My Hundred: The Final Five

5: Joel Garner

The West Indies record books will rightly laud the wicket-taking achievements of Marshall, Walsh and Ambrose but it could be argued that Joel Garner was the superior all-round bowler. Somerset scouted him from League cricket in 1977 when he was already 24 and pretty soon not only was he making a huge impression in county cricket but also as part of the West Indian pace battery.

At 6 feet 8, his name was rarely mentioned without being accompanied by ‘giant’. It might not seem so exceptional these days but forty years ago he seemed freakishly tall. I recall standing next to him in 1981 on the Bath outfield during a pre-match warm-up and, when he released the ball, feeling I was in the company of an alien being, such was his height. Of course ‘Big Bird’ used those formidable wings to great effect, generating unlikely bounce off a length and considerable pace from a short, loping run-up. Add in his unplayable yorkers and he had the perfect game for one-day cricket in particular. He was sensational for Somerset in their glory years but his career highlight was probably that explosive 5-39 in the ’79 World Cup Final.  Imagine what he would have been like as a ‘death’ bowler in Twenty20! 

4: Dennis Lillee

In a decade famed for its aggressive fast bowlers steaming in from a forty-metre run, Dennis Lillee was the original and best of the lot. With straggly locks and that moustache, his was the defining image from the 1972 Ashes series when I was just 11. A stress fracture of the back almost ended his career a year later but then, reining in the pace a touch, he was paired with a young tearaway Jeff Thomson on home territory against England with predictable results.

I remember anticipating the pair in the inaugural World Cup but neither really prospered in one-dayers where containment was just as important as taking wickets and scaring batsmen shitless. I never saw him in the flesh but he grew in my affections  during the ‘Botham’s Ashes’ summer of ’81. Notably slower and that hair somewhat thinner and controlled by coloured headbands, he was the epitome of control, seam and swing. With Terry Alderman at the other end, Lillee took 39 wickets yet still finished on the losing side. His total of 355 Test victims was a world record at the time, captured in only 70 matches. Yes, he could be a temperamental so-and-so but Dennis the menace was one of the most delightful bowlers to watch. 

3: Clive Lloyd

Watching him on the News in January 1984 sloping off the SCG pitch, bat raised in gratitude, having made 72 in his farewell Test innings I had tears in my eyes. The Windies lost that game but, as so often during his 12-year captaincy, they won the series. As with Dennis Lillee I had to enjoy Clivey’s performances on a 24-inch TV screen but he was often on show, not only during the West Indies’ four-year tour cycle but also in between batting for an excellent Lancashire side.

It’s hard to reconcile the big-shouldered brooding presence in the slips towards the end of his career with the slender panther-like covers fielder of the early-Seventies. His athletic pick-up and throw was a thing of beauty, just as his hooking and pulling of anything short was thrilling to witness. The 1975 World Cup Final was a defining moment in my cricket education, and  the indisputable Man of the Match was Windies captain Clive Lloyd. I was furious at having to attend Dad’s school fete that afternoon because it meant missing most of Lloyd’s outstanding 85-ball century. Then, with the Aussies needing to accelerate during their run chase his part-time bowling produced the most economical figures, 1-38, in the whole match. He was incredible. The twenty-first century era has given us some marvellous entertainers but, when on song, none could ever match Clive Lloyd. 

2: Marcus Trescothick

Back in the mid-Nineties, Dad and I began to notice a young Somerset batsman proving extremely good value in Fantasy Cricket. As the decade progressed so did his valuation. Prolific for England Unfer-19s he was 24 by the time the senior call came his way. From that moment on, Somerset didn’t get to see much of Tres as he scooped a central contract and made his mark as first-choice opener in both Tests and ODIs. Sadly, several years of intensive cricket a home and abroad were taking their toll.

I was unimpressed when Marcus suddenly pulled out of the 2006 India tour with no explanation. Back then, mental illness was simply swept under the carpet so it was only reading his heartfelt autobiography Coming Back to Me that I appreciated what he was really going through. International retirement wasn’t far away and he couldn’t even face flying overseas with Somerset. Fortunately, England's loss was Taunton's gain and he remained a stalwart batsman for the county for another ten years, breaking all sorts of records as run-maker and slip fielder, delaying retirement until we won that elusive first Championship crown. By 2019, aged 44, he finally gave up! He may have sported number 2 on his back but he will always be Somerset’s number one. 

1: Viv Richards

King Viv never matched Trescothick for longevity and consistency but for sheer excitement, panache and arrogance Somerset has never experienced anything like the Antiguan. He won the very first cricket match I ever attended with a six into the river at Chelmsford in May ’75 and I was at the same ground sixteen years later to witness his final day as West Indies county tourist. That month I watched him on TV walk out to a warm ovation in his farewell Test at The Oval, tears in my eyes and maybe a few in his, too, although he rarely showed any emotion on the pitch. 

In the 1975 World Cup Final it was his electric fielding which stood out but a year later he was astonishing for the West Indies with the bat. He was everything you’d want to see as a cricket fan: charismatic and a thrillingly inventive and brutal stroke maker. He won so many matches almost single-handed, including both domestic and World cup finals, I wonder what else he would have achieved in the T20 era. To be honest, he didn’t always appear to give 100% in run-of-the-mill county fixtures and I supported Somerset for dropping him in ’85.  Nevertheless Viv is not only my all-time favourite cricketer but also my personal icon of any sport.

Greedy Essex win final two trophies in five days

It’s been a long week. While I’ve been relaxing in the Algarve, two trophies have been decided. And both went to Essex, which is just plain greedy. It all began in Edgbaston on Saturday….

The Vitality Blast served up two exciting encounters on Finals Day. Firstly, Moeen Ali’s miserly bowling helped Worcestershire to the final, where Essex left it to the final ball of the match to take their maiden T20 title. Simon Harmer claimed 4-19 then 3-16 to cap an immaculate Finals Day performance.

He was also the leading wicket-taker in the Championship’s top division as his county travelled to Taunton for the decider against long-time leaders Somerset who had to win to fly the pennant for the first time in their history. It was bound to be a ‘result wicket’, destined to finish early. That was assuming friendly weather, which the season’s climax thoroughly merited. It wasn’t to be. Only 72 overs were possible in the first three days, which made Tom Abell’s team with a near-impossible challenge. On Day four, we had to take twenty wickets for a pittance. Well, the spinners Leach and Van der Merwe did half the job before, in desperation, Abell forfeited their second innings. They had to bowl Essex out in just an hour, while Essex required only 63 to win. The openers made the game safe but, while they could easily have whacked the runs to seal the Championship with a tenth victory, they settled on a draw just seventeen short.

It was devastating to me and the county faithful to miss out by such a tight margin, runners-up for the third time in four seasons, but how must Marcus Trescothick feel? At least he received the ovation he deserved when making a contrived shuffle to the middle as a sub fielder, his final contribution to the county in a staggering 26-year career. It was a nice touch by the Essex players to join in the applause.

As for the supporting cast, they also fell victims to the rain. Hampshire finished in third place, Keith Barker taking five Kent wickets. At The Oval, centuries by Scott Borthwick and Ollie Pope frustrated Nottinghamshire’s flimsy hopes of a first triumph of the four-day season. Edgbaston saw play only on day one, time for Tom Kohler-Cadmore to amass an unbeaten 165.

It was all draws in Division Two, too, which meant that Northamptonshire and Gloucestershire will join Lancashire in the top tier next year. The two sides met at Bristol but could only play seventy-three overs in total. I reckon the home side can’t honestly have expected promotion but good on them. At the end of August, anyone but Leicestershire could have made the top three. Middlesex and Derbyshire slipped back, and Sussex’s season also ended in a dam squib at home to Worcestershire. At a rain-swept Chester-le-Street, BJ Watling struck an unbeaten ton from the Glamorgan attack, and at Leicester, Richard Gleeson took nine wickets for Lancashire.

