Rain affected much of the past week’s Blast fixtures and, without the safety net of a reserve day – which came to the rescue of the World Test Championship Final at Southampton – there were ten washouts. Two of Somerset ‘s three matches were abandoned but they did at least gain revenge against Surrey hanks to solid bowling and a rare half-century from James Hildreth.
However, they remain well off the pace in the South group. Instead it was Kent who seized the initiative. Despite losing to Gloucestershire they leapfrogged Sussex and Surrey to top the table. Runs and wickets came from various sources but opener Zak Crawley and bowler Matt Milnes – whose 5-22 against Essex included 2 caught-and-bowleds – were consistently strong.
He may not have claimed a five-for but Nottinghamshire’s Samit Patel achieved the most impressive match figures of the week. He took 3-4 as Worcestershire struggled to 86-8 in their full 20-over allocation. He also contributed a match-winning 64 not out against Derbyshire, at a strike rate of 200. Had Notts scrambled two and not a single off their last ball in their away trip to Lancashire they’d be the North group leaders. They didn’t and the resulting tie means that it’s Yorkshire who opened up a 1-point margin.
They wrapped up two easy victories over Worcestershire and one versus Durham. Jonny Bairstow’s 51-ball 112 last Thursday was the highest score of the week but it was an incredible sixth wicket stand of 141 in 55 balls between Harry Brook and Jordan Thompson which rescued a disastrous start when Worcester’s Dillon Pennington snaffled the top four – including Joe Root - in his first couple of overs. The only other centurion was Leicestershire opener Josh Inglis, whose 103 not out dealt bottom club Northants another blow. It was the Leeds-born Aussie’s maiden T20 ton.
Next week’s highlights include Surrey’s clashes with Middlesex and Sussex and Yorkshire’s visit to the Birmingham Bears.
Team of the Week: Bairstow (Yor), Crawley
(Ken), Inglis (Lei +), Rhodes (War), Cockbain (Glo), Patel (Not), Brook (Yor),
Douthwaite (Gla), Milnes (Ken), Finn (Mid), Cook (Ess)
