However, Lancashire top the group following three victories of their
own. Last night’s thrilling one-run success over their White Rose rivals was
the big one, and there was no ‘bat drop’ celebration for Joe Root, who couldn’t
find the last-ball boundary Yorkshire needed. Liam Livingstone added to his
considerable run tally for the season but Toby Lester’s excellent start – 4-25
against Derbyshire – couldn’t be maintained. Root and Bresnan took him to the
cleaners in the exciting run chase at Old Trafford.
Even more cliffhanging was Friday’s game at Edgbaston. After suffering
five successive defeats, Northamptonshire must have sensed success against
Birmingham Bears once Richard Levi’s unbeaten 95 had anchored a score of 231-5.
However, Ian Bell, once derided for his inability to score quickly enough for
England, produced a magnificent 131, including seven sixes. He was dismissed by
Buck in the last over with ten needed, then de Grandhomme fell with two to win.
Unfortunately for the Bears, Aaron Thomason could only muster a single from the
final ball and we had a tie. At least Northants had secured a point.
In the South division, Kent and Gloucestershire share the lead,
but both were prevented from adding two to their points total by rain (yes,
rain!). At Cheltenham, the weather closed in before the home team could bat,
and the same thing happened at The Oval, where the Kent attack was hammered for
250-6. Inevitably, Aaron Finch led the way with a 38-ball 83.
I’m delighted that Somerset are back in the hunt. Their trips to
Lord’s and Cardiff resulted in much needed triumphs, Max Waller’s leg-spin
being particularly mean at the start of the innings. However, when it comes to
taking wickets, James Fuller topped the bill this week. The eighth bowler used
by Middlesex against Hampshire, he claimed an impressive 6-28. Nevertheless,
they still contrived to lose the game and hand Hampshire a first win of the 2018
Blast.
They meet again next week, but the Kent-Sussex and
Birmingham-Yorkshire clashes are the picks of the fixture list. The T20 block
is also interrupted briefly by some Championship matches, including another Roses
encounter and leaders Surrey travelling to Nottinghamshire. If Finch plays, it could be over in two days.
Team of the
Week:
Latham (Dur),
Bell (War), Levi (Nor), Livingstone (Lan), MacLeod (Dur), Stokes (Dur), Brown
(Sus +), Archer (Sus), Imran Tahir (Dur), Waller (Som), Fuller (Mid)
