Essex, Derbyshire and Eoin Morgan storm into the last eight

The Vitality Blast group stage provided an exciting climax, especially in the South Group where the quarter-finalists weren’t decided ‘til the last evening. Sussex and Gloucestershire had done enough to qualify by the Thursday night. Michael Klinger may be in his 40^th year but the 8^th T20 century of his career, together with Ryan Higgins’ three wickets, ensured a five-run defeat of Kent at Canterbury. The top two met on the final day and a Van Buuren six from the last delivery meant Gloucestershire could book their Bristol home for the knockouts.

Come Friday evening, former leaders Kent were still in the hunt for one of the other places, along with Somerset, Hampshire, Middlesex and Essex. The Eagles looked down and out last week but pulled off a fabulous week which consisted of a tie with Hampshire and two close wins against Surrey and Sussex, before ending Kent’s hopes with a ten-run victory at Chelmsford. Ravi Bopara capped a fine individual week by striking 47 not out and taking 2-27. Mohammad Amir also bowled consistently well, conceding fewer than 30 runs in each of the four fixtures. They’ll need his pace and guile if they are to reach the semis.

At Taunton, it was a winner-takes-all clash between Middlesex and Somerset. Tom Abell’s improvement in white-ball batting looked complete when he reached a maiden T20 century off the last ball to set Middlesex a massive 227. That would prove impossible for most opponents but this side boasted a formidable top-order of Stirling, Malan, Hafeez, De Villiers and Morgan. They raced to 50 inside three overs and never really took the foot of the pedal. Every time I switched channels to watch, AB or Eoin Morgan seemed to be swiping sixes, and it was the England captain’s 29-ball 83 which swept the pink princes to victory with three overs still remaining.

Elsewhere, Hampshire’s chances were extinguished at Cardiff where Glamorgan finally registered a two-point result in fourteen attempts. When the sides met earlier in the month, the Welsh were dismissed for 84. This time they amassed 216-5, including thirteen sixes, which proved beyond even Vince and Northeast. 

In the North group, the top four had already broken away by Friday, and Lancashire held onto the top spot with a five-wicket defeat of Leicestershire. Aided by the return of Alex Hales, Nottinghamshire finished second despite losing to Durham, but it was Derbyshire who finished stronger than anyone in the country. They smashed Northants and Leicestershire each by nine-wicket margins, before overcoming the table-topping Lightning courtesy of Wayne Madsen’s 69 and Ravi Rampaul’s 3-19, propelling them into third.

Moeen Ali’s unintended stint with Worcestershire yielded plenty of runs this week, just about keeping the chasing pack at bay. Yorkshire were just one victory over Notts from stopping them. Their opening pair of Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Adam Lyth did everything you could hope for, not just for their runs but also Lyth’s ten wickets, but the rest of the attack let them down a bit.

And so the quarter-finals beckon later this week. Old Trafford is otherwise engaged with some Test match or other, so Lancashire’s home tie against Essex has been shifted cross-country to Chester-le-Street. I’d rate the ‘home’ side narrow favourites. Nottinghamshire v Middlesex is closer to call. Neither have shone particularly brightly but if AB can turn out for Middlesex, they will have the edge. Sussex’s array of spinners could well stifle Worcestershire at Hove next Friday, while in the concluding match, Derbyshire’s squad look particularly useful in the Blast and may well edge Gloucestershire for a place in Finals Day in three weeks’ time.

Team of the Week: Kohler-Cadmore (Yor), Lyth (Yor), Klinger (Glo), Moeen Ali (Wor), Morgan (Mid), Bopara (Ess), Carey (Sus +), Abbott (Ham), Shutt (Yor), Batty (Sur), Mohammad Amir (Ess)

Derbyshire and Glamorgan Hold Firm

Championship strugglers Derbyshire and Warwickshire continued to rule the roost in the T20 North division, each recording their fifth victories of the season. Luis Reece’s best T20 score of his short career, 97 not out against Lancashire, was instrumental in their win over Lancashire, while New Zealand paceman Matt Henry’s six wickets also proved vital in their progress this week.

Warwickshire and Nottinghamshire also picked up two more victories, thwarted by the weather from making it a 100% record for the week. Alex Hales was arguably the county player of the past seven days, improving his scores steadily, culminating in his 101 against Yorkshire. Their mighty top four batsmen make it easier for the relatively weak attack, although Samit Patel, Steven Mullaney and Jake Ball chipped in.