So the County Championship may have suffered a soggy conclusion but I will grudgingly congratulate Essex for their second pennant in three seasons and second title in a week. At least Somerset proved worthy winners of the One-Day Cup but they’d have traded that for that blasted Championship. While Surrey’s all-star squad slumped in 2019, we have been remarkably consistent. Lewis Gregory’s absence hit us in mid-summer, but those defeats to Yorkshire and Hampshire last week proved decisive. Maybe next year…. 

Final team of the Week: Borthwick (Sur), Kohler-Cadmore (Yor), Moeen Ali (Wor), Watling (Dur), Pope (Sur), Hosein (Der), Van Buuren (Glo), Harmer (Ess), Van der Merwe (Som), Barker (Ham), Gleeson (Lan)

Life as a Somerset supporter

Life as a fan of any club, in any sport, is inevitably a rollercoaster ride. Winning matches is great, and doing so in entertaining fashion is a bonus, but the old cliché of ‘It’s all about winning trophies’ is hard to avoid. And that’s where supporting Somerset has been a particularly tough test. So why couldn’t I have simply plumped for a proven champion county like Surrey, Middlesex, Lancashire or Yorkshire? The answer is, of course, because Somerset picked me.

I can’t recall exactly when and where it happened but it must have been inspired by my delightful family holiday spent in and around Minehead in the summer of 1971. As it happened, that was one of Somerset’s best cricket seasons for a while but it had long been considered one of the sport’s sleepy backwaters. There were no international stars, just a few ageing ex-England players in Brian Close and Tom Cartwright plus a motley collection of journeymen and young recruits from that longstanding cricket academy in Millfield School. It was probably the random combo of attractive scenery and sympathy that brought me and SCCC together.

Somerset’s Taunton HQ must be one of the county circuit’s most recognisable grounds. Like The Oval’s gasholders, the trio of sandstone church towers provided a familiar backdrop to the arena for TV cameras set high on the River End pavilion. From the opposite side, the Quantock Hills fill the space between what is now the Sir Ian Botham Stand and the sky. Whilst living and working nearby, I attended several matches there, in addition to a few sneaky peaks through the Garner Gates in lunch breaks, but my introduction to live cricket was Somerset’s trip to Essex at Chelmsford on a cool May afternoon in 1975. It was to be a winning start thanks largely to a then little-known West Indian called IVA Richards. More of him later…..

The following season we came agonisingly close to clinching a first ever trophy. While it wasn’t the featured live game, Dad and I were following the fortunes of Somerset at Glamorgan, watching BBC2’s cricket coverage of the final round of Sunday League fixtures. We lost a thrilling encounter by just one run and the title on away games won, and this teenager was in despair. In ’78 we were again runners-up, not only in the Sunday League but also the premier knockout competition, the Gillette Cup. This has been a recurring theme for the past four decades.

Luckily, the lengthy search for silverware ended the following year. Neither Essex nor Somerset had ever won anything. Then, in one glorious season, the two clubs shared all four titles on offer. For us it was the John Player (Sunday) and Gillette Cup. Under Brian Rose’s captaincy, with Ian Botham an established international all-rounder Viv Richards’ extraordinary batting and Joel ‘Big Bird’ Garner leading the attack, Somerset’s golden era had begun.

The forty-over league proved to be our speciality and yet we could finish only second in three of the subsequent four years. It was in June 1981, following my end-of year exams at Exeter University, that I enjoyed my only live experience of watching our three legends playing together.

It was at the Bath Festival clash with neighbours Gloucestershire but, instead of the current bristling rivalry, the atmosphere was light and friendly and before the game we could stand on the outfield while the players warmed up amongst us. Standing alongside Joel Garner (below) I could appreciate just how tall he was (barely fitting into my lens, below), and he played his part in our 20-run triumph, taking 4-21 as Gloucestershire suffered a catastrophic collapse.  

That memorable summer we clinched the Benson & Hedges Cup (55 overs a side), repeated the feat in ’82 and took Kent apart in the Nat West Trophy final (successor to the Gillette Cup) in ’83. After that, it all went horribly quiet. In 1985 the county tore itself in two, not over Brexit but on the thornier issue of whether to replace Richards with the younger and frankly more conscientious Kiwi, Martyn Crowe. Somerset hadn’t experienced such division since the Monmouth Rebellion three centuries earlier, and that hadn’t ended well! Despite my hero-worship of King Viv, I actually sided with the more forward-thinking members at SCCC. Richards departed, followed by his friends Garner and Botham and suddenly captain Peter Roebuck and Vic Marks were left with some mighty boots to fill.

The victory champagne dried up. For years, we couldn’t even finish second. It wasn’t until 2001 when Jamie Cox’s side ended the barren run with success over Leicestershire in the new 50-over C&G Trophy. It has since gone down in folklore because of Leicester seamer Scott Boswell’s nightmare second over, in which he bowled eight wides. Eight!

It wasn't as if we had no decent players. Quite the reverse. Talented locals like Vic Marks, Colin Dredge, Richard Harden and Marcus Trescothick were supplemented by imports such as Andy Caddick, Mushtaq Ahmed, Steve Waugh, Graeme Smith and Jimmy Cook. The latter spent only three years at Somerset, yet racked up 28 centuries and almost 7,000 first-class runs. And still we struggled.

Then in 2007, following the arrival of Justin Langer, a new golden age beckoned. We returned to Division One, tightened up on discipline and discovered that the exciting new Twenty20 format played towards our strengths. Somerset were great to watch, competing in every competition. And yet, for some reason, the fates conspired against us. Apart from the solitary T20 success in 2005, we crumbled under the weight of destiny and expectation. Between 2009 and 2012, we were beaten finalists five times in the Blast and 40-over CB40 trophy, and runners-up twice in the Championship. Surely we would win something? No.

For years, the Taunton pitch was notoriously batting-friendly, ideal for high scores but useless for taking the twenty wickets needed to win matches. It made for some incredible run chases though. In 2009, I was invited to join some old BBC friends to watch day one of Somerset’s home fixture against Yorkshire. Jacques Rudolph piled on the runs and the draw seemed inevitable right until the final day. As I followed proceedings online, Arul Suppiah and Peter Trego crashed centuries in the last two sessions to pull off a remarkable victory. Heartwarming stuff.

Marcus Trescothick’s age and fitness have restricted his appearances but he resolutely refuses to retire until the elusive Championship pennant flutters proudly above Taunton. I fear he’ll have to be batting in a wheelchair. For all the talents of the much-loved Trego, James Hildreth, Lewis Gregory, Tom Abell, Dom  Bess, Jack Leach and the Overton twins, another county always seems to do just that little bit better. In 2018 it was Surrey, while an excellent T20 season ended in the semis. 

                                

Could 2019 see us get over the line at last? Old hands like me fear the worst but if the planets of batting and bowling align, anything’s possible. Please let it happen, even if it’s just to see the smile on Marcus Trescothick’s face.

Mullaney and Patel put Notts in the driving seat

Wickets were a-tumbling on the first day, but a Bank Holiday weekend heatwave went some way to restoring the balance between bat and ball. In Division One, Nottinghamshire went seventeen points clear with a 203-run victory over Hampshire at Trent Bridge. The margin looks large on paper but Hashim Amla’s resistance on the final day made it hard work for the home side’s attack. Jake Ball finally induced a catch to Ross Taylor but Notts owed a great deal to captain Steven Mullaney’s 130 and a fine all-round performance by Samit Patel, whose spin was parsimonious in the extreme.

Somerset remain second despite managing only a draw against Lancashire at Old Trafford. Batsmen were very much in the ascendancy, and the visitors got off to a cracking start when Marcus Trescothick (100), Millfield OB George Bartlett (110, a debut century) and Tom Abell’s frustrating 99 took them past 400. However, Lancs went even better, thanks largely to Dane Vilas’ unbeaten 235, and Somerset simply batted out the fourth day. However, they had to do so without Tres, who broke a toe during his innings. I fear he could be out of action for a while and even his fantastic career is in danger of a premature end.

