County Cricket: My Team of 2025

While I must admit that the highlight of the domestic cricket season was the sterling five-Test contest between England and India, the county season threw up a few welcome surprises. Surrey’s stellar squad failed to win anything, last season’s strugglers Nottinghamshire pipped them for the title at the death, my Somerset boys converted white-ball talent into Blast success and Worcestershire combined Championship relegation with victory in the One-Day Cup. Oh, and Jimmy Anderson tried – with mixed results – to reinvent himself as a supreme Twenty20 exponent. The IPL franchises were unimpressed but Lancashire were more obliging.

Now for my annual review of the stand-out performers on the county circuit. The Hundred doesn’t count, obviously. In arriving at my final Eleven, I looked at consistency across formats while prioritising the Championship ahead of the Blast and then the 50-over competition which was bereft of the one-day aces who preferred to spend their August earning larger salaries in The Hundred. 

Openers 

Ben Compton’s 1,386 runs at an average of 60 were the rare jewels in Kent’s miserable summer. Talking of which, Derbyshire’s Caleb Jewell was the top scorer across all three county competitions. He made only one of my Teams of the Week but accumulated his runs efficiently and consistemtly. Dom Sibley and Haseeb Hameed may have been discarded by Engand selectors years ago, but they were the outstanding openers in Division One. Sibley reached a triple-century out of a massive 820-9 against Durham but in the same match, Alex Lees scored a ton in each innings. Lees just failed to notch 1,000 runs in the four-dayers but had a fruitful T20 campaign. Tom Banton astonished everyone by cracking 371 against Worcestershire at the start of April but couldn’t maintain that throughout Somerset’s season.

Middle Order

Old favourites Wayne Madsen and Colin Ingram showed no signs of slowing down. The 41-year-old Derbyshire stalwart averaged 57 in Division Two adding 431 in the short stuff. Ingram’s Glamorgan colleague Kiran Carlson had an excellent 2024 but was even better this year, especially as the county achieved its first promotion in yonks. Northamptonshire had a rotten time, but nobody scored more Championship runs than their 27-year-old left-hander, Saif Zaib. Max Holden had a few golden moments for Middlesex, James Coles of Sussex made plenty of runs, as did Essex’s Tom Westley, while Hampshire’s Toby Albert topped the batting charts in the Blast, and his counterpart Nick Gubbins did the same in the One-Day Cup. However, my next member of the team of 2025 is Jack Haynes of county champs Notts. He struck four first-class hundreds and boasted a healthy strike rate in one-day cricket, too. 

All Rounders 

Ryan Higgins and Liam Dawson weren’t quite up to their traditional levels but there was no shortage of quality batting all-rounders on the circuit. Notitnghamshire’s Lyndon James included a double-century in his 2025 CV while Tom Lammonby of Somerset saved his best performances for when they really mattered. Lewis Gregory continued to deserve Somerset fans’ adoration, particularly when he whacked the winning six in the Blast final. Ben Kellaway and Rehan Ahmed added considerable runs to their customary spin bowling, and young Ethan Brookes of Worcestershire looked a useful player in both red and white-ball formats. However, my pick is Warwickshire’s Ed Barnard, mostly for his runs in a year when Hain, Davies and Yates didn’t often deliver.

Wicket-Keeper 

Lewis McManus claimed more victims (20 than anyone else in the Blast, while Garth Roderick topped the charts in the Championship, but their batting wasn’t quite up to scratch. James Rew of Somerset looked back to his best and even enjoyed some useful middle-order partnerships with younger brother Thomas. However, like last year, the wicketkeeping slot comes down to a fight between James Bracey (Gloucs) and John Simpson (Sussex). A third of Bracey’s runs came in the One-Day Cup but the South Coast skipper contributed everywhere, excelling in first-class cricket, both with gloves and willow, averaging 60 in his side’s push for fourth place.

Bowlers

Five men took at least fifty Championship wickets, and three of them make my XI. It wasn’t an easy decision. Ben Sanderson (Northants) and Riley Meredith (Somerset) were the most prolific in T20, Ben Allison (Worcs) in the One-Day Cup, while Ben Green (Leics) picked them up in all three competitions.

The evergreen Kyle Abbott ended the Championship season with almost identical figures to those of 2024 and is an automatic selection. Ben Raine’s seam bowling bailed Durham out of a few holes, also contributing useful lower-order runs. George Hill (Yorks) and Luis Reece (Derbys) achieved the half-century with eye-catching sub-20 averages. Spin wasn’t really to the fore this summer. Even Simon Harmer struggled so, for a second consecutive year, I am delighted to induct Somerset’s Jack Leach into the 2025 Eleven. He rarely featured in limited-overs but in the long-form the ex-England left-armer worked hard all season. Surprise bowler of the season must be Tom Taylor. Before April was out, Worcestershire looked doomed, but the 30-year-old plugged away throughout. Nobody took more wickets – 78 in total, including fifteen in the Blast. 

