County cricket: Surrey off the mark and Leicester leave it late

There were only five Championship matches this week. There were few outstanding individual displays. No 14-year-old prodigies, as in the IPL. Indeed, despite four of the fixtures producing results, there was, amazingly, just one century scored. Stand up, Derbyshire’s Martin Andersson, who made 107 against his old county, Middlesex. At 28, he is twice the age of Rajastani Royal Vaibhav Suryavanshi! 

In Division One, Nottinghamshire easily beat their nearest rivals at the top, Sussex, by nine wickets. Josh Tongue’s first-innings 5-44 signalled his readiness for an England recall, while Haseeb Hameed accumulated a total of 147 runs. 

Surrey finally notched their first win of the campaign against – it pains me to say it – their old rivals Somerset. It wasn’t even close, done and dusted inside three days. The losing skipper Lewis Gregory did his best but his opposite number, Rory Burns kept his head with the bat and Jordan Clark was the pick of his talented attack, taking eight wickets. 

Ironically, two bowlers released by Somerset enjoyed excellent weeks. Jake Ball took 5-47 and 2-27 on his Durham debut as his side swept Worcestershire aside by six wickets with two days to spare. Ben Raine and Codi Yusuf also made hay on a seam-friendly wicket by the Severn. Poor Worcester have yet to register a single batting bonus point. 

Leicestershire continued their bright start to 2025, but Gloucestershire pushed them very close at Bristol. Their ‘keeper James Bracey was the only man to exceed 60 (93 not out) and it was a battle of the bowlers to determine the outcome. The home side’s Dominic Goodman claimed match figures of 9-87 but Ian Holland and Somerset loanee Ben Green were integral to Leicestershire’s two-wicket triumph. With time and wickets running out, it was also Green who struck the winning boundary. 

Derbyshire moved to second despite drawing at home to Middlesex. The aforementioned Andersson, Lloyd, Reece and Came all passed fifty and Zak Chappell weighed in with 4-55 before enforcing the follow-on. Batting again, Middlesex lost Fernandes first ball but Eskinazi (61)and Holden (94) put on 169 for the second wicket and Derbyshire were unable to bowl out their visitors a second time. 

Next up for Derbyshire are bottom side Glamorgan, while Leicestershire welcome Northamptonshire to Grace Road. In Division One, the Bank Holiday weekend fixtures include another tricky one for Somerset, who face Essex at Taunton. The leaders have a blank week, so Durham and Warwickshire can close the gap considerably by defeating Hampshire and Warwickshire, respectively. 

Team of the Week:-  Hameed (Not), Burns (Sur), Holden (Mid), Holland (Lei), Bracey (Glo +), Andersson (Der), Gregory (Som), J Clark (Sur), Goodman (Glo), B Green (Lei), Ball (Dur)

Notts end the 2020 season in style

And so this short and very sweet domestic cricket season comes to an end. Apart from a few temporary exceptions, there have been no fans but plenty of excitement. England hosted Australia, Pakistan and the West Indies with varying degrees of success, the women’s game wasn’t forgotten and, while postponing the hated Hundred, the ECB somehow fashioned a couple of successful competitions, with both white and red balls. 

Allowing coverage on the BBC and beefing up live streaming at the county grounds achieved the double target in a Covid-ravaged summer of maintaining and possibly growing the fan base and attracting the commercial sponsors without which the whole shebang would have gone bust. 

The county season didn’t start until August but, despite a stormy start to October, managed to produce a meaningful climax to the Vitality T20 Blast on the reserve day. Without fans having to rearrange travel and hotel stays, this seemed a minor inconvenience and it was Nottinghamshire who on Sunday evening ultimately reaped the reward. 

However, the Outlaws needed a superior Powerplay run count to steal their quarter-final against the unfortunate Leicestershire after both finished on 139-7 A late cameo from Samit Patel and last–ball misfield pulled Notts back from the brink and into Finals Day where they first defeated Lancashire in an 11-over thrash then overcame Surrey despite an early wobble. Lose Patel, Hales and Clarke? No problem: there’s always Peter Trego, Darren Christian and Ben Duckett to steady the ship and knock off the runs. 

Surrey, too, could field plenty of experienced stars, from the evergreen Gareth Batty, Liam Plunkett and Hashim Amla to the two 21 year-olds Dan Moriarty and Will Jacks, plus England internationals Roy, Burns and Foakes. Surrey thrashed Kent and overcame Gloucestershire to earn another final place. As with most T20 fixtures, the outcome was impossible to predict but once all-rounder Christian joined Duckett with six overs remaining, they calmly drove and carved the spinners through the gaps and took the silverware. 

