The penultimate round of Championship fixtures threw all sorts of spanners into the works. Leicestershire were docked 27 points for their sub-standard pitch last month, but their five-wicket victory over Hampshire gave them faint hope of Division One survival whilst relegating their defeated rivals. Yet again, Hampshire failed to register a batting bonus point, Ian Holland taking 6-38, but at least Nick Gubbins made 132 in the second innings to give Leicester a stiff target. However, with Kelly and Cox putting on 156 for the fifth wicket, success was assured.
Essex are the only county within reach of Leicestershire, after succumbing to a two-day hammering by Warwickshire. Ethan Bamber took his season’s wicket tally to sixty as the home side were bowled out twice for under 200. Warwickshire’s rapid win added pressure to title rivals Nottinghamshire and Somerset. For three days at Leeds, there was little to choose between the Cidermen and Yorkshire. Inexperienced Tyke seamer Ben Cliff took 8-76 but the real turning point was the patient stand of 166 between George Hill and former Somerset spinner Dom Bess, which yanked their side from 54-6 to respectability. The visitors looked rocky on 76-3 but Ben Coad and Cliff again ripped through the rest to leave Somerset eleven points adrift of the Midlanders.
At Hove, third-placed Nottinghamshire were always struggling against Sussex, who established a 118-run first-innings lead. On day four, there was to be no fairytale revival as Aristides Karvelas, who must be the only Greece-registered bowler in the county game, took 5-42, then his team knocked off the required 76 with the loss of three wickets.
Twenty wickets tumbled on the first day at The Oval, so the match was decided by a second-innings runfest. Glamorgan’s Asa Tribe compiled an excellent 155 and Mason Crane a career-best 114 not out on their way to a total of 594. Despite a century from Ryan Patel, Surrey could not get close and slipped to their fourth loss of a disappointing summer. They now cannot finish higher than fifth.
Surrey now stand in the way of Somerset’s bid for that elusive maiden title but, if Warwickshire avoid defeat at home to Leicestershire, the pennant will transfer from Trent Bridge to Edgbaston next season. Sigh….
In Division Two, Durham maintained their unbeaten record with a draw against Worcestershire. Former India opener Mayank Agarwal struck the week’s highest individual score (177) on day one, assisted by ‘keeper Ollie Robinson (97), but a 179 partnership for Hose and D’Oliveira anchored a solid response in spite of Ben Stokes’ six wickets. Weather and time conspired to produce a stalemate on the fourth day.
Behind them – a long way behind – Kent advanced into the second promotion slot by beating Lancashire inside three days. Khaled Ahmed ended with match analyses of 8-94 as Kent eased to a win by seven wickets. Fellow Durham-chasers Northamptonshire were just twenty-three runs short of a brilliant triumph versus Derbyshire when bad light and rain cruelly intervened. The soon-to-retire Derby captain Wayne Madsen ended a barren run of form with a first-innings 151, but Ricardo Vasconcelos (132) set Northants on their way to a probable vital win before the elements took charge.
At Bristol, foul weather also denied Middlesex a deserved victory over bottom side Gloucestershire. Visiting ‘keeper Harry Duke’s 94 was the game’s top score but on the final day it was the seam duo of Higgins and Roland-Jones who had the hosts on the rack at 145-9 until play was called off.
These two will now help decide who goes up with Durham. Northants travel to Lord’s this week while Gloucester visit Canterbury, where Kent are surely favourites. It is getting tense….
Team of the Week: Vasconcelos (Nor), Tribe (Gla), Agarwal (Dur),
Madsen (Der), Hose (Wor), Duke (Mid +), Daz Ahmed (Glo), Holland (Lei), Khaled
Ahmed (Ken), Cliff (Yor), Bamber (War)