Like the whole country, players and fans alike, I have no idea what the hell is happening to county cricket next year. However, here is my hotly-awaited County XI of 2025;- 

Jewell (Der), Lees (Dur), Haynes (Not), Carlson (Gla), Barnard (War), Zaib (Nor), Simpson (Sus +), Abbott (Ham), Raine (Dur), Taylor (Wor), Leach (Som)

Just missed out: Brookes (Wor), Madsen (Der), Bracey (Glo +), B Green (Lei)

County Cricket: Bracey Drives Gloucestershire Safely into Semis

The penultimate week of the One-Day Cup left six counties still in the hunt for qualification for the knockout stage. Only Gloucestershire and Worcestershire can breathe more easily, having ensured more 50-over action this season. James Bracey’s blistering 186 did for Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge, making it six in a row, although Essex spoiled the unbeaten run at Chelmsford, in which Tom Westley, Matt Critchley and Simon Harmer excelled as all-rounders. In this competition, the latter has added the role as late-order six-hitter to his traditional off-spin skills, having a few days earlier blasted a 22-ball 42 and taken 5-47 to demolish Glamorgan by 190 runs. In the same game, Westley and Charlie Allison shared a third-wicket stand of 231, easily beating the entire Glamorgan line-up, who were bowled out with almost 18 overs remaining. 

Essex lost their opening three Group A fixtures but have dragged themselves into fourth place and with an excellent net run rate. Hampshire are four points ahead, after routing Surrey and edging an epic encounter against Derbyshire. Hampshire opener Nick Gubbins has certainly been leading from the front, hoisting his aggregate tally of runs in the competition towards 600, jncluding an unbeaten 144 in the loss to Nottinghamshire. Victory at Bristol would take Hampshire into the two-stage semi-finals. Any slip-up could let Essex leapfrog them. 

After being at the wrong end of a fair few Cup thrashings, Surrey appeared to have turned the corner at Derby, and they have some up-and-coming talent to thank. With Foakes injured, 20-year-old Ollie Sykes stepped up as captain and, alongside the even younger Adam Thomas, made their maiden centuries (115 and 162, respectively) and broke Surrey’s List A third-wicket partnership record. Oliver Hunt and Ralphie Albert each launched their senior careers in the same match then, against Notts, Albert scored 96 and took 2-56. The county’s short-term pain may result in long-term gain. 

Yorkshire still lead Group A with 24 points but in their wake, three teams have twenty, and one must ultimately miss out. The White Roses defeated Susses and swatted Durham aside at Scarborough by 212 runs thanks largely to Finaly Bean’s 102 runners – sorry, runs – in 57 balls and tight bowling by Coad and White. I feel sympathy for Durham, for whom Alex Lees this week delivered another big hundred and Ben Raine captured nine wickets. 

Somerset maintained their challenge with wins against Sussex and Kent. Tom Lammonby contributed another ton and a decisive 5-20, including three Sussex top-order batsmen in a single over. Sussex also fell prey to another outstanding bowling performance on Sunday, when Yorkshire’s Matt Milnes took 7-38, the best of this year’s competition so far. Warwickshire clung on to third position, triumphing over Lancashire and Durham. In the latter match, Ed Barnard managed the chase beautifully, still there at the end on 141, although it took some mighty hitting by Michael Booth to get them over the line with two overs to spare. 

Middlesex are hot on their heels, boosting their weak net run rate with a cruise against Northamptonshire. Ben Geddes led the side effectively and, on Tuesday at Radlett, achieved his maiden century in the defeat of Kent. 

In the final round of fixtures, none of the top four play each other. Therefore, it is conceivable that, should Yorkshire succumb to Kent and Somerset, Warwickshire and Middlesex see off their respective opposition, all will be on equal points tallies and net run rate will decide who progresses. Yorkshire will have to endure an unlikely pounding to miss out and, with rain in the forecast, there could be some tricky decisions to be made regarding on-pitch strategy. I just hope Somerset don’t blow it against bottom-side Northants! 

Team of the Week:- Lees (Dur), Bracey (Glo; +), Gubbins (Ham), Westley (Ess), Lammonby (Som), Sykes (Sur), Geddes (Mid), Harmer (Ess), Fuller (Ham), Raine (Dur), Milnes (Yor)

Surrey Owe it to Foakes, Rew at the Double

 The top two Championship contenders both won, but Surrey’s decisive nine-wicket victory at Lord’s earned them a 3 bonus-point advantage over Warwickshire, who picked up a 4-wicket triumph in three days against Essex. 

Ben Foakes claimed six second-innings catches and all the Surrey bowlers chipped in, although the best partnership of the match was the 152 by Middlesex batsmen Robson and Malan, out of a first-innings total of 209. At Edgbaston, it was a low-scoring, rain-affected affair. The home team’s seam trio of Rushworth, Hannon-Dalby and Hasan Ali claimed all but one of the twenty Essex wickets to fall. 

