County Cricket: Batsmen Fill Their Boots!

“Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree….” I remember singing this at school, a ‘round’ involving the choir singing different lines simultaneously. “Laugh, kookaburra, laugh…” it went, but it was the batsmen who had the last laugh facing the Kookaburra ball in this week’s County Championship fixtures. There were no fewer than 26 centuries in the full programme of nine matches. 

The Headingley Test proved that cricket can deliver an exciting contest spanning five days with runs a-plenty and produce a result. If only the Championship games had been allocated an extra day because seven of them ended in a draw, with bowlers unable to assert much authority on proceedings. 

Last week, Surrey surged to second in the Blast and they maintained that momentum into the red-ball competition. In fact, they needed only three days to despatch a weak Worcestershire by nine wickets. Contrary to the situations elsewhere, both sets of bowlers were on top. Ben Allison and Tom Taylor performed well for the home side, but ultimately it was the Surrey seam pair of Nathan Smith (6-38) and Matthew Fisher (4-47) who wiped out Worcester’s second innings and secured the victory. 

With Nottinghamshire failing to beat Yorkshire, the champions advanced ominously to within two points of the leaders. Notts opener Ben Slater made his fifth and sixth consecutive half-centuries, and even bowlers Dillon Pennington (61) and Liam Patterson-White (87) got in on the act in the first innings. In reply, Yorkshire lost Adam Lyth first-ball but Finlay Bean went on to rack up 224. Teenager Farhan Ahmed and Patterson-White toiled for 112 overs between them. Not since 1929 has a Notts bowlers sent down more balls in a single innings than NL-P’s 372, and he had just three wickets to show for it. 

Jofra Archer’s first-class comeback for Sussex after more than four years’ absence netted him the solitary wicket of Emilio Gay. He sent down eighteen overs, which might have landed him back in hospital but instead earned him an England Test recall. As for the match, it ended up as batting practice for Sussex, yielding centuries for Coles and Ibrahim. 

At Edgbaston, Somerset had the better of Warwickshire, but Latham and Hain dug deep to thwart the opposing attack on the final afternoon. The visitors had amassed 498 in the opening five sessions, including tons for Toms Kohler-Cadmore and Lammonby, but Warwickshire’s run rate was consistently below three an over. OK for five days, but they always seemed to be playing for the draw even if it meant Somerset swapping positions with them in the table. 

In the bottom half, Essex and Hampshire also played out a draw at Chelmsford. Kyle Abbott’s latest five-for put Hants in the driving seat, albeit frustrated by Charlie Allison’s 101. In response, Liam Dawson (139) and India’s Tilak Varma each made three figures, too. Varma is known as a white-ball specialist but he has a habit of making tons in the few first-class games he has played. At 131-5 second time around, Essex were heading for defeat, but a double-century stand between Tom Westley and the expansive Michael Pepper saved the day. 

In Division Two, front-runners Leicestershire couldn’t fashion another triumph despite compiling a massive 576-7 declared. Asa Tribe (107) had anchored a decent 353 for Glamorgan but Sol Budinger and Rehan Ahmed led a strong batting display to establish a healthy lead. However, not for the first time, the experienced duo of Northeast and Ingram rescued the Welsh side from 36-3 to earn the draw. 

It was a topsy-turvy affair at Bristol where Gloucestershire reversed a 211-run deficit to come within two wickets of bating Derbyshire on the final evening. Cameron Bancroft (176) and Graeme van Buuren (175) helped set Derby a stiff target of 316 in about five hours. To their credit, they accepted the gauntlet. Harry Caleb and Caleb Jewell galloped to 177-0 but once they fell, so did the run rate, and time was called twenty runs short. 

The scoreboard also ticked over rapidly at Blackpool. Lancashire topped 600, fuelled by hundreds from Luke Wells, Josh Bohannon and Ashton Turner, the latter’s 154 coming at more than a run a ball. James Anderson’s side had Kent’s second innings in deep trouble at 116-7 but Grant Stewart decided to risk an all-or-nothing approach. His luck was in, and he cracked nine sixes in a score of 130, leaving the Red Roses no time to wangle a win. 

The only victory occurred at Northampton where the home team edged Middlesex in a tight encounter providing almost 1,500 runs. Little-known Aussie quick, Liam Guthrie, took 7-94 while his colleagues enjoyed little success against Middlesex, for whom ‘keeper Joe Cracknell scored a maiden hundred. In the end, Northants won the match by four wickets. Captain Luke Procter (107) and James Sales (108) had to crack on at five an over to reach the target. 