At one stage, it looked as if play wouldn’t extend beyond the second day at Chelmsford but even that was two more than they had in the reverse fixture last month. No fewer than 22 wickets fell on day one, including ducks for England captains past and present, Messrs Cook and Root. It was a wonderful world for Sam Cook who took 5-29 in the opening session but Yorkshire’s seamers struck back quickly. Perhaps the decisive blow on Saturday was made by Keighley teenager Harry Brook, who struck his inaugural first-class century, then Steven Patterson’s 6-40 did the rest.

At the Oval, Worcestershire piled on over 500 runs, led by Joe Clarke’s first decent score of the campaign, 156. Rory Burns had already made 192 in Surrey’s first innings and so by the Bank Holiday, their second was a gentle stroll in the sunshine.

Warwickshire retained control of Division Two by means of an eight-wicket triumph over Derbyshire at Edgbaston. Their guests did at least pass 300 on the first day, largely the result of Wayne Madsen’s 144. Jonathan Trott may have announced his retirement at the end of the season but on this game’s evidence he still has plenty of runs in him, contributing 111 in total. Jeetan Patel toiled for his ten-for, ably supported by 18 year-old medium-pacer Henry Brookes, who picked up eight.

Sussex advanced into second place by overcoming Middlesex in a close contest on the South Coast. Ollie Robinson’s 7-58 pinned the Londoners to just 230 then added 52 runs as Sussex established a healthy first-innings lead. Nick Gubbins and Dawid Malan each made three figures to keep them in the hunt but Ben Brown kept his head on the final afternoon and it was Robinson again who clouted James Harris for the winning boundary.

The county are clearly the latest outfit to benefit from the leadership and nous of Jason Gillespie, but Kent are pushing them hard following a six-wicket success in Cardiff. Nineteen wickets clattered in the opening three sessions, including six for the redoubtable Darren Stevens. Glamorgan’s Tim van Gugten responded with 7-42 but was less effective in the second innings. South African Heino Kuhn compiled 69 not out and Stevens hit the winning run.

In the other fixture, Durham snatched victory from the gaping jaws of defeat at Chester-le-Street. Leicestershire forced them to follow on but, despite Gavin Griffiths’ excellent 6-49, Durham gave themselves hope by accumulating 403, leaving Leicester a target of 148. Thanks to James Weighell’s 7-32 and a trio for Chris Rushworth, they fell 46 short. This triumph leaves Northamptonshire, who were in action (and losing) against the Pakistan tourists, bottom of the pile. Next week doesn’t look more positive as they visit table-toppers Warwickshire. The Channel derby between Kent and Sussex looks more tasty.

In the top tier, Nottinghamshire host Lancashire, Hampshire visit Somerset, Yorkshire pop down to Surrey while Essex need to get their breath back and their championship defence on track at Worcester before they get left behind.

Team of the Week: 

Mullaney (Not), Burns (Sur), Amla (Ham), Vilas (Lan), Clarke (Wor), Abell (Som), Patel (Not), Brown (Sus +), Siddle (Ess), Griffiths (Lei), Robinson (Sus)

Trescothick gives Somerset hope and it’s a Blast for Notts

Lancashire were unable to close the gap on leaders Essex after rain wrecked their encounter at Old Trafford. At least there was time for Jamie Porter to claim another five-for. 36 points ahead with three to play; it’s looking good!

It’s not looking good for Warwickshire, though. The bottom two also played each other but this time there was a decisive result, in favour of Somerset.

The home team capped a miserable week, losing both the T20 Blast Final and then this crucial relegation battle in the Championship. For all Somerset’s enduring batting problems, it was encouraging to see struggling Tom Abell register two half-centuries in the same match, although it was Marcus Trescothick, almost twice his age, who scored the decisive 119 not out en route for a declaration. Jack Leach and Tim Groenewald each took five wickets in an innings, and Craig Overton’s 4-33 continued his excellent season. Warwickshire now look in serious danger of relegation while Somerset have risen to within a win of Middlesex a place above them. I can’t imagine what the authorities would make of the champions and Lord’s custodians slipping into Division Two.

Middlesex and Yorkshire played out a rain-affected draw and there wasn’t a great deal more to watch at Southampton. However, wicketkeeper Ben Foakes did his England credentials no harm with another 130 runs and his teenage deputy Ollie Pope was allowed to achieve his maiden hundred before the captains shook hands on the final afternoon.

The second tier featured two major promotion clashes. Nottinghamshire might have expected to carry their Finals Day confidence into the Championship but came a cropper at home to Worcestershire. Another fine all-round performance by Ed Barnard and Daryl Mitchell’s sixth century of the campaign were instrumental in Worcester’s eight-wicket triumph against the leaders.

Behind them, Northamptonshire advanced to level with Sussex after beating them by six wickets. Ben Duckett’s 193 was by far the highest individual score of the week, and Richard Kleinveldt notched his best match figures of the season, 8-98. For once, Jofra Archer wasn’t in form with the ball, but did share a century partnership with Wiese to delay their defeat by a few hours.

At Grace Road, Gloucestershire seamer Liam Norwell practically beat winless Leicestershire on his own. His second innings figures of 8-43 were the best of the summer in the division to date, and he now has 56 victims to his name. I feel sorry for Leicester captain Mark Cosgrove. He has been a consistent run-maker throughout the year yet never in a winning cause. His 92 and 68 this week put him close to 1,000 for 2017, beaten only by Mitchell and Paul Collingwood.

The latter’s Durham rued not declaring earlier in their game against Kent. Graeme Onions became the county’s highest ever first-class wicket-taker, adding eight to his tally but, with nine wickets down, Sam Billings and ex-Durham number eleven Mitch Claydon held out for a draw. At Derby, only 72 overs were possible. Glamorgan must be used to sitting in the pavilion watching the rain this summer but they can at least look back to a rare appearance at last weekend’s Finals Day.

They welcome Northants to Sophia Gardens next week but if Worcestershire beat Leicestershire – as they certainly should – Duckett et al must surely be staying in Division Two in 2018.  In Division One, it’s top plays bottom at Edgbaston. If Essex win, they will surely have one hand on the title and Warwickshire could be doomed. Somerset face Lancashire while Middlesex will hope to treat the Uxbridge crowd against Hampshire. Surrey sit fourth despite winning just one match. Could Yorkshire frustrate them again at The Oval?

Team of the Week: Mitchell (Wor), Duckett (Nor), Northeast (Ken), Cosgrove (Lei), Abell (Som), Foakes (Sur +), Barnard (Wor), Kleinveldt (Nor), Gurney (Not), Onions (Dur), Norwell (Glo)

Cook and Porter steer Essex into Pole position

In a week when the Mumbai Indians fashioned an unlikely one-run triumph in the IPL final it was Essex who made longer-form cricket appear relatively easy in England.

Not only did they top their Royal London Cup group, thus advancing directly to the semi-finals, but their innings victory over Hampshire also took them to the top of the County Championship. Alastair Cook scored another century, while Jamie Porter’s 5-24 wrecked Hampshire’s first innings, from which they couldn’t recover. The newly-promoted side are beginning to look like potential 2017 champions, although the real test will come when Cook is absent later in the summer.

The Roses clash ended as a draw, with Handscomb, Leaning and Chanderpaul trading hundreds. Jack Brooks was a more unlikely centurion, doubling his previous best score, but he took only one wicket. Jimmy Anderson’s injury scare not only blunted Lancashire’s attack but also could weaken England’s cause in the forthcoming Test series.

The other local derby, Surrey’s trip across the Thames to Middlesex, was also inconclusive. The home team’s James Franklin was in cracking all-round form, but Kumar Sangakkara produced centuries in each innings, taking his first-class career tally to sixty. It seems a shame that the Sri Lankan legend has since announced his retirement from the red-ball game when he is stroking the leather around as fluently as ever.

