County Cricket: Gregory’s Boys Still Unbeaten

Just as England’s men and women were making mincemeat of the poor West Indies in every format going, the county T20 fixtures offered surprisingly few close encounters. The exception was Surrey’s last-ball victory over Kent. Having dismissed four batsmen with the ball, Chris Jordan proceeded to crunch Parkinson’s final delivery for the winning boundary. 

Northamptonshire maintained their unbeaten star to the Vitality Blast beating closest rivals Lancashire and the Bears, only for Durham to spoil the party at Wantage Road. Hamed Neesham was inspired, cracking an unbeaten fifty and taking 4-29. They remain eight points clear in the North group, with Lancashire trying to cling on. That 24-run defeat to Northants, for whom England’s forgotten seamer, George Scrimshaw claimed 4-19, cost them dear. However, the forever-remembered James Anderson took three wickets in each of his matches this week. 

Somerset are now the sole county with a 100% record, after chasing down targets set by Gloucestershire and Middlesex. The latter made things tough, compiling a formidable 229-5. Max Holden (87*) and Ben Geddes (69) put on 131 in only 63 balls. Somerset were 45-3 but a sensational stand of 104 from 43 balls by Sean Dickson (76) and skipper Lewis Gregory (58 not out) put the home side back in the driving seat. Gregory clinched the victory with his sixth six. Hampshire sit six points behind Somerset, after a tie against Middlesex. With rain invoking Duckworth-Lewis, Middlesex had to outscore their hosts by 13 and not lose a wicket. Holden and Geddes did their best but missed out by a single. 

Gloucestershire have no points to their name at all, but played just a single fixture this week. Sussex stand third after thrashing Glamorgan by 78 runs, including an impressive 5-19 for Nathan McAndrew. Best figures of the week, though, were Hasan Ali’s 6-23 for the Bears against Derbyshire. The Pakistan paceman had only been in the country for a few days. He picked up a further five scalps later in the week only at greater expense. 

His team-mate Dan Mousley was probably the most consistent all-rounder of the week, Dawid Malan belted three half-centuries for Yorkshire and the highest individual innings was Adam Hose’s 95 off 51 deliveries in Worcestershire’s defeat of Derbyshire. Where will the season’s first century come from? 

In the South group, Somerset face Kent, Hampshire and Glamorgan, while Northants have only Notts to beat if they want to top the North table throughout the mid-competition break. 

Team of the Week:- Bell-Drummond (Ken), Malan (Yor), Holden (Mid), Hose (Worg), Cox (Ess +), Mousley (War), Gregory (Som), Hasan Ali (War), Jordan (Sur), Scrimshaw (Nor), Anderson (Lan)

Somerset clean sweep, Glamorgan make hay

Can’t believe I am saying this but Somerset are actually getting me quite excited about the Blast. Three more wins this week extended their 100% record to six. Of course, it could all still go horribly wrong and even if we make the knockouts, a quarter-final defeat by then wickets is a strong possibility. The batters didn’t see much action, and it was the bowling which inflicted the greatest damage upon Kent, Middlesex and Essex. In particular, the 25-year-old Devonian seamer, Ben Green, mopped up ten wickets, including 4-20 against Middlesex who have been as abject as Somerset have been supreme. 

Surrey stand second in the South table, but it took a last-ball single from Jamie Smith to clinch the points in Canterbury on Sunday. Glamorgan supporters enjoyed plenty of runs this week, twice passing 200. It was the old double-act of Colin Ingram and Chris Cooke who were in superb form, especially in harness. Each of them amassed 200 runs from the three fixtures, Cooke’s unbeaten 113 off just 51 balls against Middlesex the highlight. In that game, the pair plundered 187 in a 79-ball partnership, with Helm and Higgins consistently conceding boundaries. 

Hampshire picked up two resounding victories, against Essex and Sussex. In the latter, opposing skipper Ravi Bopara arrived at the Ageas Bowl too late to play but unfortunately home captain James Vince was present, correct and able to extend his week’s run tally beyond 260. He now has more than 20,000 runs for his county, a record he shares with Derbyshire’s Wayne Madsen, whose dismissal for ‘only’ 44 against Yorkshire was the first time he had failed to make 50 in this year’s competition.

