No double-centuries in the County Championship this week, but 23 year-old opener Rory Burns came pretty close. He was one of three Surrey centurions in the drawn game against Gloucestershire but, one short of a first-ever 'double', Alex Gidman caught him off Liam Norwell's bowling. Michael Klinger also reached three figures in the home side's response but my other opener of the week is Michael Carberry. Dropped by England for the Sri Lanka Test series, the Hampshire man struck 125 in the top-of-the-table clash with Worcestershire, adding a 25-ball 38 in the T20 a few days later.
Ravi Bopara was also back on county duty, thumping runs for fun in both formats. His brilliant 162 for Essex preceded two brutal 20-over blasts - 81 against Kent and 66 off the Gloucestershire attack. Ed Joyce has been in fine form for Sussex all summer and he added another century in Sussex's defeat to Somerset. He also demonstrated that he is not a one-trick pony by knocking 45 in 32 balls in the biff-bash Surrey game.
I've already mentioned the Burns 199 but his team-mate Jason Roy also achieved a career best for Surrey. In the same innings, he destroyed the weak bowling with 121 in 71 balls, and took 3-9 for good measure. In the T20 clash with Sussex, his unbeaten 81 from 43 balls helped his side to a ten-wicket triumph. Jesse Ryder normally earns plaudits for his beefy batsmanship but his bowling stats were radically improved by a double five-wicket haul for Essex in the Championship. His T20 cameos may not have been in the Bopara class but nonetheless wins him a place in the week's XI.
Darren Stevens is never far from contention and the Kent all-rounder was his county's outstanding performer yet again. His 105 in the first-class draw with Essex was followed by 3-22 and a 39-ball blitz to smash Kent back in the game with Glamorgan and snatch a tie. Another top-notch piece of multi-tasking was delivered by Derbyshire's David Wainwright. Best known as a slow left-arm spinner, his batting has improved in recent years. Both skills were to the fore as his 109 and second-innings 5-54 were instrumental in beating Division Two wooden spoon rivals Leicestershire.
The latter's only bright spot was wicket-keeper Niall O'Brien's scores of 89 and 71. The Irishman's batting just edges out Tim Ambrose and Worcestershire's Ben Cox, despite the latter's long-awaited debut hundred. Cox's colleague Saeed Ajmal produced another spin masterclass - a 7-63 against Hampshire while the final seamer spot was a race between David Masters (for his economy in rare T20 outings), Steve Magoffin for his 6-60 at Taunton and Alfonso Thomas (5-40) in the same contest. However, not even the Sussex match could achieve the rare feat of capturing four wickets in four balls, as the Fons did in Somerset's victory.
In short:- Burns (Sur), Carberry (Ham), Bopara (Ess), Joyce (Sus), Roy (Sur), Ryder (Ess), Stevens (Kent), O'Brien (Lei, +), Thomas (Som), Wainwright (Der), Saeed Ajmal (Wor)
Showing posts with label David Wainwright. Show all posts
Showing posts with label David Wainwright. Show all posts
Sunday, 15 June 2014
Thursday, 12 June 2014
Somerset get my summer going
It was a week of sun and showers, even in Taunton, but Somerset still had the measure of Sussex. Their six wicket triumph inside three days too the Cidermen to the top of Division One for the first time in ages. That elusive first Championship is still another eight matches away but it's a great feeling to see them in that position at the halfway stage. Ed Joyce and that bete noire Steve Magoffin threatened to derail the victory charge but a spirited late-order innings from Craig Overton, four wickets in four balls from Alfonso Thomas and some final big hits from Craig Kieswetter took us past the finishing line with a day to spare. Magoffin's first innings 6-60 took his career first class wicket tally past 400 and he remains one of the most dangerous seamers on the county circuit.
Yorkshire could have gone top had they not drawn against Nottinghamshire. James Taylor and Chris Read struck the only half-centuries in the game but too much play was lost on the first two days to achieve a result. There was less rain at Edgbaston but Warwickshire's even contest with Lancashire leaves the counties sixth and seventh in the league, respectively. The visitors' Steven Croft fired only his seventh century in four-day cricket.