At Trent Bridge, Nottinghamshire crushed Northamptonshire by an innings in a match of just 169 overs. They certainly didn’t miss Stuart Broad as Brett Hutton and Dane Paterson each achieved ‘five-fors’ against a mediocre Northants line-up. In contrast, there were plenty of runs – too many, you could argue – at Old Trafford where Tom Abell came under fire for not declaring Somerset’s second innings to give Lancashire a chance of a rapid run chase. That would have been suicidal given the lack of time available and Lancashire’s T20 credentials. Somerset’s teenager, James Rew, won’t complain as he completed his second ton of the game and is now the competition’s leading run scorer. Lancashire have now drawn all five fixtures while Middlesex have drawn none. 

Kent and Hampshire also drew this week. James Fuller’s 5-21 was instrumental in Kent’s first day collapse, but Leaning and Cox in particular dug in to avoid defeat on the final day. Kent now travel up the A2 to face Surrey, leaving Warwickshire out of action until after the four-day tournament takes a month’s break for some one-day action. 

In Division Two, Durham maintained their position at the top, but it was desperately tight. Indeed, there was barely a bail’s breadth between them and Yorkshire throughout, but it was all-rounder Ben Raine’s cool half-century which saw Durham to a nail-biting one-wicket success. Glamorgan’s defeat of Worcestershire at Cardiff was relatively cut and dried. Timm van der Gugten was the pick of the bowlers in the ten-wicket demolition. 

Eyes were once again on Steve Smith in the Sussex shirt and, as last week, he was easily eclipsed by a team-mate. His batting practice lasted a mere fourteen deliveries, in which he scored three. Around him, Pujara and Coles each reached 70 but Tom Alsop achieved a career-best 182 not out. Leicestershire were forced to follow on, but Rishi Patel and Wiaan Mulder hundreds occupied the last day and a stalemate by stumps. 

Next week, Durham go to Gloucestershire, Sussex host Glamorgan and Leicestershire will hope to notch victory number two at Worcester. 

Team of the Week:- Came (Der), Patel (Lei), Alsop (Sus), Mulder (Lei), Foakes (Not +), Rew (Som), Mitchell (Lan), Raine (Dur), Van der Gugten (Gla), Hutton (Not), Rushworth (War)

Hampshire Bounce Back

Welcome back, proper cricket after the school holiday preoccupation with The Hundred. Well, only in the minds of the ECB because most people were too busy enjoying a post-Covid holiday or obsessing over the football season’s early restart.

In the County Championship, Surrey sat out the first week’s fixtures, and Hampshire took full advantage. Setting aside the disappointment of a surprise semi-final exit from the Royal London One-Day Cup, in which a vintage innings from the veteran Darren Stevens ensured a Kent victory, James Vince’s side trounced Northamptonshire by an innings. Crucially, they defied the rain threat to secure maximum bonus points, too. Wicketkeeper Aneurin Donald top-scored with 94 and Mohammad Abbas claimed a second-innings 4-32 to steal an eight-point march on Surrey. However, the latter play their game in hand next week, subject to royal funeral protocols.

At Canterbury, there were to be no batting heroics this week. Thoroughly outplayed by Essex for three days, their only hope of avoiding defeat was to keep the visitors’ attack at bay until the forecast rains returned. However, the brace 21-over resistance of Jordan Cox and the stricken tail-ender Matt Milnes was broken by Sam Cook, who finished the match with figures of 10-60. He’d also made a handy 38 out of Essex’s impressive 573 although it was Feroze Khushi’s 164, his maiden first-class century, which did the most damage.

In the Old Trafford Roses clash, the Lancashire openers Luke Wells and Keaton Jennings shared two partnerships of 180+ but it was George Hill’s medium pace which kept Yorkshire in the contest into the final day. Kohler-Cadmore and Fraine played uncharacteristic straight bats for almost thirty overs to deny the home county a deserved victory.

In the West Country relegation battle, winless Gloucestershire easily had the better of Somerset at Taunton. On the first afternoon, they were steaming at 251-1 but, despite Marcus Harris’ 159, bowlers Lewis Gregory and Josh Davey saved some blushes the following morning. To be honest, Somerset dodged a bullet thanks to a near fourth-day washout and are still in there fighting to maintain their fifteen-year spell in the top tier. Next week’s trip to Edgbaston is another must-win encounter but whoever comes out on top will plunge Kent into the mire.

Nottinghamshire are almost guaranteed promotion thanks to a decisive triumph over bottom-club Leicestershire. Joe Clarke’s 67 was the highest score in the match and Brett Hutton was the pick of the bowlers but credit to the Leicester opener Sam Evans. His first innings contribution was only 50 runs but he carried the bat amidst carnage at the other end. Nobody else reached double figures.

At a soggy Cardiff, Garth Roderick struck the week’s top score, 172, for Worcestershire. Glamorgan were forced to follow on but the weather restricted their second innings to only nine uneventful deliveries and so they remain in second spot. At Derby, the locals had the upper hand over Durham, for whom Ben Raine claimed 5-43. In the next round of fixtures, Glamorgan will bound clear of the chasing pack by beating Middlesex at Lord’s but defeat will catapult the London team back into the promotion places.

