Morkel and Trott ride to the front

Surrey ensured they remained at the top of the pile by beating Yorkshire at Scarborough, but they had to come from behind to do so. The home side enjoyed a 75-run first innings lead but after Morne Morkel (5-39) and Jade Dernbach (3-34) ripped through them on the third day, skipper Rory Burns led the charge to the target.

Neither Nottinghamshire nor Somerset could keep up with the leaders. At Trent Bridge, the Notts openers were in fine form. Chris Nash and Jake Libby each made centuries then, with Stuart Broad leading the attack, declared with the expectation of bowling Worcestershire out in just over a day. They failed. The England seamer had an ankle niggle and Joe Clarke had a point to prove. He was still there on 177 at the very end as the bottom side avoided defeat.

When Essex roared to 517-5, Somerset’s chance of winning shrank to almost zero. Ravi Bopara and the returning Ryan Ten Doeschate shared a 284-run partnership but in reply Somerset managed to accumulate more than 400. On the final afternoon, Essex set an ambitious target of 319 and credit to the visitors for seeming intent on accepting the challenge. However, when the top four fell cheaply, the shutters came down and Abell and Gregory dug in for the draw.

There were neither winners nor losers at Old Trafford either. Batsmen were in charge, and no fewer than five reached three figures. Lancashire’s current ‘keeper Dane Vilas top-scored with 134 but Hampshire opener Joe Weatherley showed admirable patience to survive the whole of day four to attain his maiden hundred.

Both Warwickshire and Kent each achieved their fifth victories of the season in Division Two. Ian Bell’s run of form was halted but his ex-England colleague Jonathan Trott racked up more than 200 in the leaders’ visit to Durham. Jeetan Patel’s nine wickets and Tim Ambrose’s ten catches did the rest. Meanwhile at Canterbury Kent flattened Middlesex by 342 runs. Grant Stewart’s 6-22 helped bowl out Malan’s men for 56 first time out, with Eskinazi the only one reaching double figures. Batting at ten, Stewart proceeded to crash a 74-ball century before Middlesex struggled again. When Tim Murtagh top-scores you know you have big problems!

Leicestershire advanced to third, defeating Derbyshire with thanks to Mohammad Abbas’ decisive 6-54, and Northamptonshire leapt from the bottom by putting Glamorgan to the sword. The Welsh, despite the best efforts of Usman Khawaja, are having a nightmare summer so far, so must hope Colin Ingram can resurrect some pride in the T20 Blast which starts next week. If not, 2018 will be a long, agonising road.   

Team of the Week: 

Nash (Not), Libby (Not), Clarke (Wor), Trott (War), Bopara (Ess), Ten Doeschate (Ess), Ambrose (War +), Patel (War), Podmore (Ken), Stewart (Ken), Mohammad Abbas (Lei)

Notts On Top - Twice!

It was a mixed week for the counties, with a round of Championship fixtures squeezed in between NatWest T20 Blast games. Nottinghamshire opened up a 35-point lead in Division Two after thrashing neighbours Derbyshire. Just days after I wrote off Alex Hales’ potential as a Test batsman again, he scored a run-a-ball 218. Pity the Derby bowler Ben who nabbed ten wickets yet still finished on the losing side. Second-placed Worcestershire suffered a rare reverse at home to Sussex, for whom Chris Nash made 118 and the seamers Jordan and Archer were in the wickets.

Northamptonshire remain third after drawing at home to Gloucestershire and Leicestershire still haven’t won all season. They drew against Durham, for whom young opener Cameron Steel whipped up a top score of 224 and Tom Latham contributed 124. Had the match lasted a full four days, I doubt whether the home team would have avoided defeat. After notching a few wins in 2016, the look back to their old feeble selves.