At the other end of the table, Durham finally achieved their first T20 success of the season. Their fixture at Leicester may have ended up as a seven-over thrash but a six-wicket win is still a win. The two Pauls Coughlin and Collingwood each scored rapid 30s to clinch the two points. A couple of days later, when the latter raced to his first T20 century at the age of 41, a second victory looked on the cards. However, Worcestershire’s Joe Clarke, 20 years Collingwood’s junior, trumped him with a dazzling 124 not out from just 53 balls, and his team reached their huge 200+ target with eleven balls to spare.

Despite, or because of, their four no-results, Glamorgan advanced to the summit of the South group. Coincidentally their winning margin against both Gloucestershire and Kent was 25 runs. In each game, Jacques Rudolph hit a half-century and new arrival David Miller produced a rapid cameo, whilst the bowlers all contributed, too.

Somerset climbed to third behind the Welsh and Surrey, thanks to triumphs over South Coast neighbours Sussex and Hampshire. All the squad played their parts but Stephen Davies was the most consistent cameo batsman. The ever-reliable Gloucestershire opener Michael Klinger scored 52 and 101 but was deprived of continuing the sequence at Chelmsford when rain intervened.

Next week includes a host of potentially money-spinning local derbies on Friday evening. Warwickshire host Worcestershire, Sussex nip along to Kent, Somerset travel a few junctions on the M5 to Bristol, Durham and Yorkshire battle for the North East spoils, but the Derbyshire-Nottinghamshire duel could be the most interesting in relation to the North group qualification places.

Team of the Week: Hales (Not), Klinger (Glo), Clarke (Wor), Davies (Som +), Denly (Ken), Northeast (Ken), Collingwood (Dur), Mullaney (Not), Rashid (Yor), Henry (Der), Parkinson (Lei)

Lancashire and Petersen Push ahead

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Lyth and Lumb Show!

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)

2015 Cricket Team of the Year

The cricketing year produced its usual share of successes and disappointments, retirements and blossoming new talent. Australia won the World Cup but lost the Ashes. India and Sri Lanka lost momentum, New Zealand won a lot of new friends and respect, while Pakistan and England experienced maddening inconsistency. Bangladesh finally showed they are more than Shakib plus fillers, but the West Indies have many mountains to climb if they are to be once again competitive in the Test arena. Gayle, Pollard, Bravo and Russell may be amongst the principal T20 globetrotters but sadly their success seems to be diminishing their prospects at proper cricket.

So who have been the stars of 2015? Steve Smith, Martin Guptill and Chris Gayle were the leading scorers in each of the three international formats. Ravi Ashwin and Mitchell Starc topped the wickets tables in Tess and ODIs. AB De Villiers proved yet again how important he is to South Africa in all types of the sport, and now on top of all his batting and captaincy responsibilities he has taken the gloves in the Test series against England. No wonder he is looking for some time off in 2016. Yet, as his appearances were relatively few, he doesn’t even make my team of the year as it is intended to reflect performances across all forms, domestic and international.

For example, Steven Smith may be righty feted for his form in Tests, but his Aussie team-mate Adam Voges comfortably outscored him (and everybody else) when it came to all first-class cricket. He aggregated 2,547 in the twelve months, but yet even HE doesn’t make my team, as he wasn’t very active in limited overs cricket.

With the ball, Stuart Broad produced one incredible session for England, backed by other useful contributions alongside Jimmy Anderson. Jeetan Patel, Abdur Razzak and Nathan Lyon all added plenty to their career wicket tallies, but time out taken to remodel illegal actions has diminished the effectiveness of traditional spin stars such as Narine and Saeed Ajmal. Instead, there seems to have been a renaissance in left-arm seam and swing bowling.

So to my Eleven of 2015: Chris Gayle may be a T20 specialist (apart from a few World Cup 50-over outings) but his dominance can’t be ignored. His opening partner is Michael Klinger. Arriving at Gloucestershire from a successful domestic season Down Under, the Aussie clumped three T20 centuries in quick succession, before helping them to an unexpected 50-over cup triumph against Surrey. He also amassed 1,666 first-class runs in only 17 matches, making an all-format aggregate of 3,383!

Kumar Sangakkara bowed out of international cricket in 2015 but his form and class were maintained to the end, not only for Sri Lanka but Surrey, too. His overall run total was also comfortably above 3,000 and his glovework did enough to make him my wicketkeeper, too. A modern legend.

