Hampshire cheated the rain by taking Northamptonshire to the cleaners inside three days. They thundered to the top of Division One by an innings and 270 and already look prime candidates for the Championship pennant, along with Surrey. Skipper James Vince and Nick Gubbins shared a third-wicket stand of 188, which is almost what Northants managed in total across both their innings. James Fuller took 6-37 in the first reply, then Mohammad Abbas and Kyle Abbott swept the home side away for 63 all out.
Middlesex had to work harder to beat Nottinghamshire, scoring at more than six an over in the afternoon gloom at Lord’s to earn a 4-wicket victory. Mark Stoneman was the pick of their batsmen but Ryan Higgins produced one of those doughty all-round performances that used to be his trademark at Gloucestershire. Pity poor Ben Duckett whose 184 runs came to nought.
At Taunton, Lancashire had the better of Somerset, despite career-best scores by Tom Abell and teenage ‘keeper James Rew, who also took six catches in Lancashire’s mammoth first innings. Keaton Jennings had looked set to make a ‘double’ but retired hurt when on 189. An unbeaten partnership of 89 between Gregory and Aldridge ensured a draw.
Previous wet weather and a final-day washout also prevented a result at Canterbury involving Kent and Essex. For the visitors, Nick Browne and Tom Westley put on 265 for the second wicket, while Zak Crawley helped himself to 170. The top two don’t play next week, so the winner of Warwickshire v Surrey will leapfrog both.
All three Division Two fixtures were drawn, and runs were in short supply between the showers. Indeed, only two players reached three figures. Kiran Carlson’s 119 couldn’t prevent Glamorgan following on at home to leaders Durham, but his team-mates defied the aptly-named Ben Raine et al to save the match. At Worcester, Gloucestershire’s Tom Price achieved a remarkable double on Thursday. He smashed a maiden century, then claimed a hat-trick, all three victims caught behind by James Bracey.
In the week’s other game, Yorkshire were stranded just 63 runs short of the Sussex target thanks to the Hove rain, with Adam Lyth and Shai Hope on half-centuries. In the next round, Durham will extend their lead handsomely by beating Derbyshire but, if not, Leicestershire will pounce with success at home to Glamorgan.
Team of the Week:- Crawley
(Ken), Jennings (Lan), Duckett (Not), Vince (Ham), Abell (Som), Rew (Som +),
Higgins (Mid), T Price (Glo), Fuller (Ham), Mohammad Abbas (Ham), Ajeet Dal
(Glo)