Team of the Week: L Wells (Lan), Jennings (Lan), Harris (Glo), Hill (Yor), Roderick (Wor), Khushi (Ess), Donald (Ham +), Anuj Dal (Der), Raine (Dur), Hutton (Not), S Cook (Ess)

County cricket: Star Bores and Close Encounters

Much like the Trent Bridge Test match, the county week was a mixture of mostly solid batting and thrashing, although not in the same competition! Before taking a short break, the Vitality Blast featured a couple more fixtures for each team, which didn’t change the standings very much. 

Lancashire narrowly edged the Roses day/nighter at Headingley, where 25 sixes were struck. Tim David and Dane Vilas supplied ten of them in a total of 213-5, but while David Willey and Tom Kohler-Cadmore were at the crease, Yorkshire were on course for victory. However, once Gleeson caught-and-bowled him in the eighteenth over and dismissed Thompson two balls later, the momentum was lost. As a few weeks ago, it could have been a tie but it concluded with a four-run margin. Lancashire’s lead at the top of the North division could have increased to a commanding four points at Chester-le-Street, where sixes were at a premium. Raine, Sowter and Tye restricted the Lightning to 130, and yet Richard Gleeson’s 4-19 kept them in it al the way to the penultimate over when Liam Trevaskis thumped Liam Hurt for successive boundaries and Durham nicked it with three balls to spare. 

In the South division, Surrey beat Middlesex and Somerset defeated Gloucestershire in their respective derby fixtures to remain at the head of the table. However, the London side maintained bragging rights by winning their subsequent County Championship duel at Taunton. After taking a first-innings advantage of 202, Somerset did at least show some third-day fight, thanks to Lewis Gregory’s century but, with an attack missing Craig Overton, his brother Jamie plus Will Jacks saw the Division One trailblazers home by three wickets. 

Hampshire claimed their fifth success of the season but also faced a thrilling finale. Hosting Yorkshire, it all boiled down to a tense final afternoon. Eventually, on top of the ECB anti-racism charges, Yorkshire succumbed to an onslaught by Liam Dawson before Fuller’s cheeky ramp shot took them over the line at 6pm. 

At Edgbaston, Warwickshire and Lancashire were even-Stevens on first-innings totals, then Alex Davies’ 121 helped the home team to declare near the end of day three, setting a target of 329. Opener Luke Wells responded with a brilliant unbeaten 175 to take the spoils and remain in the title hunt. 

At the bottom, neither Gloucestershire nor Kent had won before this week, and it was the former who remain winless after Kent stormed to an eight-wicket victory. Cox and Leaning had hit tons early on but, with New Zealand-qualified Glenn Phillips in the runs, the visitors had hopes of forcing a draw. However, Jacob Duffy’s five-for on debut ended resistance, and the Kent top-order were left with little work to do. 

In Division Two, Hill and Ackermann did their best to take Leicestershire to a summer’s best 440, just 108 behind leaders Nottinghamshire’s Duckett-assisted 548. Could they spring a surprise? Er, no. Liam Patterson-White’s 4-15 was instrumental in a dismal collapse and an innings defeat. Derbyshire were perhaps surprising winners against Middlesex at the Chesterfield festival. After a recent lean spell, Shan Masood was back on form, as indeed he was in the T20 matches a few days earlier.

Glamorgan’s batters aren’t normally the strongest in the county game, so the Cardiff faithful could be forgiven a few double-takes as Ed Byrom and Colin Ingram shared a triple-century stand against Sussex. However, both failed second time around in what had seemed a simple run chase. Fortunately for them, Carlsen and Northeast steadied the ship and Chris Cooke struck the winning boundary off Lenham. Share a thought for Sussex's young Oli Carter, who aggregated 268 runs and finished on the losing team.

There were plenty of runs at Chester-le-Street but a dearth of competitive excitement. 1294 for 17 wickets signified an unequal contest between bat and ball and if this is what the ECB are demanding as preparation for flat Test pitches, then heaven help us, and the game of cricket. With Covid claiming victims in the NZ Test squad, 22 year-old Rachin Ravindra made a claim for an emergency call-up, compiling 217 in Durham’s mighty 672-7 declared. Worcestershire replied in kind, their all-rounders D’Oliveira and Barnard matching their Durham oppos Raine and Coughlin with their own hundreds. Their bowling figures were less impressive…. 

This coming week is all Blast action, although I’ll be heading somewhere less renowned for its cricket. Never mind, after a three-year holiday hiatus, I’m looking forward to a spell of sun and scenery in Kefalonia. Twenty20 will just mean it’s approaching dusk and time for a post-dinner stroll. Bliss!

