Princely Albert steers Hampshire to 100% record

This week, I’ll start with news that we may have seen the last of two great stalwarts of the county game. James Hildreth is one of the most prolific batsmen in Somerset’s history, and hugely popular in and around Taunton. In both 2005 and 2019 he struck the winning runs in the T20 Blast and One-Day Cup, respectively but in the past few seasons has struggled. Last week, he announced his retirement at the end of the summer but another injury, after a score of 12 versus Durham, has forced him to bring it forward. He never played for England, and neither did Darren Stevens who, at 45, will be released by Kent. He has enjoyed some of his best seasons in the Championship since passing 40 but has been used sparingly in 2022. Unlike Hildy, he wants to keep going, but who would take a punt on someone of his age? I think it’s best to retire gracefully and stay in the game as a coach, and be remembered as a brutal batsman and consistently nagging medium-pacer par excellence.

In this week’s RL 50-over fixtures, Somerset slumped to another three defeats, as did Glamorgan in Group B. At least the former pushed Middlesex almost all the way at Taunton, the last pair getting the Group A leaders across the line with four balls remaining. Middlesex skipper Steve Eskinazi made it three consecutive centuries, including 182 in 136 deliveries in the London derby. Surrey also took a pasting at Hove, where Sussex crushed them by 216 runs. Captain Cheteshwar Pujara plundered twenty fours and five sixes in his 174, one of two tons this week. Who’d have thought the dour Test batsman could be such a wonderful one-day strokeplayer?

Another captain, Essex’s Tom Westley, also made it two sets of three figures during the last seven days, including 109 against Kent, and seventeen year-old leg-spinner Luc Benkenstein, son of the former Durham all-rounder Dale, claimed 6-42 in the win over Glamorgan.

However, it’s Hampshire who lead Group B with an unblemished record so far. It wasn’t a smooth run. They squeezed past Derbyshire and close rivals Lancashire by just two wickets, and have 21 year-old bowler John Turner  and the even younger batsman Toby Albert to thank. The latter steered them home each time with well-judged unbeaten half-centuries. Definitely two to watch in a week when two veterans seemed at the end of their careers.

Team of the Week: Eskinazi (Mid), Patel (Sur), Westley (Ess), Pujara (Sus), Kimber (Lei), Bracey (Glo +), Albert (Ham), Trevaskis (Dur), Karvelas (Sus), Benkenstein (Ess), Turner (Ham)

Somerset Celebrate at Lord's at last

When Somerset clinched a place in the Royal London One-Day Cup final a fortnight ago, my first thought was: “Oh, well. We’re bound to finish second again”. You can hardly blame me; in the past decade or more we’ve made a maddening habit of falling at the final hurdle, be it in the Championship or a knockout competition so why should 2019 be any different? Somerset’s opponents were Hampshire, reigning champions and, in stark contrast to us, with an unenviable record of finals success, so history was not on our side. Furthermore, they had murdered us at Taunton at the group stage.

What about showing my support by travelling to London? Hmm. Why should I splash out on a Lord’s ticket and another for the return train journey from Cardiff only to witness the inevitable crushing disappointment at first hand. And yet…what if this was the game that turned the tables? I’d be gutted if I missed the one occasion where Somerset finally fulfilled their potential. Encouraged by my wife, and with only thirteen days before the fixture, I determined to go online and make the bookings before my natural pessimism could regain the upper hand. Thank God I did!

And so it was with a mixture of excitement and apprehension that this 57 year-old caught the 07.26 to Paddington thence by Tube to Baker Street. Taking my seat in the Mound Stand close to the Somerset zone in the Edrich Stand, I took in the atmosphere at the ‘Home of Cricket’. When the teams were announced a chink of hope broke through. The 2018 winners were missing not only Vince and Dawson on England World Cup duty but also South African Aidan Markam, while we were more or less at full strength. Well, it made up for the years when Somerset were robbed of our own international stars.

Sadly the stadium was only half full at the start but the sun was beginning to make an appearance bathing the greensward in light. Old Father Time was surely pointing his arrow towards the Somerset dressing room as its occupants entered the pitch, closely followed by Tom Alsop and Aneurin Donald. Hampshire had won the toss, which proved to be about the only thing that went their way all day.

Craig Overton looked lively but it was the unsung Josh Davey who removed both openers during the Powerplay. Somerset looked a tight unit in the field, cutting off singles and Lewis Gregory flinging himself around the boundary to prevent boundaries. Indeed, fours were in very short supply until last year’s centurion Rilie Rossouw joined his skipper Sam Northeast in the middle. Enter Jamie Overton.

He’d spent the previous two weeks loaned out to Northants for the Championship but he made a fabulous return to the Somerset fold. Bowling at up to 90mph his controlled hostility was troubling the in-form Northeast. ‘Joverton’ reaped his reward by forcing the dangerous Rossouw to play on then induced both Berg and Wood to miss-pull skiers into the hands of Bartlett in front of the Somerset fans. Hampshire spent ten overs failing to strike a boundary and Tom Abell brought himself on for a rare 50-over bowl and bowled both Northeast and Abbott. Mason Crane and James Fuller stopped the rot but saved any fireworks until the last three overs, marring Jamie Overton’s figures and making their total vaguely respectable: 244-8.

Respectable perhaps but, in these days of regular 350+ scores, it was hardly challenging. However, the fat lady had not yet sung. My only previous one-day final visit to Lord’s had been the one in 1996 when Lancashire bowled out Essex for a paltry 57, so I wasn’t yet counting my chickens.

Fortunately, after the 45-minute break spent wandering around the sun-baked Food Lawn and picnic area, I enjoyed the opportunity to watch young ‘keeper Tom Banton in action for the first time. Noticing Fidel Edwards’ tendency to stray onto leg stump he struck him for 4-6-4, hitting him out of the attack after only three overs. The 20 year-old was making Azhar Ali look pedestrian and before we knew it Somerset’s opening partnership reached 100. Fans around me were taking bets on how quickly Somerset would win. 29.2 overs? 32.4? I would have gone for 48.3!

Edwards eventually returned to the attack, this time from the Pavilion End. It worked. In two overs his pace did for both openers and later on what looked like a long hop was slapped by Abell straight to Donald at midwicket. Kyle Abbott was hard to get away and Mason Crane’s leg-spin was accurate. Nevertheless, at the 30-over mark, Somerset needed only three an over to reach their target. Surely we couldn’t screw this up? Luckily we had the wise head of James Hildreth to manage proceedings. George Bartlett seemed set on turning singles into risky twos but Hildy’s experience held sway. Northeast switched the attack with T20-style frequency, bringing the field in to increase the pressure but all to no avail.

At six o’clock, two Hildreth boundaries and a single off Edwards had taken Somerset to that elusive Lord’s success. The shouts of “Zummerzet la-la-la” intensified and filled St John’s Wood with West Country fervour. There was no way I was leaving the ground without witnessing the presentation of the trophy. Irritatingly the podium was erected below the Warner Stand, as far from the fans as it was possible to be. My zoom lens tried its best as the flames flared and the champagne fizzed but our hopes were pinned on a lap of honour. When it eventually came, it was a rather haphazard affair but the squad did finally line up in front of the Edrich Stand and deliver a rousing rendition of the Somerset song. County legend Peter Trego was so emotional he walked along by the advertising boards and clasped any outstretched hand he could find – including mine. 

Eighteen years of hurt were over. Now dare I dream about winning the Big One, the title that has eluded Somerset since their nineteenth century inception, the County Championship? Winning at Lord’s was wonderful but clutching the pennant really would make 2019 the year of all years.

County Cricket Team of 2018

2018 will long be remembered for its long, hot, dry summer across much of Britain. I suspect this may have been a factor in the dramatic reduction in the number of drawn matches in the Championship from 45 to 25. Perhaps pitch preparation also came into the equation as first inning batting bonus points were as rare as a downpour in July. Across both divisions, there was little to choose between all counties with regard to bowling points but Surrey and Warwickshire really made their batting strength count in their respective campaigns.

