County Cricket: Nottinghamshire End the Summer in Style

At the start of the domestic cricket season, I feared another summer of Surrey dominance and Somerset near-misses. Well, with regard to the latter, we did finish third in the Championship and were beaten semi-finalists in the One-Day Cup but proved triumphant in the T20 Blast. Not a bad 2025 at all. 

As for Surrey, they looked all set to retain the four-day crown only for Nottinghamshire to blow the whole thing wide open with that memorable twenty-run victory at The Oval. In the final round of fixtures, all they effectively needed to do was outperform Surrey in first innings bonus points and the pennant would be on the way from London to the East Midlands. 

It may have been late September but all nine matches produced results; not a single draw. Notts welcomed Warwickshire to Trent Bridge while Surrey popped down the M3 to meet Hampshire, desperately fighting for top tier survival. Mohammad Abbas and Brett Hutton did their bit with the ball but at the Rose Bowl, Sibley, Burns et all came unstuck in the face of wily Kyle Abbott, James Fuller and new recruit Washington Sundar. Zero batting points, game over.  Another Haseeb Hameed century set up his side’s seventh win of the campaign to take the crown in style. By the time, Raful Chahar ripped through the second Hampshire innings with 8-51, it was too late for Surrey. 

At one stage, Somerset had an outside chance of nicking the runners-up position. Against relegation-threatened Essex, Lewis Goldsworthy’s even ton helped them to 438 all out, only for a 277-run opening stand by Elgar and Walter to scupper any hopes of victory. A draw looked certain until Jamie Porter (4-18) and co skittled the visitors for 99, leaving Allison to conclude matters with a six off Jake Ball on the final morning. 

Worcestershire were already down and out, and Sussex merely rubbed their noses in it. Centuries from James Coles and John Simpson, plus eleven wickets for Ollie Robinson set up win number four, although seamer Tom Taylor, a rare bright light in Worcester’s dismal Championship season, almost sparked a sensational comeback. Never mind, at least they have the 50-over trophy in their New Road cabinet. 

Going into the final afternoon, the other relegation slot was still uncertain. Hampshire looked doomed, but it all rested on the outcome of Durham’s clash with Yorkshire at Headingley. Both sides had begun the week in deep trouble but the home team had a six-point advantage. With Hampshire beaten, a draw would suit both counties. Ben Raine clubbed 101 for Durham, then took 5-76, although Mayank Agarwal’s 175 anchored Yorkshire’s superior total of 475. On the South Coast, tears must have been shed and cats kicked, only for Dom Bess and George Hill to orchestrate a horrendous batting humiliation on day four. Durham lost, and were relegated by a single point. Across the season, their bonus point tally was extremely respectable but they had failed to cash in, losing six games to Hampshire’s three, and that cost them dearly. 

Leicestershire and Glamorgan were already assured of replacing them in Division One. I am so glad that these less-prosperous and relatively unfancied counties had beaten the big boys of Middlesex and Lancashire to promotion. Leicestershire maintained their impressive form, defeating Northants by 167 runs. Rehan Ahmed was absent but on-loan Steve Eskinazi weighed in with 155. Liam Trevaskis closed his campaign with 6-85. 

Glamorgan didn’t sign off with a win, but they didn’t need to. Instead, they handed Lancashire a consolation prize at Cardiff, Tom Bailey and George Balderson sharing thirteen wickets. Middlesex captain Leus du Plooy struck the highest score of the week, a hefty 263 not out, en route for an innings win over Gloucestershire but Derbyshire clinched third place with their own crushing victory over bottom side Kent. Experienced batsmen Luis Reece (211) and Wayne Madsen (198) put on 358 for the third wicket, out of 698-6 declared, and Reece’s 5-63 made him only the 51^st player ever in world first-class cricket to strike a double-hundred and claim a five-for. That’s some achievement! 

Watch out for my season review and 2025 all-format Team of the Year. 

Team of the Week:- Reece (Der), Walter (Ess), Agarwal (Yor), Du Plooy (Mid), Madsen (Der), Eskinazi (Lei), Simpson (Sus +), Hill (Yor), Robinson (|Sus), Hutton (Not), Raful Chahar (Sur)

Worrall Wins it for Surrey

Plenty of positive results and a few nail-biters in the Championship this week. The leading three in Division One all won, with Surrey’s fourth on the trot keeping them comfortably at the summit. They overwhelmed Worcestershire at The Oval with a day to spare. The reliable Jordan Clark top-scored, but it was Dan Worrall’s ten-wicket haul which caught the eye. 