Steve Smith’s rise and rise from so-so leg-spinner to Aussie captaincy and leading Test scorer in 2015 is remarkable. His consistency eased the transition from the Michael Clarke era, although it was painful to watch ‘Pup’ struggle for runs in England, which eventually led him to call time on a wonderful career. Yet perhaps the most enjoyable growth in talent belonged to New Zealand’s Kane Williamson. Brendon McCullum’s aggressive yet sporting approach reaped benefits in all forms, but Williamson’s runs were just as important. It is to his great credit that I can find no room for the admirable Joe Root.

My number six is perhaps a little surprising. With a full season with Glamorgan as well as in South Africa, Colin Ingram was free to amass runs in all form of cricket. He could play carefully in the County Championship, yet explode into strokeplay in List A and T20. His strike rate in the latter was 146, right up there with Pollard and Pietersen. I appreciated his willingness to sign autographs for children at the Swalec Stadium boundary, too.

Genuine all-rounders seem to be in short supply at the moment. Dwayne Bravo came into my reckoning but as a T20 one-trick pony, I’ve passed him over in favour of Aussie James Faulkner. Still only 25, his left-arm seam bowling may be his greatest asset, yet in his batting career he averages more than 30 in first-class and List A cricket, and he boasts impressive strike rates. His 2015 performances nudge him into my XI of the year.

Ravi Ashwin was head and shoulders above not only his fellow Indian slow bowlers in height but also every other bowler in Test cricket. He scooped 62 wickets at a mere 17.0 apiece. With 35 ODI victims, too, he’s the first bowler on my team sheet.

Another bowler who can add useful late-order runs is John Hastings. Like Faulkner, a current one-Test wonder, yet a vital cog in the wheels of Durham and Victoria. He took 115 wickets across the year, but even that was eclipsed by the statistics of another Aussie quick. Mitchell Johnson may be the most recognisable of the Mitches, but Starc was the outstanding bowler of 2015. 63 first-class victims at 21, a world-leading 67 List A at a mere 14 apiece, and 21 T20 wickets at an admirable sub-7 economy rate speak for themselves. 100 mph deliveries, too! I just hope he can stay fit for 2016.

My final bowling position is a tough one. Tharindu Kaushal has made little impact on the international scene. However, the 22 year-old off-spinner from Galle amassed a remarkable 111 first-class wickets last year, primarily for the Nondescripts club. Trent Boult has blossomed for New Zealand, yet can I afford to include another left-arm seamer? Perhaps Broad’s right-arm status makes him a contender after all.

Anyway, it’s been an interesting year for cricket in lots of ways. For the record, here is my 2015 Team of the Year:-

Gayle (WI), Klinger (Aus), Sangakkara (SL +), Williamson (NZ), Smith (Aus *), Ingram (SA), Faulkner (Aus), Ashwin (Ind), Hastings (Aus), Starc (Aus), Kaushal (SL). My ‘squad’ also contains Alastair Cook (opener), Root (batsman), Broad and Boult.

2015 County Cricket Team of the Year

So 2015 ended with Ashes success for England, a second Championship crown for Yorkshire, limited-overs trophies for Lancashire and Gloucestershire and a miserable finale for Sussex. But who were the individual stars of the summer? I’ve compiled my Team of the Year based partly on my Teams of the Week and partly on the end-of-season statistics.

Openers:
It wasn’t a vintage year for openers in first-class cricket, although Michael Carberry, Mark Stoneman and, in a September flurry, Marcus Trescothick each passed 1000 runs. However, there were some memorable summers for one-day pinch-hitters. Jason Roy and Steven Davies were superb for Surrey but for consistency I’ve gone for Michael Klinger and Alex Hales. The veteran Aussie arrived late but produced a devastating deluge of centuries in limited overs competitions, playing a major role Gloucestershire’s T20 Blast triumph. He also appeared in no fewer than five Teams of the Week in this blog. Hales chose to spend some time as a gun for hire overseas but when he put his mind to it, he scored heavily in all formats for Nottinghamshire. But will he get to partner Cook for England against Pakistan?

Middle Order
So many options here! James Vince outscored everyone in T20 but was unusually mediocre in proper cricket. James Taylor started poorly but gained ground to win back his international place in ODIs. Luke Wright was a ray of shining light in an otherwise dismal summer for Sussex, and James Hildreth likewise for Somerset. Indeed he was top scorer in Division One but was surprisingly short of runs in the one-day stuff.