In Division Two, the two leaders met at Worcester and the resulting draw leaves them dead level on points, 34 clear of third placed Essex. Worcestershire's 'keeper Ben Cox finally made his debut hundred, then Saed Ajmal's 7-63 forced Hampshire to follow on. However, England's loss was the county's gain as Michael Carberry helped stave off defeat with 125, aided by a predictably swifter 85 from Glenn Maxwell.
Evergreen Darren Stevens is also no slouch with the bat and his first day 105 for Kent came at more than a run a ball. However, Tom Westley (116) and Ravi Bopara (162) shared a second-wicket stand of 247 for Essex and their hosts were content to play out the final day for a draw. Essex's signing for the T20 season, Jesse Ryder is normally renowned for his brutal batting but this week he produced not one, but two five-fors with the ball!
It was also a week to remember for David Wainwright. The Derbyshire spinner took 5-54 and delivered a patient century as his side completed a nine-wicket win over Leicestershire, who had at least matched their neighbours for the first two days. Niall O'Brien top scored for the struggling home team in both innings but captain Ramnesh Sarwan continued his woeful form.
It wqas a rollercoaster affair at Bristol. Dunn, Tremlett and Roy rolled Gloucestershire over for 112, then Surrey coasted (see what I did there...?) to a mammoth 626-6 declared. Solanki and Roy each reached three figures while Rory Burns fell on 199, easily his best score so far. With two days left, Surrey must have fancied their chances of achieving a second success in the league this summer. However, Michael Klinger and Ian Cockbain dug their heels in and contrived to prevent a loss which looked almost certain when they faced a first innings deficit of over 500!
Derbyshire are now only nine points adrift of Amla and co and will leapfrog them by beating them next week. Hampshire could put even more daylight between themselves and promotion-chasers Essex in their clash at the Rose Bowl while Worcestershire have an easier task at winless Leicester.
Yorkshire could have gone top had they not drawn against Nottinghamshire. James Taylor and Chris Read struck the only half-centuries in the game but too much play was lost on the first two days to achieve a result. There was less rain at Edgbaston but Warwickshire's even contest with Lancashire leaves the counties sixth and seventh in the league, respectively. The visitors' Steven Croft fired only his seventh century in four-day cricket.
In Division Two, the two leaders met at Worcester and the resulting draw leaves them dead level on points, 34 clear of third placed Essex. Worcestershire's 'keeper Ben Cox finally made his debut hundred, then Saed Ajmal's 7-63 forced Hampshire to follow on. However, England's loss was the county's gain as Michael Carberry helped stave off defeat with 125, aided by a predictably swifter 85 from Glenn Maxwell.
Evergreen Darren Stevens is also no slouch with the bat and his first day 105 for Kent came at more than a run a ball. However, Tom Westley (116) and Ravi Bopara (162) shared a second-wicket stand of 247 for Essex and their hosts were content to play out the final day for a draw. Essex's signing for the T20 season, Jesse Ryder is normally renowned for his brutal batting but this week he produced not one, but two five-fors with the ball!
It was also a week to remember for David Wainwright. The Derbyshire spinner took 5-54 and delivered a patient century as his side completed a nine-wicket win over Leicestershire, who had at least matched their neighbours for the first two days. Niall O'Brien top scored for the struggling home team in both innings but captain Ramnesh Sarwan continued his woeful form.
It wqas a rollercoaster affair at Bristol. Dunn, Tremlett and Roy rolled Gloucestershire over for 112, then Surrey coasted (see what I did there...?) to a mammoth 626-6 declared. Solanki and Roy each reached three figures while Rory Burns fell on 199, easily his best score so far. With two days left, Surrey must have fancied their chances of achieving a second success in the league this summer. However, Michael Klinger and Ian Cockbain dug their heels in and contrived to prevent a loss which looked almost certain when they faced a first innings deficit of over 500!
Derbyshire are now only nine points adrift of Amla and co and will leapfrog them by beating them next week. Hampshire could put even more daylight between themselves and promotion-chasers Essex in their clash at the Rose Bowl while Worcestershire have an easier task at winless Leicester.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)