Tim Murtagh may be 41 now, transitioning from player to coach, but this weekend he was still giving opposition batsmen nightmares. With Ethan Bamber’s support, his ten-for was instrumental in Kent’s downfall at Lord’s, and included his 1,000th wicket in any format in his 16-year Middlesex career. He would love to take another 66 to reach the modern rarity of 1,000 first-class victims and, fitness and ECB’s short-sighted short-format obsession notwithstanding, it certainly is not beyond the realms of reality.
London neighbours Surrey returned to the top at Edgbaston by defeating Warwickshire by the same nine-wicket margin. In damp conditions, runs were again in short supply, only Jamie Smith (88) showing any mastery of an attack led by Dan Worrall and Kemar Roach, who reached a milestone of his own: 500 first-class wickets.
In Division Two, Durham made their extra game count, claiming pole position with an innings defeat of Derbyshire at Chester-le-Street. Two half-centuries by Luis Reece and a frustrating 99 by Matthew Lamb reduced the embarrassment begun by home-side tons by Kent old-boy Ollie Robinson and Brendon Carse and completed by seamers Ben Raine and Matthew Potts.
Last season, Leicestershire were tonked by Glamorgan, including Sam Northeast’s quadruple-hundred, but in 2023 they are racking up the runs themselves. Captain Lewis Hill and young opener Rishi Patel reaped centuries, as did Glammie 'keeper Chris Cooke, but a draw was inevitable on the final day. There was no decisive result either at Bristol, where Gloucestershire were made to follow on by Sussex skipper Cheteshwar Pujara made 151 out of a first innings total of 455-5 declared, then Nathan McAndrew’s 5-63 put the home side in severe trouble. At 41-4 second time around, They were heading for a heavy loss but a Graeme Van Buuren half-century and rain came to the rescue.
Next week, Durham sit it out while either Sussex (against Worcestershire) or Leicestershire (v Derbyshire) could knock them off their perch. In the top tier, Hampshire host Warwickshire and Surrey travel to Essex while bottom two, Somerset and Northants will contest what already looks like being a relegation battle.
Team of the Week:- Patel (Lei), Compton (Ken), Hill (Lei), Pujara
(Sus), O Robinson (Dur), Cooke (Gla +), Carse (Dur), Potts (Dur), Roach (Sur),
Worrall (Sur), Murtagh (Mid)