There were stark contrasts between white and red ball formats. For all Surrey’s dominance in the four-day game, they were mediocre in limited-overs cricket. Worcestershire wasted little time in being relegated back to Division Two but were able to celebrate success in the T20 Blast that same week. Their 20 year-old medium-pacer Pat Brown proved to be a revelation in the 20-over stuff but barely featured in the Championship. Meanwhile, Glamorgan endued a year to forget but  Somerset confounded my worst fears with another runners-up finish and surge to the Blast semi-finals. So near, yet so far, yet again. Will Marcus Trescothick finally give up on waiting and give his creaking body a well-earned retirement? 

Sadly he didn’t feature in any of my County Teams of the Week but who were the men (or women) who contributed most to domestic cricket across all three formats?

Openers:

Last year it was Mark Stoneman but in 2018 his Surrey colleague and captain Rory Burns dominated the Championship run table, accumulating 1,359 at 64.71. Lancashire’s Alex Davies was promoted to specialist opener with considerable success, especially in T20, Daryl Mitchell was predictably consistent in four-dayers but I’ve gone for Kent’s Joe Denly. The only survivor from my 2017 XI, he usually batted at three in the Championship but was probably the best all-rounder in domestic cricket, adding 57 wickets to a notable haul of 1,729 runs. Could he get back in England’s ODI set-up after a nine-year absence?

Middle-order:

Champions Surrey didn’t miss the retired Sangakkara and there were no truly dominant middle-order strokemakers this summer. Ollie Pope and Ben Foakes were prolific early on, before the former was granted a Test debut against India in July. At 36, Ian Bell who truly rolled back the years for Warwickshire. Several years ago he was criticised by England for slow scoring but now he is reborn as a heavy-scoring T20 Blaster. Only two men surpassed his 580 runs, at a decent rate of 139, to accompany his 1,027 in the Championship. James Vince may not have nailed down an England spot but he can still do the business for Hampshire, as does James Hildreth for Somerset. His hopes of international recognition are long gone but Hildy was brilliant for us in all competitions this year. Indeed, he was the all-round top scorer in domestic cricket. 

With Denly available as a spinner, I am also including his Kent team-mate Heino Kuhn. I confess I’d never previously heard of him but the 34 year-old South African racked up the hundreds in the Royal London One-Day Cup and took the gloves when Sam Billings was absent.

All-Rounder:

As ever, Darren Stevens is in contention but he was never going to replicate his 2017 achievements. Ed Barnard enjoyed another fine season despite Worcestershire’s relegation and Somerset’s Lewis Gregory had probably his best year yet, assuming the onerous roles of opening bowler and late-order six-hitter. Messrs Raine, Higgins and Harris had their moments but my primary all-rounder slot goes to another veteran Surrey man, Rikki Clarke. Aged 36, he snaffled 47 Championship wickets at 21.53 and scored 500 valuable runs. Never write him off!

Wicket-keeper:

Ben Cox’s batting has come on leaps and bounds for Worcestershire, Tom Moores looked a reasonable replacement for the retired Chris Read at Notts and Ben Foakes made excellent contributions to Surrey’s title chase. I’ve already mentioned Alex Davies but for most matches he ceded the Lancashire gloves to South African import Dane Vilas. He proceeded to take more Championship dismissals than anyone else and struck Division One’s highest individual score, 235 not out.

Bowlers:-

The evergreen Jimmy Anderson may have continued breaking records for England but the county game was the stage for some lesser-known bowlers. Essex duo James Porter and Simon Harmer were again quite prolific in first-class cricket; ditto for Tom Bailey and Graham Onions of Lancashire. Tim Murtagh seamed away in his usual mean style for Middlesex and Ollie Robinson’s 74 wickets took Sussex very close to Division Two promotion. However, Kent beat their neighbours to it, thanks in no small way to their New Zealand paceman Matt Henry. He was superb in the first half of the season and came back to give the county vital impetus. Another import, Morne Morkel was also superb, grabbing 59 wickets at 14.32 in only ten Division One fixtures. Finally, another thirty-something, Chris Rushworth was a rare jewel in a drab Durham season, accumulating 80 wickets across all three formats.

In summary, based on stats and my Teams of the Week, my County Team of 2018 is:-

Burns (Sur *), Denly (Ken), Bell (War), Vince (Ham), Hildreth (Som), Kuhn (Ken), Vilas (Lan +), Clarke (Sur), Henry (Ken), Morkel (Sur), Rushworth (Dur); 12^th Man: A Davies (Lan)

Surrey champs but finally beaten

And so the 2018 county season came to an end, heading for a damp squib finale but then rescued by a thrilling conclusion to Surrey’s championship-winning campaign. Like so many matches in this overwhelmingly warm and dry summer, most fixtures failed to reach a fourth day but this week’s exception was a cracker.

At The Oval, I was incredulous as Surrey’s formidable batting line-up was demolished in 27 overs for a mere 67. To top it off, Essex proceeded to rack up an impressive 477-8, thanks largely to centuries by Tom Westley and Simon Harmer. No county had ever overturned a 410 first-innings deficit to win and I naturally assumed the home side were just experiencing the effects of some over-enthusiastic title celebrations. Not a bit of it. Surrey totally dominated day three, Jason Roy and Ollie Pope each reaching three figures as they cruised to 541 all out, the third highest total in Division One all year. Chasing a target of only 132, and with neither Curran brother in action, an Essex victory seemed a formality. However, Morne Morkel and Jade Dernbach had other ideas; Surrey would not surrender their unbeaten status without a battle. Wickets tumbled regularly, but skipper Ryan Ten Doeschate was defiant and, with just one wicket remaining, it was apt that he struck the winning runs off Dernbach.

It made no difference to the Division One standings; Surrey had already clinched the title with ease, much as Essex had done a year ago, but it showed there is also plenty of fight in the four-day format The ECB may have spent a fortune in developing The Hundred but the venerable Championship still has the potential to excite.

Somerset nailed down another runners-up spot, a glorious surprise to me. James Hildreth became only the second man in the top tier to pass 1,000 runs and both Tom Abell and Craig Overton achieved hat-tricks as they flattened Nottinghamshire by an innings.

The only unresolved issue in the competition was who would join Worcestershire through the trapdoor. Nottinghamshire were well beaten with just three bowling bonus points to their name but Lancashire’s latest failure to bag more than two batting points in their eight-wicket victory over Hampshire meant they finished on the same points total, 133. Despite the win, they finished second-bottom because Notts won a game more. This was particularly tough on Tom Bailey, who claimed another eight victims in a highly productive summer. In fact no other Division One team picked up more bowling bonuses, but they just couldn’t press home many advantages earned during the summer. Meanwhile Worcestershire lost for the tenth time, Yorkshire’s Gary Ballance scoring 194 and 60 and the departing Jack Brooks 82 to accompany his seven wickets.

In Division Two, the promoted counties met to decide who finished on top. Kent had been on a charge but it was Warwickshire who triumphed remarkably easily.  He may not have made many runs but Jonathan Trott could retire on a high as Dominic Sibley’s 119, his third century in four Championship innings, laid the foundations for success. Trott’s former England colleague Paul Collingwood also signed off, but his Durham side threw away a sizeable lead against Middlesex. At 37 Tim Murtagh is also knocking on a bit but his seven wickets were crucial in the visitors’ victory.

They finished fourth, pipped by Sussex despite the South Coast side losing to Northamptonshire in two days. Bens Curran and Cotton starred with bat and ball, respectively. Derbyshire opener Luis Reece provided the best bowling figures of the week with his first innings 7-20 but ended on the losing side against Gloucestershire. Craig Miles took 5-50 and 3-46 in his last match for the winners.