Marcus Trescothick is two years older, but he signalled his determination to serve the Somerset four-day cause for a bit longer by scoring his sixtieth hundred for his county, taking him past Harold Gimblett’s long-standing record. Earlier in the week, he also passed the 25,000-run landmark in all first-class cricket, an achievement which I am sure will become extremely rare in the future. He was unable to help Somerset beat Warwickshire, though. Another ex-England star with a mental illness, Jonathan Trott, trumped him with a first-innings 175, and the Midlanders may well have taken the sixteen points for victory had the first two days at Taunton seen more play.

This weekend, eyes will focus on the clash between first and second, as Essex host Surrey at Chelmsford, which should be a cracker if the weather doesn’t break on Sunday.

Worcestershire made it three wins out of three in Division Two, giving Derbyshire a real hiding on their home turf. Daryl Mitchell and Brett D’Oliveira shared an opening stand of 243, but it was Joe Leach’s second-innings 5-32 which proved most decisive.

Nottinghamshire remain top of the table and could have opened up a significant lead had Glamorgan’s Colin Ingram and Chris Cooke not combined to thwart Broad, Patel et al throughout the entire final day. Indeed, the Cardiff outfit looked doomed when forced to follow on, but the in-form Ingram rose to the occasion yet again.

Another man who constantly delivers the goods for his county is Darren Stevens. After rain messed up days one and two, and Leicestershire racked up 420 all out, he thrashed a rapid 100 for Kent but there was insufficient time to find a way of generating a positive result, leaving Kent in second spot.

The highest scores of the week, both team and individual, were seen at Hove. Durham scrambled their way to 287 then on Saturday, Luke Wells and Stiaan van Zyl put on a whopping 376 for the third wicket. Wells alone scored a career-best 258, the highest score of the season to date, including 34 fours and seven sixes. Jofra Archer and Vernon Philander also enjoyed a powerful partnership, taking fourteen wickets between them, and Durham couldn’t quite bat out the final day.

All ten counties in Division Two are in action on Bank Holiday weekend. The most interesting may well be the traditional Tunbridge Wells encounter between Kent and Sussex, and Nottinghamshire versus Gloucestershire.

Team of the Week: Trescothick (Som), Mitchell (Wor), L Wells (Sus), Sangakkara (Sur), Ingram (Gla), Wessels (Not +), Franklin (Mid), Leach (Wor), Abbott (Ham), Archer (Sus), Porter (Ess)

Durham back in the Hunt, and Trescothick back in Form

Most of Division One’s nine counties have been in the frame for the Championship pennant this summer, and now it’s Durham’s turn to post a genuine challenge. They enjoyed a brief burst of hot sunshine by sneaking a two-wicket win over former leaders Lancashire at Southport. Adam Hickey and Chris Rushworth saw them to the finish line despite a five-wicket haul from Tom Smith. Ben Stokes and Jimmy Anderson each bowled tidily in opposition to each other, although the latter was excused duties on the last two days.

Lancashire now sit in fourth, only a few points ahead of Somerset who enjoyed a ten-wicket trouncing of Nottinghamshire, many people’s tip for the title. The Cidermen’s tail is longer than a gibbon’s these days but it didn’t matter when Marcus Trescothick is in this form. Now 40 and sporting spectacles, the opener struck a splendid 218 in the first innings and helped Johann Myburgh knock off the hundred-odd runs on the final afternoon when the weather was on the verge of breaking.

Accompanying that Somerset performance, Surrey dumped Notts into the bottom two and made Hampshire’s task of avoiding the drop even tougher, beating the latter by an innings. No fewer than three men made three figures, including skipper Gareth Batty, whose maiden hundred formed half of a record-breaking double-century eighth wicket stand with Ben Foakes. Batty then took 6-51 to round things off nicely.

It’s getting even closer in Division Two. Leicestershire prevented Gloucestershire going top by winning at Cheltenham and did their promotion chances no end of good, too. Just eleven points separate the top four. Ben Raine enjoyed a good all-round game although Paul Horton’s final day 73 proved to be the highest individual score.

At the other end of the table, Glamorgan finally secured a victory in an exciting encounter at Colwyn Bay. Teenager Aneurin Donald not only achieved his maiden hundred but also converted it into the joint fastest ‘double’ in first-class cricket history! No matter that he went for a duck second time around. His 234 included fifteen sixes! 341 adrift, Derbyshire did make a game of it in the second innings, as Chesney Hughes and Billy Godleman also made tons, but Rudolph and Meschede steadied a rocky ship to claim a four-wicket victory.

In the Tunbridge Wells derby, Kent’s Sam Northeast’s 190 bested Ross Taylor’s 142 not out in a drawn encounter. Sussex were made to follow on but they comfortably avoided defeat on the final day.

After the week’s Twenty20 fixtures, Nottinghamshire and Gloucestershire sit atop their respective leagues, while Glamorgan’s easy win over struggling Somerset ensured a quarter-final place. Middlesex won London bragging rights after edging Surrey in front of a record English county T20 attendance at Lord’s. Elsewhere, Ian Bell biffed fifties in each of Warwickshire’s three matches, although they won only two of them.

The knockout qualifiers will be decided next Friday evening while the Championship takes a fortnight’s break.

Team of the Week: Trescothick (Som), Bell (War), Hughes (Der), Northeast (Ken), Taylor (Sus), Donald (Gla), Foakes (Sur +), Raine (Lei), Batty (Sur), Higgins (Mid), Payne (Glo)

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)

Essex Spring Clean Up in the Championship

Pity the poor county cricketers. While the IPL sloggers sweltered in India, it was a week for multiple sweaters, pocket hand-warmers and woolly hats around the English grounds.

Play was briefly stopped by snow even at The Oval, where 40 year-old Marcus Trescothick’s bones defied the low temperatures to create a fine century for Somerset. Another veteran batsman, Kumar Sangakkara was even better for Surrey, aggregating 244 runs, more than anyone else this week. It ended as a draw but at least they started four innings, which few matches could boast.

Warwickshire have looked good all month but have yet to secure a single victory. They top the table after marginally shading proceedings against Yorkshire. There were several fifties but only Chopra reached three figures. It was a similar story at Chester-le-Street where Mark Stoneman’s unbeaten 141 was the stand-out individual performance.

In Division Two, Essex stole a march on the rest by grabbing a second success of the season, to head the table by 21 points already. They thrashed a miserable-looking Northamptonshire by an innings. Ravi Bopara top-scored but it was the bowlers Jamie Porter, David Masters and Ryan Ten Doeschate who dominated.

Weather and the batsmen were on top in the remaining three fixtures. Chris Dent maintained his early-season form for Gloucestershire, for whom Hamish Marshall also contributed more than 150 runs. However, young Joe Clarke, then Moeen Ali enjoyed hundreds for Worcestershire.

Leicestershire look a more useful unit in 2016. Clint McKay added a further five wickets, and skipper Mark Cosgrove shared a big stand with new recruit Neil Dexter against Kent. Glamorgan showed some more fight this week, but Derbyshire were their equals. Will Bragg struck a rare century but Palladino achieved a five-for in the drawn match.

Next week, Warwickshire rest, but unbeaten Lancashire must fancy their chances of beating notorious poor starters Somerset at Taunton. Surrey against Durham could be an interesting one while Essex could make it three out of four at Worcester. Let’s hope they won’t be playing snowballs instead of cricket!

Team of the Week:
Trescothick (Som), Dent (Glo), Sangakkara (Sur), Moeen Ali (Wor), Marshall (Glo), Ambrose (War +), Rashid (Yor), Rampaul (Sur), McKay (Lei), Palladino (Der), Porter (Ess)

Worcestershire Down, Hampshire Cling On

With the title already in Yorkshire’s hands, the main focus this week was on the relegation battle. For Worcestershire, it was simple: beat Durham to survive.

