It was back to the four-day grind, rather than the four-over blitz for the county bowlers but, for the first time this summer, they seemed to seize the upper hand in the County Championship. There were no flat track pitches, scorched by flaming June. Instead the damp air contributed to several five- or six-wicket hauls for seamers and spinners alike.
Surrey and Leicestershire were the only two sides to register victories as the rain began to bite early in the week. The former moved clear of Hampshire at the bottom of Division One with a straightforward defeat of Nottinghamshire. Lumb and Wessels were kept quiet, Hales was on England duty and Notts were twice bowled out for under 200. Zafar Ansari’s 6-36 finished things off.
It was a good week for Lancashire. Captain Steven Croft, Hasim Hameed and Liam Livingstone each reached three figures but couldn’t get the better of Warwickshire at Old Trafford. Debutant Matt Parkinson celebrated with 5-46, while Steven Parry also chipped in with a five-for in the T20 Blast when rolling Worcester over for just 53. They remain top with the same points total as Yorkshire, who had a rollercoaster ride at Chester-le-Street.
Steve Patterson’s 6-56 helped the White Roses to a healthy first innings lead, only for Keaton Jennings to carry his bat second time around. His double-century anchored a total of 507-8, but a century partnership by Lyth and Leez settled the final day nerves and Yorkshire batted out the draw.
In Division Two, Essex’s charge was halted again, this time by Leicestershire. Revitalised in 2016, the away team earned their second Championship win of the campaign at Chelmsford, despite a Monday washout. It wasn’t the batsmen but the seam attack of Clint McKay and Charlie Shreck who did most of the damage, before hurrying to a four-wicket triumph.
Kent narrowed their lead to six points at a rather damp Cardiff, but Glamorgan perhaps edged the play. Mitch Claydon took eight Welsh wickets but Graham Wagg aggregated 149 runs in the match. They just need to take more wickets if they are to avoid the wooden spoon.
The other double-hundred of the week was scored by Billy Godleman of Derbyshire. Having lost the whole of day one to the weather, from 13-2, he and Wayne Madsen progressed their innings to 264, ultimately declaring at 467-5. Things looked even more rosy when Ben Cotton and Tony Palladino left Worcestershire reeling at 18-5. There was a slight recovery but Worcester applied themselves better when following on, and ground out a draw on the final day.
Northamptonshire remain winless but with better weather down at Arundel they would surely have closed out the match against Sussex. Azharullah’s 6-68 and Adam Rossington’s career-best 138 not out from 121 balls gave Northants a 300-run leading margin before Joyce, Nash and rain denied Wakely’s side the win they deserved.
Next week, it’s Middlesex to face Lancashire and Hampshire entertaining Somerset while in the lower tier, Kent must surely topple Essex at the top as they host struggling Derbyshire.
Team of the Week: Jennings (Dur), Godleman (Der), Madsen (Der), Rossington (Nor), Croft (Lan +), Livingstone (Lan), Wagg (Gla), Ansari (Sur), Parry (Lan), Azharullah (Nor), McKay (Lei)
Showing posts with label Graeme Wagg. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Graeme Wagg. Show all posts
Sunday, 26 June 2016
Thursday, 25 June 2015
Yorkshire’s Veterans maintain the Pressure
While Durham rested, Yorkshire claimed maximum points at Headingley, moving to within nine points of the leaders with a game in hand. Next week’s meeting of the top two is looking rather tasty! Skipper Andrew Gale and Jack Leaning each scored centuries, while Brooks, Bresnan and Sidebottom led the all-30-something attack to hand Nottinghamshire an innings defeat. The sorry losers featured a rare Championship appearance by Stuart Broad – only his 16th in eight seasons – but his 7-84 and 84 runs showed what they have been missing.
Hampshire are keeping Notts company at the bottom after suffering a nine-wicket home drubbing by Somerset, who also beat Notts last week. Suddenly, the Cidermen are in mid-table safety, just a good win adrift of third place. With sixteen points for a win and only five for a draw, the table can change so swiftly in county cricket. Anyway, not for the first time this season, Craig Overton shone with the ball (8-81 for the match) and young opener Tom Abell made another half-century. While Hants’ all-rounder Gareth Berg did his best to prolong proceedings, as at Notts, the top five batsmen are woefully out of form.
The other Division One fixture was a tame draw between Worcestershire and Middlesex, but at least they scored some runs. Tom Fell made a welcome hundred but James Franklin was the week’s star batsman, contributing 135 and 91 not out for Middlesex as the game petered out on day four.
In the lower tier, Surrey and Glamorgan both won to remind top dogs Lancashire that promotion isn’t yet a done deal. Gareth Batty’s side made short work of Derbyshire inside three days. There were few stand-out performances, with James Burke top-scoring with just 73 and the skipper’s 4-32 finishing off the Derby tail in the second innings.
