What a Wonderful World for Sam Cook and Essex

Thanks to a ridiculous quirk of the domestic season, the counties had to re-adjust to the rigours of four-day cricket amidst a welter of Twenty20 fixtures. Some coped better than others. Kent’s Sam Billings moaned about the “completely brainless” fixture list after his side was bowled out by Essex for a paltry 40 on a third day which saw no fewer than 26 wickets fall at Canterbury. By all accounts it was largely the result of brainless batting on both sides, and it was the 22 year-old Chelmsfordian quick, Sam Cook who benefitted most, taking 12-65 in the match. In what may be his final first-class match, Mohammad Amir chipped in with a further six wickets.

The three-wicket victory kept Essex clear at the top, piling the pressure onto Somerset who faced a tricky 258 target against Warwickshire at Edgbaston. The home side won the early skirmishes, helped by 19 year-old Robert Yates’ maiden century. He also top-scored in the second innings but Abell and Jamie Overton bowled Somerset back into contention. On the final day, Banton and Bartlett each passed 50 to earn Somerset an eighth Championship win which leaves them just two points behind Essex.

At Scarborough, Nottinghamshire lost yet again while Yorkshire’s 143-run success keeps them in the title hunt, albeit needing the top two to falter. Tyke ‘keeper Tattersall’s 92 was the top score, while Surrey’s deputy gloveman Ollie Pope trumped almost everybody this week. His unbeaten 221, allied to a first-innings 7-74 by Rikki Clarke looked likely to overcome Hampshire. However, Liam Dawson’s batting steadied the ship on day four to ensure a draw, redeeming himself after 0-180 bowling figures.

It was also a full programme in Division Two where Lancashire skipped along the North Wales coast to deliver a drubbing to Glamorgan. With their best batsman Labuschagne on duty with Australia, they struggled badly for runs. The visitors’ captain and wicketkeeper Dane Vilas outscored Glamorgan’s first innings total on his own, plundering 266 from only 240 deliveries, including six sixes. Tom Bailey ably led the largely seam attack which took twenty wickets, all of them bowled, LBW or caught behind.

The result saw Glamorgan slipping back into the pack, while another surprise package, Gloucestershire, advanced to second after an eight-wicket victory at Derby. Opener Chris Dent scored heavily, while Ryan Higgins added a century and five-for to his summer’s impressive statistics. Down at Wantage Road, Moeen Ali’s return to the real world netted him 82 runs and three expensive wickets but another Worcestershire defeat, this time by ten wickets to Northamptonshire. Wakeley and Pretorius each stuck centuries and Ben Hutton starred with the ball.

Sussex beat Middlesex handsomely by seven wickets at Hove, their first Championship win since the reverse fixture at the beginning of June. The away team’s batting looked extremely frail, although tailender Tim Murtagh added useful runs to his five cheap wickets. Sussex seamer Ollie Robinson took 8-34 and 6-101, taking his tally past fifty for the season. The remaining fixture saw Durham declare on 544-9 and force Leicestershire to follow-on.at Chester-le-Street. Alex Lees struck 181 and Ben Carse claimed 6-63 before Mark Cosgrove anchored a fightback with 107 not out to avoid defeat.

We now face another three-week burst of Blast before proper cricket action is resumed.

Team of the Week: Lees (Dur), Dent (Glo), Yates (War), Pope (Sur), Vilas (Lan +), Higgins (Glo), Patterson-White (Yor), Bailey (Lan), Cook (Ess), Robinson (Sus), Murtagh (Mid)