They also needed to beat the weather, which was wreaking havoc across England. Indeed, Worcester’s first innings spanned the first three days, then the scoring rates picked up as the away side tried to set a challenging target for Durham on the final day. Unfortunately for them, Dave Richardson (65 not out) and the reliable Steve Borthwick (99) were too good for the Worcester attack and duly clinched victory in their last match of the season.

At the Ageas Bowl, Hampshire also enjoyed a good start, Liam Dawson’s 140 contributing to a 400 score. A weakened Yorkshire struggled in response but more rain meant Hampshire needed an early declaration and a forfeited second innings to contrive a result. At 37-3, the home team looked like taking a giant stride towards safety. However, Andrew Gale and Jack Leaning put on 190 for the fourth wicket, not only denying Hampshire victory but also five valuable points for a draw.

Just along the South Coast, Sussex were hosting Somerset, starting on an equal footing. Ed Joyce chose to bat and both sides could be satisfied with h situation at lunch on day 2. Mike Yardy scored a century on his final appearance at Hove, but Somerset bowled them out. With rain wiping out day three and no risky declarations on the agenda, it was all about bonus points. A flawless double-hundred from Marcus Trescothick took them past 400 then, once Peter Trego also reached three figures, a declaration was offered by Tres. Although Sussex had claimed only one bowling point, the captains shook hands and Somerset finished two points ahead.

There was even less play at Edgbaston, where James Taylor’s 164 was the highlight of Nottinghamshire’s draw with Warwickshire.

In next week’s final round of fixtures, Hampshire must beat Notts at Trent Bridge and hope neither Sussex nor Somerset also win their games versus Yorkshire and Warwickshire, respectively. They will also be praying for washouts at Headingley and Taunton to keep the bonus points down!

In Division Two, the promoted pair of Surrey and Lancashire met at Old Trafford, and it was the former who had the better of the drawn encounter. They declined to enforce the follow-on, allowing Kumar Sangakkara to score his 54th first-class hundred and set the home county 492 to win. The match ended with the score at 195-7, Hameed having produced a valuable 91. Having been called up by England, Surrey’s Zafar Ansari scored 99 but a dislocated finger prevented him from bowling. Meanwhile, James Anderson made his first county championship appearance of the year and took the three wickets needed to reach 700 in his first-class career.

The only match to produce a positive result was at Leicester. Despite losing the first two days to rain, both sides negotiated a target of 307 for Essex in the final two sessions. This they managed, largely thanks to Nick Browne. The opener struck his fifth century of the season to take his side up to third in the table. They’ve done particularly well since coach Paul Grayson resigned!

There wasn’t much to shout about at Northampton, especially for Glamorgan. Wicketkeeper, captain and stand-in opener Mark Wallace retired hurt early on and this could end his amazing run of 230 consecutive Championship matches dating back to 2001. Young Welsh batsman David Lloyd enjoyed a career-best 92. Only fifteen overs were possible in the Kent v Gloucestershire contest. Kent must be relieved the 2015 season has finished. They did at least avoid the wooden spoon with a few recent victories.

Team of the Week: Trescothick (Som), Browne (Ess), Borthwick (Dur), J Taylor (Not), Dawson (Ham), Yardy (Sus), Trego (Som), Foster (Ess +), Kleinveldt (Nor), T Curran (Sur), Barker (War)

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 ending 26th May 2014

It's weird how things change from week to week. Sometimes you can't find a single opening batsman performance worth considering, while this week there were three consistent run-makers in the IPL alone. David Warner blitzed a 45-ball 90 and a rapid 59 for Hyderabad, Robin Uthappa maintained his incredible run of 40+ scores for KKR and Lendl Simmons just reached three figures for Mumbai. In England, Chris Rogers compiled another hundred but Marcus Trescothick's brilliant match-winning 133 for Somerset against Durham earns him one of my opener slots. Simmons narrowly pips his fellow T20 blasters to the other position.

James Vince failed to reach 100 but three more half-centuries for Hampshire across both domestic formats makes him my number three. Last time, Neil Dexter produced a six-for for Middlesex but last week his unbeaten 163 against Northamptonshire was the highest score in the Championship. Hamish Marshall aggregated almost 200 runs for the seven days, including a 118 in Gloucestershire's second innings which ensured a rare first-class win against Kent.

Super-fast 50s in the IPL are part and parcel of the tournament but when Yusuf Pathan thumps five fours and seven sixes in a mere 22 balls, even my antenna twitches. His record-breaking 72 catapulted the KKR man into my team of the week ahead of other serious contenders like Shakib and Hampshire's Matt Coles. MS Dhoni delivered two more finishing flourishes but my 'keeper of the week is Durban-born Gareth Roderick, whose contribution to Gloucester's triumph included 59, 85 and five catches before he had to hand the gloves to teenage sub Cameron Herring.

All-rounder of the week is Toby Roland-Jones. The Middlesex seamer followed an impressive 6-55 with an even better 6-50 to finish off Northants. Not only that but he contributed a career-best 60 in just 30 balls to set up the declaration which led to that result. He has burst from the shadow of Finn, Murtagh and Harris to become a really useful four-day bowler. If only he was born in South Africa or Barbados, he'd have more chance of breaking into the England squad!

Chris Jordan has already done that and he repaid the selectors by turning in a superb 13-ball 38 and 3-25 to clinch a ODI success against Sri Lanka. He is well behind TRJ in first-class stats but is the real thing in one-dayers. My last two bowlers pick themselves. Playing against each other at Chelmsford, Monty Panesar took 2-57 and 5-23 for Essex but his Pakistani opponent Saeed Ajmal was even more unplayable. The off-spinner's 6-75 and career-best 7-19 ensured Worcestershire remain favourites to return to Division One next season.

In summary:- Trescothick (Som *), Simmons (Mum), Vince (Hants), Dexter (Mid), Marshall (Glouc), Yusuf Pathan (KKR), Roderick (Glouc +), Roland-Jones (Mid), Jordan (Eng), Saeed Ajmal (Worc), Panesar (Ess)

Roland-Jones on a Roll for Middlesex

There were only two Division One fixtures this week, but Middlesex and Somerset took their opportunities to leapfrog the leaders. At Northampton, the former made short work of the struggling home side to open up a 19-point lead at the top, although they have played one more game than all the others. Captain Chris Rogers and Neil Dexter each reached three figures but Toby Roland-Jones produced a genuine match-winning all-round performance. He struck a personal best 60 in only 30 balls to hasten the Middlesex declaration and captured six wickets in each innings with his brisk medium-pacers. Extraordinarily his first-class career stats include 175 wickets at under 22 apiece, yet how often is that name mentioned in terms of England selection?

At Taunton, Somerset not only maintained their unbeaten record but held their nerve amongst the Thursday showers to beat Durham by seven wickets. Both Overton twins were bowling but Alfonso Thomas took 5-41 on the first day, only for Mark Wood to keep the visitors' lead down to double figures. At 180-1, Durham seemed to be on top on the third day but Craig Overton reeled them in leaving Somerset a target of 248. Having gone for a golden duck first time out, Marcus Trescothick rediscovered his mojo to crack 133 at more than a run a ball. With neither Onions nor Stokes, Durham's seam attack looked fairly innocuous and they remain winless in the Championship.

That's a situation which may not change after their next game at Trent Bridge. Somerset will do well to snatch a result at Edgbaston while Yorkshire look favourites in the Roses contest. Finally, Middlesex switch to Northwood for their home tie against Sussex and should avoid defeat with batsmen and bowlers taking turns to strike form.

