In a rain-affected week, there were quite a few games abandoned without a ball being bowled. However, Essex remain star performers in the Royal London One-Day Cup and Worcestershire are the only county with four wins in the T20 Blast.
Adam Lyth scored only his second List A century in Yorkshire’s impressive win over Northamptonshire and, 24 hours later, he went and struck his third! These were no stodgy Boycott-like innings; Lyth managed 15 sixes and was instrumental in reviving the White Roses’ one-day fortunes. Their contest with Lancashire resulted in a crushing 242-run victory, as Martin Guptill’s team-mates collapsed like a pack of cards.
Michael Lumb maintained his impressive run of form, notching another ton, this time against Durham but the highest partnership of the week came courtesy of the Gloucestershire openers Chris Dent (142) and Michael Klinger (166) against Hampshire.
Somerset endured a mixed week of abandonments, a win, defeat and a thrilling tie against Essex. The defeat was pretty conclusive, as Kent’s Joe Denly and Sam Billings thumped centuries before their bowlers finished the job. Ever-reliable colleague Matt Coles also had a very busy week of four matches, including a 52-ball 91 and a total of six wickets.
Sussex pair Chris Jordan and part-timer Tymal Mills showed why England has come a-calling. Jordan’s contribution included a 50-over five-for and half-century, followed by 3-18 against Kent in the Blast. Mills’ 3-15 was the best T20 bowling statistic of the county week.
Coming up, while I am swanning around on the shores of Lake Garda, the counties try their hands at the four-day format once more. The Roses battle at the top of Division One is resumed. Leaders Lancashire host Warwickshire while Yorkshire take the short trip north to Durham. In Division Two, Essex will hope to restore their winning ways at home to Leicestershire, who must be a bit ring-rusty after this week. Annoyingly, the Blast calendar and Sky TV schedule mean that the games are no longer starting simultaneously, but as long as we get some entertaining cricket I’ll let it pass!
Team of the Week: Lyth (Yor), Klinger (Glo), Duckett (Nor), Denly (Ken), Billings (Ken +), Ingram (Gla), Jordan (Sus), Coles (Ken), Gregory (Som), Tredwell (Ken), Gurney (Lan)
Showing posts with label Matt Coles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Matt Coles. Show all posts
Thursday, 16 June 2016
Friday, 10 July 2015
Sidebottom Keeps Yorkshire Top
Last week it was Jonny Bairstow, Tim Bresnan and Jack Brooks. This time, it was largely Ryan Sidebottom who steered Yorkshire closer to a second successive County Championship.
Bairstow did score another excellent century in the win against Warwickshire but it was the 37 year-old left-am seamer who did the most damage, capturing 11 wickets. Even without Root, Balance, Lyth and Adil Rashid on England duty, Yorkshire look already look like champions-elect. Jason Gillespie deserves a knighthood! Warwickshire’s only compensation was the return to first-team duty of young batsman Sam Hain, who marked the occasion with a duck and 106.
Middlesex overtook Durham in second place after their draw with Nottinghamshire. Once Dawid Malan had struck a career-best 182 not out, the weather and Chris Read’s response ruled out any chance of a positive result.
At the other end of the table, it’s not looking promising for Hampshire. They succumbed to relegation rivals Worcestershire by an innings and now stand 26 points adrift with six games to go. Daryl Mitchell carried his bat for 205, beating the entire Hampshire side on his own, as Saeed Ajmal took 5-28. Jack Shantry’s five-for finished things off second time around.
Meanwhile at Taunton, it took two fine innings from Peter Trego to avoid defeat against Sussex. The visiting batsmen have struggled for runs this summer but, after four of them made hundreds last week, it was the turn of Matt Machan (192) and Chris Nash (142 not out) to pile on the misery for Somerset’s bowlers, sharing a 290 partnership. At 84-5 on the final morning, the home side were heading for defeat, but Trego and Luke Gregory saved the day.
Next week, Somerset visit Merchant Taylor’s in a bid to thwart Middlesex’s title ambitions while Durham can regain second place by beating Warwickshire.
In Division Two, leaders Lancashire were thwarted by a combination of Manchester rain (138 overs were lost) and Essex opener Nick Browne, whose 105 and 50 gave solidity to an otherwise brittle batting display. At Chesterfield, Glamorgan lost a day’s worth of play which could have cost them a likely triumph over Derbyshire and the chance to really close the gap on Surrey. They forced the follow-on but a Hamish Rutherford hundred kept Hogan and co at bay.