Social distancing went out of the window as they celebrated on the pitch but then Man of the Match Christian has to quarantine for a month anyway before he can join the Big Bash in his native Australia. 

But this was a Twenty20 summer for the home-grown contingent. Former England players Daniel Bell-Drummond (Kent) and Jake Ball (Notts) topped the run and wicket tables, respectively. Gloucestershire batsmen Dent and Cockbain were consistent scorers, and bowling colleagues Higgins and Payne were also unlucky not to reach the final. Zak Crawley added a T20 century to his Test 267, Laurie Evans reinvented himself as a white-ball batsman at Surrey and spinner Dan Moriarty announced himself as a short-format performer of considerable promise. Lancashire’s T20 specialist leggie Matt Parkinson against demonstrated his value to the Lightning, alongside all-rounder Liam Livingstone, while Sussex’s 23 year-old quick, George Garton, is another one to watch. 

Let’s hope 2021 brings us a full summer of cricket and, even if the Coronavirus again keeps the stadia empty, that we get to enjoy the action online.

Team of the Week: Roy (Sur), Davies (Lan +), Duckett (Not), Jacks (Sur), Livingstone (Lan), Christian (Not), Patel (Not), Howell (Glo), Parkinson (Lan), Ball (Not), Topley (Sur)

Moeen Ali steers Worcestershire into Royal London Semis

The Royal London Cup knockout qualification places went all the way to the wire this week and there were mixed fortunes for the so-called white-ball specialists.

In the North division, holders Nottinghamshire needed to beat Derbyshire in the ‘A52 derby’ at Trent Bridge to progress and they did so courtesy of a dreadful batting performance by the visitors. The Derby skipper Billy Godleman had amassed more than five hundred runs during the tournament but he could add only four more as Jake Ball (4-29) and spinner Matthew Carter (3-19) helped bowl them out for a paltry 110. With run rates coming into the equation, Riki Wessels clumped four sixes in one Qadri over and the rout was completed inside twelve overs. The aggressive chase was successful, too, in that Notts did finish second to secure a home play-off tie. It didn't matter that Alex Hales could muster only 38 runs from three innings.

Yorkshire also progress thanks to victories over Roses rivals Lancashire and Northamptonshire. Adam Lyth struck a second century in a week and, while Kohler-Cadmore and Pujara suffered rare failures, England limited-overs international David Willey stepped up to the plate with a rumbustious 131 and, across his two games, seven wickets. However, it was Jonny Tattersall’s maiden 50 which saw them sneak home on the final day.

Warwickshire beat Durham by five wickets in a match featuring no fewer than four centurions. Richardson and Smith reached three figures for Durham but their visitors, needing 300 to win, duly made them thanks to vintage batting from former international partners Jonathan Trott (100) and Iain Bell (143 not out). In the concluding day-nighter at Edgbaston, the final place was decided by a straight shootout between Warwickshire and Worcestershire. The winner would top the group and get a bye into the semi-finals while the loser would depart the competition. After a duck in the preceding game, Moeen Ali rediscovered his form at the right time, especially given Joe Clarke’s first-ball dismissal and Callum Ferguson bowled by Stone for seven. Ali followed his admirable 3-40 with an excellent 114, including five sixes. Supported by Ben Cox (80), he put Worcester into a winning position. However, a flurry of wickets left them on 288-9, with plenty of overs but still five runs short. Fortunately Ed Barnard was at the crease and able to hit the winning boundary.

In the South, Hampshire went into the final fixture already assured of progressing but it was all very tight behind them. Surrey beat Middlesex in the all-London tie but, two days earlier, had suffered a second massacre in the tournament when Kent demolished them at Beckenham by 220 runs. Heino Kuhn struck 117, then Darren Stevens’ 6-25 meant there was no way back. Glamorgan managed a consolation victory over Sussex at Cardiff, with captain Colin Ingram’s runs the only bright light in a woeful campaign.

Paul Stirling’s third cup century lifted Middlesex spirits against Gloucestershire, whose Royal London Cup hopes were ruined by three ‘no-results’. On the final evening, Somerset went after Hampshire’s formidable score of 356-9 knowing that it would be in vain should Essex beat Kent at Chelmsford. Oh, for another Kuhn century and Stevens five-for. Instead it was David Lawrence – not known for his white ball batting – and Ravi Bopara who made hundreds, while Jamie Porter’s return netted 4-37. Therefore, by the time Craig Overton sneaked a winning boundary from the very last ball, after Peter Trego’s 100 had done the hard work, Somerset knew they had narrowly missed out. It hadn’t been a great day for England’s new hero of sorts, Dom Bess, whose three overs went for 34. However, Hampshire’s more illustrious last-minute signing, Dale Steyn, got clouted for eighty. At least he wasn’t injured again.