Neither side reached 300, nor were there any individual three-figure scores at Cardiff, either, but Glamorgan’s bowlers all chipped in with wickets as Leicestershire succumbed on the last afternoon. Graeme Wagg followed his astonishing 200 last week with another 126 runs and three wickets while for the opponents, Ben Raine achieved a decent five-for while Jacques Rudolph dug in for over five hours to make 74 and hold his side’s second innings together and set a sufficiently tough target.
Essex continued their revival by beating Gloucestershire at Bristol. Napier and Porter bowled well enough to make the home team follow on then, despite another century from Michael Klinger, Essex managed to knock off the 114 needed for victory. At 26-4 they wobbled but Tom Westley steadied the ship with an unbeaten 65.
Meanwhile, at Northampton, rain washed out the first day but by the third, Northants had already demolished bottom-placed Kent! Azharullah, Rory Kleinveldt and Olly Stone each clamed five-fors as Kent slumped to 140 and 151 all out. Playing the Australian tourists must seem like light relief and at least they are top of the NatWest Blast South group!
Team of the Week: Abell (Som), Ali (Wor), Gale (Yor, *), Leaning (Yor), Franklin (Mid), Bairstow (Yor/Eng, +), Berg (Ham), Broad (Not), Napier (Ess), C Overton (Som), Kleinveldt (Nor)
Hampshire are keeping Notts company at the bottom after suffering a nine-wicket home drubbing by Somerset, who also beat Notts last week. Suddenly, the Cidermen are in mid-table safety, just a good win adrift of third place. With sixteen points for a win and only five for a draw, the table can change so swiftly in county cricket. Anyway, not for the first time this season, Craig Overton shone with the ball (8-81 for the match) and young opener Tom Abell made another half-century. While Hants’ all-rounder Gareth Berg did his best to prolong proceedings, as at Notts, the top five batsmen are woefully out of form.
The other Division One fixture was a tame draw between Worcestershire and Middlesex, but at least they scored some runs. Tom Fell made a welcome hundred but James Franklin was the week’s star batsman, contributing 135 and 91 not out for Middlesex as the game petered out on day four.
In the lower tier, Surrey and Glamorgan both won to remind top dogs Lancashire that promotion isn’t yet a done deal. Gareth Batty’s side made short work of Derbyshire inside three days. There were few stand-out performances, with James Burke top-scoring with just 73 and the skipper’s 4-32 finishing off the Derby tail in the second innings.
Neither side reached 300, nor were there any individual three-figure scores at Cardiff, either, but Glamorgan’s bowlers all chipped in with wickets as Leicestershire succumbed on the last afternoon. Graeme Wagg followed his astonishing 200 last week with another 126 runs and three wickets while for the opponents, Ben Raine achieved a decent five-for while Jacques Rudolph dug in for over five hours to make 74 and hold his side’s second innings together and set a sufficiently tough target.
Essex continued their revival by beating Gloucestershire at Bristol. Napier and Porter bowled well enough to make the home team follow on then, despite another century from Michael Klinger, Essex managed to knock off the 114 needed for victory. At 26-4 they wobbled but Tom Westley steadied the ship with an unbeaten 65.
Meanwhile, at Northampton, rain washed out the first day but by the third, Northants had already demolished bottom-placed Kent! Azharullah, Rory Kleinveldt and Olly Stone each clamed five-fors as Kent slumped to 140 and 151 all out. Playing the Australian tourists must seem like light relief and at least they are top of the NatWest Blast South group!
Team of the Week: Abell (Som), Ali (Wor), Gale (Yor, *), Leaning (Yor), Franklin (Mid), Bairstow (Yor/Eng, +), Berg (Ham), Broad (Not), Napier (Ess), C Overton (Som), Kleinveldt (Nor)
Friday, 19 June 2015
Glamorgan on the Glory Trail
While the endless stream of sixes sailed into the stands in the England v NZ ODIs, runs were harder to come by in the County Championship and Nat West Blast.
In Division One, Durham owed much to Gordon Muchall for their defeat of Sussex. He contributed almost 200 runs while most of the top order struggled. Chris Rushworth took 6-49 in the first innings then, following Muchall’s lead, Hastings and Coughlin weighed in with valuable late runs to make Sussex’s job even harder. Luke Wells reached three figures, but it wasn’t enough.
Warwickshire kept in touch with Durham by slamming neighbours Worcestershire by an innings. Ian Bell enjoyed a rare run-out for his county, hitting 111, while Keith Barker combined an unbeaten 50 with seven wickets. At Taunton, Somerset looked down and out yet again after conceding a 200-run first innings deficit to Nottinghamshire. Surrounded by a ridiculously ageing team (what is going on in the new regime?), Tom Abell looked the most mature batsman of all while Abdur Rehman’s spin was completely outclassed by Notts’ 19 year-old debutant Matthew Carter who took 7-56. That’s the best first innings haul by a first-time slow bowler for eighty-odd years! Sadly for him, it was all in vain – as was Brendan Taylor’s opening 152 - as Somerset at last showed some resolve. Trescothick, Abell, Myburgh, Trego and Allenby each scored half-centuries to reach the 402 target with two wickets to spare. Phew! Had we lost that one, we really would be checking out the route to Leicester next year!
