Northants Bounce back to win the Blast

So Northamptonshire won the men’s Vitality Blast but it was a rollercoaster ride in the concluding week. The Steelbacks had dominated the Central/West group so ultimately it did not matter that they lost their last two games. The other two group leaders also stumbled across the qualification finish line. Hampshire were trounced by Essex, for whom Matt Critchley took 4-16, and it was Yorkshire’s seamers who inflicted most of the damage in beating Nottinghamshire. 

In the South division, Essex also defeated runners-up Surrey to nick one of the best third-place slots in the knockouts. Lancashire also took two out of two, including a 22-run Roses victory in which Mitchell Stanley claimed 4-30. He also caught Joe Root off Anderson’s bowling for just four. However, it obviously did the England man’s confidence no harm given his fabulous form in the ensuing India ODIs. As for the Red Roses, their efforts came too late to progress in the competition. 

In contrast, Somerset had to fight al the way to advance. They completed an improbable demolition double over Northants at Taunton before thumping Worcestershire by 78 runs at the same venue. Each were achieved on the foundations of barnstorming opening partnerships involving Will Smeed and Thomas Rew. 

It was more difficult for Somerset in their quarter-final with Yorkshire at Headingley. Pacemen Daniel Sams – who enjoyed an excellent week – Riley Meredith and Jake Ball limited Jonny Bairstow’s side to 161-9, but tables were turned when George Hill (2-12) and Hasan Ali (2-30) reduced the visitors to a quivering wreck on 82-8. Enter Craig Overton. With nothing to lose, he single-handedly engineered one of the most sensational winning comebacks in T20 history, clubbing 79 from 30 deliveries – including three sixes from Revis’s final over – to haul Somerset to their sixth successive Finals Day. 

Meanwhile, Hampshire sailed serenely on. Joe Weatherly was consistently strung all week but it was a masterful 125 from James Vince and a five-for from Sonny Baker who gained revenge on Essex in the last eight. The remaining matches were all quite low-scoring. At Trent Bridge, chasing 164, Surrey were in charge while Roy and Evans were racking up a century opening stand. However, they crumbled meekly in the last eight overs to fall seven short. Northants rediscovered winning ways at Wantage Road. Ben Sanderson’s 4-20 was the key bowling performance, and the batsmen picked off the required 153 with consummate ease. 

So to Edgbaston for Finals Day. Vengeance was sweet for Northants, avoiding a third loss to Somerset in a fortnight. The latter’s Ball and Meredith took seven cheap wickets to give themselves a clear chance of making another final only for Willey and Sanderson, supported by Sales and Harrison, to stifle the Rews. Tom Banton was released by England only to be caught behind first ball! Vince and Weatherley’s 126 for the second wicket underpinned a straightforward victory against Nottinghamshire and we had probably the most deserving counties playing out the evening climax. 

All twenty wickets fell, five of them to Hampshire’s Baker (again) and only Northants’ Ricardo Vasconcelos (88) and tournament top scorer Weatherley (75) passed 40. With seventeen needed from ten deliveries, four wickets in hand and Weatherley still at the crease, Hampshire looked favourites. However, all four fell at the death, and success was sealed when Sanderson bowled Baker. Cue the fireworks…. 

Team of the Week: Hughes (Sus), Vasconcelos (Nor), Vince (Ham), Weatherley (Ham), T Rew (Som +), Critchley (Ess), C Overton (Som), Jordan (Sur), Sams (Som), Sanderson (Nor), Baker (Ham). 

Over the fifteen fixtures, Northants were worthy winners. In addition to those mentioned here, Chris Lynn’s runs, including two tons, the economical leg-breaks and googlies from Calvin Harrison and the under-rated seam of James Sales all contributed strongly. 

My team of the tournament: Lynn (Nor), Vince (Ham), Weatherley (Ham), Donald (Der +), Webster (War), Livingstone (Lan), Willey (Nor), Hasan Ali (Yor), Currie (Ham), Harrison (Nor), Mohammad Ali (Not)

County Cricket: Surrey Thrashed, Somerset Thwarted

It is not often that Surrey get beaten, let alone dismantled by an innings. However, they returned from Leeds with tails between their legs and only two points to their total. Yorkshire had both Joe Root and Harry Brook in their ranks but it was former internationals Adam Lyth (141) and Jonny Bairstow (120) who underpinned the total of 468. In contrast, bowler Sean Abbott was the only batter who reached fifty in either of Surrey’s two innings, and England ‘keeper Jamie Smith contributed a solitary boundary and no catches. At least Brook took his wicket! 

Southern England suffered some unkind weather last weekend, and Southampton was no exception. Consequently, Hampshire and Nottinghamshire played out a damp low-scoring draw. After five half-centuries in six innings, Jake Lehmann finally reached three figures in the second innings but it was the seamers who shone brightest. Notts’ Fergus O’Neill claimed match figures of 8-86 and for Hampshire, England newbie Sonny Baker took 5-45, his best Championship return so far. 