In the North division, Worcestershire’s perfect start to the Blast was ruined by Northamptonshire, who pipped them at New Road by six wickets with only two balls remaining. That result notwithstanding, Brett D’Oliveira and Pat Brown were in good form this week. Whilst mediocre in the Championship, Yorkshire claimed three successive T20 wins, Dawid Malan exceeding 80 on each occasion. He top-scored in the Roses clash with Lancashire at Headingley, despite the arrival from India of Jos Buttler. The England star, one of many in the Lancs line-up, failed to arrest a decline in fortunes. 

Another former T20 icon, Alex Hales, achieved just one half-century for Nottinghamshire, easily outscored by fellow opener Joe Clarke and Colin Munro. The latter pair were instrumental in the crucial triumph over former leaders the Birmingham Bears, firing fifteen sixes between them. 

In the next few days, Worcestershire travel to both Yorkshire and Lancashire while Somerset’s winning streak will be sorely tested at Hampshire and local rivals Gloucestershire. 

Team of the Week:- Clarke (Not), Vince (Ham), D Malan (Yor), Madsen (Der), Ingram (Gla), Cooke (Gla), Dawson (Ham), Narine (Sur), Payne (Glo), Sama (Ess), Green (Som) 

A Mixed Week for Ollie Robinsons

In the final round of Championship fixtures before the return of the T20 Blast, it was a good week for wicketkeeper-batsmen up and down the country, and also for cricketers called Ollie Robinson. Admittedly, the bowling version blotted his copybook as new England star by being outed as a former teenage racist, earning a deserved one-match suspension, but his Kent batsman namesake combined a run-a-ball century with seven catches in the Group 3 draw with Northamptonshire. 

Top scorer of the week was Yorkshire’s Dawid Malan, who was bowled by young Irish off-spinner Jack Carson one short of a double-hundred. That huge score meant that Sussex needed 245 in their second innings to make the White Roses bat again. They didn’t get close, as David Willey and Dom Bess helped reduce the stubborn South Coasters to 215 all out with fourth day stumps looming. Leaders Lancashire suffered their first reverse of the summer, going down unexpectedly to Glamorgan in Cardiff inside three days. Bowlers were in charge for the first two before Marnus Labuschagne produced the game’s first half-century, steering the Welsh to a six-wicket victory. Michael Neser was the pick of their attack.

The Group 2 leaders also came a cropper at struggling Leicestershire. Gloucestershire were thrashed by an innings before tea on the third afternoon. Left-arm spinner Callum Parkinson produced two five-wicket hauls, weakening Gloucester’s efforts to qualify for the top group in the second phase of the competition. That they remain top owes a great deal to the wet weather on the final day, when Somerset were looking to bowl out third-placed Hampshire. Skipper Tom Abell struck 98 then delayed his declaration until George Bartlett finally crawled to three figures but his comradely procrastination didn’t affect the result as much as the rain. 

Warwickshire advanced to the Group 1 summit by means of a 191-run success at Derby. Sam Hain and wicket-keeper Michael Burgess impressed, but it was the seam trio of Hannon-Dalby, Miles and Norwell who did most of the damage. Derbyshire’s pair of 22 year-old seamers Michael Cohen and Sam Conners were unlucky to be on the losing side, but their batting support failed them. Elsewhere the unseasonal Home Counties rain restricted the leading counties to a mere two days’ play, ensuring neither Essex nor Nottinghamshire could stay ahead of Warwickshire. Finally Durham outclassed Worcestershire by ten wickets by the Severn. A Jake Libby century in the second innings merely delayed the inevitable after David Bedingham’s miserable run ended with 121. Matty Potts ended the match with aggregate figures of 8-98. 

The women’s 50-over competition, the Rachel Heyhoe-Flint Trophy, is proceeding nicely, too. Amongst several outstanding performances, a special mention goes to England international and Central Sparks batter Amy Jones, who produced consecutive knocks of three figures, including a remarkable 163 not out against Western Storm. It should be no surprise this week that of course she is a wicketkeeper, one of three included in my Team of the Week…. 

