County Cricket: Procter’s Lotta Runs, Sussex Success

Big totals and career bests peppered the domestic cricket scoreboards this week, while Sussex made it two out of two. They were second-best at home to Warwickshire, although Fynn Hudson-Prentice took six wickets to keep their final-day target within reach. An unbeaten sixth-wicket stand of 144 between Jack Leaning and Tom Price saw them home. 

However, thanks to their pre-season points deduction, they sit third behind Somerset and Nottinghamshire. The former came away from Chelmsford a day early with a ten-wicket victory against the county which has pipped them to the title in recent years. Controversially, they invoked new injury substitution rules not once but twice. Fresh from plundering runs for the Second XI, white ball specialist Will Smeed made his first-class debut but it was stand-in skipper Craig Overton who stole the show. In addition to four wickets, he crashed his highest score of 141 to establish a lead that Essex failed to dent. 

Champions Nottinghamshire got off the mark with a 192-run victory over promoted Glamorgan at Trent Bridge. Fergus O’Neill and Brett Hutton each took four first-innings wickets, then Joe Clarke (136) pressed home their advantage to set the Welsh side an improbable target of 478. Tribe and Crane offered some resistance until left-arm spinner Liam Patterson-White mopped up the tail. Having suffered badly in the opening fixture, Hampshire recovered to hammer Yorkshire at Headingley. Jake Lehmann, son of Aussie star Darren, scored 76 and 92, but it was their South African stalwart, Kyle Abbott, who produced his latest Team of the Week performance, with match figures of 10-70. 

At The Oval, Surrey looked good for success against Leicestershire, as Jamie Smith and Ollie Pope each notched welcome tons. However, their achievements were placed into perspective by the opposition’s reply. Opener Rishi Patel (164), ‘keeper Ben Cox and new recruit Stevie Eskinazi all made centuries of their own to boost the team total to 691. However, the bat-friendly pitch ensured there would be no fourth-day collapse by Surrey, and the current England pair added 80+ to their names to secure a draw. 

Sussex and Notts now have a blank week, so Somerset could open up a significant lead should they beat Hampshire at the Rose Bowl. 

In Division Two, Gloucestershire’s miserable start continued, again failing to register a single bonus point with bat or ball. They lost another game by an innings, this time by Durham. Ex-England under-19 captain Ben McKinney scored 244 and shared a triple-century partnership with Alex Lees, which was almost as many as Gloucester could manage in both innings. 

Northamptonshire’s batting was even more extraordinary. Their top four batsmen racked up a humungous aggregate of 684-2 and may well have reached a thousand without a declaration. Captain Luke Procter called time when unbeaten on 264, and was rewarded when Harry Conway claimed 5-36 as Kent’s batting fell apart. Following on, Ben Compton scratched together 114 but Kent really avoided defeat courtesy of the wet weather which descended on Canterbury on Monday. 

Jimmy Anderson was at it again, adding six wickets to his season’s tally, including a decisive 4-18 to complete an exciting 29-run success against Derbyshire. Marcus Harris also contributed 191 runs to the Red Rose cause. In the other match, there were no centuries and only three fifties as Worcestershire narrowly beat Middlesex. It seems strange seeing Oliver Hannon-Dalby out of the Warwickshire side but the 36-year-old seamer was the pick of Worcester’s attack, while the ever-reliable Jake Libby top-scored with 79. Later this week, Middlesex face the Northants run machine, while Gloucestershire must hope to leap out of the traps for a change against Lancashire to prevent another capitulation. 

Team of the Week:-  Procter (Nor), McKinney (Dur), J Smith (Sur), Pope (Sur), Lehmann (Ham), Cox (Lei +), C Overton (Som), Abbott (Ham), Hudson-Prentice (Sus), Conway (Nor), Anderson (Lan)

England v India: One of THE Classic Test series

These days, the people who effectively control cricket are being ushered away from the traditional formats and into the media-friendly white-ball world where TV cameras can capture all the drama rom start to finish in a matter of hours. Kids at grounds can be entertained without boredom sets in, and the all-important bars and fast-food franchises can make a hefty profit. 