Glamorgan’s fine form continued at Edgbaston, where they had the better of the stalemate with second-placed Warwickshire. After both openers fell with no runs on the board, Ben Kellaway (139) and Kiran Carlson put on 194 and, despite Oliver Hannon-Dalby’s 5-53, Glammy posted a useful 360. Last week’s hat-trick hero debutant Tom Norton took 4-48 to help his side to a healthy first-innings lead. Second time around, it was Colin Ingram with three figures and Ethan Bamber’s five-for, then rain called a halt with Warwickshire way short of their 368-run target and only two men down. 

Monday’s weather was even unkinder to Somerset at Taunton. Tom Abell (119) and Craig Overton (111) were again in the runs, propelling the home side to 526-8. Sussex opener Daniel Hughes’ 107 was the only score of note and, following on, the visitors were again listing badly at 113-7 when the covers came on and remained there. 

At Chelmsford, Essex and Leicestershire were evenly matched until Sam Cook and Shane Snater ripped Ben Cox’s team apart for just sixty runs on Sunday morning. Allison and Critchley saw Essex home by seven wickets with a day to spare. 

Division Two has been a right topsy-turvy affair so far. After six fixtures, all eight sides have won at least one, but only leaders Durham remain unbeaten. Only six points separate third and seventh but Durham were in trouble against struggling Kent at Beckenham for whom teenager Ben Dawkins easily eclipsed his opening partner Zak Crawley. An innings of 180 wasn’t bad for a maiden hundred! Crawley was Ben Stokes’s sole wicket, while Matthew Potts finished with a creditable 6-92. At 288-9 in reply, Durham were facing a likely follow-on, only for Ben Raine and Callum Parkinson to rescue the situation with a stand of 158, ended by Callum’s brother Matt when he bowled Raine for 106. 

Northamptonshire sit second after squeaking home against Gloucestershire by two wickets. Ben Sanderson (Northants) and Matt Taylor (Kent) shone with the ball, until Louis Kimber’s brisk 66 carried Northants towards a hard-won victory, and Gloucester to a fifth defeat. The latter have only three weeks before seeking revenge. With a Saturday washout, there was little to shout about for Lancashire’s clash with Worcestershire at Southport. The highlight seemed to be the break when Jimmy Anderson joined others in searching for the ball in the greenery through a boundary fence. Takes me back to my schooldays! 

At Lord’s, Derbyshire made it two wins in a row, with Ben Aitchison taking centre-stage. He followed a bowling return of 5-47 with a maiden century and a 208-run sixth-wicket stand alongside Wayne Madsen, who also reeled off first-class ton number 44. Leus du Plooy led a Middlesex fightback on Sunday, but Derby had plenty of time to knock off the required 122 to win, captain Madsen unbeaten on 31. 

The County Championship now endures a fortnight’s hiatus for a brief Blast of T20, which should bring some sun-kissed Bank Holiday weekend punters in.  

Team of the Week:-  Dawkins (Ken), Lyth (Yor), Northeast (Ken), Kellaway (Gla), Bairstow (Yor +), Aitchinson (Der), C Overton (Som), Snater (Ess), O’Neill (Not), M Taylor (Glo), Sanderson (Nor)

County Cricket: Champions on a Charge

Both the favourites for the 2026 County Championship won this week, leapfrogging Somerset into the top two positions. Reigning champs Nottinghamshire were too strong for Leicestershire, despite Ben Green’s career-best 7-112 and a Stevie Eskinazi century. For Notts, it’s current England international Ben Duckett who steals the headlines, but Joe Clarke and Ben Slater are making the runs. The latter scored 178 and a rapid unbeaten 52, while Olly Stone continued his recovery from a knee injury with handy match figures of 8-109. 

Surrey broke their season’s duck, defeating Sussex by eight wickets. Adam Thomas had a first-class debut to remember, compiling a neat 120 and sharing a stand of 162 with Sean Abbott. Earlier, Dom Sibley had uncharacteristically struck three sixes in an innings of 187 out of a total of 622. That Surrey didn’t win by a greater margin owes much to a late first-innings partnership of 173 involving bowlers Jack Carson and Ollie Robinson, both of whom reached three figures. 

It was a game of two halves at Taunton, where previous leaders Somerset enjoyed the best of the opening exchanges. Lewis Gregory claimed 6-43, then opener Josh Thomas powered his way to a maiden century as their side opened up a 112- run lead. Then things went wrong. Wharton, Root and Richardson carved half-centuries, to set their hosts a final day target of 260 which proved beyond them. Only Thomas, again, passed fifty, as the Tykes’ spinners dominated, led improbably by Joe Root (4-49)! 

