6-20 destroyed the champs’ first innings. However, 20
year-olds Dan Lawrence (101) and Samuel Cook (5-18) restored the balance of
power on the final days. The defeat leaves Hampshire still vulnerable to the
drop. It’s all rather nailbiting.
Nottinghamshire
have dominated Division Two all season but, after coming a cropper against
third-placed Northamptonshire, now need to win their final match against Sussex
to gain the promotion they looked certain to secure only a few weeks ago. Rory
Kleinveldt’s 9-65, 4-33 and 91 runs made him the individual all-round performer
of the week, although Jeetan Patel ran him close. Glamorgan’s young batsman
Kiran Carlsen topped the run-scoring table for the week, striking 191 in the
first innings but that man Kumar Sangakkara signed off his home career for Surrey
with yet another century, the 103rd in all cricket. He’s been so
supreme in the Championship that on the occasions he is dismissed, spectators
are stunned into silence. What a player!
Team of the
Week: Wells (Sus), Howell (Glo), Sangakkara (Sur), Carlson (Gla), Davies (Som
+), Clarke (Sur), Kleinveldt (Nor), Patel (War), Bailey (Lan), Wood (Not), Finn
(Mid)