In the second flight, it was a great week for Hampshire and Worcestershire. Already they are threatening to run away with the division. At Grace Road, Leicestershire matched Hampshire for three days before capitulating to Matt Coles' seam and Danny Briggs' spin and slumping to a 278-run defeat. Worcestershire are handily placed behind the South Coast side with a game in hand after Saaed Ajmal almost single-handedly beat Essex. The floodwaters may have long since receded at New Road but on a spin-friendly surface it was a battle of the slowies: Monty Panesar versus Ajmal. Monty took 7-80 in the match but the wily Pakistani trumped that, following 6-75 with a brilliant 7-19. In a fine career, that is his best return in a single innings, and took him to 500 first-class wickets. Meanwhile Daryl Mitchell again top scored for Worcestershire twice, showing that you can score runs at the County Ground after all.

Further down the Severn, Gloucestershire leapt to sixth by trouncing Kent by 290 runs. James Fuller and Will Gidman dominated Key, Nash et al before Hamish Marshall's 118 and 85 apiece from Alex Gidman and Gareth Roderick set up an unlikely target of 582. At least Ben Harmison showed some fight with a career-best 125 but it merely delayed the inevitable. Kent will probably lose again next week at the hands of Worcestershire while Surrey travel to Essex without their skipper Graeme Smith. His recent injury woes now extend to a broken knee but at least there is some compensation for the Oval faithful in the guise of Hashim Amla who will play during June. Based on previous Championship performances, Amla will probably turn out to be a veritable run machine and haul Surrey out of the mire. What happens next is another matter.

Team of the Week 2nd May 2014: Rogers and Anderson in the swing

Last week it was all about the openers but this time there were only really two candidates for those places in my team of the week. Chris Rogers belied his 'Steady Eddie' reputation by plundering an unbeaten 241 in 290 balls to ensure Middlesex achieved a Lord's record fourth innings target against Yorkshire. The Aussie has been a man in form over the past twelve months, something which can't be said of Somerset skipper Marcus Trescothick. However, Tres struck his first hundred since September 2012 on a tricky wicket against a Sussex attack that only last summer wiped him out for a 'pair'! Buoyed by this, his side pulled together and delivered an innings defeat of Ed Joyce's team.

Unike the previous seven days, the County Championship saw a number of centuries. Ian Bell's excellent 122, Alexei Kervezee's 110 and Ben Foakes's 132 not out all came close, but I could not ignore the following performances. Hampshire's rain-hit draw against Surrey was memorable only for James Vince's splendid 156, while another early season star, Gary Ballance, earns his place for a second week in succession thanks to his 130 in 143 balls in what turned out to be a losing cause for Yorkshire. Wayne Madsen was one of Division Two's top run-scorers in 2013 and this week he top-scored in both Derbyshire's innings, aggregating 167 runs. Worcestershire still beat them with ease.

Leicestershire's Irish wicketkeeper Niall O'Brien thumped a belligerent 133 against Glamorgan, although he claimed only two victims behind the stumps, eclipsing Essex 'keeper James Foster who shared a double-century stand with the aforementioned Foakes.

Lewis Gregory took his season's wicket tally to 20 as he helped Somerset to that excellent triumph at Hove. He followed a 5-49 with a telling 4-48, including the scalp of Ed Joyce, inducing a play-on when the rival captain was going strong on 93. The 21 year-old Devonian has compensated for the loss through injury of Craig Overton and Steve Kirby and let's hope his form continues on the bat-friendly Taunton strip!

Steve Finn staked another claim for an England recall with eight wickets for Middlesex but an incumbent, James Anderson brought success for Lancashire by snaffling two five-fors in the win over Northamptonshire. His former county coach Peter Moores will expect more of the same when Jimmy joins the England squad shortly. The Chelmsford faithful were treated to another David 'Masters-class' as the 36 year-old took 6-48 for Essex against Glamorgan.

For the last two, I have dipped my toe in the wild waters of the IPL. One man is 20, the other is more than twice his age! Sandeep Sharma's medium pacers brought figures of 3-21 and 3-15 for Kings XI Punjab; his wickets against Bangalore included those of Gayle and Kohli. Finally I have picked ahead of Worcestershire spin debutant Saeed Ajmal the veteran leg-spinner Pravin Tambe. Well into his 43rd year, the man from Mumbai was only promoted from club cricket last May, yet this week he picked up four cheap Bangalore wickets (including Kohli again) and 2-31 versus Kolkata in the premier T20 competition. His is an amazing story!

Chris Rogers prompts a Middlesex great escape

When Ryan Sidebottom and co dismissed Middlesex for just 123 in the first innings, it looked as if Yorkshire were heading for top spot in the County Championship. However, a superb double-century from Chris Rogers, ably assisted by Robson and Dexter, ensured the home side reached their immense target of 472 for the loss of only three wickets, one of the highest fourth innings winning scores in Championship history. Earlier Gary Ballance had struck another hundred for the White Roses but Rogers' chanceless 241 made it 1-0 to the Aussies!

Of course, this run chase was nowhere near as incredible as the 479 made against Yorkshire by Somerset five seasons ago. What made that one so special was that it was achieved inside a day! Somerset were again in winning form today, beating Sussex by an innings at Hove. Players and fans were delighted at Marcus Trescothick's first century for yonks but every bit as encouraging was Luke Gregory's second excellent performance in successive matches. Match figures of 9-97 and a brisk 47 with the bat confirmed the Devonian seamer is back after anm injury-racked 2013. Sussex remain top of the table, but by only three points from Middlesex.

Northants lost their third game on the trot. In a low-scoring contest, 240 wasn't an impossible target for Lancashire, and while James Middlebrook was at the crease, there was a chance. However, James Anderson recorded his second five-for, Kabir Ali chipped in with 3-17 and the rest of the Northampton batsmen capitulated leaving them 70 runs short. Coach, captain and number two fast bowler Glen Chapple will be happy with this result, although his side will face stiffer competition than this, and without Anderson too when England resume action next month.

Warwickshire's victory over Nottinghamshire lasted barely two days, prompting a special inspection of the Trent Bridge pitch. No penalty was issued but if the home groundstaff had been instructed to help Siddle, Fletcher et al it backfired. The returning Chris Wright and in-form Chris Woakes were the pick of the bowlers, and only Ian Bell showed how batting should be done, producing twenty boundaries in his 122 out of 263 on the way to Warwicks' 98-run success.

In Division Two, Worcestershire went top, their innings defeat of Derbyshire giving them a second triumph of the season so far. As last year, skipper Wayne Madsen held the visitors' batting together, top-scoring in both innings. However, Worcester's 432-9 declared was simply too much. Moeen Ali was unfortunate to be caught on 99 but Alexei Kervezee struck a rare hundred, although perhaps the major difference between the two sides was Saeed Ajmal. Returning to New Road, the Pakistan superstar made a mockery of the seam-friendly conditions to capture eight wickets in all.

Southampton fared badly with the weather, and so Hampshire experienced another draw, this time against Surrey. James Vince's 159 did at least offer something to relish for the hardy souls who popped along to the Rose Bowl. The showers were also prevalent at Bristol where Essex dominated the early stages against Gloucestershire but missed the chance to go second. Ben Foakes struck an excellent 132 and David Masters took 6-48 but an unbeaten double-century partnership from Will Tavare and Alex Gidman staved off defeat on the last day.

There was far more cricket played at Leicester. Niall O'Brien's rapid 133 led the way for the home team in the first innings but Glamorgan managed to pass 350 in reply. Greg Smith was run out for 97 on the last morning and Leicester scraped enough runs to make a fairly safe declaration on 179-8. Needing 320 in around 70 overs, the departures of Rudolph and Goodwin prompted the Welsh to shut up shop and play for a draw.

Pick of the fixtures next week in Division Two is probably Worcestershire's visit to Cardiff while the close state of the top tier makes all the games potentially interesting. Leaders Sussex travel north to Lancashire while Middlesex travel to Warwickshire. Durham could be back in the mix if they overcome Yorkshire, and Somerset return to their Taunton home to host Notts.