In the top flight, the weather helped the seamers no end, with a couple of low-scoring results. Essex are now hot favourites to win the title in their first season back in Division One, thumping Yorkshire by eight wickets at Scarborough. Mohammad Amir claimed two five-fors and career-best match figures of 10-72, while Jamie Porter took 7-85. The Pakistan left-armer has been just the fillip Essex needed to push on for the Championship pennant. At the other end of the table, Warwickshire are finally off the mark having seen off Middlesex by 180 runs. Their all-rounders Keith Barker and the returning Chris Woakes were heavily involved. England, too, were particularly thankful to see Woakes back from injury and looking good.

Poor weather prevented any positive outcomes at Southampton and Taunton. I was at Somerset’s County Ground for the first time in ages on Monday and, before the heavens opened during the tea interval, was rewarded by some excellent strokeplay from Tom Abell (96) and, against his former county, Steven Davies (142). In the afternoon, they made the Curran brothers look very ordinary indeed. The following day, Surrey's Mark Stoneman’s 50 ensured his call-up to England did not look misplaced.

In the shorter stuff, Notts are also top of the North group, thanks to their defeat of closest rivals Warwickshire. Samit Patel’s unbeaten 78 was the decisive factor. In his favoured format, Hales was out first ball!  Yesterday, Glamorgan guaranteed progress to the quarter-finals. They went to Taunton and beat Somerset by just one run. With just eight runs required, Peter Trego couldn’t quite find the boundaries he wanted and so the Cidermen slip out of the top three. Essex have leapt from bottom to third inside a week but are three points behind second-placed Hampshire who enjoyed an easy win over Glamorgan.

T20 stars of the week must be Yorkshire skipper Tim Bresnan, who took a stunning 6-19, and Surrey’s Aaron Finch, whose century against Sussex included 30 off one Wiese over.

The next week will decide who finishes in the top four of each group, and the race to Finals Day gathers momentum. Nottinghamshire’s form in red and white-ball cricket must surely give them an edge. But of course in T20, anything can happen…

Team of the Week: Steel (Dur), Latham (Dur), Nash (Sus), Hales (Not), Davies (Som +), Woakes (War), Barnard (Wor), Hutton (Der), Bresnan (Yor), Jarvis (Lan), Mohammad Amir (Ess)

Northants Rollercoaster Ride

For once, most of the Championship fixtures produced a positive result, which makes for interesting movements in both divisions. The week began with the Nat West T20 Blast Finals Day at Edgbaston where Yorkshire were heavily fancied to secure the first leg of a possible Treble.

Ironic that David Willey, who joined them from Northamptonshire to boost his chance of an England career, experienced defeat to Durham in the semis then could only watch as his old side progress to the final. Three years ago, Willey practically won the climax single-handedly but in 2016, it was a good all-round bowling performance and a rumbustious 80 from Josh Cobb which took the trophy back to Wantage Road. They may have a small squad and little money but one strong point of Twenty 20 is that just about anyone can win it.

In the four-day game, it was a fantastic festival fixture at Scarborough for Yorkshire, who advanced to within five points of leaders Middlesex. They hammered nervy Nottinghamshire by 305 runs. Gary Ballance hit an unbeaten hundred before declaring, but his seamers had a field day. Thirty-somethings Tim Bresnan and Jack Brooks nabbed fifteen cheap wickets between them, with Willey unable to make the team.

Surrey also made short work of Lancashire at The Oval, and must surely be safe from relegation with two matches remaining. Sam Curran top-scored with 96 and it was nice to see Mark Footitt taking 7-62 on a rare outing for the Londoners. At Taunton Somerset had the better of Hampshire, as a terrific run-a-ball eighth wicket stand of 217 by Van Der Merwe and Craig Overton, with his debut hundred, set the visitors a tricky last afternoon target. However a second century of the game by Sean Ervine secured the draw.

At Chester-le-Street, almost two days’ play were lost, so Ian Westwood’s 127 and Jeetan Patel’s 5-32 for Warwickshire were in vain. Both counties sit in mid-table, looking anxiously over their shoulders.