It was a real game of two halves at Chelmsford, where a 209-run partnership between Ed Barnard and Michael Burgess and three wickets apiece for Yates and Simmons piled pressure on Essex late on Saturday. However, their spinners Matt Critchley and Simon Harmer turned the tables, leaving the home side an awkward target of 330. At 12-2, things looked grim but Jordan Cox made 112, then Matt Critchley was left high and dry on 99 as he and Harmer sealed the deal. 

It was another topsy-turvy affair at Taunton. Tom Banton and James Rew have struggled so far this season but each reached three figures as Somerset stormed to 554 against Kent. When Overton and Pretorius led a useful attack to dismiss Kent for 178, the visitors looked as if they’d been on the end of a lethal Usyk combination. However, they seemed to have bounced up from the canvas on Sunday when Zak Crawley’s 238 helped the visitors to 388-2. Undeterred, Somerset struck back with three late wickets, and left themselves with a potentially tricky 180 to score by the end of the match. Fortunately, Matt Renshaw and Andy Umeed struck the perfect balance of watchfulness and strokeplay to secure an eight-wicket triumph and maintain Somerset’s second place. 

At Trent Bridge, Hampshire came away with their first success of the summer, defeating Nottinghamshire by five wickets. Apart from Lyndon James (106 not out), the hosts found runs hard to come by against Abbas and Abbott in particular, and it required a sixth-wicket century stand from Middleton and Fuller to drag Hampshire from 44-5 to reach the finishing line.

 Ben Stokes’ first Championship outing for two years lured the media to Blackpool and he achieved a welcome five-for but only twenty runs for Durham. Hopefully the journos present also stayed to observe not one but two players who hit tons in each innings. Keaton Jennings performed the feat for Lancashire then David Bedingham, trying to save and possibly gain an unlikely victory on day four, repeated the achievement. He and the more belligerent Ollie Robonson placed Durham just 161 short with seven standing but, when Bedingham was caught behind off Nathan Lyon, the remaining batsmen capitulated leaving Robinson unbeaten on 171, handing Lancashire their first win of 2024.

 They stay bottom, though, and need to beat winless Warwickshire to extricate themselves from the relegation places before the four-week red-ball break. Essex hop over the Tnames to Kent and Somerset head north to face Durham in bids to keep Surrey in their sights. The champions follow the M3 to meet Hampshire who look woefully short of runs. 

In the second tier, Sussex rediscovered their winning ways at Hove, but Yorkshire pushed them all the way in a low-scoring contest. Ben Coad and George Hill bowled well for the Tykes but Ollie Robinson (the other one!), Sean Hunt and, by capturing Joe Root’s crucial wicket, Tom Haines, bowled the South Coasters to victory by only 21 runs. 

Middlesex are just seven points behind after beating Glamorgan in another nervy finale at Sophia Gardens. Mark Stoneman (129) delivered a heathy first-innings lead before Marcus Labuscagne (111) and Colin Ingram (105) steered Glamorgan back inti the game. With Mason Crane spinning five men out, it looked touch and go but the ninth-wicket partnership between Davies and Helm extended to 52 to nick it by two wickets. 

At Leicester, Gloucestershire declared on a mammoth 706-6. Openers Cameron Bancroft and Ian Charlesworth put on 313 and the pace accelerated with James Bracey and skipper Graeme van Buuren. On day four, Leicestershire made runs throughout the order to dig out a draw. The outcome was the same at Derby, where Northamptonshire generally had the better of things. A rapid 153 not out by Emilio Gay propelled them to a declaration capable of giving the bowlers something to aim at in two-and-a-bit sessions. At 141-7, that looked a great decision but Zak Chappell and Anuj Dal added 108. Two snap wickets put Northants on the verge of victory only for Dal and the last man Dupavillon to survive the final two overs. 

Next week’s Division Two highlight is set to be the top two counties battling it out at Lord’s. Should be interesting… 

Team of the Week:- Crawley (Ken), Jennings (Lan), Gay (Nor), Bedingham (Dur), Banton (Som), Robinson (Ken +), Barnard (War), Critchley (Ess), Hill (Yor), Worrall (Sur), Robinson (Sus)

Chris Rushworth in a Rush

Warwickshire must have travelled down to Hampshire anticipating a real scrap but came away celebrating an innings over the former league leaders. It seems plain wrong to write about Ed Barnard and Chris Rushworth as Warwickshire players but both played important roles in this success. James Vince easily top-scored in both Hampshire innings and he was a lone wolf watching the carnage at the other end as Rushworth took 7-38. 

There were other examples of extremely doughty day-four defence, this time preventing probable defeat. At Trent Bridge, Lancashire were heading for their first win of the summer, setting Nottinghamshire 295 in 67 overs and reducing them to 55-6, three of the wickets falling to George Balderson. In a match allowing England veterans James Anderson and Stuart Broad some competitive bowling practice, it was Balderson and Brett Hutton whole stole the bowling honours. However, it was Broad’s unbeaten three in just under an hour which ultimately denied Lancashire that much-needed victory, building upon Hutton’s 23 in 141 balls. Who needs Baz-ball to generate excitement? 