Last month, I would have forgiven for Glamorgan’s realistic ambitions to have been avoidance of immediate relegation. However, after this week’s hammering of Hampshire at Southampton, it is the latter who should be nervously testing the trapdoor’s timbers. Glamorgan captain Kira Carlson led from the front, stroking a smooth 209 and being the dominant partner with Zain -ul-Hassan in a triple-century second-wicket alliance. Carlson even took teenage top-scorer Ben Mayes’ wicket with the only ball he bowled in the first innings but it was the consistent Timm van der Gugten and Hampshire old boy Mason Crane who inflicted most of the damage over both Hampshire’s attempts, securing an innings victory. 

This week, Glamorgan welcome Somerset to Cardiff, while the leading pair, Notts and Surrey meet at Trent Bridge. Leicestershire hope to notch their opening triumph at Hove against Sussex. 

Meanwhile, in Division Two, Kent secured their first victory for a year, outscoring Derbyshire by 225 runs. Daniel Bell-Drummond (129) and ‘keeper Chris Benjamin (56 and 123) stamped their authority on the Derby attack, although inexperienced Rory Haydon can hold his head high with a brace of five-fors. However, the best figures were returned by Kent’s Matt Milnes, whose 6-12 ripped the heart out of the second innings, despite the efforts of Luis Reece. 

Another ‘keeper-batsman, Worcestershire’s Garth Roderick slammed a huge score, 164 not out, yet ended up on the losing side at the hands of Northamptonshire. The home side declared on 597-9, with Vasconcelos, Sales and McManus each registering tons of their own. In the second outing, not even Roderick could save Worcester, as Ben Sanderson tore them apart, ending on 7-31. 

Northants sit in the promotion places but Durham remain in the driving seat despite only drawing with Middlesex at Lord’s. Ryan Higgins struck 131 and took four wickets but Durham went about their batting with greater fervour. Both Emilio Gay and David Bedingham achieved centuries and Kasey Aldridge fell one short. They had a day to finish off the home county but, while Ben Raine took three more wickets, Max Holden held firm and steered his side to safety. 

Next up for Durham are Worcestershire, while Northants visit Derby. Lancashire could advance by defeating Middlesex. 

Team of the Week:- Slater (Not), J. Thomas (Som), Carlson (Gla), Bedingham (Dur), Root (Yor), A. Thomas (Sur), Benjamin (Ken +), Raine (Dur), Haydon (Der), Milnes (Ken), Sanderson (Nor)

County Cricket: Northants Blast Off!

 The Vitality Blast was launched last week with seemingly muted fanfare. 2025 sees relatively few overseas superstars joining the counties for an occasional batting cameo or a couple of wickets. The New Zealand trio of Williamson, Neesham and Santner didn’t exactly set the game alight this week, and the one outstanding performance came from an English regular of the county circuit. 

Twenty20 in this county tends to be a completely unpredictable affair, with unlikely stars and even more unlikely winners. In the North division, it is Northamptonshire enjoying the success of a 4-game 100|% record and a red-ball specialist, Keaton Jennings, the highest scorer to date. His 95 for Lancashire against Nottinghamshire is the highest individual mark so far, coming from only 49 balls. In that match, he shared an opening stand of 177 with Luke Wells, for whom the Blast was surely made.

 Other all-rounders fared quite well. Dvid Willey has returned to Northamptonshire, contributing eight wickets and 133 runs. Sam Curran had his moments for Surrey, young James Coles (Sussex) biffed some useful boundaries while Hampshire’s Liam Dawson may well have added to his four wickets had he not been swiped by England. Veterans Samit Patel and Ravi Bopara each crunched an unbeaten eighty-something and Jimmy Anderson proved that a class bowler can succeed in any format, even in his forties. 

The Bears’ Sam Hain maintained his Championship batting form at a super rate of knots, and his fellow Bear – neither Warwickshire nor Birmingham – Alex Davies was the ‘keeper-batsman of the week. Jason Roy seemed happier in his T20 domain. Having bagged a pair for Surrey last week, he opened his 2025 Vitality account with a 92. 

However, the ace performer must be 36-year-old seamer Ben Sanderson. Before Friday, he already had a 4-15 to his name, against Leicestershire, but he managed to snatch four wickets in ONE OVER! Worcestershire were by this stage already beaten but he polished things off with a hat-trick from the very last ball of the innings.

Behind them, Lancashire and Leicestershire each have three victories, but the latter defeated the former by five wickets when they met at Old Trafford. At the other end of the table, Derbyshire and Yorkshire have yet to get off the mark. The most prolific runfest was witnessed at Trent Bridge where Jack Haynes’ magnificent 89 not out helped chase down the Bears’ target of 227 with five balls to spare. 

In the South, Somerset and Hampshire have the only 100% records to date. Matt Henry and Riley Meredith have been the pick of a useful attack, and the top order, even without Banton, has done enough to win all three games batting second. Hampshire’s most decisive performance was their 106-run battering of Essex, featuring excellent bowling by Scott Currie and Dawson. 