My choice begins at Durham with Steve Borthwick. He still bowls some leg-spin in T20 but is more of a specialist batsman these days. He scored few centuries but chipped in regularly at number three. Kent’s young captain Sam Northeast also saved his best innings for Twenty20, and it was his hundred which thwarted Somerset in the match where Chris Gayle struck his 150.

The season’s greatest run machine was Ashwell Prince. The veteran South African delayed his retirement for just one season and how Lancashire must have been grateful for that decision. He was also part of that record-breaking 500+ stand with Alviro Pietersen. Niall O’Brien claimed the most dismissals, Ben Brown more runs but my wicketkeeper-batsman is Jonny Bairstow. He produced five three-figure scores for Yorkshire before he was brought in to replace Gary Ballance for England. His Championship average was a tidy 100-odd so who knows what he might have achieved with his county had his team-mate not lost form in Test cricket?

Amongst all-rounders, the evergreen Darren Stevens and Peter Trego were typically in the frame but I’ve gone for Samit Patel for his mixture of vital innings and handy wickets. Notts didn’t have a great year with the ball, so his off-spin rescued the side more than once.

Bowlers
Chris Rushworth made only one Team of the Week but he was the most prolific wicket-taker in first-class cricket, with 88. He rarely played in limited-overs fixtures but he has to be in this Eleven. Joining him as seamers are Surrey’s Tom Curran, James Harris of Middlesex and Yorkshire’s Jack Brooks.

Curran, helped by his 17 year-old brother Sam, was instrumental in hauling Surrey up to the Division Two title, while Harris’s Championship wickets and late-order runs gave Middlesex the impetus to be runners-up. It was hard to pick the final man in the Team of the Season.

Yorkshire’s success was built primarily on their attack. Twelve victories generally means bowling sides out twice, and the White Roses had strength in depth. Ryan Sidebottom missed some games through injury yet he claimed more than 40 wickets at under 18 apiece. Tim Bresnan, Steve Pattinson, Graeme Onions and Adil Rashid all contributed but the main man was Jack Brooks. If he wasn’t the wrong side of 30, the bandana man would have been in the England squad by now instead of Mark Wood.

The likes of Footitt, Rushworth and Brooks may have to content themselves with notching up hundreds of wickets in county cricket instead of the England kit, and their respective clubs will be grateful. Meanwhile, for all the talk of overseas stars, the only foreigners in my XI are Prince and Klinger. As far as England are concerned, I’m sure we haven’t heard the last of Curran, Northeast or Hales.

In short, my County Team of 2015 is:-

Klinger (Glo), Hales (Not), Borthwick (Dur), Northeast (Ken), Prince (Lan), Bairstow (Yor/Eng +), Patel (Not), Harris (Mid), T Curran (Sur), Brooks (Yor), Rushworth (Dur).

Will Gloucestershire's Glory Last?

Gloucestershire Glory

Congratulations to Gloucestershire for winning the Royal London Cup this weekend. The domestic one-day climax used to be the highlight of the cricketing calendar for me. Sadly in recent years it has been overshadowed by the T20 Finals Day. This is a shame because Michael Klinger’s unfancied county deserves many plaudits for going all the way and giving Gareth Batty et al a good hiding!

It has to be said that the arrival of Michael Klinger mid-season transformed the fortunes of Gloucestershire, at least in one-day formats. In particular, the Aussie’s unbeaten 137 at Headingley swept Yorkshire aside in the semis and the coaching team of Ian Harvey and Richard Dawson must have been delighted when Klinger agreed to fly back to London for the final.

Ironically, his inning lasted a mere three balls, but 39 year-old Geraint Jones stepped up to the mark in his very last match by making a brisk 50. Jade Dernbach produced a devastating hat-trick at the end to turn the game. The total of 220 didn’t look sufficient to beat a useful Surrey side, albeit missing Zafar Ansari.

Needing barely four runs an over, Surrey’s hard-hitting openers Roy and Davies reined in their attacking instincts. Even when replaced by Kumar Sangakkara and Rory Burns, preserving wickets rather than whacking sixes was the main focus. At 143-2, it seemed a sensible strategy. However, once James Taylor removed those two, the wheels came off the Surrey bus.

17 year-old Sam Curran hit 37 in 39 balls but wickets fell steadily at the other end, without enough runs in the bank. Seven from seven balls with three wickets remaining set up an exciting conclusion, with Surrey still favourites. Step forward, David Payne, who dismissed both Curran and skipper Batty with the first and third deliveries of the final over. Amazingly, Gloucestershire had won.