Northants are struggling in Division Two but after scoring 551 in their first innings at New Road, a second victory of the season beckoned. Keogh, Crook and Chad Barrett all reached three figures, the latter becoming the county’s highest scorer for a number ten in their history! It was only the 27 year-old South African’s second first-class game, too. However, after some creative declarations setting Worcestershire 401 to win in 80-odd overs, another hundred by Daryl Mitchell and Joe Clarke’s 125 helped reach the target. It also kept them in contention for promotion.

However, Essex and Kent remain above them, each claiming innings victories this week. The leaders dented Leicestershire’s hopes at Grace Road inside three days, thanks largely to Jamie’s Porter’s eighth wickets and an assured 154 from teenager Dan Lawrence, whose first-class average now stands at a fine 47.

Kent also thumped Gloucestershire on the road at Bristol. Sam Billings and Darren Stevens plundered 258 in 49 overs while Hardus Viljoen was the pick of the Kent bowlers. The margin of victory would have been far greater had Hamish Marshall not shown admirable resistance in each innings.

It was a much closer affair at Cardiff, where Sussex just held on to edge Glamorgan by two wickets. Like Marshall, Chris Nash scored more than anyone else in each outing, but it was Ben Brown and George Garton who survived nine awkward overs to see them home. Sussex are still very much in the hunt to go up, with a game in hand. Beating Kent next week at Hove will do their chances a world of good. Lose, and they needn’t bother booking hotels around Lord’s or Headingley next summer.

Now for an honourable mention for Charlotte Edwards. Deposed as England captain, she nevertheless led the Southern Vipers to triumph in the inaugural Women’s Super League T20 tournament at Chelmsford. One in the eye for Mark Robinson!

Bank Holiday weekend sees the Royal London Cup semifinals. Somerset might be confident in their visit to Warwickshire but I fear they are too dependent on Hildreth, Trego and Jayawardene. Meanwhile, Yorkshire have another attempt at a one-day trophy, meeting Surrey in Leeds. I don’t know if they’ll have Root and Bairstow available, but it could be an away victory of Jason Roy is also released. And there’s a certain David Willey….


Team of the Week: Mitchell (Wor), Nash (Sus), Ervine (Ham), Marshall (Glo), Billings (Ken +), Stevens (Ken), Crook (Nor), Bresnan (Yor), Brooks (Yor), Porter (Ess), Footitt (Sur)

Wagner Runs Rings Around Notts

Week 2 of the domestic season brought decent weather. Instead it was batting dominance which produced just two results out of six. Runs flowed particularly freely at the top of the order.

In Division One, Stuart Robson broke a Middlesex record with his match aggregate of 337 runs. However, Jonathan Trott’s unbeaten 219 and a fine all-round performance by the redoubtable Keith Barker were instrumental in negating Robson’s total. Warwickshire ‘keeper Tim Ambrose will also remember the game, not for catches or runs, but for his maiden first-class wicket as the game petered out into a draw.

There were big scores in Yorkshire’s first Championship fixture of the season, too. In the first innings, no fewer than three players reached three figures. Adam Lyth made 111, then Jonny Bairstow struck a brilliant 246 and even Liam Plunkett weighed in with a rapid-fire 126. Ryan Sidebottom’s victims included his thousandth in senior cricket! Hampshire were not to be out-done, though. In reply, James Vince and Sean Ervine also hit hundreds and a draw was inevitable. Hants came out worst, however, as yet another fast bowler was afflicted by injury. Fidel Edwards contrived to break an ankle in a mid-match warm-up, unfortunate in the extreme.

Last week’s winners Nottinghamshire came a cropper against newly-promoted Lancashire. While Anderson and Broad were unusually on opposite sides of a first-class game, it was New Zealander Neil Wagner who stole the headlines. He claimed an eye-catchingly symmetrical 11-111, and the Notts batting fell apart.