Next week, Northants face Lancashire, Durham and the Bears, and one of the highlights must be Somerset’s trip up the A38 to Bristol for the West Country derby.

Team of the Week:- Jennings (Lan), Roy (Sur), Davies (War +), Hain (War), Haynes (Not), S Curran (Sur), Coles (Sus), Willey (Nor), Bess (Yor), Currie (Ham), Sanderson (Nor)  

County Cricket: Somerset and Middlesex fight back to win

Since the Tom Banton show a month ago, Somerset’s batting has deteriorated steadily and, after three days against Essex at Taunton, another defeat looked probable. It wasn’t a slaughter. Jack Leach’s mean spin and Migael Pretorius took advantage of Jordan Cox’s injury having scored 103, to induce an Essex second-innings collapse. However, at 78-5, Somerset were still 243 adrift. Luckily for them, Gregory and Overton each passed fifty and James Rew (116) became the youngest batsman to reach ten first-class hundreds since Denis Compton! More importantly, Somerset notched their first victory of the campaign and beating recent close rivals Essex made it even sweeter. 

Warwickshire advanced to second place behind Notts by defeating Yorkshire by five wickets at Headingley. It was a close encounter but, despite the home side boasting a middle-order line-up reading Root, Brook and Bairstow, it was Warwickshire’s new recruit Ethan Bamber and Ed Barnard who stole the show with the ball. 

In the other Division One fixture, superior batting and final day rain ensured Hampshire and Durham finished with honours even. Graham Clark’s 160 for the latter was countered by Hamp[shire skipper Ben Brown’s 162, while only Matthew Potts of the bowlers emerged with half-decent figures (4-84). 

The Championship’s lower rung is headed by perennial strugglers Leicestershire and Derbyshire, which is promising for an interesting four-day cricketing summer. At Leicester, Rishi Patel’s opening 105 was by far the highest individual score, then the bowlers scrapped for supremacy. For Northamptonshire, Ben Sanderson and Harry Conway garnered seventeen wickets between them, but Leicester’s attack was more democratic, although Ben Green was again on song with an overall 5-46 and 71 valuable runs. 

The tightest finish of the week was fought at Lord’s. Toby Roland-Jones (5-29) reduced Kent to 129 all out, then Middlesex opened up a 109-run lead. Kent responded magnificently, captain Daniel Bell-Drummond leading from the front by plundering 223, giving Middlesex a formidable target of 365. That they succeeded was largely due to Luke Hollman’s maiden century and some solid tail-end defiance, resulting in an exciting win by just two wickets. 

The other double-century of the week flowed from the bat of Gloucestershire’s Oliver Price at Old Trafford. Lancashire had started well, compiling 450, featuring 167 from Marcus Harris and a 212-run stand with Matty Hurst. However, Gloucestershire dashed any hopes of a home victory thanks primarily to Price’s unbeaten 253, eventually declaring on 589-8. Second time out, Lancashire wickets fell steadily, the ball usually ending in the hands of Bancroft and ‘keeper Bracey, but the draw was inevitable. 

Amongst the Aussies descending upon the county circuit for practice before the World Test Championship Final, Marcus Labuschagne will be welcomed with open arms by Glamorgan, who remain bottom of the pile. Nonetheless, the county did exceed 400 in their first innings at Cardiff, Colin Ingram top-scoring with 81. Derbyshire were not far behind but only just managed to avoid losing, as a Ben Kellaway five-for swing things back Glamorgan’s way. The injured Luis Reece was forced to don his pads to help number eleven Blair Tickner cling on for the last few overs and save a game they had that morning looked like winning. 

Derbyshire travel next to Manchester, while leaders Leicestershire head south to meet Middlesex. In Division One, the top four play each other. Warwickshire host Surrey and Nottinghamshire welcome Hampshire. Worcestershire will be hoping to make rare runs at Hove if they have any hope of attaining a first triumph of 2025.

Team of the Week:-  Patel (Lei), Bell-Drummond (Ken), M Harris (Lan), Hollman (Mid), O Price (Glo), Rew (Som +), Barnard (War), Green (Lei), Bamber (War), Sanderson (Nor), Conway (Nor)

Nottinghamshire Thrash the Champions

It was a good week for the bowlers, especially on the first day. Indeed Saif Zaib’s 135 was the highest innings of the week. Saturday was nearly a national washout, which ruined half the games as contests, but the rest ended in convincing victories. 

Just a fortnight ago I’d have split my sides at the suggestion of Essex being thrashed by hapless Nottinghamshire but after breaking their three-year duck last week, Notts turned the tables by twice bowling out the champions for a sub-300 aggregate. Steven Mullaney top-scored with 117, while Luke Fletcher’s career-best 6-24 did the damage in Essex’s first innings, followed by Lyndon James in the second. Pity poor Shane Snater. In only his sixth Championship outing, he took 7-9 and still ended up on the losing side. Incredibly Nottinghamshire now top Group 1 ahead of Warwickshire and Worcestershire, who drew at Edgbaston where Rob Yates and ‘keeper Michael Burgess made hundreds. 