So next week’s ‘quarter-finals’ will see Notts hosting Kent and Yorkshire making the trip to Essex, with Worcestershire and Hampshire awaiting the winners the following weekend. I wouldn’t mind betting Notts will be in another final but I can’t predict their opponents.

Team of the Week:

Moeen Ali (Wor), Kuhn (Ken), Godleman (Der), Trott (War), Willey (Yor), Foakes (Sur +), Richardson (Dur), Stevens (Ken), Carter (Not), Crane (Ham), Ball (Not)

County Week: Wickets tumble to Ball and Stone

It proved fitting that the 2018 County Championship commenced on Friday the 13^th because it was certainly unlucky for all players and spectators. In contrast to the warm sunshine of last year’s launch, it was virtually a  complete washout. In fact, conditions at Headingley were so bad that Yorkshire’s eagerly-awaited encounter with reigning champs Essex was abandoned without a single ball bowled.

When play did start elsewhere, it was woefully one-sided. The only century scored in five matches came from David Wiese, batting at number nine for Sussex. The highest score by any opening batsman was Daniel Bell-Drummond’s second innings 61. In short, England was a seamer’s paradise.

One of the few specialist batsman to make runs was James Vince, whose swift 75 for Hampshire helped set up a 196-run victory over promoted Worcestershire. Visiting captain Joe Leach nabbed seven wickets, as did Kyle Abbott, although it was his Hampshire team-mates Fidel Edwards and Liam Dawson who polished off the tail to go top of the table.

At Old Trafford, the final morning witnessed a crazy avalanche of wickets, with twelve tumbling in only fifteen overs. Aussie Joe Mennie ripped out the Notts top three in his first two overs but the damage to Lancashire had already been inflicted over the weekend and Steven Mullaney’s men needed only ten to win! In total, one-time England internationals Jake Ball and Harry Gurney hoovered up seventeen wickets for only 100 runs. Crazy stuff!

It was a similar situation in Division Two. At Canterbury, Gloucestershire became the first side to win a Championship fixture without scoring more than 110 in an innings since 1982. Amidst the carnage caused by the pacier men like Matt Taylor and Kent’s Kiwi import Matt Henry, it was the young spinner Ryan Higgins, brought in from Middlesex, who boasted the best single return of 5-22, albeit in a losing cause.

Middlesex seemed to operate perfectly well without him, though, as James Harris (9-48 in the match) and Tim Murtagh (8-63) flattened Northamptonshire within eight rain-hit sessions. Harris also contributed the game’s highest individual score: 46 not out. He usually starts the season strongly so let’s hope in 2018 he doesn’t succumb to his customary injuries. Even lacking key batsmen, the lads from Lord’s were straightforward winners and even at this early stage must surely be odds-on favourites to bounce back from the second tier.

Edgbaston saw the only match to finish as a draw, although the wet outfield didn’t allow very much play. The three top scores of the entire week were all achieved here, led by the aforementioned Wiese’s run-a-ball 106 and his captain Ben Brown’s 91. Their eighth wicket stand of 155 was a Sussex record against Warwickshire and came in spite of Olly Stone’s highly commendable 8-80 and a fine all-round performance by the home side’s Tim Ambrose. The former Sussex ‘keeper compiled 81 and took six catches in the first innings.

I can only hope the weather is kinder next week, so that batsmen can at last get runs under their belts in a full fixture list. Middlesex must fancy their chances at Derby while in Division One, Essex and Yorkshire get a second chance of playing, against Lancashire and Notts, respectively. Surrey’s big names enter the fray at home to Hampshire while Somerset host Worcestershire.

My Team of the Week is inevitably bowler-heavy. For the first time since I’ve compiled such lists, I have been able to fill the top five slots with only two specialist batsmen. Mad! Hopefully normal service will be restored next week.

Bell-Drummond (Ken), Vince (Ham), Brown (Sus), Ambrose (War, +), Berg (Ham), Harris (Mid), Abbott (Ham), Wiese (Sus), Stone (War), Ball (Not), Gurney (Not)

Ashes First Test - Smith and Bancroft keep their heads down

After all the fuss about Ben Stokes and now Johnny Bairstow’s peculiar mode of greeting friends and rivals, Australia can point to a statistic which simply reads Played 1, Won 1.