In Division Two, Leicestershire enjoyed a rare victory on their first appearance in 2016 destroying Glamorgan at Cardiff. Wicketkeeper Niall O’Brien top-scored with 93 and claimed 8 catches, New recruit Paul Horton opened with two half-centuries and Clint McKay contributed eight wickets, leaving Robert Croft aghast.

Nevertheless Essex head the table despite failing to beat Sussex at Hove. Alastair Cook compiled a patient second innings century but I can’t help think he should have been a bit bolder as his team failed to attack a reachable target of 329 on the final day. Veteran all-rounder Graham Napier was in fine form, but the home side’s opener aggregated 211 runs in the match..

It was even more of a batting paradise at Bristol where only 22 wickets fell. Even Gloucestershire’s nightwatchman Liam Norwell scored 102, mostly in the company of Chris Dent. However, Derbyshire’s Wayne Madsen and Chesney Hughes helped themselves to more than 400 runs between them.

Let’s hope for more even contests between bat and ball next week when County Championship highlights include Leicestershire challenging Kent, now lacking their retired hero Robert Key, Durham hosting Middlesex and Yorkshire visiting Warwickshire.

Team of the Week:
S.Robson (Mid), Nash (Sus), Hughes (Der), Trott (War), Bairstow (Yor), Ervine (Ham), N O’Brien (Lei +), Napier (Ess), Plunkett (Yor), McKay (Lei), Wagner (Lan)

Sidebottom Keeps Yorkshire Top

Last week it was Jonny Bairstow, Tim Bresnan and Jack Brooks. This time, it was largely Ryan Sidebottom who steered Yorkshire closer to a second successive County Championship.

Bairstow did score another excellent century in the win against Warwickshire but it was the 37 year-old left-am seamer who did the most damage, capturing 11 wickets. Even without Root, Balance, Lyth and Adil Rashid on England duty, Yorkshire look already look like champions-elect. Jason Gillespie deserves a knighthood! Warwickshire’s only compensation was the return to first-team duty of young batsman Sam Hain, who marked the occasion with a duck and 106.

Middlesex overtook Durham in second place after their draw with Nottinghamshire. Once Dawid Malan had struck a career-best 182 not out, the weather and Chris Read’s response ruled out any chance of a positive result.

At the other end of the table, it’s not looking promising for Hampshire. They succumbed to relegation rivals Worcestershire by an innings and now stand 26 points adrift with six games to go. Daryl Mitchell carried his bat for 205, beating the entire Hampshire side on his own, as Saeed Ajmal took 5-28. Jack Shantry’s five-for finished things off second time around.

Meanwhile at Taunton, it took two fine innings from Peter Trego to avoid defeat against Sussex. The visiting batsmen have struggled for runs this summer but, after four of them made hundreds last week, it was the turn of Matt Machan (192) and Chris Nash (142 not out) to pile on the misery for Somerset’s bowlers, sharing a 290 partnership. At 84-5 on the final morning, the home side were heading for defeat, but Trego and Luke Gregory saved the day.

Next week, Somerset visit Merchant Taylor’s in a bid to thwart Middlesex’s title ambitions while Durham can regain second place by beating Warwickshire.

In Division Two, leaders Lancashire were thwarted by a combination of Manchester rain (138 overs were lost) and Essex opener Nick Browne, whose 105 and 50 gave solidity to an otherwise brittle batting display. At Chesterfield, Glamorgan lost a day’s worth of play which could have cost them a likely triumph over Derbyshire and the chance to really close the gap on Surrey. They forced the follow-on but a Hamish Rutherford hundred kept Hogan and co at bay.

At the bottom, Gloucestershire achieved a vital victory over Northants at Cheltenham. Liam Norwell (6-41) and 20 year-old Craig Miles (5-28) were the pick of the seam attack, while Jack Taylor thumped an improbable 156 from 125 balls to establish a healthy first innings lead.

