Down
in Chelmsford, it was 2017 all over again when Jamie Porter and Steve Harmer
dismissed Lancashire for only 144 first innings runs to keep them in the hunt.
It was Porter again who snuffed out the visitors’ chase on day three, consigning
Liam Livingstone’s side to a second defeat.
I am
delighted to report a Somerset victory in their opening fixture, a rarity these
days. It was a tough few days for batsmen in Taunton, and Worcestershire
all-rounder Ed Barnard took eleven wickets. However, first Matt Renshaw, then
James Hildreth reached three figures while colleagues struggled, and Luke
Gregory was the pick of the bowlers who ensured the Worcester tail didn’t
rescue their top-order failings.
Surrey also wrapped
up a home win, defeating Hampshire by 139 runs. The main damage was done by
their two wicketkeeper-batsmen, Ben Foakes and Ollie Pope in the second innings.
They shared a century partnership, with 20 year-old Pope making 145 and taking
his first-class average to almost 50. In reply, Sam Northeast compiled a
hundred for Hampshire but nobody else could reach even 40 as teen spinner Amar
Virdi took four wickets.
Warwickshire
sit atop Division Two after thumping Northamptonshire by an innings. Tim
Ambrose top-scored as they passed 400 but the Wantage Road side had no answer
to Ryan Sidebottom: not the recently-retired ex-England man, but the injury-hit
Aussie right-armer. His 6-35 and 4-61 proved decisive, while England under-19
medium-pacer Henry Brookes picked off the final pair.
The Derby
faithful probably fainted when, after a 23-match barren spell, Derbyshire
finally secured a home victory. It was particularly surprising given that their
opponents were Middlesex. Duanne Olivier boasts a world-class bowling average of
under 22 and the South African claimed eight wickets. In the second innings,
openers Ben Slater and Luis Reece shared a 210-run partnership, taking took
Derbyshire towards the rarified heights of 333-3, whereupon skipper Godleman
declared to set a challenging target of 442. Once the Middlesex top-half had been
despatched for below 100, that was always out of sight despite late hitting by
James Harris and Tom Helm.
Stripped of
their top players, Durham look like being the new Derbyshire in 2018. They were
knocked over twice within two days by Kent, for whom Matt Henry harvested
twelve more wickets. James Weighell weighed in with a defiant 84 before he
became Henry’s sixth victim of the second innings. Kent’s Bell-Drummond and
Kuhn finished the job a few hours later.
Glamorgan
enjoyed their short trip over the Severn Bridge to Bristol, where they plundered
a six-wicket victory over Gloucestershire. Marchant de Lange followed his
five-wicket haul with an unbeaten 50 but it was the centuries from Shaun Marsh
and David Lloyd which did most to take the Welsh beyond 500 and a lead of 290.
20 year-old James Bracey led the charge with 120 not out and, assisted by spirited
tailenders, forced Glamorgan to bat again. However, Donald and Lloyd smashed seventeen
from Worrell’s seventh over and the job was done.
There were
plenty of runs at Leicester, too and, unlike every other match this week, not
enough wickets to produce a result. Colin Ackermann compiled an excellent 186
but the Sussex opener Luke Wells played out for a draw with 102 not out.
Leicestershire
host a buoyant Derbyshire in an East Midlands derby next weekend, while Middlesex
will want to get their season back on track at home to Glamorgan. In Division
One, the Hampshire v Essex encounter looks the pick of the fixture list but
could Somerset make it two from two at Taunton? I can but dream.
Team of the
Week:
Wells (Sus),
Reece (Der), Ackermann (Lei), Bracey (Glo), Hildreth (Som), Foakes (Sur, +), Pope (Sur), Barnard (Wor),
Henry (Ken), Sidebottom (War), Porter (Ess)