Their undefeated Gabba sequence now extends back a remarkable 29 years to 1988 when Viv Richards’ all-conquering West Indies made mincemeat of Allan Border’s side. England’s last win at Brisbane was two years previously, featuring a century by Ian Botham, a name so redolent of a bygone age that he now resorts to advertising a circulation-boosting device.

Much of the 2017 version was played in an Eighties vein, too; all short-ball strategies and scoring rates below three runs an over. For the first three days, there wasn’t a great deal between the sides. After England decided to bat, relative Test newcomers Stoneman, Vince and Malan each passed fifty and at 246-4 seemed fairly comfortable on day two. However, three wickets promptly  fell in three overs and Joe Root’s team could barely reach the 300 mark.

Australia endured a worse start but the mighty Steve Smith held the innings together with an excellent unbeaten 141, with vital support from the recalled Shaun Marsh and Pat Cummins. The skipper’s Test average has crept to a stunning 61 and has converted half his 50s into hundreds. For all Root’s undoubted world class, the Yorkshireman’s stat is only just above one in four. When England batted again, he succumbed in typical style, advancing to 51 before falling leg-before to Hazlewood. Nevertheless, he was still the top scorer, and the four-man Aussie attack this time restricted the batsmen to a mere 195.

When David Warner and debutant Cameron Bancroft, sensibly wearing his helmet while Bairstow kept wicket, safely saw their side to stumps on day four, any hope of an England revival was dashed. To rub it in, the openers then took their partnership to 173 and inflict a ten-wicket drubbing. 

So can we learn anything from this result? While Jake Ball is not certain of keeping his place, basically it boils down to England dismissing Steve Smith early on and relying on Anderson and Broad to bowl diligently and cannily. No shit, Sherlock! Could be worse; they could be bowling to Virat Kohli’s Indian centurions. Seeing that Anya Shrubsole is the only cricketer to make the BBC Sports Personality of the Year shortlist, maybe we should give the Somerset medium-pacer a chance in the Adelaide game instead of Ball and another Taunton favourite, Craig Overton? Perhaps not, but great to see her World Cup-winning performance rewarded in this way.

Middlesex and Yorkshire in Two-horse Race

The domestic international season may have ended, but the County Championship is entering its decisive phase, and it’s set up for a gripping finale!

For one dreamy day, it seemed that Somerset might actually be in with a genuine shout for that elusive first title. Well, if Leicester City can win the Premier League, why not? As a few weeks ago, Taunton was transformed into a spinners’ track, and the wickets tumbled against Warwickshire. No good if you had tickets for the last two days, nor if Jeetan Patel had taken full control. Fortunately for the home side, it was first the teenage Dominic Bess who caught the eye with 6-28 then, as Clarke and Wright threatened to snatch victory, Jack Leach completed his own six-for, and the job was done by 31 runs.

Now, if only Yorkshire and Middlesex could fail to win their matches…. It wasn’t to be. At Headingley, after setting up a first innings lead over Durham of 195, the champions decided against enforcing the follow-on. Alex Lees was in excellent form but it was opening partner Adam Lyth who reached three figures second time around. The four-pronged seam attack of Sidebottom, Brooks, Bresnan and Patterson achieved what Onions, Rushworth et al could not, and Yorkshire triumphed by 228 runs.

Meanwhile, Middlesex were embroiled in a much tighter contest at Trent Bridge. The first three innings were completed for between 240 and 247, leaving Middlesex 235 to win. Steven Finn, Jake Ball (including a first-over hat-trick!) and Ollie Rayner were all in the wickets, and at 25-3 the home side threatened to spoil the London party plans and keep Nottinghamshire’s survival hopes intact. However, an unbeaten 85-run partnership between Simpson and Franklin brought 20 points to Middlesex and a paltry four to Notts, condemning the latter to a surprise relegation. Middlesex now lead the division by a solitary point and the two counties have yet to play each other!

In the other fixture, Hampshire had the better of Surrey at xxx. They racked up almost 600, including centuries by Tom Alsop, Sean Ervine (revelling batting up the order) and Ryan McLaren. Liam Dawson had another ineffective game with the ball and Surrey easily batted out the final day. They at least have avoided the drop but Hampshire remain in trouble.

In the second tier, Essex remain twenty points clear at the top despite not playing. Kent suffered an unexpected ten-wicket defeat at Beckenham, as Northamptonshire twice dismissed them for under 250. To rub salt in the wound, Ben Duckett struck an excellent 208 all by himself. Rory Kleinveldt was the pick of the bowlers, sending back the first four Kent batsmen in the second innings inside seven overs.