Leaders Surrey had to battle for a draw at Chelmsford, too, despite Gus Atkinson’s eight Essex wickets. With Sibley, Burns, Pope and Jacks back in then pavilion, and Simon Harmer twirling away, batsman Jamie Smith stonewalled superbly for more than 2 ½ hours, leaving Essex three wickets short. At the bottom, the order is unchanged as Somerset failed to hammer home a rare advantage over Northamptonshire at Taunton. Tom Kohler-Cadmore upped the tempo for the home side, smashing 130 at more than a run a ball but opposing skipper Sam Whiteman wisely opted for a more cautious approach, batting throughout the final day, also for 130, to prevent Somerset batting again.

Next week, Surrey welcome Middlesex across the Thames to The Oval and Warwickshire’s game against Essex promises to be a cracker.

 

In Division Two, all three fixtures were drawn. While Joe Root sits in an IPL dugout counting his cash, Jonny Bairstow had a rare outing for Yorkshire with bat and ‘keeper’s gloves watching Glamorgan’s Billy Root from behind. Glamorgan were generally on top, thanks to Michael Neser’s first-innings 7-32 and Marnus Labuschagne’s devastating170 not out to set Yorkshire an unlikely 492 target. The Aussie run machine even dared to catch Bairstow for a duck, but ex-England opener Adam Lyth showed it should be done crafting an excellent 174 from the front. However, defeat looked inevitable as the wickets tumbled but – hang on – Jordan Thompson was taking a leaf out of Bairstow’s book, punctuating defensive blocks with eleven fours and a six to end on 55, and the White Roses hanging on with the last pair at the crease. 

At Worcester, all eyes were in another Australian warm-up performer, as Steve Smith made his Sussex debut. He scored 30 but his captain Cheteshwar Pujara eased his way to another ton. A third-day washout meant that a result was virtually impossible, especially when another Asian veteran, Azhar Ali, ground out an unbeaten 103. For all these runs, it was an English seamer who produced the week’s outstanding bowling performance. Not Anderson, not Broad, nor Woakes, but Ollie Robinson. The Sussex quick took seven wickets in each innings, a career-best match aggregate of 14-117. 

He could well claim more victims in the next round, against Leicestershire, who struggled against Derbyshire in this week’s remaining game. Bowler Henry Brookes’ 6-20 was the most eye-catching turn. Derbyshire will be gunning for Gloucestershire next weekend while table-toppers Durham meet neighbours Yorkshire. 

Team of the Week:- Lyth (Yor), Balderson (Lan), Whiteman (Nor), Pujara (Sus), Vince (Ham), Labuschagne (Gla), Burgess (War +), Brookes (Der), Atkinson (Sur), Robinson (Sus), Rushworth (War)

Lucky 13 for Robinson and Pope blessed at The Oval

 The sun shone all week and, unless you actually stood on a cricket field in the chill morning air, you could be forgiven for believing it was August. The Surrey batsmen certainly made hay in the sunshine. Ollie Pope led the way with a stirring 245 but even a first innings total of 672-8 declared was insufficient to win the match. On day 4, Leicestershire opener Hassan Azad withstood everything the home side could throw at him, ending the day unbeaten on 144 to secure the draw. 

Meanwhile, Hampshire and Gloucestershire maintained their 100% records in this year’s Championship Group 2. Over three innings, Hampshire and Middlesex were even-stevens but it’s a game of four, and on the second day the visitors were skittled for a mere 79, Mohammad Abbas taking 6-11. Ian Holland and Sam Northeast racked up the runs, too. Gloucestershire sit just two points behind having beaten Somerset at Taunton for the first time this millennium. Wicketkeeper James Bracey followed his day two 118 with an assured 83 not out to see his side home by eight wickets. 

In Group 1, champions Essex were unusually under the cosh at home to Durham, for whom Brydon Carse claimed eight wickets. However, perennial winner Simon Harmer achieved his second five-for to edge the contest by 44 runs. Warwickshire returned from Trent Bridge with a three-wicket victory despite losing Dom Sibley to injury early on. Instead it was a rearguard effort by veteran Tim Bresnan which won them the extra sixteen points. 

Derbyshire’s all-rounder Matt Critchley produced another superb performance, comprising 193 runs and eight wickets and Harvey Hosein aggregated 138 runs without being dismissed, but Ben Cox’s 60 not out was critical in Worcestershire avoiding defeat on the final afternoon. 