Team of the Week: Libby (Wor), Robinson (Ken +), Malan (Yor), Harris (Lei), Amy Jones (Cen), Brown (Sus), Gregory (Som), Potts (Dur), Conners (Der), C Parkinson (Lei), Miles (War)

Essex on a roll, Somerset robbed

 Reigning county champions Essex are the only side with a 100% record thanks to a nervy win at Hove and rain elsewhere. An Lawrence’s 60 was the top score in the match, so it was the familiar combination of seamer Jamie Porter and spinner Simon Harmer which clinched it. Sussex’s George Garton took nine wickets, including Alastair Cook twice, but all in vain. 

Surrey also have a 100% record – of losses – after succumbing to an innings defeat at Arundel. Alsop and Northeast each scored 80+ while Ian Holland claimed a first-innings 6-60 and James Fuller scooped a hat-trick on the final day. At this rate, Surrey will do well to avoid a whitewash. In the other South group, Surrey’s next opponents Kent settled for a home draw with Middlesex after the latter set them an unlikely target of 248 in 32 overs. Robbie White missed his maiden century by a whisker, caught off Darren Stevens on 99. 

Somerset had a topsy-turvy ride at Edgbaston. Struggling to earn a single bonus point, Jamie Overton joined Stephen Davies and put on 190 for the ninth wicket. The bowler thumped six sixes and 15 fours in his 120 and his team looked set to secure an innings victory before the last of several rain delays proved terminal, with Warwickshire eight wickets down. Sums up Somerset’s grim luck with the red ball. 

Worcestershire leapfrogged them at the top of Central division by beating Northants at Wantage Road by 78 runs. Tom Fell was the hero, his 110 the first Championship century since his cancer diagnosis five years ago. At a soggy Sophia Gardens, Glamorgan and Gloucestershire batsmen struggled again. Home skipper Chris Cooke once more led a second-innings resistance before the weather closed in for good. 

Further north, group leaders Yorkshire and Derbyshire had to settle for a draw at Headingley, but similar results elsewhere ensured they retained the top two positions. Dawid Malan scored a career-best 219 for his new county before Derbyshire worked towards a third batting bonus point at close of play. Derby next meet Durham who to their credit agreed a competitive last-day contest with Leicestershire. A final-hour thrash could have brought Leicester the spoils but another shower prevented a result. 

At Trent Bridge, Nottinghamshire made Lancashire follow on, thanks largely to a 178-run stand involving Ben Duckett and Ben Slater, who could be forgiven for a degree of confusion. A fortnight ago, he was striking 172, but for Leicestershire! Last week he made a ‘pair’ and now the runs returned for his new club. A first success of the summer was thwarted when openers Jennings and Davies dug in for the draw. They’ll need more such grit if they are to win next week’s Roses battle. 

Team of the Week: Slater (Not), Robson (Mid), Duckett (Not), Malan (Yor), Fell (Wor), Davies (Som +), J Overton (Som), Holland (Ham), Harmer (Ess), Payne (Glo), Garton (Sus)

Kent and Lancashire having a Blast

The past week will long be remembered for record-breaking temperatures but it also introduced 2019 to the Vitality Blast. Sadly the hot weather also brought a swathe of storms which caused five washouts but, on the bright side, they did ensure Leicestershire have a point to their name.

At the end of the first week of fixtures Kent are the only unbeaten county, defeating useful one-day sides like Essex, Somerset and Hampshire. The Spitfires’ stand-out individual performance was Imran Qayyam’s 5-21 which shot Somerset out of the skies at Canterbury. Middlesex stand second of the South division. AB De Villiers got them off to a stunning start with an unbeaten 88 off 43 deliveries but Dawid Malan was the most consistent batsman of all, while seamers Tom Helm and Toby Roland-Jones were always amongst the wickets.

Sussex boast a formidable line-up of specialist T20 bowlers, particularly Mills, Topley, Rashid Khan and Danny Briggs.  They have propelled Sussex into third place, despite only managing a tie with Surrey. The latter side enjoyed a 97-run drubbing of Glamorgan on Thursday evening at The Oval. Tom Curran captured a second-over hat-trick, then Batty and Imran Tahir each took a further three wickets as the Welsh were dismissed for 44. It was their worst T20 performance to date but at least it was better than Ireland’s second-innings Test meltdown.