In the remaining game, Glamorgan finally remembered how to play first-class cricket, beating Leicestershire at Cardiff. Both sides relied heavily on their tails for runs – a familiar story for the Welsh – but Michael Hogan’s 2-18 and 4-30 were the outstanding bowling stats and Chris Cooke chipped in with 72 runs and five catches. Now all they need to do is fix their top order problems and avoid another wooden spoon.

As for my Championship predictions, I deserve a C+, a great improvement on my usual efforts. Surrey or Essex to win. Yes. Worcestershire and Somerset for relegation: 50%. Kent and Middlesex for promotion: the same. I’ll reveal my County Team of the Year shortly but in the mean-time, here is my final Team of the Week of 2018.

Team of the Week: 

Mitchell (Wor), Reece (Der), Westley (Ess), Ballance (Yor), Pope (Sur), Hildreth (Som), Cooke (Gla +), C Overton (Som), Bailey (Lan), Miles (Glo), Hogan (Gla)

Hampshire’s 100% start in One Day Cup

The first week’s fixtures in the Royal London One-Day Cup have generated the expected variety of trouncings and nail-biters, predictable and surprises. Hampshire are the only side to have won all three matches they’ve played, while in the North division, Worcestershire’s 100% record comes from only two yet is enough to top the table.

On the South coast, it’s been Riley Rossouw rather than Hashim Amla who has provided South African runs for Hampshire while Worcestershire’s best performances have come from the lower order. Somerset got off to a cracking start, thumping Surrey in double-quick time with Craig Overton’s 4-29 outstanding. An amazing 159 from the in-form James Hildreth helped defeat Glamorgan but his subsequent 87 couldn’t prevent a loss to Sussex for whom Luke Wright reached three figures. The county’s medium-pacer Ollie Robinson has also been one of the most consistent wicket-takers so far.

Poor Glamorgan. Despite the arrival of Colin Ingram for the white-ball season, they’ve yet to register a victory, falling an agonising two runs short against Middlesex. However, Kent sit below them in the South table despite two solid starts by Daniel Bell-Drummond. Gloucestershire are faring somewhat better, beating the Welsh as well as Essex along the way. Their H men, Hankins, Howell and Higgins have been especially useful with the bat.

Further north, another H man, Sam Hain, struck two centuries for Warwickshire while Paul Horton also struck 103 in Leicestershire’s opener at Northampton. However, for consistent run-making, you had to look at the Roses counties. Horton’s replacement at Lancashire, Keaton Jennings, racked up 278, while Tom Kohler-Cadmore accumulated 292, including 164 in Yorkshire’s 142-run win over Durham. His colleague Cheteshwar Pujara has also found form at last. Normally considered a red-ball specialist, the Indian star produced an impressive run of 82, 73 and 101 so it is perhaps surprising that Yorkshire have only one victory to their name.

It hasn’t been a great week for bowlers. Robinson’s team-mate Chris Liddle, Harry Gurney (Notts) and Lancashire’s young leg-spinner Matt Parkinson head the wicket table with nine apiece but the May sunshine has been kinder to the willow-wielders.

Nottinghamshire’s formidable squad looks tailor-made for retaining their title and they amassed an impressive 409-7 against Leicestershire. Samit Patel celebrated his new contract with a 63-ball century and a couple of wickets. However, they lost easily to Northamptonshire whose poor start in the Championship has been set aside to allow new confidence in 50-over cricket to take over. With Division One strugglers Worcestershire also riding high, it’s encouraging that there are no dominant counties across all formats. Long may it continue.

Team of the Week:

Jennings (Lan), Davies (Lan, +), Kohler-Cadmore (Yor), Pujara (Yor), Hildreth (Som), Hain (War), Bopara (Ess), Ingram (Gla), Berg (Ham), Parkinson (Lan), Robinson (Sus)

Lancashire Upset the Leaders and Leicestershire finally win

In the final round of Championship matches before the first summer break, Lancashire and Surrey blew the race for the pennant wide open. The former went to Trent Bridge and came away with an innings victory over the leaders inside seven sessions. With Keaton Jennings scoring the runs and Jimmy Anderson and Graeme Onions taking the lion’s share of Nottinghamshire wickets, it was a surprisingly easy victory. Stuart Broad took a commendable 4-41 for the home team but Test hopeful Jake Ball blotted his copybook with 2-101 at more than five an over.

At the Oval, Surrey enjoyed a similarly decisive success over Yorkshire. First of all, back-up ‘keeper Ollie Pope maintained his excellent form with the bat, striking 27 boundaries in an innings of 158, ably supported by Dean Elgar and Rikki Clarke. Sam Curran then snapped up ten wickets in two days, taking his first-class tally into three figures while still a teenager. Yorkshire’s Gary Ballance was missing and it has now been revealed he is taking a break “for personal reasons”. A shame, because his county needs him, especially when Jonny Bairstow return to England duty.

Essex were also winners, but were made to work hard by Worcestershire in a low-scoring game at New Road. Joe Clarke’s second successive century and nine wickets for Josh Tongue deserved more but, needing only 215 to win, Worcester were bowled out for 182, thanks to five-fors from both Peter Siddle and Simon Harmer. The Aussie seamer leaves Essex with a lot of wickets and even more goodwill, but the return of Neil Wagner should keep the county’s seam attack in fine fettle.

In the other Division One fixture, the batsmen were very much in control at Taunton. Somerset established a huge first innings lead thanks to James Hildreth’s 184 and late-order runs from internationals past and future, Craig Overton and Dom Bess. However, Hampshire made sure they didn’t fail again, as Hashim Amla (107) and James Vince (201 not out) saved the game. Vince’s double-hundred has also probably saved his Test career.

In Division Two, Leicestershire’s latest head coach, Paul Nixon was celebrating a first Championship win for two years. It was a nail-biting finish, though. Hunting 251 on the third day, Glamorgan subsided to 139-8 and all looked lost. Marchant de Lange decided that he may as well go out in a blaze of glory and instead took his side to the brink of an unlikely triumph. He had plundered eight sixes in a 45-ball 90 when he hoisted a full-toss high for the winning hit only to be caught on the boundary. The result leaves the Welsh side second from bottom, above only Northamptonshire, who were trounced by leaders Warwickshire at Edgbaston. Olly Stone was the pick of the bowlers but it was Will Rhodes’ first career century which anchored the second innings chase.

Kent overtook neighbours Sussex by beating them in a short and sweet encounter at Canterbury. Matt Henry was again the star of the show, ending any Sussex resistance with 6-53, taking his Championship tally to 37 in only four matches.  I’m not sure what Kent will do without him.

Derbyshire’s clash with Durham easily went the distance but finished as a tame draw. Stuart Poynter (170) and Michael Richardson (115) put on 275 for Durham’s sixth wicket, then Mark Wood’s fine 6-46 hurt Derby’s batting on the final day but it was all too late to secure a result after the home team’s 427 on the first few days. They meet again when the Championship resumes in four weeks.

Middlesex’s bid to bounce back into the top tier was dealt another blow when their bowlers couldn’t hammer home the follow-on advantage over Gloucestershire. Even Eoin Morgan scored 76 red-ball runs alongside Dawid Malan in the first innings but 21 year-old Bristolian James Bracey led the fourth day resistance with an unbeaten 125.

So now it’s off to the Royal London Cup. While some players are off to play against Pakistan and others head across the world after serving their short-term contracts, the 50-over competition offers a stage for those remaining and for whom four-day cricket is too onerous or simply cramps their style. Over to you, Messrs Rashid, Hales et al….