In Group 3, I feel sorry for Glamorgan’s Kiran Carlsen. He struck a century in each innings at Cardiff yet managed to finish on the losing side. All Sussex batsmen chipped in, Van Zyl top-scoring with 113, but Ollie Robinson plugged away for 9-78 to accompany his first day 4-50 and even a half-century to boost his bid for an England place this summer. Meanwhile the national captain Joe Root scored a rare Championship century at Canterbury, Adam Lyth maintained excellent April form and David Willey took 5-61 to see off Kent. 

Next week, the leading pairs in Groups 1 and 2 face each other. Warwickshire entertain Essex while Gloucestershire travel to Southampton where Hampshire are looking particularly strong right now. The leading Group 3 encounter could be Sussex at home to Yorkshire but at this stage there’s plenty for all to play for. 

Team of the Week: Lyth (Yor), Hassan Azad (Lei), Holland (Ham), Pope (Sur), Carlsen (Gla), Bracey (Glo, +), Critchley (Der), Harmer (Ess), Carse (Dur), Mohammad Abbas (Ham), Robinson (Sus)

2020 County Cricket off to a late but flying start

At last we have some meaningful domestic cricket in this most dismal and distressing of summers. The appearance of four-day scorecards on websites almost took me by surprise. Like many sports – and indeed the UK Government – county cricket seems to be making it up as they go along. However, unlike the self-inflicted chaos of the Boris regime, it doesn’t really matter. Given the current circumstances, it is right that spectators are not allowed in to watch but for all those who play of just follow the game, the launch this week of the truncated season is extremely welcome. 

It’s not the County Championship as we know it – and I seriously wonder whether the Bob Willis Trophy will become the default format even when Covid-19 has been despatched over cow corner – but the first set of regional fixtures provided excitement a-plenty.

Results made a mockery of the 2019 league tables, including Leicestershire’s seven-wicket victory over Lancashire, achieved thanks to a late fourth day run chase led by Colin Ackermann. Lancashire’s bowling attack featured three debutants and they were powerless to stop Ackermann and, in the first innings, Ben Slater, whose 172 was the second highest score of the week. 

At Trent Bridge, Derbyshire nicked a three-wicket win against local rivals Nottinghamshire. Having been set an unlikely 365 to win, an unbeaten 91 by Fynn Hudson-Prentice saw Derby home in the final over, continuing Notts’ miserable run from last year. Durham’s ex-Yorkshire opener Alex Lees struck 106 but his old county came out on top with fine bowling by Coad and Fisher in particular. 

Worcestershire sit atop the Central group after triumphing at Bristol. Solid first innings batting down the order, followed by a four-wicket Joe Leach spell set eared the 22 points. Last season’s nearly-boys Somerset were in trouble on day one at home to second-tier Glamorgan before Jack Brooks blasted 72 batting at eleven. Cue the Overton brothers. It was announced this week that Surrey have bought Jamie’s services but his allegiance to the West Country was in no doubt as he and Craig each ended up with seven wickets. Tom Abell’s 119 rubbed in the fact that the Welsh batting was hopelessly outclassed, missing a top-class overseas player or two. Warwickshire’s new signing Tim Bresnan was in good all-round form, taking four wickets and striking a first-day century but they were held to a draw by Northants. 

In the South, Middlesex won bragging rights in the London derby. Nick Gubbins produced the best batting performance of the week, contributing 252 runs in the match and that man Tim Murtagh, while his Irish compatriots were beating England in their ODI, snaffled another five-fer in a 190-run victory. It was a tighter affair at Chelmsford where Essex overturned a substantial first-innings deficit to beat Kent by two wickets. Sussex had briefly led the group after beating Hampshire inside three days. Opener Phil Salt struck two half-centuries while Ollie Robinson again proved his worth as one of the country’s finest young pace bowlers, should Anderson and Broad ever decide to quit. 

I don’t know who will win the whole affair or even how it will be eventually decided. It’s just great to get things up and running. 

Team of the Week: Dent (Glo), Slater (Lei), Gubbins (Mid), Kuhn (Ken), Ackermann (Lei), Smith (Sur +), Bresnan (War), C Overton (Som), J Overton (Som), Robinson (Sus), Murtagh (Mid)

What a Wonderful World for Sam Cook and Essex

Thanks to a ridiculous quirk of the domestic season, the counties had to re-adjust to the rigours of four-day cricket amidst a welter of Twenty20 fixtures. Some coped better than others. Kent’s Sam Billings moaned about the “completely brainless” fixture list after his side was bowled out by Essex for a paltry 40 on a third day which saw no fewer than 26 wickets fall at Canterbury. By all accounts it was largely the result of brainless batting on both sides, and it was the 22 year-old Chelmsfordian quick, Sam Cook who benefitted most, taking 12-65 in the match. In what may be his final first-class match, Mohammad Amir chipped in with a further six wickets.