Curran was less successful against Essex. With South African hired T20 gun Cameron Delport slogging fourteen sixes in a career-best 129, the England man’s three overs went for 60. On their home ground, Essex amassed 226-4 from only 15 overs but it wasn’t the highest total of the week. In the North group Yorkshire took 255 off Leicestershire, with Tom Kohler-Cadmore leading the way with 96 not out. However, the Vikings lost the Big One, falling just short of Lancashire’s 170-6 at Headingley.

Warwickshire, aka the Birmingham Bears, also got off to a good start. Their recruit from Hampshire, Fidel Edwards, and Aussie spinner Ashton Agar looked useful acquisitions. Nottinghamshire ought to do well, and Alex Hales needs to make some high scores to get back in Eoin Morgan’s good books.

Gloucestershire and Worcestershire saw relatively little Blast action as they squeezed in a Championship fixture at Cheltenham. The result was closer after four days than the majority of games spanning just three hours. An excellent all-round contribution by Ryan Higgins helped the home team to a 13-run triumph, propelling them to an unlikely third position in Division Two.

As for the Blast, there’ll be plenty more thrills and spills before the knockouts start. I’m sure Glamorgan and Leicestershire won’t end the competition winless.

Team of the Week: Delport (Ess), Short (Dur), Kohler-Cadmore (Yor), Malan (Mid), Du Plooy (Der), Pooran (Yor +), Higgins (Glo), Roland-Jones (Mid), Agar (War), Helm (Mid), Edwards (War)

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)

Hampshire off to a Flying Start

In the first round of County Championship fixtures, Hampshire made April fools of Essex at Southampton. They taught my picks for title contenders an early-season lesson with victory by an innings and 87 runs, collecting maximum points en route. Sam Northeast’s 169 led the run charge before bowlers Kyle Abbott and 37 year-old Fidel Edwards carried on where they left off in 2018. Ravi Bopara (107) showed some second innings resistance but there was too much to do.

Somerset sit second (just for a change!) after clawing their way back to beat Kent on the final afternoon. Somerset’s George Bartlett struck the game’s only half-century, then Lewis Gregory nabbed Dickson first ball and the visitors crumbled to 131 all out.

The other first division match saw Joe Root face Stuart Broad and receive an ego-denting whack on the helmet for his troubles. Nottinghamshire’s new-look batting line-up took control, especially Joe Clarke, who came within three runs of securing two centuries on his county debut. I wouldn’t be surprised if he isn’t playing alongside his Yorkshire opposite number for England in the not-too-distant future. Root and Gary Ballance each reached three figures as Yorkshire easily avoided defeat.

Two of the Division 2 promotion favourites slipped at the first hurdle. Sussex were well beaten by Leicestershire at Hove. Ollie Robinson took six wickets but the victors’ Tom Taylor starred with the ball, his first innings 6-47 doing the most serious damage. Middlesex were also playing catch-up at Northampton despite Tim Murtagh’s splendid efforts. Nathan Buck captured 5-54 to force the follow-on but Dawid Malan’s rearguard century rescued the situation.

Elsewhere, Derbyshire survived the shock of losing two wickets in the first three balls of the season to defeat Durham by 125 runs. ‘Keeper Harvey Hosein top-scored in each innings then Alex Lees’ side were eventually ground down by Rampaul, Critchley et al on a tough final day.

Next week Middlesex get another opportunity at home to rivals Lancashire, while Leicestershire can make it two wins from two against Worcestershire. In the top flight, Hampshire will probably in pole position throughout the month-long Championship break should they beat Yorkshire. Somerset face a tricky trip to Trent Bridge while champions Surrey launch their defence at The Oval against Essex, surely eager to make amends for their thumping at the hands of Hants at the weekend.

First 2019 Team of the Week: Lyth (Yor), Duckett (Not), Clarke (Not), Root (Yor), Malan (Mid), Bopara (Ess), Hosein (Der, +), Gregory (Som), Edwards (Ham), T. Taylor (Lei), Claydon (Ken)

Ashes 2017-18: Smith Three, Root Nil

When Dawid Malan and Jonny Bairstow were stroking the ball to all corners on Thursday afternoon, it genuinely looked like an England reversal of fortunes. 305-4 at stumps became 368, with the Yorkshireman joining his team-mate on three figures. However, once Malan was brilliantly caught by the sub fielder Handscomb, the walls came tumblin’ down. Moeen Ali went three balls later and the next four wickets fell within another eight overs.