Lancashire continued their promotion procession with an innings defeat of Leicestershire at Old Trafford. Ashwell Prince added his fourth hundred of the season and Kyle Jarvis was the pick of a solid attack. Leicester spinner Jigar Naik claimed 8-179. Behind Lancashire, Glamorgan closed the gap on Surrey with a seven-wicket victory at leafy Guildford. The horrific T20 fielding collision which hospitalised Burns and Henriques allowed Arun Harinath to be promoted from the Surrey Seconds. He grasped his opportunity pretty well by scoring a century in each innings. Nevertheless, despite being useless at T20, Glammie bowler Graeme Wagg took 4-64 then struck 11 sixes in a score of 200, by far his best with the bat. He and Michael Hogan shared a century stand for the tenth wicket before Hoges produced another five-for to speed the Welsh club to their third win of the campaign. Alongside their two T20 wins, it’s been a good week for Glamorgan and their results are finally reflecting the quality of their squad.
Their was another innings triumph in Division Two, this time for bottom-placed Essex. Well, they’re up to sixth now after hammering Derbyshire. Alastair Cook top-scored with 80 while young James Porter helped himself to six cheap wickets. In his short first-class career he has taken 32 at barely 20 apiece!
In last weekend’s T20 fixtures, Gloucestershire’s Michael Klinger made identical three-figure scores – 104 – against Essex and Glamorgan while in the latter match, Jacques Rudolph also thrashed a ton. In Hampshire’s defeat of Kent, James Vince was stranded on 99 not out and they are now at the top of the South group with Kent.
Team of the Week: Harinath (Sur), Klinger (Glo), B Taylor (Not), Bell (War), Prince (Lan), Muchall (Dur), Wallace (Gla +), Wagg (Gla), Carter (Not), Naik (Lei), Hogan (Gla).
In Division One, Durham owed much to Gordon Muchall for their defeat of Sussex. He contributed almost 200 runs while most of the top order struggled. Chris Rushworth took 6-49 in the first innings then, following Muchall’s lead, Hastings and Coughlin weighed in with valuable late runs to make Sussex’s job even harder. Luke Wells reached three figures, but it wasn’t enough.
Warwickshire kept in touch with Durham by slamming neighbours Worcestershire by an innings. Ian Bell enjoyed a rare run-out for his county, hitting 111, while Keith Barker combined an unbeaten 50 with seven wickets. At Taunton, Somerset looked down and out yet again after conceding a 200-run first innings deficit to Nottinghamshire. Surrounded by a ridiculously ageing team (what is going on in the new regime?), Tom Abell looked the most mature batsman of all while Abdur Rehman’s spin was completely outclassed by Notts’ 19 year-old debutant Matthew Carter who took 7-56. That’s the best first innings haul by a first-time slow bowler for eighty-odd years! Sadly for him, it was all in vain – as was Brendan Taylor’s opening 152 - as Somerset at last showed some resolve. Trescothick, Abell, Myburgh, Trego and Allenby each scored half-centuries to reach the 402 target with two wickets to spare. Phew! Had we lost that one, we really would be checking out the route to Leicester next year!
Lancashire continued their promotion procession with an innings defeat of Leicestershire at Old Trafford. Ashwell Prince added his fourth hundred of the season and Kyle Jarvis was the pick of a solid attack. Leicester spinner Jigar Naik claimed 8-179. Behind Lancashire, Glamorgan closed the gap on Surrey with a seven-wicket victory at leafy Guildford. The horrific T20 fielding collision which hospitalised Burns and Henriques allowed Arun Harinath to be promoted from the Surrey Seconds. He grasped his opportunity pretty well by scoring a century in each innings. Nevertheless, despite being useless at T20, Glammie bowler Graeme Wagg took 4-64 then struck 11 sixes in a score of 200, by far his best with the bat. He and Michael Hogan shared a century stand for the tenth wicket before Hoges produced another five-for to speed the Welsh club to their third win of the campaign. Alongside their two T20 wins, it’s been a good week for Glamorgan and their results are finally reflecting the quality of their squad.
Their was another innings triumph in Division Two, this time for bottom-placed Essex. Well, they’re up to sixth now after hammering Derbyshire. Alastair Cook top-scored with 80 while young James Porter helped himself to six cheap wickets. In his short first-class career he has taken 32 at barely 20 apiece!
In last weekend’s T20 fixtures, Gloucestershire’s Michael Klinger made identical three-figure scores – 104 – against Essex and Glamorgan while in the latter match, Jacques Rudolph also thrashed a ton. In Hampshire’s defeat of Kent, James Vince was stranded on 99 not out and they are now at the top of the South group with Kent.
Team of the Week: Harinath (Sur), Klinger (Glo), B Taylor (Not), Bell (War), Prince (Lan), Muchall (Dur), Wallace (Gla +), Wagg (Gla), Carter (Not), Naik (Lei), Hogan (Gla).
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