The three-wicket victory kept Essex clear at the top, piling the pressure onto Somerset who faced a tricky 258 target against Warwickshire at Edgbaston. The home side won the early skirmishes, helped by 19 year-old Robert Yates’ maiden century. He also top-scored in the second innings but Abell and Jamie Overton bowled Somerset back into contention. On the final day, Banton and Bartlett each passed 50 to earn Somerset an eighth Championship win which leaves them just two points behind Essex.

At Scarborough, Nottinghamshire lost yet again while Yorkshire’s 143-run success keeps them in the title hunt, albeit needing the top two to falter. Tyke ‘keeper Tattersall’s 92 was the top score, while Surrey’s deputy gloveman Ollie Pope trumped almost everybody this week. His unbeaten 221, allied to a first-innings 7-74 by Rikki Clarke looked likely to overcome Hampshire. However, Liam Dawson’s batting steadied the ship on day four to ensure a draw, redeeming himself after 0-180 bowling figures.

It was also a full programme in Division Two where Lancashire skipped along the North Wales coast to deliver a drubbing to Glamorgan. With their best batsman Labuschagne on duty with Australia, they struggled badly for runs. The visitors’ captain and wicketkeeper Dane Vilas outscored Glamorgan’s first innings total on his own, plundering 266 from only 240 deliveries, including six sixes. Tom Bailey ably led the largely seam attack which took twenty wickets, all of them bowled, LBW or caught behind.

The result saw Glamorgan slipping back into the pack, while another surprise package, Gloucestershire, advanced to second after an eight-wicket victory at Derby. Opener Chris Dent scored heavily, while Ryan Higgins added a century and five-for to his summer’s impressive statistics. Down at Wantage Road, Moeen Ali’s return to the real world netted him 82 runs and three expensive wickets but another Worcestershire defeat, this time by ten wickets to Northamptonshire. Wakeley and Pretorius each stuck centuries and Ben Hutton starred with the ball.

Sussex beat Middlesex handsomely by seven wickets at Hove, their first Championship win since the reverse fixture at the beginning of June. The away team’s batting looked extremely frail, although tailender Tim Murtagh added useful runs to his five cheap wickets. Sussex seamer Ollie Robinson took 8-34 and 6-101, taking his tally past fifty for the season. The remaining fixture saw Durham declare on 544-9 and force Leicestershire to follow-on.at Chester-le-Street. Alex Lees struck 181 and Ben Carse claimed 6-63 before Mark Cosgrove anchored a fightback with 107 not out to avoid defeat.

We now face another three-week burst of Blast before proper cricket action is resumed.

Team of the Week: Lees (Dur), Dent (Glo), Yates (War), Pope (Sur), Vilas (Lan +), Higgins (Glo), Patterson-White (Yor), Bailey (Lan), Cook (Ess), Robinson (Sus), Murtagh (Mid)

Seven Up for Ackermann

Leicestershire aren’t exactly setting the world alight with their cricket but the county will have its name in the record books thanks to captain, Colin Ackermann. It’s usually his runs which come to the rescue but against the Birmingham Bears at Grace Road, it was his off-spin which reaped rewards. Pitching a bit short the opposition obliged by heaving him to waiting deep fielders, six times in the last two overs, and Ackermann replaces the equally unlikely Arul Suppiah as holder of the best ever T20 bowling haul. With 7-18 he became the first man to take seven wickets in the format.

Indeed it was a week for bowlers around the country, and both Rolof van der Merwe and Steve Finn captured five-fors. The Middlesex seamer took 5-16 against Surrey but in his other fixtures his seven overs went wicketless for a hefty ninety-two runs. Team-mate Nathan Sowter was more consistent, spreading his eight victims across the three games. However it was AB De Villiers who hogged the headlines for his two half-centuries, particularly a 35-ball unbeaten 88 against Somerset at Richmond.

After soaring for much of the Blast, the Kent Spitfires were shot down decisively by Gloucestershire at Bristol where seamers fired most of the bullets. This enabled Sussex to leapfrog their neighbours thanks to another trio of triumphs. Ollie Robinson boosted his T20 wicket tally by eight, ably supported by Rashid Khan, Mills, Briggs and Topley. Still six games remain, so they need a few more wins to ensure a place in the knockouts. Kent at Canterbury next Friday is the most mouth-watering meeting.

Somerset have clawed themselves into contention thanks to Babar Azam’s 102 not out against Hampshire, the only century of the past week. Credit, too, to Tom Abell, who passed 40 in each of his three games at very respectable strike rates.

In the North division, umbrellas were in great demand much of the time. Sadly, the Roses clash at Old Trafford was completely washed out but a three-run margin at Manchester was sufficient for Lancashire to end the week four points ahead of second-place Nottinghamshire. Yorkshire and the Bears produced the season’s third tie. Chasing 177-4, Tom Kohler-Cadmore’s unbeaten 76 was not quite enough to get over the line and the Vikings ended on an identical score.

