County Cricket; Burns Sparks another Surrey Victory

After being shunted into a summer holiday siding for six weeks, the County Championship returned and it was like it had never been away. For example, after a storming One Day Cup, Glamorgan were back to losing ways and Surrey’s dreadful white-ball run was forgotten as the champions registered victory number seven, surely en route to another red-ball title. 

Even without Ollie Pope and Jamie Smith on England duty, Surrey made short work of Lancashire. Jprdan Clark, Dan Worrall and Conor McKerr shared almost all the wickets, and skipper Rory Burns compiled a career-best 227. Somerset’s draw with Warwickshire helped widen their lead at the top to thirty-five points with only four matches remaining. At Edgbaston, Craig Overton’s side were always playing catch-up and, had rain not intervened, may well have lost. Abell and Rew were well set but 163 short of the target, four wickets down. 

Below them, Essex and Hampshire played out a draw although the wet weather was the ultimate winner. Four batsmen did salvage something by reaching three figures apiece. On the final day, Hampshire’s Toby Albert (124) and Tom Prest (156) looked solid before each were dismissed by Matt Critchley, following the efforts of Dean Elgar and Jordan Cox. The latter marked his international T20 call-up by thumping 141 from only 124 balls. 

Durham consolidated fifth place by crushing Nottinghamshire by an innings and seventeen. Alex Lees and England Under-19 captain Ben McKinney opened the innings with centuries, then Aussie Ashton Turner also joined the fun with an unbeaten 114. The visitors were subsequently banished by a teenage debutant Daniel Hogg, whose remarkable second-innings 7-66 included the wickets of Hameed and Clarke. With England’s current penchant for selecting complete unknowns, can Hogg be far from an Ashes appearance?! 

Up to now, England-qualified, Zimbabwe-born Tawanda Muyeye probably hasn’t given selectors much to ponder. However, his 211 for Kent showed some fight in the face of considerable adversity, albeit in vain as the bottom county succumbed to Worcestershire by eight wickets. Joe Leach doesn’t do much with the bat these days but his 6-52 put Worcester in the driving seat from the off, and the 23 points will do their relegation battle a much-needed boost. 

In Division Two, leaders Sussex suffered an unexpected defeat at the hands of Yorkshire who are now very much in the promotion hunt. Jonny Bairstow made a rare appearance in front of the Scarborough fans, making 57 and 0, plus four catches behind the stumps, but it was Ben Coad’s 5-69 on Saturday which hastened Sussex’s demise. Second placed Middlesex also won, overhauling Northamptonshire at a soggy Northwood by eight wickets. Ben Sanderson did his best but Toby Roland-Jones stole the show, claiming match figures of 11-113. Injury may have snuffed out his England career very early but how many seamers ca boast a career Test bowling average of under 20? 

A ten-wicket triumph over Glamorgan is always worth celebrating but Derbyshire were even more over-joyed because it was their first victory at the county ground for five years! Zak Chappell’s 6-47 was also his best return in first-class cricket and the result lifted them off the foot of the table, albeit by a single point. If you wanted runs, Bristol was the best place to be. Leicestershire opener Ian Holland top-scored for the guests but Gloucestershire’s 544-4 declared featured not one but two double-hundreds. Ben Charlesworth (210) and James Bracey (207 not out) also shared a fourth-wicket stand of 290. Young Leicester fast bowler Josh Hull demonstrated why he is in the England squad next week by taking 1-133, taking his career bowling average to 62.75. Pardon? 

Pick of next weekend’s contests must be Yorkshire v Middlesex at Headingley and, in the first tier, Somerset against Durham. On this week’s form, Nottinghamshire should give Surrey few problems but Essex may have their hands full should the Worcestershire batsmen show what they are capable of. 

Team of the Week:- Muyeye (Ken), Burns (Sur), Charlesworth (Glo), Bracey (Glo +), Cox (Ess), Prest (Ham),  Roland-Jones (Mid), Carson (Sus), Hogg (Dur), Sanderson (Nor), Chappell (Der) 

Snater and Westley send Essex clear

This week’s One-Day Cup was one of mixed fortunes for all, and rain also throwing a spanner in the works. Group 2 leaders Essex are the only county to have won more than three games. They thrashed Kent by nine wickets, with Alastair Cook and Tom Westley in charge, but at Bristol left it to the last ball to edge past Gloucestershire by two wickets. Aussie medium-pacer Shane Snater took his wicket tally to thirteen, comfortably ahead of anyone else so far. It was a tough week for Gloucestershire, especially as Jack Taylor struck three half-centuries, Ben Charlesworth aggregated 160 runs (including a 99 not out) and Graeme Van Buuren took six wickets. 

Durham are hard on their heels after Sean Dickson’s 76-ball 103 and a fine all-round performance by teenager Luke Doneathy helped stall Lancashire’s charge. Batsman Rob Jones and seamer Tom Bailey did their best for the Red Roses but another defeat, to Midlesex, could cost them dearly. 

In Group 1, Somerset are the only unbeaten county in the competition and could have ended the week with a 100% record had they not had two fixtures curtailed by the weather. They sit level on points with Glamorgan, who slaughtered Surrey, featuring a typically miserly ten-over spell by Michael Hogan (1-18). Nigel Selman’s 140 against Leicestershire was the top score around the country but sadly it proved in vain as their opponents were prevented from completing their reply by rain. 

They probably wouldn’t have reached the target, having been put to the sword at Welbeck by Nottinghamshire who triumphed with thirty overs remaining. Neighbours Derbyshire achieved their first victory in the tournament, also against Notts. Tom Wood’s 109 off only 59 balls was the outstanding innings, and wasn’t the product of hit-and-hope slogs; there were only three sixes but 14 fours. All-rounder Finn Hudson-Prentice continued his good form and yet they are languishing near the bottom of Group 1. 

Next week sees the final league fixtures and it really is all to play for. Almost anyone can sneak into the top four placings in each group. Essex meet their closest rivals Durham and Lancashire so I’d expect at least two of these three to qualify for the quarter-finals. I expect Gloucestershire to be in the mix, too. 

Somerset probably need two wins from last three matches, but it could go down to their trip to Warwickshire next Thursday. Glamorgan close with two home ties, but Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire are tough opponents who also fancy their chances of progression. 

Team of the Week: Charlesworth (Glo), Eskinazi (Mid), Selman (Gla), Westley (Ess), Burgess (Not +), T Wood (Der), Taylor (Glo), Hudson-Prentice (Der), Van Buuren (Glo), Bailey (Lan), Snater (Ess)