This weekend, Leicestershire meet Middlesex while in the top flight, Surrey welcome Durham to The Oval and Notts visit Somerset requiring a victory to keep Surrey at bay.

Team of the Week:- Bancroft (Glo), Bean (Yor), Came (Der), Lammonby (Som), Coles (Sus), Ingram (Gla), Pepper (Ess +), Van Buuren (Glo), Abbott (Ham), N Smith (Sur), Guthrie (Nor)

County Cricket: Top Two Trounced

The three leading counties were all involved in innings defeats this week, but not necessarily in the way their positions would have suggested. The top two were surprisingly slaughtered inside three days, their first losses of the summer, which evens things up quite a bit as we head into Twenty20 territory. 

Surrey’s suffering at the hands of Hampshire was the greatest shock, especially as this, at an innings and 276, was their heaviest loss in their long Championship history. Indeed, their only larger losing margins were inflicted by sides featuring Don Bradman and WG Grace! Ben Brown, Nick Gubbins and young Toby Albert each plundered centuries as Hampshire topped 600, declaring a whopping 481 runs ahead. Not even the champions’ set of internationals could retrieve that one. Seamer Kyle Abbott’s 5-25 did the damage on day one, while the spinners Liam Dawson and Felix Organ sealed the win two days later. 

Somerset also had a miserable trip, returning from Chester-le-Street two days early with just the points in the bag. Tom Abell’s return to the side as opener was a grim one and, despite his duck with the bat, Durham part-timer Ben Stokes could take enormous satisfaction from his eight wickets with ball in hand. Colleague David Bedingham continued his prolific form, too, claiming a fourth century in consecutive innings. 

Essex moved to within two points of Surrey by thrashing basement county Kent by an innings and 96 at Canterbury. Jordan Cox led the onslaught on his former side’s batsmen, clubbing five sixes in his 207. Kent made a decent response in spite of Matt Critchley’s 5-88 but were made to follow on. This time, Snater and Harmer dominated, wearing the home team down over 57 turgid overs. 

At a soggy Old Trafford, Warwickshire made a sporting overnight declaration to try and make a game of it against Lancashire. Their opener Alex Davies carried his bat for 127, while 20-year-okd Jacob Bethell was the pick of the attack. Cricket returned to the notoriously flood-prone New Road ground at Worcester, only for rain water to leave the outfield unplayable for three days. At least Nottinghamshire skipper could add another hundred to his collection, and the evergreen giant, Luke Fletcher, took his first-class wicket tally past 450.

 

In Division Two, the top two counties met at Lord’s, but the pre-match promise fizzled out into a dreary runfest. Sussex batted the first two days, including another ton from a rejuvenated John Simpson and the doughty Cheteshwar Pujara. Middlesex occupied the crease for the next two, the highest scorers being Sam Robson (135) and Ryan Higgins (106).

 Nobody else could take advantage of this stalemate as all fixtures ended as draws. Leicestershire remain third, after their home tie against Glamorgan was spoiled by the weather.  Luckily, the excitement quotient was notably higher at Northampton. There was little to choose between Northants and Yorkshire in their first innings, as Luke Procter and Adam Lyth traded centuries. Shan Masood’s unbeaten 131 prompted a declaration and a 326-run target. Things were going smoothly at 165-2, then Lyth and Revis ushered a rush of wickets. Only opener Ricardo Vasconselos held firm, and his seventeen boundaries even offered hope of an unlikely victory. Eventually, hands were shaken on a raw with two wickets or 76 runs still needed to produce a result. 

Last week, Gloucestershire racked up more than 700 runs so their first-innings total of 530 against Derbyshire must have seemed a come-down. Matt Lamb struck a career-best 207 and ‘keeper Brooke Guest’s 95 helped Derby’s total to 526 but a rapid 277 stand between James Bracey and Graeme van Buuren anchored a reply which earned Gloucester bragging rights in the inevitable draw. 

Well, now we have a four-week break to accommodate Twenty20 cricket. While England are amongst twenty nations contesting the World Cup across the Atlantic, the domestic counties are about to Blast off. NO doubt I shall get my head around the new intake of internationals and promising young biff-bashers enjoying the limelight in June. 

Team of the Week:- Lyth (Yor), Vasconcelos (Nor), Shan Masood (Yor), Cox (Ess), Lamb (Der), Brown (Ham +), van Buuren (Glo), Stokes (Dur), Dawson (Ham), Abbott (Ham), Bethell (War)

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)