Worcestershire sit in third but with a game in hand. Playing Northants, Derbyshire and Durham, they may well close the gap next week but the Lancashire Lightning face the lumbering Bears home and away.

Team of the Week: Babar Azam (Som), Short (Dur), De Villiers (Mid), Cockbain (Glo), Ackermann (Lei), Abell (Som), Hill (Lei +), Van der Merwe (Som), Robinson (Sus), Sowter (Mid), Sanderson (Nor)

Essex and Somerset fixed in a two-horse race

The World Cup may be throwing up a few surprises but the County Championship is turning into more of a two-horse race each week. Yorkshire began the latest round of fixtures in third place but Essex made quick work of the Tyke visitors, thanks largely to the redoubtable Aussie Peter Siddle and Simon Harmer.

After two days in Taunton, Somerset’s position was less assured. Spin was king, and both Ravi Ashwin and 20 year-old debutant Liam Patterson-White were running rings around the home team, with the crucial exceptions of Azhar Ali and Jamie Overton. Totals had been dropping with each innings completed but still Nottinghamshire had well over a day to reach a target of 255. No chance.  The situation seemed tailor-made for Jack Leach and Dom Bess but it was the pace of Jamie Overton which hastened the demise of the bottom county and restored Somerset’s fifteen-point advantage. Next week it’s our turn to face Yorkshire while Essex welcome Warwickshire to the County Ground which, on paper, looks the easier task.

Surrey’s 2019 nightmare continued, losing to Kent by five wickets at The Oval. Dean Elgar struck a couple of sixties but a five-for by Darren Stevens, resembling more than ever a veteran umpire rather than a deadly seamer, and six catches and a half-century by Ollie Robinson ended any chances of a Morkel-inspired fightback.

Meanwhile at the Rose Bowl, Hampshire appeared determined to repeat ther May hammering of Warwickshire. A maiden hundred from opener Ian Holland and Aneurin Donald’s 173 set up a first innings lead of 232. However, Sam Hain’s poor run of scores ended with two centuries, and an unbeaten ninth wicket stand of 112 by Patel and Brookes staved off defeat on the fourth day.

In the second flight, Lancashire failed to capitalise on Glamorgan’s rest week, only managing a draw at Northampton. This left them only seven points clear at the top. Northants were far from outplayed and the Red Roses should be thankful for Alex Davies’ first ton of the campaign and final afternoon resistance by captain Vilas and Bohannon.

Derbyshire edged above Sussex into third by means of an 82-run defeat of Worcestershire at Kidderminster. 21 wickets had fallen on the first day but centuries by young Tom Lace and old Callum Ferguson took things into a fourth day when Derby bowlers Palladino and Rampaul ended the home side’s chances of victory and, very possibly, promotion.

Leicestershire must have fancied their chances at home to Durham but instead ended up bottom of the Championship. Skipper Cameron Bancroft led from the front while Ben Raine and Chris Rushworth claimed sixteen wickets between them in a 119-run triumph which catapulted them into fifth place. After such a terrible start they could yet be in the First Division next year.

Middlesex also leapt three positions by outscoring Gloucestershire at their regular Northwood outpost. The visitors’ Ryan Higgins bowled well, as did Tim Murtagh (when does he ever bowl badly?) but the match really belonged to Toby Roland-Jones. His first innings 7-52 followed by 51 not out extended Gloucester’s target to a tricky 216. Murtagh’s 5-44 led the way but Roland-Jones took his match tally to ten wickets and the 19 points were theirs.

Team of the Week: Holland (Ham), A Davies (Lan), Hain (War), Ferguson (Wor), Donald (Ham), Robinson (Ken +), Roland-Jones (Mid), Raine (Dur), Higgins (Glo), Bess (Som), Harmer (Ess)

Marvellous Marnus keeps on scoring

After coming a cropper at Chelmsford last week, Somerset needed to rediscover the winning habit straightaway, and the visit of Hampshire was not an easy prospect. However, it turned out to be as one-sided as their One-Day Cup final in May, Tom Abell’s team victorious by 313 runs. Hildreth and Northeast exchanged centuries before the twin spin of Jack Leach and Dom Bess broke the back of Hampshire’s second innings.

Meanwhile Essex maintained their challenge by flattening Nottinghamshire by an innings and 123. Nick Browne and Ravi Bopara each scored their first Championship hundreds of the season and the bowlers shared the spoils. Notts did at least knuckle down in the second innings, making Essex work for their win. Simon Harmer bowled an incredible 24 maidens out of 40 overs, during which he claimed 4-35.