Team of the Week: Ravindra (Dur), L Wells (Lan), Carter (Sus), Cox (Ken), Jacks (Sur), Phillips (Glo), Raine (Dur), Moores (Not +), Critchley (Ess), Patterson-White (Not), Wheal (Ham) 

Red Roses Race ahead but Gloucestershire red-faced

Following that rotten week of rain, May decided to perk up at the end, and consequently all seven Championship fixtures produced a result. Lancashire extended their lead in Group 3 after a comprehensive drubbing of old foes Yorkshire at Old Trafford. Seamer Tom Bailey was at his meanest and Saqib Mahmood emerged with a second innings 5-47, while centuries from Keaton Jennings and Josh Bohannon helped rack up an unbeatable 509-9. Northamptonshire sit just six points behind Yorkshire thanks to a seven-wicket triumph over Sussex at Hove. Ben Sanderson’s 5-45 gave them a solid start but with Tom Haines (103) and skipper Ben Brown (95) giving their bowlers something to aim at, Sussex did at least take the game into a fourth day. 

It was topsy-turvy time in Group 2. New England Test recruit James Bracey was absent from Gloucestershire’s much improved side only for the county to suffer an innings defeat at the hands of Surrey. Hashim Amla’s brilliant 173 plus useful late-order runs from Rikki Clarke and Jamie Overton took the home team to a challenging 473, which Gloucester never looked like reaching in two attempts. Novice spinner Dan Moriarty impressed with a first-innings 6-60. 

Bottom side Leicestershire picked up a maiden victory for 2021 and in the process leapfrogged their Middlesex victims. In retrospect Peter Handscomb may regret not enforcing the follow-on because Leicestershire not only batted for the last day and a bit but somehow managed to record one of their largest ever run chases. A marvellously measured third wicket partnership of 243 between Aussie Marcus Harris (185) and captain Colin Ackermann (126 not out) was instrumental in this unlikely recovery. 

In Group 1, Worcestershire also finally got off the mark, defeating Derbyshire by an innings and 23. Two successive career-bests by 22 year-old pacer Dillon Pennington stood out, while Jack Haynes and Ed Barnard each struck scores of 90+.  Nottinghamshire’s recent good form was reversed at Edgbaston, where Warwickshire outscored them in each innings. Haseeb Hameed showed little to support his Test recall. He was outscored again by his opening partner Ben Slater but it was the home skipper Will Rhodes who looked the most accomplished run-maker. Danny Briggs’ fourth day 4-36 proved decisive at the conclusion. 

With both these counties snapping at their heels, Essex needed to take the sixteen-point win bonus at Chester-le-Street. This they achieved comfortably inside three days. Chris Rushworth and Ben Raine performed admirably for Durham but it was the Essex seamers Jamie Porter, Peter Siddle and Sam Cook, whose collective effort netted nineteen wickets, who stole the show. 

The champs meet second-place Notts this week for Group 1 bragging rights before the four-week Championship break while Somerset and Gloucestershire will consolidate their ‘top two’ status in Group 2 if they overcome Hampshire and Leicestershire, respectively. The Group 3 trio at the top, Lancs, Yorks and Northants must facy their chances against Glamorgan, Sussex and Kent but the results of the past week demonstrate that nothing can be taken for granted. 

Team of the Week: Rhodes (War), Haines (Sus), Amla (Sur), Bohannon (Lan), Harris (Lei), Ackermann(Lei), Brown (Sus +), Raine (Dur), Briggs (War), Pennington (Wor), Porter (Ess)

Northants Clinch One-run Thriller and Notts win at last

Headingley played host to an incredibly tight Group 3 encounter. It was only when, under grey skies and spitting rain, Yorkshire skipper Steven Patterson induced an edge from Northamptonshire’s Wayne Parnell to the ‘keeper with just two needed for victory. The South African international had already taken ten wickets but it was David Willey who was the home team’s best bowler. 

Lancashire lead the group by a single point by way of a five-wicket triumph over Sussex at Hove. Tom Bailey et al had brought the Red Roses back into the match before Alex Davies’ belligerent 73 and a more measured 91 not out from Keaton Jennings saw them home at a canter. Glamorgan welcomed Marnus Labuschagne back to Cardiff but it was a combination of David Lloyd’s spin and 39 year-old Michael Hogan’s second innings seam which proved decisive against bottom club Kent. Yet Hogan wasn’t the oldest man to record a five-for in the game; that achievement belonged to none other than Darren Stevens, the 46^th time he’s done it in first-class cricket. 

In Group 2, previous leaders Hampshire were unexpectedly trounced by Surrey by an innings at The Oval. Following a pair in the last fixture, Hashim Amla struck a commanding double-century and could have made more had he not retired hurt with a stiff neck on 215. Kemar Roach completed the rout with 8-40. Gloucestershire took control of the league beating Leicestershire by four wickets but only after playing second fiddle for three days. Tons from Hill and Evans, plus 7-58 by Chris Wright, left the home county playing catch-up but a rapid 224-run stand between Iain Cockbain and Tom Lace was the cornerstone of the successful 348-run chase. 

Somerset also held their nerve to repeat their comeback success against Middlesex of a few weeks ago. Steve Finn and Tim Murtagh bowled the visitors into contention but Craig Overton’s 5-34, the consistent Josh Davey’s six wickets, an assured debut by batsman Lewis Goldsworthy and patient 44 not out by Steven Davies saw Somerset home by four wickets. History was made, too, when Jack Brooks became the first Covid substitute, replacing Lewis Gregory who was forced to self-isolate when his girlfriend tested positive mid-match. 