The retiring Jones was particularly ecstatic. Klinger spoke of this being just the beginning of a new era for the county, which has struggled just to stay alive as the developers circled to take over their Bristol ground. When Gloucestershire lost both Alex and Will Gidman last year, I really feared for their fortunes in 2015.

With a game to go, they sit sixth in Division Two, which is hardly a symbol of success. Nevertheless, their young bowling unit has shown potential. Payne, Liam Norwell, James Fuller, Taylor and all-rounder Benny Howell have scooped a lot of wickets this summer. Sadly the batting has not kept pace. Hamish Marshall and Garth Roderick have been inconsistent while openers Chris Dent and Will Tavare have not been as prolific as last season. If only both halves of the squad can click simultaneously, Gloucestershire could be contesting the promotion places. As ever these days, finances are the problem. The rich are becoming richer, while the poorer shire counties are struggling.

For all Klinger’s optimism, the reality is that the aforementioned bowlers will probably be lured away by bigger teams, possibly even those in the second tier. That’s why the likes of Essex, Northants, Leicestershire and Derbyshire never seem to escape Division Two, at last not for more than the occasional season. Interestingly, neither Gidman did well for their respective new counties in 2015, spending more time injured or in the Seconds than the first elevens. I hope Gloucester can Kling – I mean, cling - on to their young talent for a few more years. Then we can really gauge the impact of their excellent fifty-over campaign.

Yorkshire Lose Twice but Win the Title

A strange week for Yorkshire. Firstly, they fell victim to Gloucestershire’s Michael Klinger to lose their Royal London Cup semi-final. A few days later at Lord’s, Ryan Sidebottom took three Middlesex wickets in the first over en route to bowling out their nearest rivals for 106. They thus secured their second successive County Championship, a wonderful achievement.

They continued to rub their opponents’ noses in the brown stuff with the bat before suddenly it all went wrong. Nick Compton (147) and tail-ender Toby Roland-Jones (103 not out) helped the home side to almost 600, then Roland-Jones grabbed 5-27 in 21 overs to secure an unlikely victory. It also spoiled the champions’ unbeaten record in the competition. Still, Andrew Gale and Jason Gillespie can celebrate their overall success with two matches yet to play. Root, Lyth, Ballance, Bairstow, Rashid and Plunkett have all been on England duty yet strength in depth, especially the bowlers have seen them home.

A special mention should go to young Stevie Eskinazi. He struck 122 for Middlesex Seconds in their 2nd XI Final against Notts and was 13 not out in the second innings when he was summoned to make his first-class debut at Lord’s. The fairytale didn’t continue but not any players are whisked away mid-match like that!

It was a topsy-turvy contest at Trent Bridge, too. Durham let a 168-run first-innings lead slip as Samit Patel’s century and a second five-for by Ben Hutton gave Nottinghamshire victory by 52 runs inside three days. Notts could yet gain second-place above Middlesex with a game in hand.

Somerset enjoyed the best of a home draw with relegation rivals Hampshire. Jamie Overton took 4-37 as they restricted Hants to a single batting bonus point. Somerset not only secured maximum points but also piled on 630-9. Each of the top three batsmen Marcus Trescothick, Tom Abell (for the first time) and Tom Cooper reached three figures. Sadly for my team, Carberry, Vince, Adams et al remembered how to bat and the Taunton strip obliged to dish out a draw. Worcestershire look doomed but just eleven points separate the three sides above them.

In Division Two, Essex surged to third place, crushing Derbyshire by an innings. Thirty-somethings Ten Doeschate, Pettini, Bopara and Foster each contributed but, despite the absence on ODI duty of Reece Topley, youngsters also starred. Teenage opener Dan Lawrence returned with 88, while 20 year-old debutant Jack Winslade took 4-20.

Essex were also helped by Glamorgan’s capitulation to Kent. Rob Key continued excellent end-of-season form with 94 and 158, assisted by a typical all-round performance by 39 year-old Darren Stevens.

So, as last year, most of the big questions have been answered two weeks early, but the Division One relegation places may not be settled until the final week. Sussex v Somerset this week will be a crucial encounter, and Worcestershire simply must beat Yorkshire. The others must hope the champs don’t have a champagne hangover!

Continuing the rollercoaster theme, Team of the Week selection has been difficult. Nomally, the intense competition for places comes from middle-order batsmen and seamers. Unusually, this week, most of the runs came from openers, so Tres, Adams and Eskinazi miss out.

