County Cricket: Top Two Trounced

The three leading counties were all involved in innings defeats this week, but not necessarily in the way their positions would have suggested. The top two were surprisingly slaughtered inside three days, their first losses of the summer, which evens things up quite a bit as we head into Twenty20 territory. 

Surrey’s suffering at the hands of Hampshire was the greatest shock, especially as this, at an innings and 276, was their heaviest loss in their long Championship history. Indeed, their only larger losing margins were inflicted by sides featuring Don Bradman and WG Grace! Ben Brown, Nick Gubbins and young Toby Albert each plundered centuries as Hampshire topped 600, declaring a whopping 481 runs ahead. Not even the champions’ set of internationals could retrieve that one. Seamer Kyle Abbott’s 5-25 did the damage on day one, while the spinners Liam Dawson and Felix Organ sealed the win two days later. 

Somerset also had a miserable trip, returning from Chester-le-Street two days early with just the points in the bag. Tom Abell’s return to the side as opener was a grim one and, despite his duck with the bat, Durham part-timer Ben Stokes could take enormous satisfaction from his eight wickets with ball in hand. Colleague David Bedingham continued his prolific form, too, claiming a fourth century in consecutive innings. 

Essex moved to within two points of Surrey by thrashing basement county Kent by an innings and 96 at Canterbury. Jordan Cox led the onslaught on his former side’s batsmen, clubbing five sixes in his 207. Kent made a decent response in spite of Matt Critchley’s 5-88 but were made to follow on. This time, Snater and Harmer dominated, wearing the home team down over 57 turgid overs. 

At a soggy Old Trafford, Warwickshire made a sporting overnight declaration to try and make a game of it against Lancashire. Their opener Alex Davies carried his bat for 127, while 20-year-okd Jacob Bethell was the pick of the attack. Cricket returned to the notoriously flood-prone New Road ground at Worcester, only for rain water to leave the outfield unplayable for three days. At least Nottinghamshire skipper could add another hundred to his collection, and the evergreen giant, Luke Fletcher, took his first-class wicket tally past 450.

 

In Division Two, the top two counties met at Lord’s, but the pre-match promise fizzled out into a dreary runfest. Sussex batted the first two days, including another ton from a rejuvenated John Simpson and the doughty Cheteshwar Pujara. Middlesex occupied the crease for the next two, the highest scorers being Sam Robson (135) and Ryan Higgins (106).

 Nobody else could take advantage of this stalemate as all fixtures ended as draws. Leicestershire remain third, after their home tie against Glamorgan was spoiled by the weather.  Luckily, the excitement quotient was notably higher at Northampton. There was little to choose between Northants and Yorkshire in their first innings, as Luke Procter and Adam Lyth traded centuries. Shan Masood’s unbeaten 131 prompted a declaration and a 326-run target. Things were going smoothly at 165-2, then Lyth and Revis ushered a rush of wickets. Only opener Ricardo Vasconselos held firm, and his seventeen boundaries even offered hope of an unlikely victory. Eventually, hands were shaken on a raw with two wickets or 76 runs still needed to produce a result. 

Last week, Gloucestershire racked up more than 700 runs so their first-innings total of 530 against Derbyshire must have seemed a come-down. Matt Lamb struck a career-best 207 and ‘keeper Brooke Guest’s 95 helped Derby’s total to 526 but a rapid 277 stand between James Bracey and Graeme van Buuren anchored a reply which earned Gloucester bragging rights in the inevitable draw. 

Well, now we have a four-week break to accommodate Twenty20 cricket. While England are amongst twenty nations contesting the World Cup across the Atlantic, the domestic counties are about to Blast off. NO doubt I shall get my head around the new intake of internationals and promising young biff-bashers enjoying the limelight in June. 

Team of the Week:- Lyth (Yor), Vasconcelos (Nor), Shan Masood (Yor), Cox (Ess), Lamb (Der), Brown (Ham +), van Buuren (Glo), Stokes (Dur), Dawson (Ham), Abbott (Ham), Bethell (War)