Nottinghamshire claimed their first Championship win in three years and 31 matches and they did it in style by defeating neighbours Derbyshire by 310 runs. Openers Slater and Hameed were again in the runs but this week they had strong support with the ball in the hands of Luke Fletcher and Stuart Broad. Durham were equally emphatic in thumping Warwickshire at Chester-le-Street by an innings and 127. On day one, Ben Raine and Mark Wood had ripped out the Midlanders for a mere 87 then, after Alex Lees and Will Young had them wishing they could leave right now, it was the turn of Ben Carse and the - er – Evergreen Chris Rushworth to bowl them out a second time. 

The only fixture not to produce a result came at New Road where Essex failed to hammer (Harmer?) home their first innings dominance. Sir Alastair Cook and Mr Tom Westley each made three figures in a total of 568-8 declared but, forced to follow on, the Worcestershire batsmen knuckled down to defy Harmer, Sam Cook and co and agree a draw. 

Essex now sit in fifth but victory over Notts next week could see them back in the top three. Worcestershire will go top if they beat derby rivals Warwickshire at Edgbaston as Durham don’t play. In roup 2, Hampshire and Somerset meet for a chance to overhaul Gloucestershire who make the trip to Lord’s. Lancashire welcome a resurgent Glamorgan to Old Trafford while Yorkshire host winless Kent. 

Team of the Week: Slater (Not), Jennings (Lan), Vasconcelos (Nor +), Lloyd (Gla), Amla (Sur), Pope (Sur), Hill (Lei), Parnell (Nor), Raine (Dur), C Overton (Som), Roach (Sur)

Gloucester in the Groove

 Back in the Blast, even with most counties facing only two further group fixtures, some of the quarter-final placings have already been confirmed. 

So far, only Gloucestershire have amassed six victories, three coming this week. Two were against closest rivals Northamptonshire and the Bears, giving them an unassailable 4-point lead at the top of Central group. Their bowlers inflicted the most damage, notably Smith and Van Buuren. Glamorgan seemed to be finding some kind of bowling form, too, led by Sisodya and Van Gugten, only to be thumped at Cardiff yesterday by the inconsistent Somerset, for whom Babar Azam crashed an unbeaten 114. 

In the South section, Surrey notched their fifth consecutive success to top the table. Jacks, Evans and Amla contributed with the bat, while 21 year-old Dan Moriarty has made an impact with his slow left-arm. Luke Wright’s top-order runs and the economic spin of Danny Briggs didn’t translate into four wins for Sussex. Middlesex opener Steve Eskinazi is currently the tournament’s highest scorer but his side have fallen short too often. The exception came at Canterbury where they held on by just two runs. I don’t normally associate the veteran Tim Murtagh with Twenty20 but this week he took five cheap wickets. 

Besides Azam, only Kent’s Zak Crawley reached three figures and wins over Essex and Surrey next week will enable their progress to the last eight. 

Up North, Nottinghamshire should consolidate their two-point lead at the top with just one win from their final three matches. An enviable batting line-up featuring the likes of Joe Clarke, Hales, Duckett and Christian has yet to disappoint. Yorkshire have been hampered by Covid cases while their Roses rivals and conquerors at Headingley this week, Lancashire, stand second. Durham struck the highest team score of the week: 223-8 against Derbyshire. In that game, Ben Raine slammed eight sixes and just one four in a 39-ball 71. However, they look unlikely to make the quarters. 

Team of the Week: Wright (Sus), Eskinazi (Mid), Lyth (Yor), Clarke (Not), Raine (Dur), Lawrence (Ess), Cox (Wor +), Van Buuren (Glo), Sisodya (Gla), Murtagh (Mid), Waller (Som)

Cook and Porter carry Essex to victory

After beating second-placed Hampshire last week, Essex went one better by defeating leaders Somerset inside three days at Chelmsford. Alastair Cook top-scored with 80, while Jamie Porter finished with match stats of 9-73 as Somerset struggled on what must have been a tough wicket for batting.

In the other top fight fixture, last year’s champions Surrey finally notched their first Championship win of the summer, overcoming Warwickshire by 74 runs. As in Essex, there were no centuries, but Mark Stoneman aggregated 104 across both innings. Sam Curran added a 52 and five wickets while Ben Foakes claimed five catches and a couple of stumpings. Surrey now face Yorkshire, Somerset meet the team they beat in the RLOC final, Hampshire and Essex have the easier challenge, playing bottom county Nottinghamshire.

There were three Division Two encounters, after which Glamorgan are unexpected leaders. Beaming with confidence, they nipped across the Severn to Bristol and returned bearing 21 points, enough to overtake Lancashire, although the latter have one game fewer. Labuschagne was again in the runs and the evergreen Aussie Michael Hogan took seven Gloucestershire wickets.