Finally, Kent consigned Leicestershire to the foot of the table by winning at Grace Road by eight wickets inside three days. Matt Coles maintained his recent fine form by claiming ten wickets.

Kent now face a tricky trip to Surrey, while Glamorgan travel to Chelmsford. Get Browne out and they should stand a chance! Cheltenham plays hosts to Leicestershire, so Gloucester must fancy their chances of a mid-table position this time next week!

It wasn’t a vintage weekend of T20 action but Warwickshire made amends for the heavy Championship defeat by topping the North group. A certain Brendon McCullum announced his arrival by clumping 158 off 64 balls in the Bears’ success against Derbyshire. They could do with him in the four-day format, too!

Team of the Week: Mitchell (Wor, *), McCullum (War), Machan (Sus), Nash (Sus), Malan (Mid), Bairstow (Yor, +), Trego (Som), Coles (Ken), Norwell (Glo), Sidebottom (Yor), Saeed Ajmal (Wor).

Team of the week: Will Smith is the fresh prince of Hampshire

Often it's hard to find two outstanding performances by openi batsmen but this time there was an embarrassment of riches from which to pick. Thus I had to omit Chris Rogers (Middlesex, 203 not out), Jake Libby (Notts, 108 in only his third first-class match), Daniel Bell-Drummond (Kent, 153) and Kane Williamson (two fine T20 innings for Northern Districts). In their place come Sussex's Chris Nash and Hampshire's Will Smith. Nash aggregated 263 runs in the victory over Nottinghamshire, including his first century of the summer. Smith's contributions were 11 and 142 not out, but that second innings score was the difference between draw and a defeat which would have left the county even more vulnerable to Essex in the promotion chase. In the context of Hampshire's whole season, that was superb.

Ed Joyce has enjoyed a great summer and in the penultimate round of Championship games, his second knock of 149, at almost a run a ball, set up what at the halfway stage had seemed an unlikely victory. James Hildreth has been a disappointment for Somerset in 2014 but he crafted a valuable 182 at Taunton against Middlesex. In the Test against Bangladesh, Shivnarine Chanderpaul boosted his career average even further with unbeaten scores of 84 and 101, but you can't accuse him of Boycott-esque greed this time; it was all in the cause of a routine win.

Ben Stokes contributed no weight of runs or clutch of wickets but he did OK in Durham's win against Northants and his 2-25 and 38 saw his side home to success in the Royal London Cup Final. My other all-rounder is the considerably less well-known Ben Raine. No, me neither! However, in the final of the Second Eleven competition at Chelmsford, the 23 year-old representing Leicestershire scored 208 and took 3-37 on the way to victory. The way the first XI have played this season and with their best players lured away by the big boys, watch out for him in the first-class arena in 2015.

In a week of excellent performances, Harvey Hosein's must be up there with the best, not only this week but the whole summer. At The Oval, the 18 year-old wicketkeeper claimed no fewer than eleven catches for Derbyshire - on his debut! Nobody has ever come near that, and only Bob Taylor has ever taken as much as seven in an innings for the county in their history. And he played for them for more than twenty years!

Derbyshire's Mark Footitt was the beneficiary of five of those dismissals, and he added nine wickets to his already impressive haul, more than anyone else in the Championship. However, my two remaining bowlers stand out; each took fifteen wickets in a single match. Chris Rushworth has plugged away all summer for Durham but nobody was expecting his 9-52 and 6-43 in the trouncing of Northants. He also contributed a useful 2-24 in today's cup final. Saqlain Sajib is another unsung hero, whose spin claimed 9-82 and 6-50 for Bangladesh versus Zimbabwe in an A international.

Congratulations, one and all:- Nash (Sus), Smith (Ham), Joyce (Sus, *), Hildreth (Som), Chanderpaul (WI), Stokes (Dur), Raine (Lei 2nds), Hosein (Der, +), Sajib (Ban A), Rushworth (Dur), Footitt (Der).