But sometimes, more often than you’re led to think, the long-form stuff can be as thrilling as any T20 contest, spread over not only the five days of a single match but twenty-five days spanning a whole series. This summer’s clash between England and India epitomised the exhilaration of sport; two closely-matched sides, plenty of highs and lows, at times feisty but with mutual respect, and no little skill on show from both teams. I may no longer have the motivation or opportunity to watch everything on screen but this has been as good a home series to follow as any I can recall for decades. With two- or three-Test rubbers becoming the norm, squeezed into an ever-expanding schedule of global franchise leagues, ODIs and T20 international, how gratifying was it to witness a rare five-fixture competition that eclipsed any round of meaningless biff-bash events. 

What set it apart from, say, the epic Ashes encounters of yore, was the boorish behaviour of spectators. The atmosphere benefited from crowds supporting both teams, not just the partisan St George’s flag-waving, beer-swilling xenophobic crowds I tend to associate with England’s Barmy Army. Having attended a neutral ODI involving a side led by Dhoni, Kohli et al, I can appreciate the passion of the good-natured, cricket-loving Indian fans who, in the past month, lifted the atmosphere even whilst losing. Had it been India needing only 35 runs on the final morning, I doubt many England supporters would have bothered turning up. The thousands of fans in blue or green, white and orange were certainly rewarded with one of the most sensational and surprising finales to any Test match between the two nations. From Jamie Overton’s pulled boundary, via Woakes’ one-armed entrance to Siraj’s devastating yorker to Atkinson, it was extraordinary stuff. 

A 2-2 series result was a fair one. Each nation enjoyed a comfortable victory, each edged a nailbiter, with a drawn run-fest in between, so not even Ben Stokes or, if he was being honest (as if!) Nigel Farage, could resent the equal role played by India. Remember, this was a touring party shorn of the retired Kohli and Rohit Sharma, and with the world’s premier bowler Jasprit Bumrah to be employed only sparingly.

Curiously, India won both games in which Bumrah was rested, and it was the 31-year-old Mohammed Siraj who rose to the occasion brilliantly, finishing with 23 wickets. Shubman Gill was the inexperienced captain but he covered himself with glory all round, particularly with the bat. His extraordinary, record-breaking innings of 269 and 161 at Edgbaston were the highlights of a magnificent series, while Jaiswal, Jadeja and Pant were usually entertaining at the crease. 

England had their heroes, too. Joe Root was as solid and unfussy as ever, scoring three centuries on his way to second on the all-time list of Test match run scorers. Fitness permitting, Tendulkar’s seemingly unassailable record will on a few years surely fall to the Yorkshireman. Harry Brook is a captain in waiting, although Ben Stokes’ capacity to pull out performances on the biggest stage is undimmed. His 141/5-72 combo at Old Trafford was terrific. Atkinson Tongue and the fit-again Jofra Archer also had their moments, and Jamie Smith’s unbeaten 184 at Old Trafford demonstrated what he is capable of when he applies himself. 

The pundits predicted that the Lord’s line-up, perhaps with Wood and Atkinson for Woakes and Tongue, should start the Ashes campaign this winter. Personally, I would favour Rehan Ahmed as the frontline spinner, and for his superior batting. However, England selectors appear reluctant to pick players based on inconsequential niceties like form and experience! 

But, for now, let’s not waste time banging on about the forthcoming tour to Australia. Instead, we should celebrate the Indian summer of 2025 and hope that there will be plenty more five-Test challenges, home and away, in the future. 

Team of the Series: Jaiswal (Ind), Duckett (Eng), Gill (Ind), Root (Eng), Brook (Eng), Pant (Ind +), Stokes (Eng), Jadeja (Ind), Tongue (Eng), Bumrah (Ind), Siraj (Ind)

Smith and Mills give the Blast a Lift-off

Across the Atlantic, the Twenty20 World \Cup began with some fanfare but, until the USA shocked Pakistan, the action on then pitch has been underwhelming. Wonderful to see the likes of Oman, Nepal and Papua New Guinea, though. Back in Blighty, the Vitality Blast has launched well below the radar. Competing with the World Cup, this year’s tournament robs counties of the world’s big names but gives regulars and experienced biff-bang merchants the opportunity to make headlines. 

The first week threw up only a handful of 200-plus scores, two of them by Surrey, the only side with three consecutive victories. Despite the arrival of Jason Roy and Tom Curran, it was Jamie Smith who starred with the bat, crunching 87 and 76 against Somerset and Glamorgan, respectively. Glamorgan skipper Sam Northeast was the only other player to strike two fifties and Essex’s Michael Pepper the sole centurion, thumping a 44-ball 101 to defeat Middlesex at Chelmsford. His other innings were 7 and a golden duck, but that’s T20 for you! 

