It’s April 2025, the sun is shining and even in Worcester the Severn isn’t in flood. Surely the domestic cricket season can’t be starting? Yep. Sure is. We may as well hand the Championship to Surrey right now, and the Division Two title to Lancashire but for the rest there should be plenty to play for.
In the four-day event, Somerset’s one-day specialist Tom Banton showed he knows how to play the long game, too. After Kasey Aldridge and Craig Overton despatched Worcestershire for only 154, the 26-year-old spent almost nine hours stroking his way to 374, almost three times his previous best. He surpassed the previous highest score buy a Somerset player and with James Rew (152) broke the county’s 5th wicket partnership record for good measure. However, despite a first-innings lead of more than 500, they narrowly failed to seal the first victory of the season, thanks largely to Brett d’Oliveira’s 121 and a dogged unbeaten 87 by Matt Waite, spanning almost the entire final day.
Surrey may be the hot favourites to keep the Championship pennant flying for yet another season but they, too, had to battle to avoid an unexpected defeat at Chelmsford. Three Essex batsmen, Cox, Critchley and Pepper, achieved centuries and Surrey were made to follow on. Fortunately for them, the likes of Dom Sibley and Ben Foakes are dab hands at dropping anchor and they duly blocked their way to 219-6 and safety.
At Trent Bridge, Nottinghamshire did claim a win, eight wickets. Durham ‘s Colin Ackermann can feel hard done by as he scored a ton in each innings. Josh Tongue and Aussie, Fergus O’Neill, did most f the damage with the ball. Runs were harder to come by at Southampton. Adam Lyth’s 106 was easily the highest individual score but Hampshire’s attack, even without Abbas and Barker, did for Yorkshire. Sonny Baker, the latest young speed merchant touted for an England debut, took a modest three wickets but two of them were Jonny Bairstow’s.
At Edgbaston, skipper John Simpson continued his great 2024 form with promoted Sussex with an unbeaten 181 as part of an opening innings of 528. Warwickshire opener Rob Yates responded with 115 and there was no time for Sussex to set a realistic last-day target, hence the draw.
In Division Two, Middlesex and Lancashire fought an exciting four-dayer at Lord’s that went right to the wire with the result always uncertain. The visitors’ Marcus Harris notched 138 to hand his side a lead of 99, but a splendid 184 by Max Holden swung the match back in Middlesex’s favour. The Red Roses kept their heads and went for the win but as wickets fell steadily, Balderson and Williams had to shore up the innings with just two in hand.
Leicestershire made a convincing start to the season, topping Glamorgan by ten wickets at Cardiff. Ian Holland opened both batting and bowling but it was the latter which proved crucial, earning match figures of 7-86. At Derby, Wayne Madsen marked his return to the Derbyshire captaincy with a century and nine-wicket success. All-rounder Luis Reece claimed ten wickets. Finally, at Northampton, Kent clinched a low-scoring encounter inside three days. South African Keith Dudgeon, on his county debut, polished off the Northants tail to end on 7-36, the best bowling stats of the week.
Next up for Kent are Middlesex and Lancashire host Northamptonshire. In the top tier, Surrey host Hampshire in another tricky fixture, Nottinghamshire aim for two in two against Essex and Tom Banton brings his top form down to Sussex. More, please, Tom!
Team of the Week:- T Clark
(Sus), Yates )War), Ackermann (Dur), Holden (Mid), Banton (Som), Simpson (Sus
+), Critchley (Ess), Reece (Der), Dudgeon (Ken), O’Neill (Not), Aldridge (Som)