At Scarborough, Yorkshire left it literally to the last minute to defeat Surrey before Olivier had last man Gareth Batty caught by Lyth. The Londoners had enjoyed a slight first-innings advantage but in the second, after the openers had been removed, the rest capitulated far too easily. The White Roses’ star man was probably Will Fraine. After impressing with the Seconds, this son of Huddersfield struck his maiden ton in a week when opening batsmen seemed to prosper.

Only 14 wickets fell at Canterbury while Kent and Warwickshire shared almost 1,200 runs. Daniel Bell-Drummond’s 166 was his first century in the Championship for three years but Dominic Sibley’s 244 merely maintained his recent run of decent scores. He and Will Rhodes also put on 221 for the first wicket to ensure a bore draw was almost inevitable.

Next week, it’s Somerset’s turn to face relegation-battling Nottinghamshire while Yorkshire head south to face Essex who sit 21 points ahead of them in second place.

Glamorgan remain in pole position to replace them despite only drawing with Worcestershire at Sophia Gardens. The prolific Marnus Labuschagne sailed serenely past 1000 runs for the season, adding two further centuries to his tally. Having taken 7-92 across the first two days, Brett D’Oliveira reminded us of his all-rounder credentials by scoring 103 to keep his side in the match.

Closest rivals Lancashire also failed to win, held to a draw by Durham at Sedbergh School across the border in Cumbria. Dane Vilas contributed a couple of half-centuries but elsewhere it was a tale of two 36 year-olds. Veteran Queenslander Nathan Rimmington made 53 runs and picked up eight wickets but Lancs and England were concerned by a mid-match injury suffered by Jimmy Anderson.

Sussex are in third position despite enduring an alarming collective slump in form. Northamptonshire hammered them by 393 runs, prompting an understandable chorus of boos from the presumably paltry Hove crowd. While the batsmen laboured, Ollie Robinson could be proud of his ten wickets, but Northants seamer Ben Sanderson was the game’s outstanding performer, with 6-37 and 4-18.

The remaining fixture between Derbyshire and Middlesex was a more even contest in which the batsmen dominated. No fewer than five of Derby’s top six passed 90, but only Godleman and South African Leus du Plooy reached three figures. Pity poor Fynn Hudson-Prentice. On his Derbyshire first-class debut he was caught on 99. Ouch! Middlesex’s Dawid Malan also missed out on a milestone by one run, caught and bowled by Critchley on 199. More worrying is that his side still prop up the Division Two table, one point adrift of Leicestershire who meet Durham next week. Lancashire should overtake non-playing ‘Glambuschagne’ even if they lose at Northampton. 

Like the World Cup, things are getting interesting…..

Team of the Week: Browne (Ess), Sibley (War), Du Plooy (Der), Labuschagne (Gla), Malan (Mid), Vilas (Lan +), D’Oliviera (Wor), Rimmington (Dur), J. Overton (Som), Sanderson (Nor), Robinson (Sus)

Somerset Take Surrey Revenge

In May, Surrey ended Somerset’s unbeaten start in the Championship, albeit with a draw. This week in the reverse fixture, Somerset took revenge at Guildford with

a 102-run victory. In a low-scoring match, George Bartlett’s 137 seems mighty
impressive, while Craig Overton (5-38 in the first innings) and Jack Brooks
(5-33 in the second) made the champs’ star-studded line-up look weak indeed.
Success at Kent next week will set my heart a-fluttering, albeit with three months
to go.

Yorkshire needed a win to go second but a soggy Headingley prevented any chance of a
positive result against Essex. It was also tough on Gary Ballance who was unbeaten
on 51 when play ended early in the afternoon within reach of a century in each
of his five Championship fixtures. Dom Bess’ loan from Somerset bore fruit with
an unbeaten 91 and three wickets but all in vain.

Bottom clubs Warwickshire and Nottinghamshire met at Edgbaston and the home team
dominated the first three days. Adam Hose struck his maiden first-class ton and
Jeetan Patel claimed 6-16 before Ben Duckett and Chris Nash shared a stand of 199
to save Notts’ bacon. With all counties having played five, they’re still in
the relegation spot, though. Next up are Hampshire at home.

But who will replace them? Lancashire remained in pole position despite being held
to a draw by a resilient Leicestershire. Liam Livingstone followed his 114 with
a 36-over bowling stint on the final day which conceded a meagre 40 runs but
the wickets stubbornly refused to fall.

On paper, Derbyshire appeared to have a nailed-on points bonanza at
Chester-le-Street. In the event, struggling Durham made an exciting fight of
it. Matt Critchley’s runs and Ravi Rampaul’s wickets seemed to have put Derby
in the driving seat but when Alex Lees carried his bat for 107 Durham were back
in the hunt. On the final day, Chris Rushworth and Ben Raine took charge and
the county scrambled their first success of the summer by just 29 runs.

