The
opposition opener D’Arcy Short continued his fine all-round form although
Durham lost two of their matches. Their only victory was at home to bottom team
Leicestershire. Last week I conjectured that Leicester’s winless streak would
surely end soon, and so it proved in an eleven-over romp at Trent Bridge where
Arron Lilley cracked 66 in 30 deliveries. Hales, Duckett, Clarke and Christian
just couldn’t respond for Nottinghamshire although they crushed the Birmingham
Bears by 71 runs. Lancashire still top the group without a single defeat.
Further
south, Afghan seamer Mohammad Nabi made some telling contributions for Kent,
albeit with the bat. The most devastating was his 12-ball 43 not out in a
seven-over thrash against Surrey, out-striking even Aaron Finch. In contrast,
Kent’s first loss of the campaign was inflicted by Sussex, for whom Tymal Mills
was in particularly good form all week and Jofra Archer was given a few
workouts with the ball.
Glamorgan’s
search for a T20 success goes on. They missed a golden opportunity to beat
Gloucestershire at Cardiff where short-form specialist paceman Andrew Tye
struck a rapid unbeaten 38 to earn his side a tie. The Welsh side did suffer
the most humiliating reverse of the week, as Hampshire dismissed them for 87 on
a tricky Southampton pitch. Mason Crane and Liam Dawson each took three cheap
wickets.
Somerset
managed a single win, beating Surrey easily in a high-scorer at Taunton. Eddie
Byrom struck a 19-ball fifty on his T20 debut. However, a stress injury to Lewis
Gregory earlier in the week could prove disastrous for Somerset not only in the
Blast but also our efforts to clinch the Championship from Essex’s clutches.
Cricket is not just about the Aussies.
Team of the
Week: Short (Dur), Wessels (Wor), Westley (Ess), Vince (Ham), Parnell (Wor),
Moores (Not +), Mohammad Nabi (Ken), Higgins (Glo), Crane (Ham), Rampaul (Der),
Mills (Sus)