Team of the Week:

Jennings (Lan), Bracey (Glo), Vince (Ham), Hildreth (Som), Pope (Sur), Poynter (Dur +), Henry (Ken), S Curran (Sur), De Lange (Gla), Tongue (Wor), Onions (Lan)

Essex back on the title trail

All the counties were in action this week and mercifully all were able to play, catching the end of an unseasonal hot spell across much of Britain. After their week one washout, both Essex and Yorkshire took their second opportunities in style. At Headingley, seamer Ben Coad was the home side’s star man, tang ten wickets as Nottinghamshire succumbed by 164 runs.

Down in Chelmsford, it was 2017 all over again when Jamie Porter and Steve Harmer dismissed Lancashire for only 144 first innings runs to keep them in the hunt. It was Porter again who snuffed out the visitors’ chase on day three, consigning Liam Livingstone’s side to a second defeat.

I am delighted to report a Somerset victory in their opening fixture, a rarity these days. It was a tough few days for batsmen in Taunton, and Worcestershire all-rounder Ed Barnard took eleven wickets. However, first Matt Renshaw, then James Hildreth reached three figures while colleagues struggled, and Luke Gregory was the pick of the bowlers who ensured the Worcester tail didn’t rescue their top-order failings.

Surrey also wrapped up a home win, defeating Hampshire by 139 runs. The main damage was done by their two wicketkeeper-batsmen, Ben Foakes and Ollie Pope in the second innings. They shared a century partnership, with 20 year-old Pope making 145 and taking his first-class average to almost 50. In reply, Sam Northeast compiled a hundred for Hampshire but nobody else could reach even 40 as teen spinner Amar Virdi took four wickets.

Warwickshire sit atop Division Two after thumping Northamptonshire by an innings. Tim Ambrose top-scored as they passed 400 but the Wantage Road side had no answer to Ryan Sidebottom: not the recently-retired ex-England man, but the injury-hit Aussie right-armer. His 6-35 and 4-61 proved decisive, while England under-19 medium-pacer Henry Brookes picked off the final pair.

The Derby faithful probably fainted when, after a 23-match barren spell, Derbyshire finally secured a home victory. It was particularly surprising given that their opponents were Middlesex. Duanne Olivier boasts a world-class bowling average of under 22 and the South African claimed eight wickets. In the second innings, openers Ben Slater and Luis Reece shared a 210-run partnership, taking took Derbyshire towards the rarified heights of 333-3, whereupon skipper Godleman declared to set a challenging target of 442. Once the Middlesex top-half had been despatched for below 100, that was always out of sight despite late hitting by James Harris and Tom Helm.

Stripped of their top players, Durham look like being the new Derbyshire in 2018. They were knocked over twice within two days by Kent, for whom Matt Henry harvested twelve more wickets. James Weighell weighed in with a defiant 84 before he became Henry’s sixth victim of the second innings. Kent’s Bell-Drummond and Kuhn finished the job a few hours later.

Glamorgan enjoyed their short trip over the Severn Bridge to Bristol, where they plundered a six-wicket victory over Gloucestershire. Marchant de Lange followed his five-wicket haul with an unbeaten 50 but it was the centuries from Shaun Marsh and David Lloyd which did most to take the Welsh beyond 500 and a lead of 290. 20 year-old James Bracey led the charge with 120 not out and, assisted by spirited tailenders, forced Glamorgan to bat again. However, Donald and Lloyd smashed seventeen from Worrell’s seventh over and the job was done.

There were plenty of runs at Leicester, too and, unlike every other match this week, not enough wickets to produce a result. Colin Ackermann compiled an excellent 186 but the Sussex opener Luke Wells played out for a draw with 102 not out. 

Leicestershire host a buoyant Derbyshire in an East Midlands derby next weekend, while Middlesex will want to get their season back on track at home to Glamorgan. In Division One, the Hampshire v Essex encounter looks the pick of the fixture list but could Somerset make it two from two at Taunton? I can but dream.

Team of the Week: 

Wells (Sus), Reece (Der), Ackermann (Lei), Bracey (Glo), Hildreth (Som),  Foakes (Sur, +), Pope (Sur), Barnard (Wor), Henry (Ken), Sidebottom (War), Porter (Ess)

Middlesex lose the four-way relegation battle

In a dramatic final week of County Championship action, the battle to avoid the drop went to the wire. In 2016, Yorkshire, Somerset and Middlesex went into the final day of the season with a chance of the title. This year, all were at the other end of the table playing for their Division One lives.

At Chelmsford, the White Roses scraped a mere three bowling bonus points and couldn’t even muster 200 runs in total as champions Essex were merciless with the ball. Simon Harmer and Jamie Porter each claimed five victims and ended as the division’s top wicket takers, while their county ended the season unbeaten and with twice as many wins as their nearest rivals. You can’t say Essex didn’t deserve to be champions!

So, with a day remaining, Yorkshire were stuck on 148 points. Somerset were in the driving seat against Middlesex but unable to top 147, while Hampshire were facing defeat at relegated Warwickshire. As a Somerset fan I was mightily relieved when a combination of a rare James Hildreth century and brilliant bowling by Jack Leach dealt Middlesex a fatal blow. We were safe, finishing a single point ahead of the Lords brigade. All Middlesex could do was anxiously track Hampshire’s second innings travails at Edgbaston. In the end, they managed to block and nudge throughout the day to secure the draw they needed, reach 148 points and consign the champions to Division Two status next summer. Phew!

In the other game, Lancashire inflicted only the second defeat of the summer on Surrey. Incredibly the latter finished third despite winning only twice. The reason was the mountain of runs provided by Kumar Sangakkara, Mark Stoneman and Rory Burns but for some reason they frequently failed to bowl sides out twice.

In Division Two, Worcestershire beat Durham by 137 runs to top the table. Daryl Mitchell produced his seventh century of the summer then Ravi Ashwin rounded off his brief spell at New Road with a five-for to take the title. Predictably, Northamptonshire came back from Leicester with a ninth victory. Sanderson and Gleeson nabbed fifteen wickets between them, and opener Luke Procter accumulated 176 runs – more than anyone else this week – but still it wasn’t enough to overhaul second-placed Nottinghamshire.

Hove was the only venue this week where batsmen were mainly on top. Sussex plundered 565 first innings runs and Notts replied with 477. Michael Burgess’ inaugural three-figure score and Chris Jordan’s 147 led the way for the home team, but Billy Root and Chris Read – in his last ever match – responded with centuries of their own. Neither county could win from that situation and so the ever-popular Read could retire with a promotion and a five-point cushion. It was a bitter-sweet outcome for Northants whose five-point deduction for a slow over-rate in the recent contest with (ironically) Notts ultimately cost them dear. Northamptonshire’s poor batting also let them down.

Elsewhere, Michael Hogan finished the season impressively with ten wickets, taking him above 500  in a long first-class career, in Glamorgan’s triumph over Kent at Canterbury. Derbyshire also made hay on their travels, beating an unfamiliar Gloucestershire outfit by five wickets. They needed centuries by Madsen and Hughes and some declaration bowling, but a win’s a win.

And, to summarise, final congratulations to skipper Ryan Ten Doeschate and coach Chris Silverwood for steering Essex to such an impressive Championship campaign. Nottinghamshire enjoyed a fruitful summer, too. As for my predictions back in April, they were mostly wildly adrift as usual. Only my tip for Worcestershire to go up proved correct and, fortunately, my pessimism for Somerset’s prospects proved unfounded, but it was touch and go. Watch out for my forthcoming County Team of The Year review!

Final Team of the Week: Wells (Sus), Procter (Nor), Denly (Ken), Hildreth (Som), W Root (Not), Burgess (Sus +), Jordan (Sus), R Patel (Mid), Harmer (Ess), Leach (Som), Hogan (Gla)

Lancashire and Petersen Push ahead

The British weather certainly didn’t play ball last week. All the Championship matches endured at last one day’s washout and, consequently, all were drawn. Lancashire were thwarted in their bid to open up a healthy lead at the top of Division One as only fifteen wickets fell at Lord’s. Alviro Petersen’s 191helped them to a 500+ score but Stevie Eskenazi’s maiden first-class hundred and Sam Gubbins’ first ‘double’ helped Middlesex to maximum batting points and denied Lancashire’s attack much joy for a day and a half.