Gloucestershire’s winning ways were maintained at Lord’s where Middlesex were their fourth victims of the season so far. This week’s hero was left-arm seamer David Payne who captured eleven wickets for only 87 runs. At Southampton Somerset were bossing it at halfway but an obdurate four-hour 44 by Joe Weatherley on day four tested their patience. Fortunately for my lot, Josh Davey finished the job started by Craig Overton and they claimed equal shares of the ten Hampshire wickets. The other Group 2 fixture saw Leicestershire being held by Surrey despite their first innings featuring no fewer than three centuries, by Evans, Harris and Swindells. 

In Group 3, it’s still the Roses rivals occupying the top two positions. Rain on both sides of the Pennines prevented any result in Yorkshire’s match against Kent and Glamorgan’s visit to Lancashire. In contrast, Northamptonshire rebounded after their heartbreaking one-run loss last week by drubbing Sussex at home by an innings and 12. The aforementioned Saif Zaib Northants’ charge but it was the combined efforts of veteran Gareth Berg and Ben Sanderson, taking nineteen wickets between them, which proved decisive against the South Coasters. 

Next week, they meet neighbours and fellow strugglers Kent at Hove, while Yorkshire will take charge of the group by avoiding defeat at Glamorgan. The same goes for Somerset, who host Surrey in their quest for a fifth triumph out of six. Gloucestershire sit it out which may prove fortuitous give the rotten weather forecast. The top two in Group 1 are also resting so if Worcestershire record a maiden success in 2021 against Durham they will leapfrog both Notts and Worcestershire. 

Team of the Week: Evans (Lei), Stoneman (Sur), Harris (Lei), Saif Zaib (Nor), Burgess (War +), Mullaney (Not), James (Not), Berg (Nor), C Overton (Som), Payne (Glo), Sanderson (Nor)

Kent pair smash partnership record

Kent claimed their first win of the season, but it was the second-wicket pair of 19 year-old Jordan Cox and Jack Leaning who stole the headlines. Their unbeaten stand of 423 was the county’s highest ever, and they might still be batting had they not declared at the 120-over mark. It proved to be the correct decision because 44 year-old Darren Stevens polished off Sussex with 5-50 to win by an innings. Cox promptly let the side down by posing with fans, breaking the Covid rules and consequently missing the next fixture in self-isolation, the idiot. 

Across the Thames estuary, Essex raced to the top of the South division, dealing Surrey a 169-run defeat. Simon Harmer reminded South Africa of his credentials by taking 14 wickets in the match. It was a tighter affair at Radlett where Hampshire took the winners’ bonus. Bowling honours were shared but opener Joe Weatherly needed to defy Tim Murtagh et al and anchor the line-up for 64 to set up a narrow win against Middlesex. 

Somerset made it two wins from two inside two days at Northampton where seamers made hay. The home side’s Ben Sanderson took 9-89 and still lost, because the Overton twins dominated once more. Not only did they take cheap wickets but also top-score with half-centuries. 

Gloucestershire beat Warwickshire at Bristol, despite the sterling efforts of the visitors’ stand-in opening bowler, Oliver Hannon-Dalby, who captured six wickets in each innings. All-rounder Ryan Higgins’ bowling was the difference, his 7-42 ensuring a 78-run winning margin. Worcestershire held the upper hand at home to Glamorgan, beginning with a 318-run partnership involving Jake Libby and Brett D’Oliveira. The Welsh attack again looked fragile but Billy Root struck a century and Chris Cooke staved off defeat in the second innings with 74. More impressive were his wicketkeeping stats: 7 catches and two stumpings. 

In the North group, Derbyshire outplayed neighbours Leicestershire by nine wickets and Lancashire came away from Durham with an innings victory. At Trent Bridge , Nottinghamshire enjoyed a first-innings lead over Yorkshire, with the help of Tom Moores’ 106 and the slip catches of skipper Mullaney. However, they blew their chances of a first triumph since 2018 by being skittled for 97. 

It has been confirmed that the final of the Bob Willis Trophy won’t take place until 23^rd September, but the revised T20 Blast is heading for an October finish in the hope that fans may be allowed into the grounds. Given the current increases in infections, that may prove wishful thinking. 

Team of the Week: Libby (Wor), Cox (Ken), Leaning (Ken), D’Oliveira (Wor), Thompson (Yor), Cooke (Gla +), Higgins (Glo), J Overton (Som), Harmer (Ess), Hannon-Dalby (War), Sanderson (Nor)

Marvellous Marnus keeps on scoring

After coming a cropper at Chelmsford last week, Somerset needed to rediscover the winning habit straightaway, and the visit of Hampshire was not an easy prospect. However, it turned out to be as one-sided as their One-Day Cup final in May, Tom Abell’s team victorious by 313 runs. Hildreth and Northeast exchanged centuries before the twin spin of Jack Leach and Dom Bess broke the back of Hampshire’s second innings.