Team of the Week: Abell (Som), Key (Ken), Klinger (Glo), Sangakkara (Sur), Stevens (Ken), Pettini (Ess), Ronchi (Som +), Hutton (Not), Roland-Jones (Mid), Winslade (Ess), Sidebottom (Not)

T20: It’s been a Blast for Lancashire!

Congratulations to Lancashire for finally getting their collective hands on the domestic Twenty20 trophy! The decision to abandon the ‘block’ of group stage matches in favour of a more prolonged schedule focussing on Fridays and weekends has proved to be a good one. Apparently the attendance figures are up despite it not being a sizzling summer.

Admittedly it wasn’t a vintage Finals Day, but that won’t bother Ashley Giles and his charges, who overcame Hampshire and Northamptonshire at Edgbaston to claim their first one-day silverware since 1999. Lancashire weren’t exactly nailed-on favourites. They progressed to the knockout stage only on net run-rate when rain washed out the games involving them and closest rivals Notts. Then in the quarters, they tied with Kent and qualified for Finals Day on fewer wickets lost. Nevertheless they were the side with the nous and flexibility required to succeed on a low-scoring wicket on a cool August evening.

Batsmen usually grab the headlines in one-dayers but Lancashire’s campaign was built on the bowling of Kyle Jarvis (pre-injury), Arron Lilley and the tournament’s leading wicket-takers James Faulkner and Steven Parry, with 25 apiece. The last three also enjoyed economy rates under seven an over, which is quite an achievement. Their winning team featured several players in their early twenties, including Lilley, T20 specialist Liam Livingstone, debutant Gavin Griffiths and the Final’s Man of the Match, Alex Davies, who is 21 but looks about 16. I don’t know if South African veterans Prince and Petersen will still be around next season to consolidate Lancashire’s Championship Division One status, but much will be thrust upon the shoulders of the locally-produced youngsters.

Some credit must go to captain Steven Croft, whose hundredth consecutive appearance coincided with Finals Day. Born in Blackpool, he has been a reliable all-rounder in all formats for Lancashire for a decade, and deserves a few headlines of his own.

Northants have won the tournament before but will badly miss the explosive batting and fast bowling of David Willey, who scored almost 300 runs and took 15 wickets throughout the summer. They need a thriving T20 Blast merely to survive as a business, as do several other non-Test-playing counties like Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Gloucestershire.

Did the tournament benefit from the contributions of global stars like Jayawardene, McCullum, Maxwell, Tait and Shahid Afridi? Not hugely, I think. Big Brendon struck the highest individual score of the 2015 Blast (158 not out in 64 balls for the Bears), Tait nabbed a creditable 23 wickets and Afridi provided some delightful cameos in the Finals. However, the overseas stars tended to make only fleeting appearances, taking the money and running.

It seems like ages since Chris Gayle swept into Somerset in May, seemingly contracted to play six Blast games. He made an instant impact, smashing sixes galore, 328 runs and peppering the River Tone. However, his early departure after only three matches did leave a sour taste in the mouths of Somerset fans like me. I doubt we would have qualified even had he stayed for another week but a lot of tickets – home and away – were sold on the basis of his appearances, and his absences felt like betrayal.

The top run scorers were predominantly home-grown. In an otherwise mediocre season, James Vince excelled in the Blast, Sam Northeast struck some big scores at hefty rates for Kent, and the ever-reliable Luke Wright topped 500 runs at a remarkable 172 per 100 balls, beaten only by Gayle. However, a special mention must go to Michael Klinger. The Aussie opener missed the start of the season but delivered an incredible three centuries and four fifties in twelve innings!

While the big old names from Sri Lanka, South Africa and Pakistan deservedly carry much weight to go with their pay packets, I think the (mainly young) T20 audiences would prefer to see the England internationals like Bell, Buttler, Broad and Root representing their counties. They are the ones who will ultimately encourage children to take up cricket and their absence from most of the matches is regrettable if inevitable.

Finally, here is my T20 Blast team of 2015.

Vince (Ham), Klinger (Glo), Wright (Sus), Willey (Nor), Northeast (Ken), Bopara (Ess), Faulkner (Lan), Wheater (Ham +), Parry (Lan), Lilley (Lan), Tom Smith (Glo).

Individual of 2015: Chris Gayle (Som).