In contrast, Somerset were all over bottom-side Hampshire at the Rose Bowl.. After the Overton twins captured eight wickets on day one, Johann Myburgh and James Hildreth each reached three figures. With on eye on the gloomy weather forecast, they stepped up the run rate and even teenage ‘keeper Ryan Davies thumped three sixes in his first fifty before the declaration. Sadly for us, the home side’s batsmen stuck to their task and lost only five wickets before the rain ended proceedings in mid-afternoon on the third day.

Only 190 overs were bowled at Edgbaston, where Warwickshire had the better of what play there was. Clarke, Rankin and Patel each took three Nottinghamshire wickets in the first innings, while Tim Ambrose collected five catches and a stumping. He and Clarke each scored 70+ in reply, but Jake Ball again impressed with the ball.

This week, Middlesex travel north for the Scarborough festival fixture, where Yorkshire need to win to maintain the Championship challenge with Lancashire, who visit Nottinghamshire. Hampshire face an awkward trip to Durham, while Surrey, seemingly hellbent on cherrypicking any decent player from other counties, host Warwickshire.

The race for promotion remains open after Kent could muster a mere ten points at home to Derbyshire. In their first innings, Sam Northeast scored more than half the side’s 379 runs but Derbyshire mustered well over 500, including centuries by in-form Wayne Madsen and Shiv Thakor. With naughty boy Matt Coles again missing, the Kent attack toiled with little success.

In the other Division Two fixture, a paltry twelve wickets were taken at Leicester as the rains dominated. Mind you, despite Neil Dexter’s first day 136, Gloucestershire’s batsmen were in charge. Chris Dent (165) contributed to a couple of big partnerships especially for the second wicket with Graeme van Buuren (121 not out).

The top two next meet at Chelmsford, with Essex just four points adrift and a game in hand. Glamorgan may be impress in the T20 Blast but they prop up the rest in four-day cricket. They play another disappointing side, Sussex, at Hove.

Only a few T20 games finished this week, but amongst them was Yorkshire’s narrow Roses victory over Lancashire. Elsewhere Michael Klinger racked up an unbeaten 101 to defeat a feeble Gayle-less Somerset in the West Country derby at Taunton, while Ravi Bopara struck a 43-ball 81 not out for Essex against Kent. How the Chelmsford outfit would love to beat their neighbours in this week’s red-ball encounter!

Team of the Week: Klinger (Glo), Gubbins (Mid), Petersen (Lan), Northeast (Ken), Madsen (Der), Ambrose (War +), Clarke (War), Thakor (Der), J Overton (Som), Mills (Sus), M Taylor (Glo)

Jarvis and Woakes make it a brill week for the bowlers

Hurrah! The last week in May and finally the bowlers have something to celebrate. With five counties collecting their 16-point win bonus, there were some major shifts in league positions, too, with Lancashire surging to the top of Division One, and non-playing Yorkshire slumping to mid-table.

For once, there was considerable competition for places in my Team of the Week, too. I can’t count the performances of Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad but, while England were hammering another nail in the coffin of the five-day game, any number of counties were promoting the four-day format in all its glory.

Perhaps the best match was at the Rose Bowl, where Hampshire overcame Nottinghamshire by 69 runs. It probably didn’t help the visitors to lose star bowler Jake Ball to an England call-up mid-game, nor Chris Read to injury. However, despite nine wickets from Harry Gurney, it was the whirlwind sex machine, aka Tino Best, who did most to propel the hosts to victory on day four. Strangely the highest individual score was a mere 72!

Lancashire made short work of Surrey, with Alviro Petersen’s first hundred of the campaign and Kyle Jarvis capturing eleven wickets. Durham are just ten points behind them after despatching Warwickshire. Chris Woakes finished on the losing side despite claiming a magnificent 9-36. However, in mitigation he followed Jake Ball to the England camp before the second innings could begin. Instead, the final day bowling honours went to Durham’s James Weighell, although his own nine-wicket haul came at the expense of 130 runs.

At Lord’s, Middlesex and Somerset shook hands on each side’s sixth successive draw. Chris Rogers and Nick Gubbins swapped centuries, while James Hildreth and Peter Trego again stabilised Somerset’s batting. Trego seems to bowl less these days but two more fifties make him an invaluable asset at six or seven, especially as our new wicket-keeper can’t bat to save his life.

In the second tier, it was the bad old Leicestershire who turned up to Grace Road and face Worcestershire. Matt Henry and Joe Leach cut through their second innings batting like a hot knife through butter, dismissing them for 43 and leaving their own top-order a meagre total to chase, which they did for the loss of only three wickets.

At Derby, Shiv Thakor’s fine century and five-for were in vain, as Kent wrapped up another seven-wicket success. Sean Dickson ended a miserable run by amassing the week’s only double-century, and James Tredwell justified his four-day place with six scalps.

Gloucestershire must be licking their lips now that Michael Klinger has arrived at Bristol. He racked up 140 on his season debut, but it wasn’t enough to beat Northants, for whom Steven Crook found some form with the bat. Glamorgan kept leaders Essex at bay, thanks largely to Will Bragg, who followed a first-innings duck with a career-best 161 not out.

Next week, I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed that Somerset can break their duck at home to Surrey. I just hope Mr Sangakkara doesn’t take a liking for the Taunton wicket! However, the Bank Holiday weekend heralds the War of the Roses at Headingley. Can Lancashire widen the gap over the champions?
In the promotion hunt, Essex travel to Northampton while Kent entertain Leicestershire, whose new-look batting line-up needs to forget this week’s second-innings horror show.


Team of the Week:
Dickson (Ken), Jennings (Dur), Bragg (Gla), Klinger (Glo), Davies (Lan +), Thakor (Der), Crook (Nor), Woakes (War), Jarvis (Lan), Weighell (Dur), Gurney (Not)

Warwickshire Edg It but 99 is the Magic Number

At last a few victories, although I’d give the batsmen another win on points over their adversaries, with the rain giving both a run for their money.

Warwickshire took a turn at the top of Division One, beating Nottinghamshire in a tight contest at Trent Bridge. However, at 17-4 on the first morning, that outcome looked impossible, only for Chris Woakes and Keith Barker to do their familiar rescue act. Each scored centuries in an eighth wicket stand of 167, and it was game on again. Notts led by just ten after the first innings, then Samit Patel and Luke Fletcher each claimed eight wickets to leave themselves just 227 to win with more than a day remaining. 21-3 overnight, things went from bad to worse. Recognising his rapidly declining support, Patel decided to try and steal the victory single-handed. Clubbing 12 fours and 8 sixes, he made a valiant effort before holing out to Hain 52 runs short.

As predicted, Durham did indeed get the better of Lancashire at the Riverside. Steve Borthwick starred with two hundreds, but it was the unfamiliar trio of Weighell, Carse and McCarthy who did the damage with the ball. Leaders Yorkshire had the weather to thank as they struggled to stave off an innings defeat in Somerset. James Hildreth struck a typically stylish 166, and both Trescothick and Trego fell in the nervous nineties en route to an impressive 566-7 declared. In reply, only Adam Lyth (106) passed 40, then it was batten down the hatches time until the weather finally closed in on Wednesday afternoon. Ah, we woz robbed!

The Oval was unusually wet for the London derby, which spluttered to a damp draw. Ollie Rayner’s 6-79 was the stand-out performance for Middlesex who did at least welcome back captain Adam Voges after his recent concussion.