Meanwhile Essex maintained their challenge by flattening Nottinghamshire by an innings and 123. Nick Browne and Ravi Bopara each scored their first Championship hundreds of the season and the bowlers shared the spoils. Notts did at least knuckle down in the second innings, making Essex work for their win. Simon Harmer bowled an incredible 24 maidens out of 40 overs, during which he claimed 4-35.

At Scarborough, Yorkshire left it literally to the last minute to defeat Surrey before Olivier had last man Gareth Batty caught by Lyth. The Londoners had enjoyed a slight first-innings advantage but in the second, after the openers had been removed, the rest capitulated far too easily. The White Roses’ star man was probably Will Fraine. After impressing with the Seconds, this son of Huddersfield struck his maiden ton in a week when opening batsmen seemed to prosper.

Only 14 wickets fell at Canterbury while Kent and Warwickshire shared almost 1,200 runs. Daniel Bell-Drummond’s 166 was his first century in the Championship for three years but Dominic Sibley’s 244 merely maintained his recent run of decent scores. He and Will Rhodes also put on 221 for the first wicket to ensure a bore draw was almost inevitable.

Next week, it’s Somerset’s turn to face relegation-battling Nottinghamshire while Yorkshire head south to face Essex who sit 21 points ahead of them in second place.

Glamorgan remain in pole position to replace them despite only drawing with Worcestershire at Sophia Gardens. The prolific Marnus Labuschagne sailed serenely past 1000 runs for the season, adding two further centuries to his tally. Having taken 7-92 across the first two days, Brett D’Oliveira reminded us of his all-rounder credentials by scoring 103 to keep his side in the match.

Closest rivals Lancashire also failed to win, held to a draw by Durham at Sedbergh School across the border in Cumbria. Dane Vilas contributed a couple of half-centuries but elsewhere it was a tale of two 36 year-olds. Veteran Queenslander Nathan Rimmington made 53 runs and picked up eight wickets but Lancs and England were concerned by a mid-match injury suffered by Jimmy Anderson.

Sussex are in third position despite enduring an alarming collective slump in form. Northamptonshire hammered them by 393 runs, prompting an understandable chorus of boos from the presumably paltry Hove crowd. While the batsmen laboured, Ollie Robinson could be proud of his ten wickets, but Northants seamer Ben Sanderson was the game’s outstanding performer, with 6-37 and 4-18.

The remaining fixture between Derbyshire and Middlesex was a more even contest in which the batsmen dominated. No fewer than five of Derby’s top six passed 90, but only Godleman and South African Leus du Plooy reached three figures. Pity poor Fynn Hudson-Prentice. On his Derbyshire first-class debut he was caught on 99. Ouch! Middlesex’s Dawid Malan also missed out on a milestone by one run, caught and bowled by Critchley on 199. More worrying is that his side still prop up the Division Two table, one point adrift of Leicestershire who meet Durham next week. Lancashire should overtake non-playing ‘Glambuschagne’ even if they lose at Northampton. 

Like the World Cup, things are getting interesting…..

Team of the Week: Browne (Ess), Sibley (War), Du Plooy (Der), Labuschagne (Gla), Malan (Mid), Vilas (Lan +), D’Oliviera (Wor), Rimmington (Dur), J. Overton (Som), Sanderson (Nor), Robinson (Sus)

Tendo fires Essex to the Top

With kind weather and a conducive pitch, the Guildford crowds witnessed almost four full days of cricket. Unfortunately for the home fans, Essex came out on top and, buoyed by maximum points, now lead Division One by six points. Surrey made a solid enough start, thanks largely to Mark Stoneman’s 197. However, Essex skipper Ryan Ten Doeschate led a spirited response with an unbeaten168, then Tom Westley’s final day century finished things off.

Yorkshire also achieved their third Championship success of the summer at Taunton but by a mere three runs. I’m gutted that Somerset should lose yet again by such a narrow margin. Neither side managed 300 in an innings and it was Gary Ballance’s second innings 98 not out which proved to be the top individual score. While Ryan Sidebottom was reverse swinging the ball, and only one wicket left, Jamie Overton decided to attack the off-spin of Adam Lyth.  The first ball of the part-timer’s 18^th over went for six, the next for two leg-byes. Seeking a match-winning boundary, Overton just hol out to mid-wicket, dammit! Somerset’s young captain Tom Abell endured another miserable week with the bat. Surely a change is imminent, but the rest of the batting line-up is also struggling.

There were no three-figure scores at Southport either, and it was Lancashire’s bowlers who the upper hand over Middlesex. Stephen Parry was unused on the first morning but took 5-45 on the final morning. Special mention must go to Alex Davies. His runs have dried up but he made an impressive nine catches and a stumping.