Still, it’s not often England make 400 overseas these days, and the Malan-Bairstow partnership of 237 had somewhat incredibly broken the national record for the WACA. Good news, yes? Then you realise that this is Perth. In a recent Sheffield Shield contest, Western Australia had amassed more than five hundred and still lost! There was still a lot of hard work to do. Getting Steve Smith out would be a good start.

Oh, dear. Overton’s early strikes produced a smidgen of optimism but once Steve Smith put down his roots, normal service was resumed. Day three saw the Aussies pile on 346 runs with Shaun Marsh’s wicket the only loss. His brother Mitchell proceeded to hit his first Test century at long last, while the skipper cut, pulled, flicked and drove impeccably to a career-best 239. Even when Smith was adjudged LBW to Anderson after a review, the eighth and ninth wickets added more than 100 before a declaration at 662-9. From such early promise, England now faced a day and a half to bat and save not only the match but the entire series.

That was never going to happen, especially when the out-of-sorts Alastair Cook gave Josh Hazlewood a leading edge caught-and-bowled for just 14. Vince and Malan managed to make fifties but nobody else passed 22 as the procession duly unfolded. A mysterious wet patch on the wicket almost succeeded in wiping out the final day’s play (which member of the England squad sneaked out to the middle with a hose under cover of night?) but Hazlewood, Cummins and Lyon managed to finish things off with minimum fuss.

I confess I hadn’t foreseen such a one-sided set of results, although there could yet be compensatory victories at Melbourne or Sydney. It would seem that, given no obvious superiority on paper, the planets were perfectly aligned for the Aussies. The Aussie bowling quartet have performed admirably, the quicks knowing when to bowl short, especially to the England tail, and Nathan Lyon’s spin option making Moeen look the part-time county twirler he was only a few years ago.

Pre-series, much was made of the battle between the world’s best Test batsmen, and opposing captains, Smith and Root. Well, there has been only one winner in that contest. Oddly, it has been the Ashes new boys who have been largely free from criticism. Stoneman, Malan, Vince and Overton have all contributed with a measure of consistency. However, Root, Cook, Broad and Moeen have so far failed to find any kind of form when it mattered. Mind you, take out Steve Smith’s 426 runs and the home team’s batting hasn’t been electric either.

While he and the squad can now celebrate Christmas with the urn already in the bag, what can Strauss and the coaching team do to prevent a whitewash? Well, you can’t expect the England fast bowlers to suddenly fire in 90mph bouncers with any regularity. The only Englishmen capable of doing so are either injured, too raw, too focussed on T20 riches or have had such strengths eliminated by coaches placing more emphasis on swing and control. It is also a bit much to expect things to improve as a result of the tail practising more against the short ball; the top order need to produce most of the runs. Cook and Root will surely come good before the series ends next month. There are no better openers waiting in the wings, either at home or in the Lions. It's also nothing to do with Ben Stokes' absence, Bairstow's butting or Duckett's water throwing. They are minor distractions, surely more in the minds of the media than the players.

The Ashes have been lost, so perhaps a little experimentation might be attempted. On the other hand, a more productive option might be to focus on existing strengths, hope for a bit more luck and prepare to win the trophy back on familiar slow pitches. I don’t have the answers. However, congratulations to the Aussies and we should sit back and admire Steve Smith’s superb batting and three fast bowlers close to the top of their game.

Stokes, Ali and England's Golden Trio Triumph

This summer’s Test series has been a topsy-turvy rollercoaster ride so far. On paper, England and South Africa look well-matched, but each match has been very one-sided. After their Trent Bridge drubbing, Joe Root’s men turned the tables again to record a 239-run victory back in London and ensure they can’t lose the series.

While Cook, Root and Bairstow helped themselves to fifties, Ben Stokes at last demonstrated that he can apply himself to proper Test cricket batting, and Moeen Ali incredibly clinched the game with his first ever hat-trick, much of the talk will be about the debutants.

I can’t remember when England last presented first caps to three players in the same match. I’m not convinced by Dawid Malan’s credentials as a Test batsman but of course he plays for one of the London counties, which undeniably helps. Like team-mate Eoin Morgan, he is more suited to limited-overs cricket. However, his performances for the Lions can’t be ignored and so probably deserved an opportunity.