Essex remain in pole promotion position after forcing Derbyshire to follow on at Chelmsford. They plundered more than 500 despite losing the Championship’s top scorer Tom Westley for a third-ball duck. Fortunately opener Nick Browne found his form in a big way, accumulating 255 and sharing a stand of 210 with 18 year-old Dan Lawrence, for whom I predict great things. Ravi Bopara also caught the eye with his 5-49.

Glamorgan remain bottom after suffering defeat at the hands of neighbours Gloucestershire. They did so despite enjoying a first innings lead, thanks largely to David Lloyd, agonisingly caught on 99. Second time out, needing 269 to win, it looked good for the visitors on 81-0. However, Graeme van Buuren, ripped out the first three, Craig Miles the middle-order and Jack Taylor the tail, and that was that!

Brett D’Oliveira also joined the 99 club, robbing him of a third consecutive century for Worcestershire. He had sold support down the order as his side amassed a first innings 491. Sussex were forced to follow on but were harder to dislodge on day four, and consequently saved the match.

At Northampton, returning fallen hero Monty Panesar was given 59 overs in the match and managed four wickets. Nevertheless, Kent’s Joe Denly took charge with a first innings unbeaten 205, and Daniel Bell-Drummond also maintained his early-season form as the match was curtailed by the wet stuff.

Next week, after a first blast of T20 action, it’s top v bottom in Division Two, but the weather forecast isn’t great for Cardiff. Second-placed Kent travel to Derby while Leicestershire host Worcestershire. In the top tier, this week’s two victors meet at Edgbaston while Yorkshire sit it out. Lancashire could go top by beating Surrey but Notts are also lurking and take a trip south to face Hampshire.

Team of the Week:
Browne (Ess), D’Oliveira (Wor), Denly (Ken), Borthwick (Dur), Hildreth (Som), Patel (Not), Rossington (Nor +), Miles (Glo), Barker (War), McCarthy (Dur), Fletcher (Not)

Yorkshire hang on but Notts top the table

The dearth of clear results continued in week fur of the County Championship, with bat dominating the ball. There were 17 centuries but only one five-wicket haul!

With so many draws, only eight nine points separate top from bottom in Division One, but Nottinghamshire were tantalisingly just one wicket from beating Yorkshire and extending their lead. Amidst all the runfests, poor Joe Root began what will probably be his only innings for the champions with a golden duck although team-mate Alex Leez struck 92 and 107.

Durham’s ginger duo Paul Collingwood and Ben Stokes enjoyed a solid match but Jake Burnham’s maiden hundred for Surrey cancelled them out. Somerset managed to stay one point ahead of Surrey despite following on behind a substantial Lancashire first innings in which Liam Livingstone compiled an unbeaten 108, his first in red-ball cricket. James Anderson took three wickets in one over, but was frustrated by the reliable James Hildreth. Second time around, Marcus Trescothick’s 129 not out ensured there was to be no red rose success.

The Middlesex-Hampshire contest can best be summarised by Dawid Malan 121 vs Michael Carberry 107. Oh, dear. We need some pitches better suited to bowlers, and fast!

Division Two did at least provided us with a 24-point victory. The Kent openers Bell-Drummond and Latham were in fine form, while Mitch Claydon and Matt Coles captured 12 wickets between them. Glamorgan need to find top-order runs quickly if they are to challenge for promotion.

Alastair Cook’s 190 runs and Porter’s five-for helped Essex remain top but Leicestershire advanced to the dizzy heights of second after a decent display against Sussex. Their new boys Paul Horton and ex-Essex captain Mark Pettini again shored up the Leicester batting, and Ben Raine’s first innings 4-30 proved to be the best bowling performance of the week.

There was no chance of anyone winning at Northampton, as Libby and Levi swapped centuries with Hughes. Richard Kleinveldt blasted the fastest innings for Northants, falling just three runs short of three figures in just 69 balls.

The sun is expected to shine and temperatures to rise next week so could the seam and swing merchants cash in at last? Let’s hope so. Leaders Notts head to Lord’s, but Lancashire could go top by beating Hampshire. I reckon Somerset will fail at Edgbaston, though. We’re having another crap start to a summer but fortunately nobody else is winning, either!

Team of the Week:
Leez (Yor), Cook (Ess), Burnham (Sur), Hildreth (Som), Pettini (Lei), Livingstone (Lan), O’Brien (Lei +), Raine (Lei), Coles (Ken), Ball (Not), Porter (Ess)

Sadness for Sussex, Heaven for Hampshire

When rain swept the nation early in the week, I feared the worst: that the weather would decide the Division One relegation battle and the county season would fizzle out in a damp squib. How wrong I was; there were fireworks a-plenty, and a brilliant climax!

Not only did the battle to avoid the drop go right to the wire, but there were also great performances with bat and ball in all eight fixtures played.

Personally, my relief came a day early. At Taunton, a combination of James Hildreth’s century and spinner Jack Leach’s wickets were enough to guarantee Somerset’s safety regardless of what happened at Trent Bridge or Headingley. Jeetan Patel’s 7-34 left Warwickshire needing only 225 to win on the final day, but Leach and the unlikely figure of Tom Cooper claimed nine of the ten wickets to fall, giving Somerset victory and a sixth place finish. That’s the second successive season when we’ve pulled it out of the fire in late September!

Sussex merely needed to avoid defeat to Yorkshire to remain in Division One. However, the champions weren’t happy to sip champagne and play their reserves. Most of their England stars were on the pitch, but Jack Brooks and Tim Bresnan were the pick of the Eleven. In his last game, Michael Yardy did his best, but Sussex’s batting, Ben Brown and Luke Wright apart, has been woeful for much of the summer, restricting their bonus point tally. They lost by 100 runs.

Meanwhile, the first innings scores in Nottingham were fairly even, but then Hampshire grasped the initiative on day three, West Indian seamer Fidel Edwards completing a ten-for in the match as the Notts batting collapsed. Jimmy Adams and Michael Carberry kept their heads and Hampshire had won the one that really mattered. Sussex were relegated by just two points!

Worcestershire’s demise had already been set in concrete so it was a huge surprise that they gave second-placed Middlesex a trouncing by an innings and 128 runs. The two Toms, Fell and Kohler-Cadmore each struck hundreds. In the latter’s case, it was his first in the championship.

By contrast, all four Division Two matches were drawn. It was a cracker at Derby where the home side were set a target of 341 in under a day by Leicestershire skipper Mark Cosgrove, whose 156 had made his side narrow favourites. At 285-2, things looked promising as Chesney Hughes reached three figures. However, once he and Madsen were out, it also became a race against the clock. There were two run-outs and in an exciting finale, Derbyshire closed on 331-8. Mark Footitt took another ten wickets on probably his last appearance for the county. He would be badly missed.

Surrey ended the season as second tier champions, but Northants gave them a rollercoaster ride at the end. Another silky century from Kumar Sangakkara and ten wickets for the young Curran brothers left the Londoners 300 runs ahead. However, the visitors fought back with three centurions of their own and time was against even Jason Roy et al in the final session to deny them victory.

Having lost the first day to bad weather, Lancashire and Essex couldn’t conjure up a positive result either. James Anderson and Alastair Cook faced each other for a change and it was the bowler who was most definitely on top, with match figures of 8-90. The England captain aggregated a mere eight runs in two innings, lbw to, then caught by Anderson! Ravi Bopara and Jesse Ryder scored most of Essex’s runs. Ashwell Prince’s career finished with another half-century while 41 year-old Glenn Chapple could take only three more wickets. He is now cruelly 15 short of the thousand in first-class cricket. Will he be back for more next year?!

In the other game, it was a runfest at Bristol. An unbeaten 180 stand between Ingram and Cooke for Glamorgan on the final day was impressive but was completely eclipsed by Gloucester opener Chris Dent. A mediocre season was turned on its head when he spent more than eight hours at the crease compiling a career-best 268. Few have score more in the Championship al summer!

