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)

County Cricket: Worrall and Clark Sweep Hampshire Aside

While the continuing dreadful weather forced most counties to adopt the Plan B of simply maximising their batting bonus points, Surrey proceeded to claim a second successive innings victory, this time against neighbours and rivals Hampshire. With Essex failing to prevail over Durham, after four fixtures, the Chelmsford outfit stand dead level with the champions. 

A steady century from Rory Burns and a blistering unbeaten 106 from Jordan Clark helped Surrey to a healthy lead on day two, but Dan Worrall’s five-for, spread over three days, finished the job without the need to bat again. At Chester-le-Street, Nick Browne marked his first Championship outing of the season by scoring 184, taking Essex to 488, eclipsing Durham’s Ackermann-assisted total of 358. Following a Sunday washout, Lees and Bedingham made the game safe against the spinners. 

At Edgbaston, Ben Duckett helped himself to a double-hundred for Nottinghamshire. In response, Warwickshire openers Yates and Davies suffered a rare joint failure, although they were rescued by the lower order.  A draw was inevitable, as was the case at Kidderminster. With rain forecast, Somerset declared after reaching 300, then Libby and Roderick put on 194 for Worcestershire en route to achieving a fifth batting point.  

Four weeks and still just a single result in Division Two. Leaders Leicestershire and Northamptonshire swapped scores of 450-ish, although George Bartlett was the only centurion. Poor Peter Handscomb was run out on 99. At Headingley, too, it was all about reaching 450 before the rain arrived. With England’s former opener Adam Lyth scoring 97 and current middle-order duo Joe Root and Harry Brook hitting three figures, Yorkshire made the target but, despite Wayne Madsen’s patient 105, Derbyshire fell three runs short. 

At least the good folk of Bristol had more cricket to enjoy. Gloucestershire’s Marchant de Lange struck a blow for the bowlers by taking 6-49 and restricting Middlesex to 203. Second time around, Max Holden (111) and the redoubtable Ryan Higgins (155) turned the tables, switching the pressure onto the home side. The weather closed in, but – hey! – the match did extend into a fourth innings, the only one this week to do so. 

It's a relatively quiet Bank Holiday weekend for the County Championship but, with Surrey not playing, Essex will reclaim the lead whatever happens in Somerset. Speaking of which, I note that my former local club Bridgwater have signed former West Indies captain and Ben Stokes’ T20 nemesis Carlos Brathwaite. The residents of Park Road had better install higher fences and reinforced windows….

Team of the Week:- Burns (Sur), Duckett (Not), Root (Yor), Brook (Yor), Browne (Ess), Higgins (Mid), Roderick (Wor +), J Clark (Sur),  de Lange (Glo), Worrall (Sur), Hannon-Dalby (War)