The British weather certainly didn’t play ball last week. All the Championship matches endured at last one day’s washout and, consequently, all were drawn. Lancashire were thwarted in their bid to open up a healthy lead at the top of Division One as only fifteen wickets fell at Lord’s. Alviro Petersen’s 191helped them to a 500+ score but Stevie Eskenazi’s maiden first-class hundred and Sam Gubbins’ first ‘double’ helped Middlesex to maximum batting points and denied Lancashire’s attack much joy for a day and a half.
In contrast, Somerset were all over bottom-side Hampshire at the Rose Bowl.. After the Overton twins captured eight wickets on day one, Johann Myburgh and James Hildreth each reached three figures. With on eye on the gloomy weather forecast, they stepped up the run rate and even teenage ‘keeper Ryan Davies thumped three sixes in his first fifty before the declaration. Sadly for us, the home side’s batsmen stuck to their task and lost only five wickets before the rain ended proceedings in mid-afternoon on the third day.
Only 190 overs were bowled at Edgbaston, where Warwickshire had the better of what play there was. Clarke, Rankin and Patel each took three Nottinghamshire wickets in the first innings, while Tim Ambrose collected five catches and a stumping. He and Clarke each scored 70+ in reply, but Jake Ball again impressed with the ball.
This week, Middlesex travel north for the Scarborough festival fixture, where Yorkshire need to win to maintain the Championship challenge with Lancashire, who visit Nottinghamshire. Hampshire face an awkward trip to Durham, while Surrey, seemingly hellbent on cherrypicking any decent player from other counties, host Warwickshire.
The race for promotion remains open after Kent could muster a mere ten points at home to Derbyshire. In their first innings, Sam Northeast scored more than half the side’s 379 runs but Derbyshire mustered well over 500, including centuries by in-form Wayne Madsen and Shiv Thakor. With naughty boy Matt Coles again missing, the Kent attack toiled with little success.
In the other Division Two fixture, a paltry twelve wickets were taken at Leicester as the rains dominated. Mind you, despite Neil Dexter’s first day 136, Gloucestershire’s batsmen were in charge. Chris Dent (165) contributed to a couple of big partnerships especially for the second wicket with Graeme van Buuren (121 not out).
The top two next meet at Chelmsford, with Essex just four points adrift and a game in hand. Glamorgan may be impress in the T20 Blast but they prop up the rest in four-day cricket. They play another disappointing side, Sussex, at Hove.
Only a few T20 games finished this week, but amongst them was Yorkshire’s narrow Roses victory over Lancashire. Elsewhere Michael Klinger racked up an unbeaten 101 to defeat a feeble Gayle-less Somerset in the West Country derby at Taunton, while Ravi Bopara struck a 43-ball 81 not out for Essex against Kent. How the Chelmsford outfit would love to beat their neighbours in this week’s red-ball encounter!
Team of the Week: Klinger (Glo), Gubbins (Mid), Petersen (Lan), Northeast (Ken), Madsen (Der), Ambrose (War +), Clarke (War), Thakor (Der), J Overton (Som), Mills (Sus), M Taylor (Glo)
Showing posts with label Alviro Petersen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Alviro Petersen. Show all posts
Saturday, 2 July 2016
Thursday, 23 July 2015
AP x 2 = 501 for Lancashire
This really was a week for batsmen. Four scored double-centuries, two of them sharing a 500 partnership, yet one (Steve Smith) couldn’t even squeeze into my Team of the Week!
The White and Red Roses were again in full bloom, as Yorkshire and Lancashire cemented their positions atop Divisions One and Two. The chasing packs must be getting cricked necks gazing up at the distant summits.
Andrew Gale led his side from the front at Scarborough, piling up 164 but it was Jonny Bairstow’s scintillating form making all the headlines. A brisk 139 pushed him into the England squad at Gary Ballance’s expense, then he struck the winning runs in the second innings, too. Worcestershire did at least take the game into a fourth day.