And so the 2015 summer comes to an end. England won the Ashes, domestic silverware went to Yorkshire, Lancashire and Gloucestershire, and the same old questions were being asked about the demise of four- and five-day cricket, 50-over cricket and basically all cricket other than the IPL. Pathetic! There’s room for all formats; it’s just a matter of finding compromises to fit them in the calendar. However, that’s harder than it sounds!

I’ll be reviewing the domestic season’s star performers shortly but, in the mean time, here’s my final County Team of the Week:

Dent (Glo), Duckett (Nor), Sangakkara (Sur), Fell (Wor), Madsen (Der), Bopara (Ess), Cooke (Gla, +), Edwards (Ham), Leach (Som), Anderson (Lan), Footitt (Der)

Notts Advance at the Double

The British weather did its best to disrupt the county cricket schedule, but there was still plenty of excitement around the Championship and Royal London Cup.

Yorkshire can still be caught after only two full innings were possible at Hove. England discard Gary Balance struck 165 before Sussex responded with no fewer than three individual centuries. Ed Joyce, Mike Yardy and the relatively youthful Ben Brown reached three figures but a draw was already inevitable.

Middlesex closed the gap to thirty points by beating Durham at Chester-le-Street. Bowlers were generally in charge, notably Graeme Onions, who grabbed 7-68 on day one. In the second innings, the consistent Chris Rushworth claimed another five-for, yet both finished on the losing side. That had much to do with Neil Dexter’s runs and James Harris’s eight wickets.
Nottinghamshire also consolidated their third place, helped by Steven Mullaney’s 112 and one of those Alex Hales specials, an unbeaten 189 not out. Samit Patel’s 4-23 in 22 overs completed an innings defeat of Warwickshire.

At Taunton, Somerset compiled a huge score and had Worcestershire on the rack at 44-4 before the rain set in. The visitors kept going without losing another wicket but the unbeaten double-century stand between James Hildreth (220 not out) and Peter Trego (130 not out) was all in vain. At least we had the better of the two in terms of bonus points, which could be crucial in the relegation battle. Next week, Worcestershire face another battle at the bottom, this time versus Sussex, while Somerset face an awkward trip to Yorkshire.

All Division Two matches ended in damp squibs. Lancashire’s draw with Glamorgan meant that the Old Trafford side are almost certain to be promoted next month. Glen Chapple could add only two to his first-class tally of 980 wickets. Will he make the thousand by the end of the campaign?! A Ben Foakes century and Tom Curran’s 6-61 were the only performances to note in the truncated Surrey v Gloucestershire fixture.

Rain robbed Leicestershire of a probable triumph at Northampton. Skipper Mark Cosgrove struck a composed 110 and Niall O’Brien a more impatient 95 to establish a first innings lead, before Clint McKay and Will White left their batsmen a target of just 116. Sadly for the basement county, they could face fewer than seven overs before play was abandoned as a draw. The Derbyshire-Kent encounter was memorable only for Billy Godleman’s twin hundreds, making it three in row for the 26 year-old opener.

The Royal London One-Day Cup may not be given much of a future by the PCA, but it has provided four counties with a chance of silverware, none of them participating in this weekend’s T20 Blast Finals Day. Nottinghamshire capped a good week, knocking out holders Durham. Hales and Patel reprised their star turns in their fifty over quarter-final. Essex were booted out at the same stage for the fourth consecutive competition, this time by Yorkshire. Paul Grayson and James Foster must be scratching their heads over this but their young talent may yet flourish in the next season or two, unless England steal Reece Topley, that is!

That man Michael Klinger delivered another match-winning innings for Gloucestershire, handing Hampshire a rare one-day defeat. In the other tie, Surrey’s Curran twins were showing that the pace attack without the retired Chris Tremlett still has a promising future as they kept Kent’s top batsmen quiet. Jason Roy thumped a run-a-ball century but a blistering 100 from Matt Coles, including nine sixes, almost produced an incredible turnaround before he became the tenth man out seventeen runs short.

Next weekend, Gloucestershire hope that talisman Klinger will return from Oz to hit them into the Lord’s final and end Yorkshire hopes of a second trophy. Surrey host Notts in the other semi, which could be a cracker!

Team of the Week: Godleman (Der), Hales (Not), Ballance (Yor), Hildreth (Som), Dexter (Mid), Patel (Not), N O’Brien (Lei +), Harris (Mid), T Curran (Sur), McKay (Lei), Onions (Dur)

Lawrence and Robinson steal the county headlines

This week was quite unusual in that the runs were concentrated in the hands of a few heavy scorers. Some are household names but two youngsters stole the show. At Chester-le-Street, Sussex lost their 100% record to Durham. However, not only did they remain Division One leaders but their tenth wicket partnership record was broken by Oliver Robinson (aged 21) and Matthew Hobden (22). More remarkable was the fact that the former was making his first-class debut.

At Taunton, Middlesex produced a magnificent fourth day batting display to add to Somerset's woes. Amazingly, more than 700 runs were contributed by just three players! Marcus Trescothick (140 and 76) and James Hildreth (187 and 86) totally dominated the home team's innings but in the end it was Adam Voges and James Franklin, whose centuries secured a six-wicket success. At least it wasn't Nick Compton rubbing his old county's noses in the brown stuff!

An intriguingly poised contest between Nottinghamshire and Hampshire was spoilt by fourth day rain. Alex Hales added another 235 runs to his 2015 Championship tally and the two Taylors Brendon and James helped set the home team a hefty target of nearly 400. However, the weather ensured neither side achieved a result. The other top tier fixture also ended in a draw. Warwickshire were in the driving seat for three days, Ian Westwood top-scoring both times and featuring a career-best 196. However, the champions lost only four wickets on the final day to save the situation. New recruit James Middlebrook proved he can still spin it at the top level by taking eight Warwickshire wickets.

In Division Two, Lancashire made it two wins from two, beating Kent by nine wickets after enforcing the follow-on. 20 year-old Lancashire 'keeper Alex Davies just missed out on his maiden hundred, but Ashwell Prince did reach three figures and Paul Horton scored a couple of 50s. Kyle Jarvis was the pick of the bowlers, taking 4-50 and 4-67.

Nevertheless, the most noteworthy performance of the week came from Essex number three Daniel Lawrence. Aged just 17, and in the side only because Ravi Bopara was at the IPL, the local boy stroked an excellent 161 to become the third youngest centurion in County Championship history! Even the opposition's greying Kevin Pietersen deigned to shake the hand of the young man, half his age and presumably earning sub-muppet wages. Sadly a final day washout allowed Surrey to escape a likely innings defeat.

Northants failed to win a single match in Division One last year and they gave lowly Leicestershire a rare first innings lead at Grace Road. However, the home county experienced their usual defeat in a game which offered all bowlers some help. All-rounder and prospective one-day England international David Willey top-scored with 88.

At Bristol, Derbyshire made Gloucestershire pay on the second day, with Martin Guptill registering the only double-century of the week. Geraint Jones' outfit made a decent fist of their second innings but the damage had been done. Mark Footitt also captured nine wickets.

Next week's highlights look like being Durham's trip to Lord's and Lancashire's trip to Northampton. I just hope that Somerset find enough form to overcome fellow strugglers Worcestershire, but the weather forecast ain't good.