Tom Westley has in the past few years excelled in an Essex side brimming with young talent battling to follow in Alastair Cook’s footsteps. At the age of 28, he has had to bide his time. Like Malan, he averages around 37-38 and owes his call-up to a century in the Lions cause, in his case an unbeaten 106 against the South Africans a month ago. An assured Test debut including 84 runs should mean he keeps the likes of Ballance and Compton out of the team for a bit longer.

Toby Roland-Jones, of course, made a name for himself in Middlesex’s march to the Championship last summer, and in particular that final-day hat-trick to deprive Somerset of their rightful title. Naturally, he received the nod from the friendly Lord’s selectors but it’s taken another year to finally get on the pitch, thank to Mark Wood’s injury. His late-order batting is solid enough, but his career tally of 347 first-class wickets at only 25 is impossible to ignore any longer. And how he stood up to be counted! His first-innings five-for, including a top-four featuring Amla and De Kock, finished South Africa’s chances of competing effectively in this Third Test. Should either Anderson or Broad pack in any time soon, on this evidence, TR-J can perform the role of swing and seamer admirably. The only problem is that he is not far short of 30 himself.

But back to The Oval. Moeen Ali becoming the first England spinner to claim a hat-trick since 1938 wasn’t in the script. That Ben Stokes should heave four Maharaj deliveries into the stands was less surprising. The stats say that the Durham all-rounder became the first English player to strike three consecutive sixes since Wally Hammond in the 1930s. Hammond?! He is a genuine all-time great but not renowned for six-hitting in Test matches, what with having to bat with a plank of wood and boundaries defined by the position of spectators’ seats not sponsors’ adverts.

People have rightly questioned the ability of Stokes, Ali, Bairstow et al to bat to the situation and not merely play their natural attacking game. Bearded Ben answered his critics in fine style, even holding back those sixes until his century was in sight and nine wickets were down. Now those same criticisms are being made of the South Africans. At the very least, Faf du Plessis needs to learn when not to shoulder arms! At least we know Dean Elgar has the strength and ability to make runs in the second innings. The prolific pre-series practice for Somerset has reaped dividends.

England should now progress to winning the D’Oliveira Trophy, but if they lose the toss and bowl first, their recent record is very poor. If Joe Root can be as consistently good at guessing the side of the coin correctly as he is at accumulating runs, England will do very well indeed.

Yorkshire Take the Roses Crown

The weather had an East-West split this week. Unusually, it was the West which enjoyed the sunshine while the East suffered unseasonal rain and cold winds. This had an effect on the cricket results, too, but the top of Division One has a Northern look about it.

Yorkshire bounced back to deliver a decisive 175-run victory over their Roses rivals and go level on points with Lancashire. However, the Reds remain on top having won more games. In fact only two points separate the top four, with Middlesex making a move.

It was a great all-round show by Adil Rashid, while Tim Bresnan’s 2016 debut after a calf injury was also successful, contributing 98 runs and six wickets. It was a shame for Neil Wagner, who added another eight to his Championship scalp tally.

Middlesex thrashed Hampshire by an innings at Northwood, but required a fourth day fine weather window to finish off the job. Adam Voges shared two sizeable partnerships, the first of 279 with Dawid Malan, then a further 174 with ‘keeper John Simpson, before declaring on 467-3. Tim Murtagh and Toby Roland-Jones then left the visitors reeling and following on more than 300 behind. James Fuller bagged a five-for and only Adams managed more than 33 in the futile run chase.

For two delightful days, Somerset sat in third place having squeaked home by a solitary wicket against Surrey at Taunton. Old enemy Gareth Batty achieved an impressive 7-32 to establish a first innings lead of 162. They may regret not enforcing the follow-on because Jack Leach and the Overton twins set up an exciting final day. Trescothick and Allenby each struck 50s but tailenders Leach and Groenewald were the batting stars. They survived almost fifteen overs to score the required 31 runs. Phew! A victory on the board at last!