Durham did their best to hold on to second place but Hampshire’s defiance and some final afternoon rain scuppered their hopes. Gordon Muchall’s 145 and nine more wickets for Chris Rushworth were all in vain after 20 year-old ‘keeper Lewis McManus defied the Durham attack for almost three hours. Meanwhile Warwickshire found themselves in the runners-up spot after despatching Somerset by seven wickets. Sam Hain composed another unbeaten century and Jeetan Patel claimed nine victims, although the losers’ Craig Overton took 6-74 and kept his name in the England frame in case the selectors need fresh blood.
Following a disappointing first half of the season, James Taylor rediscovered his appetite for runs, falling just nine short of a triple-century in Nottinghamshire’s innings defeat of Sussex. Chris Read’s 121 and seven catches were also noteworthy, while Harry Gurney’s left arm seam and swing also did a lot of damage to the South Coast side for whom Matt Machan top-scored with 108.
The Colwyn Bay sea air worked wonders for the South African duo of Ashwell Prince and Alviro Petersen. Both passed 250 as they smashed the Lancashire partnership record and accumulated the 13th highest stand for any wicket in first-class cricket history! Facing an overall target of almost 700, Glamorgan unsurprisingly fell short, although a robust first innings tail did its best to frustrate the visitors. Number eleven Michael Hogan even had time to score a career best 57! Nevertheless, Sean Kerrigan and Arron Lilley polished off Welsh resistance in the end.
Kent took the Thames estuary bragging rights, thumping Essex by an innings and 207. Ben Harmison and Sam Billings each reached three figures while Callum Haggett and the evergreen Darren Stevens picked up twelve wickets between them.
Derbyshire beat Northamptonshire in the other Division Two fixture. Mark Footitt collected another five-for, and young all-rounder Alex Hughes achieved his debut hundred. For the visitors, opener Ben Duckett had mixed fortunes. A duck was followed by 154 but the Chesterfield fans enjoyed a seven-wicket triumph.
While the runs piled up in the Championship and Lord’s Test, there weren’t many big scores in last weekend’s T20 Blast. Nevertheless, Jason Roy’s blistering 122 consigned Somerset to another heavy defeat. The County Championship now takes a two-week break as the T20 Group stage ends and the Royal London Cup begins.
Some excellent performances couldn’t get into my Team of the Week: Rogers (Aus), Duckett (Nor), Petersen (Lan), Prince (Lan), Taylor (Not), A Hughes (Der), Read (Not, * +), Patel (Not), C Overton (Som), Gurney (Not), Rushworth (Dur)
The White and Red Roses were again in full bloom, as Yorkshire and Lancashire cemented their positions atop Divisions One and Two. The chasing packs must be getting cricked necks gazing up at the distant summits.
Andrew Gale led his side from the front at Scarborough, piling up 164 but it was Jonny Bairstow’s scintillating form making all the headlines. A brisk 139 pushed him into the England squad at Gary Ballance’s expense, then he struck the winning runs in the second innings, too. Worcestershire did at least take the game into a fourth day.
Durham did their best to hold on to second place but Hampshire’s defiance and some final afternoon rain scuppered their hopes. Gordon Muchall’s 145 and nine more wickets for Chris Rushworth were all in vain after 20 year-old ‘keeper Lewis McManus defied the Durham attack for almost three hours. Meanwhile Warwickshire found themselves in the runners-up spot after despatching Somerset by seven wickets. Sam Hain composed another unbeaten century and Jeetan Patel claimed nine victims, although the losers’ Craig Overton took 6-74 and kept his name in the England frame in case the selectors need fresh blood.
Following a disappointing first half of the season, James Taylor rediscovered his appetite for runs, falling just nine short of a triple-century in Nottinghamshire’s innings defeat of Sussex. Chris Read’s 121 and seven catches were also noteworthy, while Harry Gurney’s left arm seam and swing also did a lot of damage to the South Coast side for whom Matt Machan top-scored with 108.