Notts Advance at the Double

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Gubbins and Klinger Club the Runs

It was all about 50 overs in county cricket last week and, with some decidedly dodgy weather at times, Gloucestershire must be delighted with four wins out of four, to secure a knockout phase place. Fellow Group A front-runners Surrey also had a 100% record in the past seven days, albeit from three matches.

Surrey owed much to their batsmen, Jason Roy, Stephen Davies and the evergreen Kumar Sangakkara, with Joe Burke chipping in with valuable wickets. Gloucestershire weren’t a one-man band either, although Michael Klinger’s incredible one-day form showed no sign of waning. Two more centuries and a round 50 boosted the Bristol-based side, but ‘keeper Garth Roderick also made three figures and Geraint Jones struck three half-centries. Seamer David Payne also collected eleven scalps including five against Durham.

In Group B, Nottinghamshire rule the roost. Riki Wessels produced one of his trademark innings to defeat Middlesex today. Seven sixes helped raise his score to 131, the third highest this week. However, the star player
was probably Samit Patel. A fine century against Essex and seven wickets did as much as anybody to take his side to the top.

Middlesex experienced a mixed week but, despite a duck against Hampshire, it was a fabulous seven days for their 21 year-old, Nick Gubbins. He aggregated well over 300 runs, the best being 141 in 113 balls against Sussex. In that game, he shared a massive stand of 268 with fellow centurion Dawid Malan.

Some compensation for me came in two victories for Somerset, for whom Taunton favourites Peter Trego and James Hildreth showed what they are made of. Wes Durston (Derbyshire) and all-rounder Scott Borthwick (Durham) were also consistently excellent, but a special mention should be made of Joe Clarke.

The Worcestershire teenager plundered an unbeaten 131 in 109 balls off Gloucestershire but still finished on the losing side. Sentimentality would have placed him in my Team of the week, but there were just too many other worthy winners, especially with the bat. Maybe next week, Joe? Colleague Joe Leach also made the headlines. Against Northants, he achieved the rare feat of a hat-trick with the first three balls of the whole match. Unfortunately for him, his side's batting was even worse than the opposition's and his spectacular opening was in vain.

Team of the Week: Klinger (Glo, *)), Davies (Sur), Borthwick (Dur), Durston (Der), Gubbins (Mid), Roderick (Glo, +), Patel (Not) – two weeks running!, Trego (Som), Rayner (Mid), Payne (Glo), Hannon-Dalby (War).

Glamorgan on the Glory Trail

While the endless stream of sixes sailed into the stands in the England v NZ ODIs, runs were harder to come by in the County Championship and Nat West Blast.

In Division One, Durham owed much to Gordon Muchall for their defeat of Sussex. He contributed almost 200 runs while most of the top order struggled. Chris Rushworth took 6-49 in the first innings then, following Muchall’s lead, Hastings and Coughlin weighed in with valuable late runs to make Sussex’s job even harder. Luke Wells reached three figures, but it wasn’t enough.

Warwickshire kept in touch with Durham by slamming neighbours Worcestershire by an innings. Ian Bell enjoyed a rare run-out for his county, hitting 111, while Keith Barker combined an unbeaten 50 with seven wickets. At Taunton, Somerset looked down and out yet again after conceding a 200-run first innings deficit to Nottinghamshire. Surrounded by a ridiculously ageing team (what is going on in the new regime?), Tom Abell looked the most mature batsman of all while Abdur Rehman’s spin was completely outclassed by Notts’ 19 year-old debutant Matthew Carter who took 7-56. That’s the best first innings haul by a first-time slow bowler for eighty-odd years! Sadly for him, it was all in vain – as was Brendan Taylor’s opening 152 - as Somerset at last showed some resolve. Trescothick, Abell, Myburgh, Trego and Allenby each scored half-centuries to reach the 402 target with two wickets to spare. Phew! Had we lost that one, we really would be checking out the route to Leicester next year!

Lancashire continued their promotion procession with an innings defeat of Leicestershire at Old Trafford. Ashwell Prince added his fourth hundred of the season and Kyle Jarvis was the pick of a solid attack. Leicester spinner Jigar Naik claimed 8-179. Behind Lancashire, Glamorgan closed the gap on Surrey with a seven-wicket victory at leafy Guildford. The horrific T20 fielding collision which hospitalised Burns and Henriques allowed Arun Harinath to be promoted from the Surrey Seconds. He grasped his opportunity pretty well by scoring a century in each innings. Nevertheless, despite being useless at T20, Glammie bowler Graeme Wagg took 4-64 then struck 11 sixes in a score of 200, by far his best with the bat. He and Michael Hogan shared a century stand for the tenth wicket before Hoges produced another five-for to speed the Welsh club to their third win of the campaign. Alongside their two T20 wins, it’s been a good week for Glamorgan and their results are finally reflecting the quality of their squad.