Nottinghamshire and Durham shared the spoils at Trent Bridge where the batsmen were well on top. Brendan Taylor became the first Notts player to strike two hundreds in the same match since 2003, while stand-in stumper Riki Wessels slammed 159 not out. However, Durham’s Steve Borthwick combined an unbeaten 188 with eight leg-spin wickets and the forecast rain spoilt any remote hope of a contrived final day finish..

In Division Two, it’s three southern counties competing for the promotion places. Awful weather at Canterbury meant neither Kent nor Leicestershire could garner many bonus points let alone the 16 for a win. That enabled Gloucestershire to leap into second spot by beating Worcestershire in a high-scoring encounter.

At 31-5, the home team were in a bad way but Tom Kohler-Cadmore (169) and Jack Shantry’s run-a-ball 106 helped them to a very respectable 439. Graeme van Buuren’s unbeaten 172 enabled Gloucs to declare 75 behind, then Craig Miles’ 5-54 set up an exciting fourth day chase. Michael Klinger was well up for it but it was Jack Taylor’s fireworks at the death which clinched the victory, achieved with a six. It was a bitter-sweet week for Taylor as he faces a second bowling ban because of a dodgy action. However, with innings like this, he surely merits a place as a specialist batsman.

Sussex took maximum points from their ten-wicket mauling of Derbyshire at Hove. Without the runs from the visitors’ Shiv Thakor it would have been even more one-sided. Centuries from Ed Joyce and Luke Wells, then the swing and seam of Steve Magoffin and Ollie Robinson, were too just too much.

In the remaining Championship fixture, Essex and Northants amassed more than 1000 first-innings runs between them. Mickelburgh, Foster and Ten Doeschate each racked up hundreds, with Monty Panesar’s already distant hopes of an England recall demolished under the onslaught. With Northants 56-4 at stumps on day 3, another Essex triumph would have been inevitable were it not for the rain which restricted play to just six overs.

So now we have a fortnight’s break for a blast of twenty- and fifty-over cricket, not to mention England going for a Test whitewash of Sri Lanka. Just as the Championship was boiling up nicely. There were lots of fine performances this week, including some in the T20, and several failed to make my Eleven, which reads as follows:

Duckett (Nor), Malan (Mid), Borthwick (Dur), van Buuren (Glo), B Taylor (Not), Wessels (Not +), Rashid (Yor), Bresnan (Yor), Batty (Sur), Wagner (Lan), Leach (Som)

Malan's the Man, Surrey the Team

A relatively quiet week domestically. While the County Championship and Ashes series took a break, the counties completed the group stages of the Royal London One Day Cup. It was rendered even quieter thanks to the rain which swept across much of England in the latter part of the week.

There was the added sideshow of Australia (minus Michael Clarke) getting some pre-Test practice against Northamptonshire. David Willey may be on his way to Yorkshire, but team-mate Stephen Crook caught the eye not only in the tour match with his blistering 142 not out but also in the defeat of Gloucestershire. His 4-37 and brisk 19 put his county in a good position to qualify for the quarter-finals only for the weather to deprive them of the opportunity to beat Yorkshire, themselves already through.

Durham squeezed out Northants by defeating Derbyshire. John Hastings’ 4-24 and Scott Borthwick’s 2-31 removed the threat of Madsen and co. Derbyshire took their revenge on Worcestershire at Derby where Shiv Thakor put in a match-winning all-round performance.

Somerset enjoyed the best week of any side in Group A, but they were never in the hunt for the knockouts. Surrey may have headed the table but Jim Allenby and Craig Overton nullified the runs of Steven Davies (111) and Rory Burns (76). A few days later, Leicestershire finished another miserable week being thumped by Peter Trego and quitting the new competition without a win.
Earlier they had lost to Worcestershire, for whom Alex Hepburn enjoyed a fruitful debut taking 4-34. Rory Burns was again in the runs in a twelve-run success over Gloucestershire to decide who won the group.

Group B was the preserve of Nottinghamshire despite losing to Kent. James Taylor’s impressive 109 was trumped by Sam Billings’ unbeaten 118 in 89 balls. It also proved enough to qualify in fourth behind Essex, whose sole fixture this week was washed out. Hampshire also progressed although Lancashire edged them by 29 runs. Another Ashwell Prince century took the away side past 300 then, with Alex Wheater also making three figures, the Rose Bowl looked set to celebrate a home victory. Instead, Kerrigan, Jarvis and Faulkner mopped up the tail. Lancashire missed out on the quarters by a tiny Net Run Rate margin, and Old Trafford rain prevented them from gaining the all-important extra point against Glamorgan.