If you’d said Glamorgan would be runners-up in June, I would probably have
laughed. Yet that’s exactly where they sit after an innings victory over
Northants. Billy Root’s 229 was easily the highest individual score of the week,
‘keeper Tom Cullen contributed runs and seven catches, and Michael Hogan was
back in his old mean form with the ball. Heady days!

Sussex advanced to third, giving Middlesex a bloody nose at Lord’s. Stiaan van der Zyl
spent more than seven hours at the crease and Ben Brown made another century as
the South Coasters opened up a massive first innings lead. James Harris and
John Simpson showed more resistance second time around but Ollie Robinson finished
on 7-98 to cause the Londoners more problems. Amazingly Malan’s team are a
pathetic eighth and need wins against Leicestershire and Glamorgan to get a
promotion challenge underway. Lancashire next meet Worcestershire, whom they defeated
quite easily just a fortnight ago.

Team of the Week: Lees (Dur), Duckett (Not), Van Zyl (Sus), Root (Gla), Bartlett (Som),
Brown (Sus +), Critchley (Der), C Overton (Som), Patel (War), Robinson (Sus),
Hogan (Gla)

Somerset Challenge thwarted by Dramatic Tie

What a weird week in the County Championship! It experienced its first tied match for fifteen years, no fewer than six bowlers took ten wickets and only four centuries were scored in the nine fixtures played.

Surrey romped to a ten-wicket victory over Essex at Chelmsford, that man Rikki Clarke combining a half-century with eight cheap wickets. He’s the Darren Stevens of 2018! Their only feasible challengers for the title, Somerset, were involved in a low-scoring spin-fest against Lancashire at Taunton. Jack Leach had captured twelve wickets to leave the home side needing only 78 to win. However, on the second afternoon, fellow left-arm slowie Keshav Maharaj carried on where Leach left off, and the wickets tumbled. Somerset scrambled their way to 77, needing one to win with two wickets remaining. Dom Bess went for glory and was duly stumped. Jamie Overton and Leach played it cool for ten whole deliveries but then Leach was caught by Bailey and it was all over, scores level: a tie!

Hampshire defeated bottom club Worcestershire by 114 runs, who at least took the match into a third day. As at Taunton, neither side managed an innings of 200. Worcester all-rounder Ed Barnard took 6-50 on the first day but bagged a pair as Kyle Abbott and Dale Steyn ripped through the home county’s batting in under 42 overs.

Three of the four hundreds scored this week came at Trent Bridge, the only place where bowlers struggled. While other teams were being bowled out inside a couple of sessions, Nottinghamshire openers Kraigg Brathwaite and Ben Slater were putting on 182 for the first wicket alone. In reply, Ballance and Kohler-Cadmore ground out centuries as the pitch and weather ensured a draw.

Surrey now sit 43 points clear and facing the less-than-arduous trip to Worcester, while Somerset travel to Hampshire. The Roses match at Headingley is but a sideshow in comparison.

The Division Two promotion battle remains an exciting three-horse race. Warwickshire’s lead was sliced to a mere seven points having been held to a draw by Durham. Olly Stone starred with the ball but on the final afternoon, Poynter and Salisbury held on for the last six overs, defying the bowlers and claustrophobia, surrounded by close fielders, and avoided defeat.

Kent are still in second place, the returning Matt Henry back in the wickets (11-114 for the match) as they dealt with Northamptonshire quite easily. Meanwhile at Hove, Sussex rediscovered their mojo. After their reverse against Middlesex, Chris Jordan (68 and 54) and Ollie Robinson (5-24 and 5-43) starred in a 274-run thrashing of Leicestershire. Credit, though, to the opposing Ben Mike. The 20 year-old debutant aggregated 9-94 with his medium pace, deserving a better result for his efforts.

It was nice to see a Hammond making three figures for Gloucestershire again, almost a century after namesake Wally first played at Bristol. This time it was former under-19 international Miles who struck an unbeaten 123 in the second innings. Nevertheless, the game with Middlesex ended in a draw. As for Glamorgan, their disastrous batting record continued, Derbyshire the lucky beneficiaries, especially Tony Palladino who finished with 10-81.

Next week, Warwickshire, Sussex and Kent are all on the road, while Gloucestershire will lick their lips at a drive across the Severn Bridge to Cardiff. Can Glamorgan garner any batting points, let alone a victory? Don’t bet on it. They’ve acquired only nine batting bonuses all summer.

Team of the Week: 

Slater (Not), Hammond (Glo), Denly (Ken), Ballance (Yor), Billings (Ken +), Clarke (Sur), Jordan (Sus), Henry (Ken), Stone (War), Robinson (Sus), Leach (Som)

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)