Division Two is beginning to resemble a table of two halves. At the top, Nottinghamshire, Kent and Worcestershire each have four victories so far. However, none of them won this week. Indeed, the latter county contrived to lose at home to Glamorgan inside three days. Not wishing to downplay the significance of stand-in skipper Michael Hogan’s 5-38, the crucial passage of play was probably the Glammies’ recovery from 57-6 to 381 all out. It included a century stand for the ninth wicket between Andrew Salter and Lukas Carey.

At Bristol, Samit Patel struck a career-best 257 not out to put Nottinghamshire in the driving seat. However, Gloucestershire batted out the entire final day to salvage a draw. Northamptonshire also registered a fourth Championship success, this time against Derbyshire. It wasn’t all plain sailing, though. Rob Newton was back in form but after he was out for 108 in the second innings, his team collapsed farcically, the remaining eight wickets vanishing for just 52 runs. However, they had sufficient runs in the locker and Derbyshire aren’t exactly prolific scorers. Seamer Ben Sanderson did the rest. There was, however, personal success for the losers’ teenage seamer Conor McKerr. In only his second first-class fixture, the South African claimed a satisfactory ten-for!

At Grace Road, Jofra Archer chalked up another eleven scalps with his fast-medium pace as Leicestershire came a cropper against Sussex. Meanwhile, at Canterbury, Durham came within a whisker of celebrating a first win of the season. On the last afternoon, after skipper Sam Northeast was the eighth man out for 72, Kent’s last three men, Claydon, Coles and Yasir Shah managed to survive the last eighteen overs. Tough on Paul Collingwood who contributed another 171 runs to the north-easterners’ cause.

This week, its back to the Royal London Cup, starting with the two quarter-finals. I wonder whether Somerset’s ongoing woes will impact upon their chances of advancing to the semis. Notts are in form so I fancy they will progress. Yorkshire v Surrey is harder to call but, if pushed, I’d plump for the Londoners to advance to Friday’s decider.

Team of the Week: Stoneman (Sur), Newton (Nor), Northeast (Ken), Patel (Not), Collingwood (Dur), Ten Doeschate (Ess), Davies (Lan +), Archer (Sus), McKerr (Der), Sidebottom (Yor), Sanderson (Nor)

Somerset Make it a Three-Way Title Finale

At the start of the week, the County Championship looked like a two-horse race. A few days later, two became three. I would have put money on Yorkshire seaming their way to victory against Somerset at Headingley. However, it all went pear-shaped on the first day as the hosts were bowled out for 145. Despite Ryan Sidebottom’s 5-51, Somerset opened up a considerable first innings lead. The champions fared a bit better on day three but, with Root and Bairstow banned from participating, there was too little support for centurion Jake Lehmann. This time it was slow left-armer Jack Leach who did most of the damage, completing his fourth five-for in five matches. Incredibly Somerset are just one point behind Yorkshire with the final round of games to come.

Gareth Batty may have been called up for England but Leach is by far the most successful leftie in the Championship this summer. At Chester-le-Street neither Batty nor fellow potential Bangladesh tourist Ansari took any wickets as Durham sneaked a 21-run win over Surrey. Sam Curran did his best on the final few days, taking 7-58 then compiling an unbeaten 50 before Stoke and Onions applied the coup-de-gras.

Jason Roy aggregated more than 200 runs in the match but Durham’s Keaton Jennings stole the show with another double-century. He is by some margin the highest scorer in Division One and can add to his tally next week.

With Yorkshire stumbling, Middlesex must have seen the finishing line looming large at Old Trafford, but Lancashire showed some admirable fight. At 248-2 on day one, all was going the leaders’ way, then Jarvis and Kerrigan instigated a collapse. Haseeb Hameed is the talk of the town at the moment but he was dismissed for a duck, while his senior opening partner, 20 year-old Rob Jones carried his bat for 109. Unfortunately, too many hours’ play were lost to produce an exciting climax and a draw ensued.

The bonus points ensured that Middlesex remain on top by nine points. But we’re in for the best finish to the Championship in years. If Somerset beat relegated Nottinghamshire and the Yorkshire-Middlesex clash is drawn, there is a distinct possibility of Somerset’s late charge yielding that elusive first title. Too many ifs and buts, of course, but it keeps things interesting to the last.

In Division Two, Essex were surprisingly humbled at home by struggling Glamorgan. However, the six bonus points collected were sufficient to confirm them as champions. Chris Silverwood seems to have succeeded where others have failed in recent seasons. They have some decent young batsmen but in this game relied too much on captain Ryan Ten Doeschate, James Foster and Graham Napier. Special mention should go to the Welsh side’s Kiran Carlson. Following his embarrassing ‘pair’ last week, the Cardiff 18 year-old struck 119 to become Glamorgan’s youngest ever centurion. It was a very close conclusion but van Gugten and Hogan got the better of the Essex tail and Glamorgan won by eleven runs.