Team of the Week: Trescothick (Som, *), Westwood (War), Hales (Not), Guptill |Der), Lawrence(Ess), Hildreth (Som), Davies (Lan, +), Willey (Nth), Jarvis (Lan), Footitt (Der), Rankin (War)

Team of the week: Will Smith is the fresh prince of Hampshire

Often it's hard to find two outstanding performances by openi batsmen but this time there was an embarrassment of riches from which to pick. Thus I had to omit Chris Rogers (Middlesex, 203 not out), Jake Libby (Notts, 108 in only his third first-class match), Daniel Bell-Drummond (Kent, 153) and Kane Williamson (two fine T20 innings for Northern Districts). In their place come Sussex's Chris Nash and Hampshire's Will Smith. Nash aggregated 263 runs in the victory over Nottinghamshire, including his first century of the summer. Smith's contributions were 11 and 142 not out, but that second innings score was the difference between draw and a defeat which would have left the county even more vulnerable to Essex in the promotion chase. In the context of Hampshire's whole season, that was superb.

Ed Joyce has enjoyed a great summer and in the penultimate round of Championship games, his second knock of 149, at almost a run a ball, set up what at the halfway stage had seemed an unlikely victory. James Hildreth has been a disappointment for Somerset in 2014 but he crafted a valuable 182 at Taunton against Middlesex. In the Test against Bangladesh, Shivnarine Chanderpaul boosted his career average even further with unbeaten scores of 84 and 101, but you can't accuse him of Boycott-esque greed this time; it was all in the cause of a routine win.

Ben Stokes contributed no weight of runs or clutch of wickets but he did OK in Durham's win against Northants and his 2-25 and 38 saw his side home to success in the Royal London Cup Final. My other all-rounder is the considerably less well-known Ben Raine. No, me neither! However, in the final of the Second Eleven competition at Chelmsford, the 23 year-old representing Leicestershire scored 208 and took 3-37 on the way to victory. The way the first XI have played this season and with their best players lured away by the big boys, watch out for him in the first-class arena in 2015.

In a week of excellent performances, Harvey Hosein's must be up there with the best, not only this week but the whole summer. At The Oval, the 18 year-old wicketkeeper claimed no fewer than eleven catches for Derbyshire - on his debut! Nobody has ever come near that, and only Bob Taylor has ever taken as much as seven in an innings for the county in their history. And he played for them for more than twenty years!

Derbyshire's Mark Footitt was the beneficiary of five of those dismissals, and he added nine wickets to his already impressive haul, more than anyone else in the Championship. However, my two remaining bowlers stand out; each took fifteen wickets in a single match. Chris Rushworth has plugged away all summer for Durham but nobody was expecting his 9-52 and 6-43 in the trouncing of Northants. He also contributed a useful 2-24 in today's cup final. Saqlain Sajib is another unsung hero, whose spin claimed 9-82 and 6-50 for Bangladesh versus Zimbabwe in an A international.

Congratulations, one and all:- Nash (Sus), Smith (Ham), Joyce (Sus, *), Hildreth (Som), Chanderpaul (WI), Stokes (Dur), Raine (Lei 2nds), Hosein (Der, +), Sajib (Ban A), Rushworth (Dur), Footitt (Der).

Sussex Re-Joyce and Durham in a Rush-worth

In the penultimate round of Championship fixtures, neither of the top two played, but Nottinghamshire failed to make an impression in their last match. They were roundly beaten by Sussex who bounded up to fourth place with a superb final two days. Chris Nash produced his first century of the summer, but a maiden hundred from Jake Libby and an eighteenth by James Taylor gave Notts a slender first innings lead. Sussex then went for broke, passing 400 at almost a run a ball, with skipper Ed Joyce leading by example, before Steve Magoffin claimed 4-51 to ensure a dismal conclusion for the home team.

Durham simply steamrollered sorry Northants at Chester-le-Street. Borthwick and Collingwood each outscored the opposition on their own - twice! - while Chris Rushworth snatched 15 wickets for 95. James Middlebrook led the side but they looked demoralised from the start, and Northants' two innings combined lasted barely 40 overs! At Taunton, Somerset racked up 523-9 thanks largely to James Hildreth's 182 and Peter Trego's 91. Great to see Craig Kieswetter back after his horrific facial injury earlier in the year. He scored a useful 69, too. That Middlesex recovered from 64-7 to 223 owed much to a century stand by Morgan and Roland-Jones. A fine unbeaten 203 by Chris Rogers staved off defeat and means his team should avoid relegatin provided they avoid a heavy defeat by Lancashire next week.

In Division Two, Essex turned the screw on Hampshire by notching a fourth consecutive victory, this time against a Leicestershire side who capitulated inside two days! James Foster made 132, while David Masters and Jesse Ryder claimed thirteen wickets between them Josh Cobb's men now face the ignominy of failing to record a single win in two full Championship seasons. I don't think that has happened since WW2, although they used to play more games in those days.

Hampshire were forced by Kent to follow on at the Rose Bowl, with only Sean Ervine's 121 preventing an even greater first innings deficit. Will Smith then almost single-handedly rescued the home team by carrying his bat for 142. Tomlinson's 26-ball 2 not out at the other end kept Riley and Tredwell at bay before time was called. Those extra points for a draw could prove critical as they lead Essex by ten going into the final week. A win at Glamorgan will be enough.

In the other game, Derbyshire were surprisingly good value against lacklustre Surrey. Apart from Billy Godleman's partnership with Pujara in the fourth day run chase, it was a game for the bowlers, notably Mark Footitt, who extended his wicket tally for the season beyond 70, including a 6-60. Nevertheless, the star of the show was an 18 year-old debutant Harvey Hosein. The lad from Chesterfield's haul of eleven catches was a record for a 'keeper on his first-class debut. Meanwhile, Surrey could slip to sixth if Kent and Derbyshire win their fairly easy fixtures. I'll try not to laugh too loudly.....

Aussies in the firing line

After a miserable Champions Trophy tournament, the disgraceful off-pitch behaviour of David Warner and the hasty replacement of Mickey Arthur as coach by Darren Lehmann, Michael Clarke's men must have been relieved to get back to playing first-class cricket this week. Taunton often plays the role of warm-up venue for tourists and to their credit, Somerset have fielded most of their first eleven to give the Aussies a bit of a test in advance of the Ashes series.

For much of Wednesday, the county must have wished all their innings came against the Australian bowling attack. Nick Compton showed the selectors what he could do, stroking 13 boundaries in his 81 while Chris Jones enjoyed his elevation to the top rank by reaching an effortless maiden century. I peeked through the Garner Gates for a few overs, and neither Pattinson nor Lyon seemed able to stem the flow of runs. James Hildreth joined in the fun and Lehmann must have held his head in hands with Somerset breezing along at 304-2. However, suddenly the tap was shut off and the home team suffered a collapse almost Essex-esque! Eight wickets fell in eight overs for 16 runs, including five successive ducks, as Mitch Starc and Pattinson bowled and struck the pads with stunning frequency and accuracy.

The second morning saw Shane Watson in sparkling form, advancing smartly towards a hundred. He'd creamed 20 boundaries before he pushed Overton to Trego on 90. Cowan was the only failure in that first innings, although Phil Hughes scored the only other half-century. Despite facing George Dockrill, Hughes seemed comfortable against spin and the ouoting will have done him a lot of good. When Somerset batted again, only James Hildreth and a typically aggressive 60 from Peter Trego gave the bowlers some tough treatment, leaving the tourists 260 to win. On most pitches that could be a troublesome target but this is Taunton and this is a less than scary Somerset attack.

Cowan and Khawaja need to play themselves into real contention for the Test side, while Clarke will want to find his old form after his injury lay-off. Of the bowlers, Peter Siddle again struggled for rhythm and his only wicket was that of number ten Jamie Overton. The Australians have a second county warm-up at Worcester next week but sadly they look one of the weakest green baggy squads I can remember for a long time. With no Hussey, Ponting or even Mitchell Johnson, the look surprisingly ordinary. The ludicrous non-selection for Tests of David Hussey remains one of the most ridiculous decisions by any country in the past decade, and he (and Chris Rogers) are clearly better than the current top order. If they're good enough, they're young enough. Cricket Australia may regret it come the end of summer.