There were changes at the other end of the table, too. Sussex were shocked by lowly Durham at Hove, and it wasn’t even close. Cameron Bancroft struck 158 in the first innings and Alex Lees 143 in the second, before Ben Raine polished off the home team with 6-27, aided inevitably by Chris Rushworth. Remarkably this leaves Middlesex at the foot of the whole shebang.

The weather was less kind in the East Midlands, where Northamptonshire and Leicestershire couldn’t fashion a result. Mohammad Abbas (3-49 and 3-39) looked the classiest bowler on display, while Leicester’s opener Hassan Azad scored 92, taking his fledging first-class average above 50.

Northants now meet struggling Sussex, Worcestershire are next up for the Glammies and Durham will be fortunate to make it two in two because they face promotion favourites Lancashire. But anything can happen. Just ask Middlesex!

Team of the Week: Bancroft (Dur), Cook (Ess), Lees (Dur), Labuschagne (Gla), Wakeley (Nor), Eckersley (Dur +), Gregory (Som), Raine (Dur), Porter (Ess), Beard (Ess), Hogan(Gla)

Raine-ing Sixes and Aaron Finch Sings for Surrey

After four games of the Vitality Blast, Worcestershire remain the only county with a 100% record. Their star performer was perhaps also a surprise: Dillon Pennington. In Friday’s North division game against Northamptonshire, reduced by rare rain to a nine-over thrash, the Shropshire teenager grabbed 4-9 in his two overs.

Nottinghamshire sit in second place thanks to victories over Leicestershire and Derbyshire. Young ‘keeper Tom Moores contributed another couple of feverish fifties while Dan Christian provided more runs and wickets to the Outlaws’ cause. However, when it comes to sixes, Ben Raine reigned supreme. At Edgbaston, the Leicester all-rounder clumped ten of them in a 100-run defeat of the Bears on his way to 113 off 46 balls.

His innings was not the highest of the week. In the South group, T20 specialist Aaron Finch followed his 58 for Surrey against Essex with a 79-ball unbeaten 131 at Brighton. Even Rashid Khan got clobbered for ten an over. However, this is Sussex’s only loss in the competition so far. Earlier in the week, they travelled to Glamorgan and Hampshire and emerged from each with eight-wicket victories. Luke Wright and Laurie Evans shared two sizeable partnerships in both games.

However, Kent top the table on net run rate. Sam Billings thrashed 95 not out from the Hampshire attack, taking a particular liking to Gareth Berg, whose four overs went for sixty. It was a close contest, though, as Dawson and Berg couldn’t quite complete the chase, falling just three runs short. Kent, too, were on the receiving end of a tight finish, losing by five runs to Gloucestershire at Bristol.

Next Friday sees some tasty encounters such as the Roses match at Old Trafford, Kent hosting Surrey and Somerset’s visit to Cardiff. If possible I may even pop along to that one myself….

Team of the Week: 

Wright (Sus), Finch (Sur), Moores (Not +), Billings (Ken), Christian (Not), Raine (Lei), Clarke (Sur), Zampa (Ess), Ferguson (Der), Pennington (Wor), Pillans (Sur)

Renshaw runs lift Somerset to the top

Excuse me while I attempt to bring my feet fluttering back to earth but it has been a giddy day or two on the cricketing fields of England and Scotland. First there were the pictures of stony-faced Root, Hales, Ali, Rashid et al having been dealt a maiden ODI defeat by the likes of Kyle Coetzer, Calum MacLeod, Mark Watt and George Munsey in front of 6,000 disbelieving fans in Edinburgh. England may well go on to defeat Australia but the Scots can always boast of beating the world’s number one 50-over cricket nation. Next was the sight of Sarah Taylor adding another century to her effortless wicketkeeping for England against South Africa. Now the best of all: Somerset going top of the County Championship!

We’ve done it before, of course. Somerset’s problem for 120 years is never being in that position at the end of the season. With injuries and England call-ups, we ought to be at the opposite end of the table but I shall enjoy the moment while I can. Having forced the previous leading side Nottinghamshire to follow on, Tom Abell’s side must have contemplated wrapping things up inside three days. However, the Notts batting was far more resilient second time around and, with Tom Moores completing his first Championship century, they ended up setting Somerset a tricky 248 to win on the final day. I needn’t have worried. Matt Renshaw took his match aggregate to 167 and Stephen Davies and Abell compiled one of their useful fifth-wicket stands to clinch victory.

They lead the table by a single point from Surrey, who pounded Hampshire by an innings at Southampton. Rory Burns top-scored with 151 before his attack bowled the home side out twice. Rikki Clarke claimed a five-for while Morne Morkel’s debut featured two typically miserly blasts with the ball. It doesn’t get easier for Somerset because they now face a trip to The Oval and a potential dive down the table should Essex beat Notts.

The champions advanced to third having dealt Lancashire a five-wicket defeat at Old Trafford. Last year’s stars Jamie Porter and Simon Harmer were again in fine fettle, garnering seven wickets apiece. Essex may be missing captain Ryan Ten Doeschate next week after he was punished for another disciplinary indiscretion with a one-match ban.

