It’s not yet mid-April and we’ve had the first results of the 2021 County Championship. How did that happen?! At least we didn’t have to wait until August as we did last year. Of course the Covid pandemic hasn’t gone away and spectators aren’t yet dribbling into the cricket grounds. Today they were probably all greeting the easing of restrictions by queuing for Primark, but over the preceding four days they would have missed some real run fests. I could have included a dozen batsmen deserving of a place in my Team of the Week. Three scores of 150+ simply weren’t good enough. Must try harder, lads!
By summer I’ll probably begin to work out what formats the 2021 season will embrace, but for now I’ll just take the County Championship as it comes, week by week. It’s a three-group first phase which seemed quite popular in last year’s severely truncated competition and, despite the cold air – and even a little snow at Headngley – the pitches definitely favoured batting.
In Group 1, champions Essex were held at home by Worcestershire. Tom Westley’s first double-century in six years seemed to have set up another victory, only for Jake Libby and Ed Barnard to frustrate the home side. Libby’s unbeaten 180 was, at 681 minutes, the second longest county innings on record. At Trent Bridge, Nottinghamshire’s Liam Norwell claimed the best bowling of the week, a first-innings 5-32, but in their second outing, Durham’s South African David Bedingham (180) and Ned Eckersley (113 not out) turned 22-3 into a match-saving and potentially even match-winning 332-4 declared. However, a draw was agreed on the final afternoon.
In contrast each of the three Group 2 fixtures produced results. Hampshire looked the most impressive in thrashing Leicestershire by an innings. The home team’s bowling was rather ragged as James Vince’s 231 and Liam Dawson’s rapid 152 not out helped Hampshire to a formidable 612-5 declared. 2020 absentee Kyle Abbott was the pick of the bowlers. Somerset began with an eight-point deduction for preparing a poor pitch in the 2019 finale so desperately needed a victory over Middlesex at Lord’s. Sam Robson’s 165 and fine bowling by Murtagh and Bamber on the first few days showed that was looking unlikely. However, Somerset’s useful attack dismissed Middlesex for just 143 and Tom Abell, George Bartlett and Lewis Gregory did the rest. Phew!
At The Oval, Surrey’s Ben Foakes’ 133 appeared to have made amends for a first-innings deficit only for Chris Dent and a rampant Graeme van Buuren to nick an eight-wicket triumph for Gloucestershire.
Group 3 yielded three draws, with little to choose between them. Glamorgan’s trip to Yorkshire pitched the Root brothers against each other, and young Billy resoundingly came out on top, starring with 153 runs to Joe’s aggregate of just 29. Billy shared a stand of 212 with captain Chris Cooke to declare and leave Yorkshire to take a cautious approach on the final day. They were never going to achieve 377 to win so Adam Lyth settled for a patient 115 not out and a draw.
At Old Trafford, Lancashire skipper Dane Vilas and young Sussex opener Tom Haines exchanged big hundreds but the Manchester weather prevented much action at the weekend. The contest at Northampton also petered out after two innings of 400+. Northants batsmen Vasconcelos and Keogh struck tons in response to 116 by that man Darren Stevens. Now in his 25th county season, he became the oldest centurion in the Championship for 34 years. It is becoming increasingly likely that Dazza will go on for ever.
This week he’ll have another go against Lancashire and the pick of the round two ties could be the West Country derby between early winners Somerset and Gloucestershire.
Team of the Week: Haines (Sus), Libby (Wor),
Westley (Ess), Vince (Ham), Bedingham (Dur), Vilas (Sus), Foakes (Sur +), Critchley
(Der), Gregory (Som), Abbott (Ham), Norwell (War)
