Most of this week’s Vitality Blast action focussed on the South group where Somerset had been unbeaten. After almost three weeks without an individual century, we witnessed two, both scored by Kent openers albeit in different fixtures.
Indeed, it was Kent who spoiled Somerset’s 100% record. Daniel Bell-Drummond’s 49-ball hundred dominated a 158-run opening stand with Tawanda Muyeye (70) as the Spitfires racked up 228-5. The Westcountrymen aren’t fazed by a challenging chase, and Toms Banton and Kohler-Cadmore set about the task in typical fashion. Joey Evison strangled the middle-order and, although Dickson and Green tried their best, and Craig Overton launched the last ball for six, Somerset fell four runs short.
Kent again topped 200 on Friday, this time at Chelmsford. It was Muyeye’s turn to score exactly 100 but, with only Simon Harmer’s seven sixes to cheer the home crowd, Matt Parkinson’s 5-23 hastened Essex’s seventh defeat of the campaign. Meanwhile, Somerset did bounce back with victories over Hampshire and Glamorgan. Riley Meredith was the pick of the bowlers, taking eight across the three games.
Surrey surged into second place thanks to a trio of wins, each achieved easily after batting first. With an international top six, they could hardly fail, and it was Will Jacks who stole the show, including a 56-dellivery 97 against a miserable Middlesex. Sussex lie third, falling to Surrey but beating Glamorgan in Cardiff. Interestingly, all fifteen wickets to fall were either caught or stumped. Pakistan international spinner Imad Wasim may be Swansea-born but only this week did he make his Glamorgan T20 debut, finishing the week with five cheap wickets.
There were three particularly exciting tight finishes. Needing ten
from the final over bowled by Tom Helm, Essex could nick only eight, Noah Thain
failing to find the crucial boundary. In the North Group, the Bears were
involved in not one but two real nail-biters. At Edgbaston, Nottinghamshire
needed seventeen off the concluding over. Daniel Sams whacked a couple of
sixes, leaving the scores level with one ball remaining. Notts ‘keeper Tom
Moores thought ‘what the hell’ and cleared the boundary to win by six wickets. At
the same ground a few days later, neighbours Worcestershire popped over the
border to contest a desperately close, low-scoring affair. Dan Mousley took 4-19
and the home team required only 135 to win. However, wickets fell regularly and
it was left to Sam Hain to shepherd the tail to the finishing line. But could
he do it? At 132-9 after nineteen overs, they required three while Matthew
Waite scented blood. The Bears didn’t suffer another last-minute defeat as Hain
struck the decisive single off the third ball.
Northamptonshire retained their position at the top despite losing to Notts and there are now three teams queuing up behind them just four points adrift. Durham are one of them, picking up consecutive successes against Yorkshire. Last Sunday, Matthew Potts (5-17) starred at York while the Chester-le-Street encounter featured a genuine team effort, the winning margin being 63 runs.
Still plenty to play for, but players must curb their crazy ramps and cow-corner heaves for the next few weeks. The Championship is back (hooray!), and leaders Notts welcome back red-ball specialists like Hameed, Slater and Abbas for the visit of Yorkshire. Surrey travel to lowly Worcestershire, Sussex to Durham, while Somerset and Warwickshire meet for the opportunity to go second or third. Essex hope to begin rescuing their sticky summer at home to Hampshire.
In the second flight, surprise package Leicestershire look to extend their lead by beating Glamorgan, who themselves were in good form before the June hiatus. Basement clubs Kent and Lancashire come together at the Blackpool seaside.
Team of the Week:- Muyeye (Ken), Bell-Drummond (Ken), Jacks (Sur),
Smeed (Som), Rehan Ahmed (Lei), S Curran (Sur), Moores (Not +), Potts (Dur), Evison
(Ken), Singh Dale (Glo), M Parkinson (Ken)