Middlesex, Nottinghamshire and Durham are the dunces of the week, losing all their fixtures. The latter have been bowled out twice for a combined total of 176, with Michael Jones’ 29 against the Bears their highest individual score. Former England star Alex Hales hasn’t exactly set Trent Bridge alight, but Sussex paceman Tymal Mills has delivered a couple of four-wicket performances and 39-year-old Ravi Bopara has once again been an inspirational all-rounder for Northamptonshire. 

It has been seven years since Mason Crane made his two T20 international appearances against South Africa but this week his leg-spin has been consistently on the money for Glamorgan., claiming six scalps without being thumped all around the grounds. 

On a personal note, my highlight of the Blast to date was Somerset replicating the 2023 Final success against Essex at Taunton. Fine strokeplay by Smeed, Abell and Lewis Gregory ensured the target was reached in the final over, Craig Overton applying the coup de grace with a boundary 

Team of the Week:- Wells (Lan), Bell-Drummond (Ken), Northeast (Gla), Pepper (Ess), Cox (Ess), J Smith (Sur), Bopara (Nor), Cooke (Gla +), Mike (Lei), Crane (Gla), Mills (Sus)

County Cricket: Roach and Smith make it three in a row for Surrey

Both Surrey and Warwickshire could have supplanted Essex at the top with a win, but it was the champions who brushed aside their potential rivals by nine wickets at The Oval. Surrey-born Jamie Smith lashed 155 to establish a handsome first-innings lead. It could have been greater were it not for Craig Miles, whose 5-43 gave little sign of the carnage being inflicted around him. Ed Barnard had reached three figures for the visitors first time out but Surrey paceman Kemar Roach ensured there would be no late-order recovery on Sunday afternoon, taking 6-46. Burns, Sibley and Pope finished the job the next morning. 

At Trent Bridge, Nottinghamshire beat Lancashire by the same margin. It could have been an innings defeat had it not been for 20-year-old wicketkeeper Matt Hurst’s maiden hundred and century partnership with Tom Hartley. However, the game’s outstanding performer was Notts opener and skipper Haseeb Hameed. It feels like forever since, as a promising Lancashire teenager, he was thrown into the England side where he struggled in ten Tests. This summer, too, he failed to make fifty in his first four fixtures, which makes his unbeaten 247 so extraordinary. His score became the highest ever by a Notts player to carry his bat in a completed innings. Hameed was also not out at the conclusion of the match, every minute of which he was on the field. 

Bad light deprived Worcestershire of a likely victory against Kent at Canterbury in a game overshadowed by the sad death last week of young Josh Baker. The Pears occupied the opening five sessions amassing 618-7, including three centurions. Gareth Roderick set the ball rolling with 117 but the daunting total was ultimately extended by the eighth-wicket pair of Jason Holder and Matthew Waite. Mixing patience with pyrotechnics, each reached three figures, the declaration following Waite’s single to take him to 100. Jack Leaning responded with a magnificent 179 which at least ensured Kent survived to earn a draw. 

It was the same outcome at Southampton, where fourth-day rain ensured neither Hampshire nor Durham claimed the sixteen points. Had there been more sparking sunshine, I doubt the result would have been any different because batsmen were in charge. Orr and Prest helped Hampshire to 503, then Bedingham’s 144 shone for Durham, whilst spinners Dawson and Organ wheeled away for a combined 109 overs. 

On Friday, Hampshire travel to Trent Bridge in search of that elusive first victory, whilst Surrey hope to make it a fourth consecutive success at home to Worcestershire. Essex host Warwickshire, both keen to prevent Surrey running away with the Championship. 

Division Two leaders Sussex suffered a surprise loss against Glamorgan. With heavy rain forecast (correctly, it transpired) in Cardiff for Monday, it was imperative to round things off early, but it was the Welsh side who dominated. It’s not often that Glamorgan take twenty wickets but Mir Hamza and Andy Gorvin claimed thirteen between them. The home side’s batting success rested on the shoulders of Kiran Carlsen and Coin Ingram, whose fifth-wicket stand of 315 broke the county record. 

