The Oval faithful were rewarded with a second successive home success for Surrey, extending their lead in Division One to twenty-five points. This week it was Kent who were rolled over, by ten wickets. They bat all the way down and have no star bowlers, yet get the job done. The 20-year-old paceman Tom Lawes picked up eight wickets, including a decisive 5-22 in the second innings. The two counties meet in their next Championship fixture, too, but Kent have three weeks to get their act together.
Hampshire picked up win number three, crushing Northamptonshire at the Rose Bowl, assisted by Liam Dawson’s 6-61. I was pleasantly surprised by Somerset’s maiden victory of 2023, a smash-and-grab raid at Lord’s. Yet again, Middlesex failed to secure a batting bonus point, while Somerset’s George Bartlett, another off the Millfield School production line, contributed 121 out of 404, and Craig Overton finished things off with a long-overdue five-for.
There were plenty of runs at Trent Bridge but neither side could take the requisite twenty wickets. Cook and Westley shared two century partnerships for Essex but the sole individual centurion was Nottinghamshire’s young Matthew Montgomery, who compiled an assured 177.
In Division Two, Durham are staking a clear claim on promotion, defeating Gloucestershire at Bristol by 125 runs. A Michael Jones ton and a whirlwind 67 from Ollie Robinson helped set the home team an improbable 425 target but a second consecutive five-wicket haul for spinner Ajaz Patel and Matthew Potts’ 3-53 negated Marcus Harris carrying his bat for 122. Just up the M5, Worcestershire overcame Leicestershire courtesy of excellent owlig by Leach and Waite.
Last year, Glamorgan broke all sorts of run records at Grace Road and another, rather extraordinary one, was achieved at Hove. England’s Ollie Robinson took 4-29, then Steve Smith and James Coles led a strong response to secure a massive first-innings lead. Then things changed….. In that remarkable 795-5 in 2022, Sam Northeast topped 400, but this week he was out first ball! No problem. Captain Kiran Carlson’s career-best 192 and centuries from Aussies Labuschagne and Neser as the total soared beyond 700 once more. A declaration was hardly a serious option and Glamorgan posted a world record difference between their first and second innings of 614 runs! To add to Sussex woes, Robinson suffered an ankle injury which may also put a spanner in the works for the Ashes squad.
But that’s several weeks away. For now, we have to make do with
some T20 Blast action. Who will win this year? Not a clue. Do I care? Not a
bit.
Team of the Week:- Harris (Glo), Cook (Ess), Montgomery (Not),
Bartlett (Som), Carlson (Gla), Robinson (Dur +), Coles (Sus), Leach (Wor),
Arjaz Patel (Dur), Waite (Wor), Lawes (Sur)