The Colwyn Bay sea air worked wonders for the South African duo of Ashwell Prince and Alviro Petersen. Both passed 250 as they smashed the Lancashire partnership record and accumulated the 13th highest stand for any wicket in first-class cricket history! Facing an overall target of almost 700, Glamorgan unsurprisingly fell short, although a robust first innings tail did its best to frustrate the visitors. Number eleven Michael Hogan even had time to score a career best 57! Nevertheless, Sean Kerrigan and Arron Lilley polished off Welsh resistance in the end.
Kent took the Thames estuary bragging rights, thumping Essex by an innings and 207. Ben Harmison and Sam Billings each reached three figures while Callum Haggett and the evergreen Darren Stevens picked up twelve wickets between them.
Derbyshire beat Northamptonshire in the other Division Two fixture. Mark Footitt collected another five-for, and young all-rounder Alex Hughes achieved his debut hundred. For the visitors, opener Ben Duckett had mixed fortunes. A duck was followed by 154 but the Chesterfield fans enjoyed a seven-wicket triumph.
While the runs piled up in the Championship and Lord’s Test, there weren’t many big scores in last weekend’s T20 Blast. Nevertheless, Jason Roy’s blistering 122 consigned Somerset to another heavy defeat. The County Championship now takes a two-week break as the T20 Group stage ends and the Royal London Cup begins.
Some excellent performances couldn’t get into my Team of the Week: Rogers (Aus), Duckett (Nor), Petersen (Lan), Prince (Lan), Taylor (Not), A Hughes (Der), Read (Not, * +), Patel (Not), C Overton (Som), Gurney (Not), Rushworth (Dur)
Thursday, 5 June 2014
Yorkshire's quick win beats the rain and rivals
After three good days of cricket, rain swept over England on Wednesday, frustrating the likes of Somerset, Hampshire and Worcestershire who each looked odds-on to clinch victories. Yorkshire could at least look smug havig despatched Nortamptonshire inside three days, thus eliminating the lottery of the early June weather.
The struggling home team actually earned a first innings lead, thanks in part to Ian Butler's 4-41. However, Yorkshire turned things around in stunning fashion. Following a first morning duck, Adam Lyth produced a top-drawer 230, sharing a record-breaking opening stand of 375 with Alex Lees. Liam Plunkett then led the final charge to clinch a 271-run victory and a place in the England Test squad. At the Riverside, Middlesex were relieved to survive with a draw after Durham slammed Murtagh, Finn et al for 568. Mark Stoneman and Scott Borthwick enjoyed a productive second wicket partnership of 274, each reaching career-best scores of 187 and 216, respectively. Toby Roland-Jones maintained his recent fine form with another five-for/half-century duet, or maybe Middlesex wouldn't still be sitting top of the table.
Somerset forced a follow-on at Old Trafford, courtesy of an Alviro Petersen century and three wickets apiece for Peter Trego, Craig Overton and George Dockrell. Unfortunately their bid for the number one position was thwarted by a Wednesday washout. Hove also witnessed a handful of 150+ scores. Samit Patel stroked 25 boundaries in his 156 but Ed Joyce responded with an unbeaten 164. Alex Hales was let off the leash to plunder 167 in 133 balls with the intention of hastening a practicable declaration but it ultimately achieved nothing. It also did nothing to establish Test credentials of a player who cannot play a solid responsible opener's role but can be magnificent when required to score rapidly. The draw left both teams in mid-table but still within reach of Middlesex.
In Division Two, both Hampshire and Worcestershire were left high and dry within reach of easy wins. The former needed just two final Derbyshire wickets to wrap up a comprehensive victory only for a combination of dogged Alex Hughes and dour rain to ruin their opportunity. NO three-figure scores but a 5-50 for Danny Briggs. At The Oval, Moeen Ali compiled an excellent 162 but Surrey's equally famous beard-owner Hashim Amla was elsewhere being named SA Test skipper. Surrey slipped from 134-1 to 206 all out, most wickets going not to Saeed Ajmal but Jack Shantry. They followed on but batted more respectably until the weather intervened.