In Division Two, Ian Bell became the first Warwickshire player to score two hundreds in a match since – er – he last did it in 2004. Strange to think he hadn’t reached three figures in red-ball cricket for two years then does it twice in a few days. Helped by Jonathan Trott and solid bowling support, Warwickshire outclassed Glamorgan to more twenty-four points clear. Kent remain second but, having amassed almost 600 in the first innings and Matt Henry proceeding to take 6-58, they must be disappointed not to have taken maximum points at Bristol. Instead, Gloucestershire fought back with Dent and van Buuren and secured a draw.

Leicestershire must be feeling dizzy in third place but they were worthy winners over Northamptonshire who can’t seem to score runs. Zak Chappell’s first-innings 6-44 and an excellent performance from medium-pacer Ben Raine, eclipsing his opening partner Mohammed Abbas, helped set up a six-wicket success. 

At Chester-le-Street, Durham contrived to beat Derbyshire despite being skittled for 96 on the opening morning, when Duanne Olivier nabbed 5-20. The inexperienced Gareth Harte’s 114 started to reverse fortunes while the very experienced Chris Rushworth completed the comeback with 5-46. 

As in Division One, next week sees first playing second so, if Warwickshire defeat Kent, Durham could enter the promotion zone should they overcome Sussex at Arundel. With no money and their best batsmen pilfered by the big boys, Durham will be relieved and proud of such an improvement. Northants will host Gloucestershire and harbour hopes of securing a first Championship triumph of 2018.

Team of the Week: 

Renshaw (Som), Burns (Sur), Bell (War), Denly (Ken), Khawaja (Gla), Davies (Som +), van Buuren (Glo), Raine (Lei), Harmer (Ess), Olivier (Der), Rushworth (Dur)

Gayle Force in Somerset, Raine-ing success for Leicester

Just for a change, I’ll start my weekly review of the county cricket action at the foot of Division Two. The reason is that Leicestershire have finally won a Championship match for the first time since September 2012. When Lewis Hill nudged the single which took them past Essex’s target, you’d think they’d won the World Cup! Maybe now the hoodoo is broken, they can kick on. They actually have some decent players. Unfortunately, the team they beat at Chelmsford are looking very weak. The top order can’t score and without Topley and Masters the young Essex attack lacks experience.

The top two played out a boring draw on a bat-friendly Oval pitch. There were centuries for Jason Roy, Rory Burns and, for the first time, James Faulkner but only two runs for the returning Kevin Pietersen. Surrey narrowed the gap behind Lancashire by just one point, but Glamorgan are now only eight points adrift of second place after defeating Northants by ten wickets. Craig Meschede’s 107 and 3-19 made the difference.

At Derby, Jack Taylor struck his debut hundred for Gloucestershire then after a couple of last morning declarations, his miserly 2-19 almost secured victory over a second-rate Derbyshire. Dilshan has yet to produce the killer innings and only Billy Godleman and Shiv Thakor exceeded 20 in the second innings. However, Gloucester could take only eight wickets and a draw ensued.

In the top tier, Middlesex leapfrogged Durham despite drawing with Warwickshire, but Nottinghamshire enjoyed a victory over a promising Sussex side. Despite poor weather, it was all over inside three days, and there were several performances to savour. Pity Steve Magoffin: 12 wickets yet finished on the losing side. Former Notts favourite Bruce French has a new family star. His nephew Jake Ball took 9-67 in total, Samit Patel hit 100 but teenager Luke Wood fared even better. With Notts reeling at 98-7, he surprised everyone by thumping exactly 100 in 96 balls. Allied to five wickets, he did more than anyone to ensure his county escaped the relegation zone.

In the other match, Hampshire dug themselves out of the mire on day 4 to avoid losing against fellow strugglers Worcestershire, for whom captain Daryl Mitchell hit an unbeaten 142.

It may not have been a vintage week in the Championship but last weekend, the NatWest Blast competition really came alive as some of the IPL superstars joined at the party. There’s no bigger name in T20 than Chris Gayle. Not only did he bring in thousands through the turnstiles at Chelmsford and Taunton but he also sent local residents - human and fish – scurrying and swimming to safety amidst a blitz of sixes. Against Essex, his 92 in 59 balls laid the foundation for a last-ball victory for Somerset. Then, facing a huge Kent total courtesy of Sam Northeast, he smashed an unbeaten 151 only to miss the target by just three runs! What would we do without him?! Hats off, too, to Paul Stirling and Dawid Malan, for giving Middlesex fans plenty to cheer about in the short format game, too. After three weeks, there are no clear favourites; almost every team has won at least one match. Only Kent – with four wins in five – have established some sort of winning sequence.

Team of the Week: Gayle (Som), Stirling (Mid), Northeast (Ken, *), Patel (Not), Watling (NZ), Roy (Sur), Ronchi (NZ, +), Raine (Lei), Wood (Not), Ball (Not), Magoffin (Sus)