Star man, however, was Dawid Malan, in a real rich vein of form for Middlesex. He plundered 156 in 128 deliveries to reach a mediocre target of 252 set by Glamorgan, for whom Colin Ingram struck 102.

The quarter-finals take place next week after an interlude of four-day cricket. Champions-elect Yorkshire travel to Sussex but a key encounter is Worcestershire’s visit to Somerset. Neither side will want to lose that one in the Division One danger zone. In Division Two, Gloucestershire face Surrey and Lancashire could extinguish any remaining hopes Glamorgan may have of achieving promotion come next month’s climax.

Team of the Week: Davies (Sur), Hales (Not), Malan (Mid), Ingram (Gla), Burns (Sur), Billings (Ken +), Crook (Nor), Trego (Som), Hepburn (Wor), Hastings (Dur), C Overton (Som).

Willey’s Brilliant Broadside

A rich variety of cricket entertained British cricket fans this week. England’s demolition of hapless Australia at Trent Bridge rightly stole most of the headlines, with Stuart Broad’s incredible first innings 8-15 unlikely to be bettered by anyone all season.

Fortunes were reversed in the Women’s Ashes Test. Jess Jonassen enjoyed an impressive debut with two half-centuries, beginning with a 99, before Ellysse Perry made up for a poor game with the bat by taking 6-32 to clinch the match. England now need to win all three T20 fixtures to retain this version of the Ashes.

Earlier in the week, Yorkshire took another step closer to retaining the Championship by dismantling Durham. Wickets tumbled on the first day, then a double-century stand involving Glenn Maxwell and Adil Rashid piled the pressure onto Mark Stoneman’s men. Plunkett and Rashid completed the job with the ball.

Joe Root may be shining for England but his county ex-colleagues are doing just fine without him, 38 points clear with a game in hand. Middlesex moved back to second place with an exciting victory over Sussex. They came from behind to snatch it by 20 runs, thanks largely to more than 200 runs from Dawid Malan and fine seam bowling by James Harris et al, Steve Magoffin did his usual stuff for Sussex but Malan defied him to set a target that proved just too much.

The London side overtook Warwickshire who came a cropper at the Rose Bowl against Hampshire. James Vince struck a rare century and Fidel Edwards nabbed nine wickets to give the bottom side hope of escaping the drop. Worcestershire remain in trouble after a defeat to Nottinghamshire. Captain Chris Read top-scored for the victors and saw them home by five wickets.

In Division Two, Glamorgan’s loss to Gloucestershire and Surrey’s triumph at Colchester leaves Lancashire and Surrey scorching favourites to be promoted with four matches remaining. Rory Burns scored more runs than anybody else this week, while spin duo Batty and Ansari twirled away industriously for fifteen wickets between them. Monty Panesar made a more modest return for Essex, for whom Nick Browne and Mark Pettini contributed centuries.

There were no hundreds at Swansea, but David Payne was probably the star perfomer, taking eight Glamorgan scalps. Leicestershire enjoyed their first home victory for three years, beating Derbyshire by three wickets. Sadly for them, their sixteen points awarded for the win were later docked because of their persistently poor disciplinary record. It’s normally their on-pitch performance which leaves them bottom of the League but in 2015 it may owe more to whingeing at the umpires.

Finally, the Nat West Blast entered its quarter-final phase. There have been some encouragingly big crowds this summer, particularly at the larger grounds like Edgbaston. The Birmingham Bears were roaring again against Essex, while Hampshire needed James Vince and bad light at New Road to beat Worcestershire, en route for a sixth consecutive Finals Day appearance. David Willey’s 40-ball century and 3-27 took Northants into the semi-finals, while Lancashire join them following a dramatic tie today at Canterbury. Kent went out on wickets lost!

Team of the Week: Burns (Sur), Willey (Nor), Vince (Ham *), Madsen (Der), Malan (Mid), Perry (Aus Women), N O’Brien (Lei +), Woakes (War), Broad (Eng), Edwards (Ham), Magoffin (Sus).

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).