Trott's absence leaves a gaping hole

Was I alone in complete ignorance of Jonathan Trott's illness? It was certainly a shock to read that he had returned home following the Brisbane debacle, a game in which he had copped the worst of the sledging and indeed criticism by the more discerning journalists.

That the news of Trott's longstanding battle with his own demons as well as the world's best bowlers proved so surprising is a credit to the ECB and the player's friends, family and team-mates. In some ways it's a shame that such an illness has to be kept secret. Should depression really be treated as a 'weakness', there to be exploited by the opposition, bloggers and tabloid 'papers? If it had been, say, diabetes or cancer, I'm willing to bet he would have been lauded to the skies, labelled a hero and a symbol of sporting courage above any sessions facing 90mph bouncers from Mitchell Johnson.

An illness is an illness. Mike Yardy and Marcus Trescothick have suffered similar meltdowns in recent years, although everyone is different, affected in a variety of ways. Should anyone be in any doubt that 'stress-related illness' is an affliction of the weak-willed, a sign of losing your bottle, all in the mind, just read Trescothick's excellent autobiography Coming Back to Me. The Somerset and former England opener fought and fought against it and ended up in pieces and floods of tears. Had the likes of Hussain, Vaughan and Duncan Fletcher not fallen into the trap of believing depression to run counter to the masculine world of professional cricket, maybe Tres's international career may have been extended.

Fortunately, he could continue to develop his legendary status at Somerset without the need to take his kit bag to an airport and board a plane. The current England administration seems more enlightened and have allowed Trott to have the recuperation his illness requires. Possibly the epitome of calmness, even temperament at the crease, Jonathan Trott has never been my favourite player. However, in the four years since he made his late debut for his adopted country he has taken the rankings by storm and made the number three position his own in Tests and ODIs. In the latter his average is more than 50, a rarity even in these days of batting-friendly rules and conditions.

So what can England do in his absence for the rest of this tour? If KP refuses to step up and Alastair Cook can't vacate his opener spot, then the number three position surely rests with Ian Bell, Joe Root or even Gary Ballance. Bell is England's best batsman, a more assured performer after last summer's successes. However, does that mean he should expose himself earlier to a swinging, bouncing new ball and deprive the side of his skill and strokeplay further down the order?

Root was drafted into the Test XI on the basis of his runs as a county opener, as was Michael Carberry. For the sake of balance I'd prefer to see Carberry complementing Cook at the top, with Root returning to three. There's no Nick Compton, James Taylor or Moeen Ali in the current squad so I reckon there could be a place for Ben Stokes to come into the reckoning at number six as all-rounder. If Matt Prior fails again, then Jonny Bairstow would have the opportunity to don the gloves and add strength to the middle order. Why not? If players are picked for the tour they ought to be good enough for Test cricket.

Yes, it would be better to experiment when one up in the series instead of trailing but Jonathan Trott's absence leaves the selectors with no choice. After all the speculation about Cook's poor form, Carberry's suitability, KP's injury, Bell's technique and Prior's form, it's ironic that it's Trott who is out of the side. Whatever happens in the Ashes, I hope he is allowed time to relax and not think too much about his cricket. Warwickshire would be delighted to see him back at Edgbaston next summer but I'm not sure if the man himself would see himself back in regular county cricket so soon. I reckon he'll be back at some point but not until after a well-deserved winter break.

Twenty20 Cup Team of the Decade

Forget the IPL, the English Twenty20 Cup is the groundbreaking tournament which spawned the devil just ten years ago. Adam Hollioake's Surrey were the original masters of the format but since then there have been numerous excellent outfits. Sussex and Warwickshire have often looked good. Some have perhaps punched above their weight (Leicestershire, Hampshire?) while poor Somerset are Finals Day regulars but with just the single success to their name. But what about the individuals who have illuminated the tournament over the past decade?

Luke Wright, Graham Napier and Darren Maddy made their careers out of their all-round performances, and destructive batting in particular. However, none make my all-time XI. Adam Hollioake was certainly an innovative captain in the first few years but wasn't an enduring figure in the English game. Andrew Symonds' monster strike rate of 180 for three different counties and Mushtaq Ahmed's miserly economy rate of 5.88 also fail to make it because they played under thirty games apiece. Brilliant flares but burned out relatively quickly.

A number of my team have opened the innings, some as pinch-hitters. However I shall go for the mighty Marcus Trescothick and Jonathan Trott. Marcus has almost 2000 T20 Cup runs to his name for Somerset and, at 37 years old, hopefully he has a few more up his sleeve. His strike rate of 161 is one of the best of any player still going. Before England came beckoning with a central contract, Trott was a highly effective anchor for Warwickshire, averaging more than 40 with the bat. In 2009, he aggregated 525 runs.

To be honest, any of my Eleven could bat anywhere in this line-up. I'd have Matt Prior next. He has scored 1572 runs in the competition, with a strike rate of more than 150. He didn't always keep wicket in T20 and Essex's James Foster has three times his number of catches, but the England Test star just shades it in my view, and also wears the gloves. Azhar Mahmood has been a vteran for a long time now, be it in England, the IPL or anywhere else. As a clever all-rounder, he has few peers, especially in the 2000s, and was an integral part of Surrey's early successes. His tally of 104 wickets is unsurpassed, and taken alongside 1795 runs at a strike rate of 142, he is probably the most effective all-rounder of them all. Right behind him is Leicestershire and Kent's Darren Stevens. Even approaching 40, he remains a superb cricketer in all forms of the game without ever making the England team. He has the highest runs aggregate (2209) and has played more matches than anyone else in the domestic game (103). 46 wickets at under seven an over illustrate his worth as a medium-pace bowler, too.

Aussie Ian Harvey trotted around the globe and the English counties but in T20 he was a great finisher and scored three hundreds, more than anyone else. Like Stevens, his seam and swing often brought him wickets, too. Next up is Mike Yardy. ALthough a fine batsman in his own right, it is as a miserly spin bowler and canny captain that he earns his place in my T20 Cup team of the decade. In his spell as skipper, Sussex won more than 70% of their fixtures, which is quite an achievement!

Alfonso Thomas and Dmitri Mascarenhas are another two men who have sought the T20 dollar around the world, but some of their best performances have come in the English game. Primarily bowlers, they have 157 wickets between them and while the 'Fons' is famous for his superb 'death' bowling', the Hampshire all-rounder has been an excellent one for strangling batsmen in mid-innings. He was instrumental in his county's triumph last season. The Somerset evergreen's 33 wickets in 2010 remains a competition record. My final two are Warwickshire's Neil Carter and Glamorgan's spin wizard Robert Croft. Both played as pinch-hitters in their latter days and Carter in particular averaged a strike rate of 139 over a period of 91 matches. Before departing in 2012, each snared more than 80 T20 Cup victims, too.

Others who came close to selection include Ali Brown, David Hussey, Brad Hodge, Jimmy Adams, Yasir Arafat and Samit Patel but I reckon the above eleven have contributed more than most during the period of the Twenty20 Cup in all of its sponsored guises. If one gets slogged, bring on another. Six wickets down after ten overs, or fifty ruins to get in the last three? Never fear, this lot bat all the way down to eleven. Even if Murali, Kohli, Gayle and co had seen more or indeed any action in this tournament, they may have struggled to displace the likes of Crofty, Stevens or Tres.

Tre-mendous Somerset!

Forgive the post title but with Marcus TREscothick and Peter TREgo sharing a 159-run stand in 81 balls for Somerset in the YB40 competition, the headline kind of wrote itself! I know it was against the Unicorns but it was great to see Somerset find the winning touch for the first time last weekend. Worcestershire also broke the season's duck, thumping Sussex thanks to Daryl Mitchell's run-a-ball century. Also in Group A, James Taylor warmed up nicely for the Lions game against New Zealand alongside Samit Patel, as they combined to defeat Northants comfortably. Another Patel - Jeetan - struck his first List A 50 for Warwickshire but he was run out bidding to snatch a tie against Kent in a dramatic finish at Edgbaston.

