If anything this week’s weather was even worse than last week’s. There were plenty of excellent seam bowling performances and hopeful batting thrashes but only one produced a victory. The nationwide sweeps of rain make Nottinghamshire’s long-forgotten ability to win even more remarkable.
They returned to the pinnacle of Group 1 with a resounding innings victory at Trent Bridge. First, Ben Duckett (177 not out) and skipper Steve Mullaney (88) flayed the Worcestershire attack to achieve maximum batting bonus points, then the bowlers twice dismissed the opposition with ease. For the second successive match, Luke Fletcher achieved his career best figures, taking 7-37 and 3-20. In Essex’s draw with Warwickshire, Peter Siddle starred with 6-38 while in the Durham-Derbyshire clash, veteran Chris Rushworth and 21 year-old Ben Aitchison swapped six-fors.
In Group 2, only 115 overs were possible in the one-two challenge in Bristol. A brilliant 132 not out by Tom Abell, ably supported by Lewis Gregory, took them to 300, then in what time was available on Sunday Craig Overton grabbed four cheap Gloucestershire wickets to back his England recall. The draw was inevitable but Somerset edged the bonus point battle to cut Gloucestershire’s margin at the top by three. Generous innings forfeits by Hampshire and Leicestershire proved ultimately in vain at Southampton, but Kyle Abbott did shine with 6-47.
At The Oval, Surrey and Middlesex came creditably close to producing an exciting conclusion. In-form Surrey opener Rory Burns scored a further 168 runs and team-mate Kemar Roach claimed nine wickets as the visitors’ run chase ran out of time despite an 173-run stand between Nick Gubbins and Peter Handscomb.
In Group 3, barely 34 overs were possible at Northampton, although Lancashire’s Alex Davies made a patient half-century. However, the star performance of the week was created by that modern marvel of county cricket, Darren Stevens. With his Kent side bottom of the table, struggling on 128-8 and well aware that rain would prevent any chance of beating Glamorgan, the 45 year-old thought he had nothing to lose. He’s been in terrible form with the bat but suddenly the stars were aligned, the fans were back in Canterbury and the boundaries flowed: his total of fifteen sixes is the second highest number ever struck in a Championship innings. In a perfectly executed study of how to use the wind and farm the strike, in his ninth wicket stand of 166, partner Miguel Cummins contributed precisely just a single! Stevens had made 190 from 147 balls when Marnus Labuschagne, having already dropped him, induced a catch to long-on. ‘Bilbo’ gained revenge on the Aussie in Glamorgan’s brief reply, trapping him lbw for 11.
He’ll relish the rest next week as Kent don’t have a fixture, but the Bank Holiday weekend will witness the Roses match at Old Trafford to decide the leadership of Group 3. In Group 2, Gloucestershire travel to Surrey with a chance to establish a substantial advantage, and Nottinghamshire can do the same in Group 1 by defeating Warwickshire at Edgbaston. However, should they lose, Essex and Derbyshire are waiting to pounce should they beat Durham and Worcestershire, respectively.
Team of the Week: Burns (Som), Stoneman
(Som), Duckett (Not), Abell (Som), Simpson (Mid +), Mullaney (Not), Stevens
(Ken), Abbott (Ham), Fletcher (Not), Roach (Sur), Aitchison (Der)