IN Essex, Will Bragg accumulated more valuable runs for Glamorgan but there wasn't time for the home side to face more than six overs in their chase for victory. If the rain had matched Monty Panesar's poor timekeeping his side may have succeeded. Gloucestershire leapt to third place after defeating Leicestershire by nine wickets. The match started a day later than the others, giving Michael Klinger and Benny Howell the chance to smash their way to 255 at almost seven an over. The Aussie captain must have been particularly relieved after enduring a miserable run of scores in all cricket this summer. Mid-season signing from Kent and former England wicketkeeper Geraint Jones whacked 93 in the first innings, too.
Next weekend, the top two meet in a mouth-watering clash at Worcester while the bottom pair Leicestershire and Derbyshire also vie to avoid the wooden spoon. The top tier challengers will be competing to topple Middlesex from their lofty perch. Yorkshire, Somerset and Warwickshire all have home advantage, against Notts, Sussex and Lancs, respectively.
The struggling home team actually earned a first innings lead, thanks in part to Ian Butler's 4-41. However, Yorkshire turned things around in stunning fashion. Following a first morning duck, Adam Lyth produced a top-drawer 230, sharing a record-breaking opening stand of 375 with Alex Lees. Liam Plunkett then led the final charge to clinch a 271-run victory and a place in the England Test squad. At the Riverside, Middlesex were relieved to survive with a draw after Durham slammed Murtagh, Finn et al for 568. Mark Stoneman and Scott Borthwick enjoyed a productive second wicket partnership of 274, each reaching career-best scores of 187 and 216, respectively. Toby Roland-Jones maintained his recent fine form with another five-for/half-century duet, or maybe Middlesex wouldn't still be sitting top of the table.
Somerset forced a follow-on at Old Trafford, courtesy of an Alviro Petersen century and three wickets apiece for Peter Trego, Craig Overton and George Dockrell. Unfortunately their bid for the number one position was thwarted by a Wednesday washout. Hove also witnessed a handful of 150+ scores. Samit Patel stroked 25 boundaries in his 156 but Ed Joyce responded with an unbeaten 164. Alex Hales was let off the leash to plunder 167 in 133 balls with the intention of hastening a practicable declaration but it ultimately achieved nothing. It also did nothing to establish Test credentials of a player who cannot play a solid responsible opener's role but can be magnificent when required to score rapidly. The draw left both teams in mid-table but still within reach of Middlesex.
In Division Two, both Hampshire and Worcestershire were left high and dry within reach of easy wins. The former needed just two final Derbyshire wickets to wrap up a comprehensive victory only for a combination of dogged Alex Hughes and dour rain to ruin their opportunity. NO three-figure scores but a 5-50 for Danny Briggs. At The Oval, Moeen Ali compiled an excellent 162 but Surrey's equally famous beard-owner Hashim Amla was elsewhere being named SA Test skipper. Surrey slipped from 134-1 to 206 all out, most wickets going not to Saeed Ajmal but Jack Shantry. They followed on but batted more respectably until the weather intervened.
IN Essex, Will Bragg accumulated more valuable runs for Glamorgan but there wasn't time for the home side to face more than six overs in their chase for victory. If the rain had matched Monty Panesar's poor timekeeping his side may have succeeded. Gloucestershire leapt to third place after defeating Leicestershire by nine wickets. The match started a day later than the others, giving Michael Klinger and Benny Howell the chance to smash their way to 255 at almost seven an over. The Aussie captain must have been particularly relieved after enduring a miserable run of scores in all cricket this summer. Mid-season signing from Kent and former England wicketkeeper Geraint Jones whacked 93 in the first innings, too.
Next weekend, the top two meet in a mouth-watering clash at Worcester while the bottom pair Leicestershire and Derbyshire also vie to avoid the wooden spoon. The top tier challengers will be competing to topple Middlesex from their lofty perch. Yorkshire, Somerset and Warwickshire all have home advantage, against Notts, Sussex and Lancs, respectively.
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