They still look favourites to join Essex in Division One next year, but Sussex are now in third place having thrashed Leicestershire by an innings inside two days. Steve Magoffin was well supported by Jofra Archer, David Wiese and Ollie Robinson, and Leicester looked down and out. At least the won’t finish bottom again this year. Glamorgan were at the wrong end of another three-day defeat at Cardiff, as Gloucestershire kept their own promotion ambitions alive.

Derbyshire next meet Leicestershire in a bit to notch a first Championship victory of the summer and might actually succeed. At the top, an encouraging weather forecast should ensure Essex’s progress to division champions as the Welsh travel to Chelmsford. A Sussex win at home to Worcestershire could make things interesting in the final week, as Kent have to sit this one out biting their fingernails.

In the Championship title race, Yorkshire entertain Somerset. This will be set up for the seamers and I can’t see Chris Rogers’ men living with Andrew Gale’s side. The ECB are reluctant to allow the England stars leave to play for their counties, which will hurt Yorkshire more than Middlesex. That’s probably their intention! Middlesex face a tricky trip to Lancashire, who are not yet out of the relegation mire.

Team of the Week: Duckett (Nor), Lees (Yor), Alsop (Ham), Ervine (Ham), Patel (Not), Simpson (Mid, +), McLaren (Ham), Leach (Som), Archer (Sus), Bess (Som), Ball (Not)

Gayle Force in Somerset, Raine-ing success for Leicester

Just for a change, I’ll start my weekly review of the county cricket action at the foot of Division Two. The reason is that Leicestershire have finally won a Championship match for the first time since September 2012. When Lewis Hill nudged the single which took them past Essex’s target, you’d think they’d won the World Cup! Maybe now the hoodoo is broken, they can kick on. They actually have some decent players. Unfortunately, the team they beat at Chelmsford are looking very weak. The top order can’t score and without Topley and Masters the young Essex attack lacks experience.

The top two played out a boring draw on a bat-friendly Oval pitch. There were centuries for Jason Roy, Rory Burns and, for the first time, James Faulkner but only two runs for the returning Kevin Pietersen. Surrey narrowed the gap behind Lancashire by just one point, but Glamorgan are now only eight points adrift of second place after defeating Northants by ten wickets. Craig Meschede’s 107 and 3-19 made the difference.

At Derby, Jack Taylor struck his debut hundred for Gloucestershire then after a couple of last morning declarations, his miserly 2-19 almost secured victory over a second-rate Derbyshire. Dilshan has yet to produce the killer innings and only Billy Godleman and Shiv Thakor exceeded 20 in the second innings. However, Gloucester could take only eight wickets and a draw ensued.

In the top tier, Middlesex leapfrogged Durham despite drawing with Warwickshire, but Nottinghamshire enjoyed a victory over a promising Sussex side. Despite poor weather, it was all over inside three days, and there were several performances to savour. Pity Steve Magoffin: 12 wickets yet finished on the losing side. Former Notts favourite Bruce French has a new family star. His nephew Jake Ball took 9-67 in total, Samit Patel hit 100 but teenager Luke Wood fared even better. With Notts reeling at 98-7, he surprised everyone by thumping exactly 100 in 96 balls. Allied to five wickets, he did more than anyone to ensure his county escaped the relegation zone.

In the other match, Hampshire dug themselves out of the mire on day 4 to avoid losing against fellow strugglers Worcestershire, for whom captain Daryl Mitchell hit an unbeaten 142.

It may not have been a vintage week in the Championship but last weekend, the NatWest Blast competition really came alive as some of the IPL superstars joined at the party. There’s no bigger name in T20 than Chris Gayle. Not only did he bring in thousands through the turnstiles at Chelmsford and Taunton but he also sent local residents - human and fish – scurrying and swimming to safety amidst a blitz of sixes. Against Essex, his 92 in 59 balls laid the foundation for a last-ball victory for Somerset. Then, facing a huge Kent total courtesy of Sam Northeast, he smashed an unbeaten 151 only to miss the target by just three runs! What would we do without him?! Hats off, too, to Paul Stirling and Dawid Malan, for giving Middlesex fans plenty to cheer about in the short format game, too. After three weeks, there are no clear favourites; almost every team has won at least one match. Only Kent – with four wins in five – have established some sort of winning sequence.

Team of the Week: Gayle (Som), Stirling (Mid), Northeast (Ken, *), Patel (Not), Watling (NZ), Roy (Sur), Ronchi (NZ, +), Raine (Lei), Wood (Not), Ball (Not), Magoffin (Sus)