The margin of Worcestershire’s triumph over Sussex was identical at Hove. Nobody made three figures but two bowlers claimed ten wickets or more. Steve Magoffin’s 5-38 and 5-32 deserved to win the game, but Worcester’s new arrival from Barbados, Miguel Cummins snared 12 for 166, claiming the last four to fall.

Northamptonshire have enjoyed an impressive September but their victory over Gloucestershire came to late to challenge for promotion. Ben Duckett signed off with 78 and thoroughly deserves his chance with England. He’s been magnificent in 2016. However, it was Rob Newton and Alex Wakely who produced first innings hundreds which laid the foundation for their final success of the summer. Nevertheless, it took another impressive bowling performance from Ben Sanderson to deny Gloucester an improbable run chase. He took 8-73, taking his season’s first-class tally to 55 at an excellent average of 21.

The Derbyshire-Leicestershire fixture ended in a draw but, while Mark Cosgrove was at the crease, the visitors were in with a chance of knocking off the 347 required. However, when he fell victim to Callum Parkinson for 110, he brakes were applied and it took dogged defence by Jones and Sayer to avoid defeat and hand Derbyshire their first Championship success of the season. Now they must travel to Worcester in hope of ending their 2016 drought. Meanwhile Kent entertain Essex at Canterbury and should have enough points in the bank to join their Thames-side neighbours in the top tier next year.

Team of the Week: Jones (Lan), Jennings (Dur), Cosgrove (Lei), Roy (Sur), Madsen (Der), Ten Doeschate (Ess), Hosein (Der +), Kerrigan (Lan), Cummins (Wor), Magoffin (Sus), Sanderson (Nor)

Yorkshire Still on for the Treble

It’s amazing what a couple of wins can do. Suddenly, from the fringes of relegation, Somerset find themselves in second place in the County Championship having won a low-scoring fixture against Durham. I don’t know whether it was a deliberate ploy to negate the power of Durham’s seamers but Taunton’s traditional batter’s paradise was transformed into an extraordinary spin-friendly surface, and Jack Leach and Rolaf van der Merwe duly took advantage, nabbing fifteen wickets between them.

Runs were also hard to come by at Headingley, and again it was a spinner who outshone the rest. Yorkshire beat Warwickshire by only 39 runs, with Adil Rashid taking 7-61 in total, ably assisted by Jack Brooks and the evergreen Ryan Sidebottom. The 38 year-old returned after his dressing-room football injury (yes, really!) to take his 400th first-class wicket for his county.

The White Roses now sit fourteen points behind Middlesex with a game in hand. The London derby ended as a draw, with Jason Roy and George Bailey swapping centuries, and ‘keeper Ben Foakes contributing a couple of unbeaten 60s. However, the biggest individual score of the week by a mile was Will Smith’s 210 for Hampshire against Lancashire. They forced a follow-on but a draw was almost inevitable.

In Division Two, Kent moved within a point of leaders Essex after beating Worcestershire by ten wickets. It was a real team effort but credit to Sam Billings for taking seven catches in the first innings. Glamorgan remain bottom after being humbled by Northamptonshire. Nicholas Selman carried his bat for 122 in the first innings but he was one of many second innings flops as Ben Sanderson claimed a career-best 7-20.

Promoted to five, Ryan Ten Doeschate scored 83 and 109 for Essex in their draw with Sussex at Colchester. There were a couple of late-order centuries, too, thanks to Chris Jordan and Graham Napier, both of whom did well with the ball, too. Leicestershire also failed to overcome Derbyshire, but it was Ned Eckersley, batting at seven, who made three figures in each innings.

The week also featured the T20 Blast quarter-finals. Yorkshire remain in the hunt for the Treble after bowling Glamorgan out for 90, Rashid’s 4-26 he pick of the figures. David Willey’s 38-ball 79 almost won the match on its own. Northants also progressed against Middlesex, Nottinghamshire’s Samit Patel took 4-20 to beat Essex while Mark Stoneman top-scored for Durham in their defeat of Gloucestershire.

Meanwhile, the Women’s T20 franchise competition hotted up. Nat Sciver and new England captain Heather Knight were in fine form, but Katherine Brunt’s hat-trick for the Yorkshire Diamonds against Lancashire was perhaps even more notable. She ended up with 3-6 in three overs.

Next week sees quarter-finals in the Royal London Cup as well as another round of Championship fixtures. The highlights could be the Roses match at Old Trafford, but the Middlesex-Durham clash at Lord’s could go a long way to decide the title. With so few games being won, anyone putting together two further victories could snatch the pennant. Maybe even Somerset!

Team of the Week: Smith (Ham), Selman (Gla), Sciver (Sur Stars), Bailey (Mid), Ten Doeschate (Ess), Billings (Ken +), Eckersley (Lei), Adil Rashid (Yor), Jordan (Sus), Leach (Som), Sanderson (Nor)