Their was another innings triumph in Division Two, this time for bottom-placed Essex. Well, they’re up to sixth now after hammering Derbyshire. Alastair Cook top-scored with 80 while young James Porter helped himself to six cheap wickets. In his short first-class career he has taken 32 at barely 20 apiece!

In last weekend’s T20 fixtures, Gloucestershire’s Michael Klinger made identical three-figure scores – 104 – against Essex and Glamorgan while in the latter match, Jacques Rudolph also thrashed a ton. In Hampshire’s defeat of Kent, James Vince was stranded on 99 not out and they are now at the top of the South group with Kent.

Team of the Week: Harinath (Sur), Klinger (Glo), B Taylor (Not), Bell (War), Prince (Lan), Muchall (Dur), Wallace (Gla +), Wagg (Gla), Carter (Not), Naik (Lei), Hogan (Gla).

Yorkshire's quick win beats the rain and rivals

After three good days of cricket, rain swept over England on Wednesday, frustrating the likes of Somerset, Hampshire and Worcestershire who each looked odds-on to clinch victories. Yorkshire could at least look smug havig despatched Nortamptonshire inside three days, thus eliminating the lottery of the early June weather.

The struggling home team actually earned a first innings lead, thanks in part to Ian Butler's 4-41. However, Yorkshire turned things around in stunning fashion. Following a first morning duck, Adam Lyth produced a top-drawer 230, sharing a record-breaking opening stand of 375 with Alex Lees. Liam Plunkett then led the final charge to clinch a 271-run victory and a place in the England Test squad. At the Riverside, Middlesex were relieved to survive with a draw after Durham slammed Murtagh, Finn et al for 568. Mark Stoneman and Scott Borthwick enjoyed a productive second wicket partnership of 274, each reaching career-best scores of 187 and 216, respectively. Toby Roland-Jones maintained his recent fine form with another five-for/half-century duet, or maybe Middlesex wouldn't still be sitting top of the table.

Somerset forced a follow-on at Old Trafford, courtesy of an Alviro Petersen century and three wickets apiece for Peter Trego, Craig Overton and George Dockrell. Unfortunately their bid for the number one position was thwarted by a Wednesday washout. Hove also witnessed a handful of 150+ scores. Samit Patel stroked 25 boundaries in his 156 but Ed Joyce responded with an unbeaten 164. Alex Hales was let off the leash to plunder 167 in 133 balls with the intention of hastening a practicable declaration but it ultimately achieved nothing. It also did nothing to establish Test credentials of a player who cannot play a solid responsible opener's role but can be magnificent when required to score rapidly. The draw left both teams in mid-table but still within reach of Middlesex.

In Division Two, both Hampshire and Worcestershire were left high and dry within reach of easy wins. The former needed just two final Derbyshire wickets to wrap up a comprehensive victory only for a combination of dogged Alex Hughes and dour rain to ruin their opportunity. NO three-figure scores but a 5-50 for Danny Briggs. At The Oval, Moeen Ali compiled an excellent 162 but Surrey's equally famous beard-owner Hashim Amla was elsewhere being named SA Test skipper. Surrey slipped from 134-1 to 206 all out, most wickets going not to Saeed Ajmal but Jack Shantry. They followed on but batted more respectably until the weather intervened.

IN Essex, Will Bragg accumulated more valuable runs for Glamorgan but there wasn't time for the home side to face more than six overs in their chase for victory. If the rain had matched Monty Panesar's poor timekeeping his side may have succeeded. Gloucestershire leapt to third place after defeating Leicestershire by nine wickets. The match started a day later than the others, giving Michael Klinger and Benny Howell the chance to smash their way to 255 at almost seven an over. The Aussie captain must have been particularly relieved after enduring a miserable run of scores in all cricket this summer. Mid-season signing from Kent and former England wicketkeeper Geraint Jones whacked 93 in the first innings, too.

Next weekend, the top two meet in a mouth-watering clash at Worcester while the bottom pair Leicestershire and Derbyshire also vie to avoid the wooden spoon. The top tier challengers will be competing to topple Middlesex from their lofty perch. Yorkshire, Somerset and Warwickshire all have home advantage, against Notts, Sussex and Lancs, respectively.