In the only other fixture, Gloucestershire also celebrate a sizeable winning margin, 256 runs. Miles Hammond’s 112 and Marchant de Lange’s 5-42 had already floored Northamptonshire, only for them to rub their hosts’ noses in the dirt by extending the lead to an imposing 557, thanks in part to Cameron Bancroft’s 130 not out. Gay, Procter and Nazir did their best but could not last until close of play. 

Only Derbyshire sit below Northants on the table and next they meet each other at Derby. Glamorgan host Middlesex, Leicestershire welcome Gloucestershire while Sussex look to get their promotion ambitions back on track at home to winless Yorkshire. 

Team of the Week:- Hameed (Not), Roderick (Wor +), Smith (Sur), Leaning (Ken), Carlson (Gla), Ingram (Gla), Roach (Sur), Waite (Wor), de Lange (Glo), Gorvin (Gla), Miles (War)

Somerset bounce back amidst Nationwide Runfest

At long last, a more familiar line-up ensured Somerset ended their dismal run with a surprisingly decisive victory over champions Warwickshire. Most of the side chipped in, including Matt Renshaw’s century and typical tight bowling plus splendid catching from Craig Overton.  That they wound things up inside three days proved fortuitous because Sunday’s rain prevented positive results in six of the nine fixtures. 

However, there may not have been a winner at Bristol had Gloucestershire and Surrey batted on all week! From 37-3, Surrey ran rampant to pass 600, led by Jamie Smith’s 237 not out. The home county’s openers Marcus Harris and Chris Dent quickly showed this was a batsman’s paradise, sharing a stand of 296. A draw was agreed with only 12 wickets having fallen. None of them fell to Gloucestershire’s Mohammad Amir, returning to first-class cricket for more than two years. 

There was another huge partnership at Headingley, where Dawid Malan and Harry Brook put on 259 in a total of 571. Ollie Robinson and Grant Stewart ensured Kent avoided an innings defeat. Ben Compton and Daniel Bell-Drummond also continued good recent form but England’s Zak Crawley failed twice. At Southampton, Nick Gubbins struck a century in each innings for Hampshire but James Anderson was in an old-fashioned mean mood at the head of a solid Lancashire attack. 

At Chelmsford, a Luke Procter century and Ben Sanderson’s 4-32 left Essex following on against Northants, only for a steadfast middle-order performance to see them safely to a draw. Later this week, leaders Surrey and Hampshire face winless Northants and Gloucestershire, respectively. 

In Division Two, Nottinghamshire consolidated their position at the top by defeating Worcestershire. Dane Paterson’s first-innings 8-52 was easily the best bowling statistic of the county week but all-rounder Ed Barnard’s unbeaten 163 forced Notts to bat a second time. It merely delayed the inevitable, with Ben Duckett and Joe Clarke picking up half-centuries to win by five wickets. 

Middlesex had an easier task in overcoming bottom side Leicestershire at Lord’s. Opener Mark Stoneman’s hundred was the highlight, although his seam colleagues were unrelenting with the ball, Ben Mike’s brave 99 not out nothwithstanding. 

Derbyshire and Glamorgan provided the week’s closest and most entertaining contest. After an evenly-matched first two days, Derby’s Wayne Madsen and ‘keeper Brooke Guest’s second ton of the match set the visitors a challenging target of 331. Marnus Labuschagne and Sam Northeast got the Welsh off to a great start but after Chris Cooke and Kiran Carlsen lost their wickets, both sides could eye a possible triumph. In the end, time ran out with Glamorgan 21 runs and Derbyshire two wickets short. 

The towering scores in Division One were also in evidence at Hove. Cheteshwar Pujara struck a double-hundred for Sussex, but even this was eclipsed by a triple-century opening stand by Alex Lees and Sean Dickson, which was curtailed just short of a Durham record. Sussex ‘keeper Mohammad Rizwan, one of the finest T20 batsmen in the world, had an interesting game. He scored 79, took three wickets behind the stumps and, during a two-over stint as medium-pace bowler with a draw inevitable, a wonderful over-the-shoulder catch at first slip! 

This week, Notts and Derbyshire aren’t in action, so Middlesex can take over at the pinnacle by defeating Sussex but Glamorgan could do the same with a home conquest of Leicestershire. 

Team of the Week: Dent (Glo), Dickson (Dur), Gubbins (Ham), Madsen (Der), Pujara (Sus), J Smith (Sur), Guest (Der +), Barnard (Wor), C Overton (Som), Paterson (Not), Anderson (Lan)