Hampshire have had a busy few days starting the defence of their title. After a James Vince century saw off Essex and Scotland were summarily dispatched, they came a cropper against Surrey, for whom Steven Davies plundered 127 not out in 104 balls. Ex-England one-day internationals Phil Mustard and Paul Collingwood were amongst the runs as Durham defeated Lancashire by five wickets to make amends for losing to Essex the day before.

In Group C, Glamorgan won twice in consecutive days, with skipper Marcus North aggregating more than 200 runs against Yorkshire and Middlesex. They stand above Somerset in the table, who lead Leicestershire on run rate despite the latter thrashing Gloucestershire by 115 runs. Josh Cobb starred with 107 and 3-34, while fellow opener Niall O'Brien also reached three figures. At Wormsley, Gloucester recovered to complete a nine-wicket trouncing of the hapless Unicorns. Chris Dent polished things off with an 11-ball 29 not out.

This week, the Dutch enter the fray at home to Kent but potential matches to watch will be Surrey vs Durham on Thursday and Yorkshire against Somerset on Saturday following their Championship clash. No Bairstow or Root, but Adil Rashid looks back to his old form for the Tykes, so the Tre-mendous duo need to assert themselves once more to start a successful sequence.

England win an ODI in India at last!

England and India have had a real rollercoaster ride in the past few years, veering from one extreme to the other in the different formats. However, it has been almost one-way traffic in ODIs played in India since 2002. Sixteen defeats, a tie and a solitary win preceded today's match in Rajkot. However, everything seems to be going the way of Alastair Cook these days so it shouldn't really have been a surprise when England racked up 325 and were able to defend it - just!

Joe Root may not have batted on his debut, but the top six all made runs. Ian Bell looked particularly strong, outscoring his captain in an opening partnership of 158. Pietersen, Morgan and Patel also passed 40 as Ishant Sharma took a real pasting during his final stint. India also got off to a good start thanks to Gambhir and Rahane, that supreme first-class cricketer who gets picked only for one-dayers! Yuvraj Singh and Raina each made brisk half-centuries but failed to score quick enough. When they departed there was too much for Dhoni and the tail to do at the death, and they fell nine runs short. Not a huge margin in such a high-scoring match but, needing ninety-odd in the last nine overs, it was a case of too little, too late.

At the end of 2011, India smashed England just as convincingly as they had lost the Test series so dismally on foreign soil. Margins such as 126 runs, 95 runs and eight wickets had made Cook's team look like amateurs. In particular, the visiting batsmen were hopelessly inconsistent and unable to put more than an occasional half-century together. Much of that side remains, with the key exceptions of Trott, Swann, Bopara and Bairstow. Borthwick and Meaker have been replaced by Tredwell and Dernbach and it was the former, the second oldest man in the XI, who won the Man of the Match award with his 4-44.

The only other win in that dreary decade of ODI disasters came on 12th April 2006 at Jamshedpur. Only KP, Bell, MSD, Yuvi and Raina have survived that seven-year gap, but on that occasion, it was Jimmy Anderson and the much-maligned Saj Mahmood who were instrumental in restricting Sehwag's side to a mere 223. Only Dhoni and Ramesh Powar scored more than 15! India's attack featured three Singhs - RP, Munaf and Harbhajan - and only the latter had any real success. Nevertheless, a century opening partnership at more than five an over ensured that the rest need only keep things ticking over without crazy shot selection. This they managed with more than seven overs to spare, Ian Blackwell ending proceedings with a mighty six over long on.

Going back further through the archives, it hasn't always been a home-side success story. When the first ODI in India between the sides took place in Ahmedebad in November 1981, one-day tactics were very different. More like pick your Test team, anchor the innings for forty overs then try and pick it up near the end! India managed barely three an over in their 46 overs, and Willis, Botham and Underwood conceded two an over or fewer. Even with a batting line-up featuring Geoffs Boycott and Cook and Keith Fletcher, England knocked off the 157 quite easily, as Botham showed that it really is not too vulgar to hit sixes in such fixtures.

England won six of their first nine ODIs in India through the 1980s then drew the six-game series in 1993. In 2002, Nasser Hussain's men slumped to 1-3 with two games remaining. At Delhi, Nick Knight's 105 helped England to a useful 271-5. In reply, Sehwag, Tendulkar and Ganguly made a good start but Mongia, Kaif and Badani failed to maintain the early strike rate. Despite some late hitting by Agarkar, Ashley Giles took five wickets and India lost by just two runs.

At Mumbai, it was the same story. Instead of Knight (who was dismissed for a duck), it was Marcus Trescothick who laid the foundation for a 255 total. Sehwag was out too early then, while Ganguly performed admirably for 80, the duo of Mongia and Kaif were again suffocated. Flintoff, Giles and even Michael Vaughan kept the scoring rate down. Needing six from the last three balls, wih two wickets left, any of three results looked possible. However, Flintoff ran out Kumble then bowled Srinath first ball to secure a five-run victory. Two desperately close finishes but England have saved the series.

Eleven years on, can England build on their early success? The Test series triumph has surely consigned historical hoodoos to the dustbin so now it's up to India to turn things around. Coming from behind is not their strength and I wouldn't bet against a 5-0 whitewash!

Christmas Cricketers

December 25th. It’s the Big Birthday, right? Curiously it’s also the birthday of three of England’s finest cricketers from the past decade. I’d say the Three Wise Men only they didn’t turn up for another twelve days. Alastair Cook, Marcus Trescothick and Simon Jones may not bring gold, frankincense and myrrh but in recent years have served up a large helping of grit, sparkle and pace.

Cook, of course, is very much the man of the moment. Leading England from the front to a memorable Test series victory in India is about as good as it gets. Ah, but you have to win the Ashes in Australia to be recognised as a true modern great. Tick! 766 runs at an average of 128 two winters ago says yes. Hmm, but does he make some really big scores? In evidence I offer the 294 scored against India at Edgbaston last year. Flat track bully? What, with 190 at Eden Gardens, India’s spin fortress, and five of his six highest Test innings have been achieved on tour.

Cook may be associated with Essex but he was born in Gloucester. Nine years earlier, just down the M5 and along the A4, Marcus Trescothick emerged into this world, Another left-hander, he started as a wicketkeeper but quickly concentrated on becoming one of the finest strokeplayers of his generation. A Somerset stalwart of almost twenty seasons, his mental illness may have deprived England of its best opening batsman, but he has continued to grace the county scene, excelling in all forms of cricket. He’s astute and articulate in the commentary box, too, especially when analysing one-day and T20 tactics. I just hope Banger’s serious ankle injury last summer isn’t a sign of failing form. Somerset would surely have secured an elusive title had he been around in the middle of the season.

The other member of the festive trio is Simon Jones. His list of sick notes would take up far more space than Trescothick’s but, approaching his 34th birthday, the man from Morriston near Swansea still harbours hopes of playing first-class cricket with Glamorgan next summer. He proved a revelation in 2004-6, including the 2005 Ashes, but subsequent knee injuries have severely restricted his appearances in any form of the game. A total of only 91 FC fixtures and 88 shorter matches in fifteen years tells the story. The Ashes victory at Trent Bridge proved to be his last in an England cap. Following a decisive first-innings 5-44, Jones broke down after bowling only four overs in the second, and that was that. He looked a shadow of his old sharp self in one-day games last year but he is clinging on to a career I thought had ended several years earlier. Good for him!

Cricket tends not to be played on Christmas Day itself but Cook did make a century three days later in an innings defeat of South Africa in 2009. Marcus Trescothick did the same five years earlier, and Jones took a wicket on the 27th, that of AB de Villiers, in that very same match. This year, I reckon all three have earned their right to putting their feet up at home for Christmas. Please, Marcus, don’t drop any turkeys on that ankle of yours!