At the bottom, Gloucestershire achieved a vital victory over Northants at Cheltenham. Liam Norwell (6-41) and 20 year-old Craig Miles (5-28) were the pick of the seam attack, while Jack Taylor thumped an improbable 156 from 125 balls to establish a healthy first innings lead.
Finally, Kent consigned Leicestershire to the foot of the table by winning at Grace Road by eight wickets inside three days. Matt Coles maintained his recent fine form by claiming ten wickets.
Kent now face a tricky trip to Surrey, while Glamorgan travel to Chelmsford. Get Browne out and they should stand a chance! Cheltenham plays hosts to Leicestershire, so Gloucester must fancy their chances of a mid-table position this time next week!
It wasn’t a vintage weekend of T20 action but Warwickshire made amends for the heavy Championship defeat by topping the North group. A certain Brendon McCullum announced his arrival by clumping 158 off 64 balls in the Bears’ success against Derbyshire. They could do with him in the four-day format, too!
Team of the Week: Mitchell (Wor, *), McCullum (War), Machan (Sus), Nash (Sus), Malan (Mid), Bairstow (Yor, +), Trego (Som), Coles (Ken), Norwell (Glo), Sidebottom (Yor), Saeed Ajmal (Wor).
Bairstow did score another excellent century in the win against Warwickshire but it was the 37 year-old left-am seamer who did the most damage, capturing 11 wickets. Even without Root, Balance, Lyth and Adil Rashid on England duty, Yorkshire look already look like champions-elect. Jason Gillespie deserves a knighthood! Warwickshire’s only compensation was the return to first-team duty of young batsman Sam Hain, who marked the occasion with a duck and 106.
Middlesex overtook Durham in second place after their draw with Nottinghamshire. Once Dawid Malan had struck a career-best 182 not out, the weather and Chris Read’s response ruled out any chance of a positive result.
At the other end of the table, it’s not looking promising for Hampshire. They succumbed to relegation rivals Worcestershire by an innings and now stand 26 points adrift with six games to go. Daryl Mitchell carried his bat for 205, beating the entire Hampshire side on his own, as Saeed Ajmal took 5-28. Jack Shantry’s five-for finished things off second time around.
Meanwhile at Taunton, it took two fine innings from Peter Trego to avoid defeat against Sussex. The visiting batsmen have struggled for runs this summer but, after four of them made hundreds last week, it was the turn of Matt Machan (192) and Chris Nash (142 not out) to pile on the misery for Somerset’s bowlers, sharing a 290 partnership. At 84-5 on the final morning, the home side were heading for defeat, but Trego and Luke Gregory saved the day.
Next week, Somerset visit Merchant Taylor’s in a bid to thwart Middlesex’s title ambitions while Durham can regain second place by beating Warwickshire.
In Division Two, leaders Lancashire were thwarted by a combination of Manchester rain (138 overs were lost) and Essex opener Nick Browne, whose 105 and 50 gave solidity to an otherwise brittle batting display. At Chesterfield, Glamorgan lost a day’s worth of play which could have cost them a likely triumph over Derbyshire and the chance to really close the gap on Surrey. They forced the follow-on but a Hamish Rutherford hundred kept Hogan and co at bay.
At the bottom, Gloucestershire achieved a vital victory over Northants at Cheltenham. Liam Norwell (6-41) and 20 year-old Craig Miles (5-28) were the pick of the seam attack, while Jack Taylor thumped an improbable 156 from 125 balls to establish a healthy first innings lead.
Finally, Kent consigned Leicestershire to the foot of the table by winning at Grace Road by eight wickets inside three days. Matt Coles maintained his recent fine form by claiming ten wickets.
Kent now face a tricky trip to Surrey, while Glamorgan travel to Chelmsford. Get Browne out and they should stand a chance! Cheltenham plays hosts to Leicestershire, so Gloucester must fancy their chances of a mid-table position this time next week!
It wasn’t a vintage weekend of T20 action but Warwickshire made amends for the heavy Championship defeat by topping the North group. A certain Brendon McCullum announced his arrival by clumping 158 off 64 balls in the Bears’ success against Derbyshire. They could do with him in the four-day format, too!
Team of the Week: Mitchell (Wor, *), McCullum (War), Machan (Sus), Nash (Sus), Malan (Mid), Bairstow (Yor, +), Trego (Som), Coles (Ken), Norwell (Glo), Sidebottom (Yor), Saeed Ajmal (Wor).
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