At last we have some meaningful domestic cricket in this most dismal and distressing of summers. The appearance of four-day scorecards on websites almost took me by surprise. Like many sports – and indeed the UK Government – county cricket seems to be making it up as they go along. However, unlike the self-inflicted chaos of the Boris regime, it doesn’t really matter. Given the current circumstances, it is right that spectators are not allowed in to watch but for all those who play of just follow the game, the launch this week of the truncated season is extremely welcome.
It’s not the County Championship as we know it – and I seriously wonder whether the Bob Willis Trophy will become the default format even when Covid-19 has been despatched over cow corner – but the first set of regional fixtures provided excitement a-plenty.
Results made a mockery of the 2019 league tables, including Leicestershire’s seven-wicket victory over Lancashire, achieved thanks to a late fourth day run chase led by Colin Ackermann. Lancashire’s bowling attack featured three debutants and they were powerless to stop Ackermann and, in the first innings, Ben Slater, whose 172 was the second highest score of the week.
At Trent Bridge, Derbyshire nicked a three-wicket win against local rivals Nottinghamshire. Having been set an unlikely 365 to win, an unbeaten 91 by Fynn Hudson-Prentice saw Derby home in the final over, continuing Notts’ miserable run from last year. Durham’s ex-Yorkshire opener Alex Lees struck 106 but his old county came out on top with fine bowling by Coad and Fisher in particular.
Worcestershire sit atop the Central group after triumphing at Bristol. Solid first innings batting down the order, followed by a four-wicket Joe Leach spell set eared the 22 points. Last season’s nearly-boys Somerset were in trouble on day one at home to second-tier Glamorgan before Jack Brooks blasted 72 batting at eleven. Cue the Overton brothers. It was announced this week that Surrey have bought Jamie’s services but his allegiance to the West Country was in no doubt as he and Craig each ended up with seven wickets. Tom Abell’s 119 rubbed in the fact that the Welsh batting was hopelessly outclassed, missing a top-class overseas player or two. Warwickshire’s new signing Tim Bresnan was in good all-round form, taking four wickets and striking a first-day century but they were held to a draw by Northants.
In the South, Middlesex won bragging rights in the London derby. Nick Gubbins produced the best batting performance of the week, contributing 252 runs in the match and that man Tim Murtagh, while his Irish compatriots were beating England in their ODI, snaffled another five-fer in a 190-run victory. It was a tighter affair at Chelmsford where Essex overturned a substantial first-innings deficit to beat Kent by two wickets. Sussex had briefly led the group after beating Hampshire inside three days. Opener Phil Salt struck two half-centuries while Ollie Robinson again proved his worth as one of the country’s finest young pace bowlers, should Anderson and Broad ever decide to quit.
I don’t know who will win the whole affair or even how it will be eventually decided. It’s just great to get things up and running.
Team of the Week: Dent (Glo), Slater (Lei), Gubbins (Mid), Kuhn (Ken), Ackermann (Lei), Smith (Sur +), Bresnan (War), C Overton (Som), J Overton (Som), Robinson (Sus), Murtagh (Mid)
