Orr-some Sussex Rack up the Runs

In the week when Bazball lost some of its shine at Lord’s, thanks to some old-fashioned quality pace bowling by South Africa’s Rabada and Nortje, there were plenty of examples of effective 50-over batting in the Royal London One-Day Cup.

In the final fixtures of Group B, Hampshire didn’t exactly tear up any trees but they cruised straight into the semi-finals, three points ahead of the rest, thanks to a 72-run success against Yorkshire at Scarborough. However, their 100% record was spoilt by Glamorgan in Neath, where young opener Tom Bevan bounced back from his duck against Lancashire to smash an excellent 134. A month after he ripped up the Welsh County Championship record books, Sam Northeast was at it again, tonking the Warwickshire attack for an unbeaten 177 in 148 deliveries, Glamorgan’s highest individual score in List A cricket. His stand of 245 with Billy Root was also the county’s best fourth wicket partnership in one-day cricket.

With Wells, Jennings and 21 year-old George Balderson’s maiden century propelling Lancashire into the knockouts, it was a very tight race for the third qualifying spot. Kent eclipsed Glamorgan by beating Lancashire in the last match by two wickets with only a ball to spare. Worcestershire finished bottom but did at least notch their first two victories of the campaign.

In Group A, Somerset also broke their miserable duck, a 14-run win at Edgbaston proving scant consolation in a wretched run through the competition they won in 2019. Durham finished below them after losing all three contests this week. Their batting never truly fired on all cylinders but a special mention goes to 18 year-old spinner Stanley McAlindon, and not just for his name which conjures an image of a bewhiskered Scottish bank clerk in the Victorian era. Against Leicestershire, he registered not only a first 50 of his fledgling career but also a very useful 4-29, but it wasn’t enough to prevent a two-wicket defeat.

The week saw plenty of centuries scattered around the country, while all-rounders Wiaan Mulder and James Taylor continued their consistent summer form. Nottinghamshire’s Brett Hutton claimed a remarkable 7-25 against local rivals Leicester during a game which also featured 6-35 from veteran seamer Chris Wright.

However, if it’s runs you want, then simply follow the Sussex team bus. Cheteshwar Pujara took his tournament tally to 614, bettered only by Steve Eskinazi, with a 90-ball 132 containing only a couple of sixes. Tom Alsop hit an unbeaten 189 in a total of 400-4, the first ‘quadruple’ in the county’s List A history. They plundered 249 from the last twenty overs which would have been fantastic in a T20 fixture let alone a 50-over affair. Just a few days earlier, they’d fallen a mere three runs short of the 400 against Somerset, in which Ali Orr cracked eleven sixes in a double-hundred blitz, four of them off poor teenage medium-pacer Alfie Ogborne. Whoever meets Sussex in next Tuesday’s semi-final at Hove will need to steal their bats.

Team of the Week: Alsop (Sus), Orr (Sus), Jennings (Lan), Northeast (Gla), Pujara (Sus), Mulder (Lei), J Taylor (Glo), McManus (Nor +), Waite (Yor), Wright (Ham), Hutton (Not)

Princely Albert steers Hampshire to 100% record

This week, I’ll start with news that we may have seen the last of two great stalwarts of the county game. James Hildreth is one of the most prolific batsmen in Somerset’s history, and hugely popular in and around Taunton. In both 2005 and 2019 he struck the winning runs in the T20 Blast and One-Day Cup, respectively but in the past few seasons has struggled. Last week, he announced his retirement at the end of the summer but another injury, after a score of 12 versus Durham, has forced him to bring it forward. He never played for England, and neither did Darren Stevens who, at 45, will be released by Kent. He has enjoyed some of his best seasons in the Championship since passing 40 but has been used sparingly in 2022. Unlike Hildy, he wants to keep going, but who would take a punt on someone of his age? I think it’s best to retire gracefully and stay in the game as a coach, and be remembered as a brutal batsman and consistently nagging medium-pacer par excellence.

In this week’s RL 50-over fixtures, Somerset slumped to another three defeats, as did Glamorgan in Group B. At least the former pushed Middlesex almost all the way at Taunton, the last pair getting the Group A leaders across the line with four balls remaining. Middlesex skipper Steve Eskinazi made it three consecutive centuries, including 182 in 136 deliveries in the London derby. Surrey also took a pasting at Hove, where Sussex crushed them by 216 runs. Captain Cheteshwar Pujara plundered twenty fours and five sixes in his 174, one of two tons this week. Who’d have thought the dour Test batsman could be such a wonderful one-day strokeplayer?

Another captain, Essex’s Tom Westley, also made it two sets of three figures during the last seven days, including 109 against Kent, and seventeen year-old leg-spinner Luc Benkenstein, son of the former Durham all-rounder Dale, claimed 6-42 in the win over Glamorgan.

However, it’s Hampshire who lead Group B with an unblemished record so far. It wasn’t a smooth run. They squeezed past Derbyshire and close rivals Lancashire by just two wickets, and have 21 year-old bowler John Turner  and the even younger batsman Toby Albert to thank. The latter steered them home each time with well-judged unbeaten half-centuries. Definitely two to watch in a week when two veterans seemed at the end of their careers.

Team of the Week: Eskinazi (Mid), Patel (Sur), Westley (Ess), Pujara (Sus), Kimber (Lei), Bracey (Glo +), Albert (Ham), Trevaskis (Dur), Karvelas (Sus), Benkenstein (Ess), Turner (Ham)

Goodbye Twenty, Hello Hundred

This week’s big story inevitably concerned the delayed launch of The Hundred. I’m sorry but there’s a strong sense of déjà vu. I remember twenty-odd years ago when the ‘new’, ‘exciting’ and ‘innovative’ cricket format was promoted to attract young family audiences who’d never consider watching long-form cricket. Cue pictures of girls, blokes in fancy dress, young Asians with bat and ball in the street, bright lights and pop bands. 

It wasn’t the IPL, it wasn’t The Hundred but the groundbreaking Twenty20 Cup in England. The parallels with this week are extraordinary. Of course, the counties have been displaced by city franchises and, in the only genuine positive innovation, women’s teams have equal billing, but it’s still just the same game but with twenty fewer balls on each side. From the first couple of fixtures, it’s also reassuring that the BBC can still attract vastly higher audiences than Sky. This is the only thing that might possibly lure me into the Hundred’s over-hyped hysteria in the evenings schedules. 

I’m no great fan of Twenty20 either but I did pay attention to the final group matches of the Blast last weekend. Nottinghamshire dominated the North division, Ben Duckett their star performer in the last two games. Lancashire leapt into the top four with two victories, including a low-scorer against Yorkshire at Old Trafford where Luke Wood claimed 4-20. 

Both Roses counties qualified for the quarter-finals, while the Birmingham Bears squeezed through in fourth. Leicestershire failed to make it, despite a thunderous 118 not out against Worcestershire by Leeds-born Aussie Josh Inglis. 

Following their Covid problems the week before, Kent topped the South league despite losing to rivals Sussex. Thanks largely to James Vince’s 204 runs, Hampshire triumphed in all three of this week’s fixtures, ending the hopes of Surrey and Gloucestershire. The latter would have reached the last eight at Taunton had Somerset’s Tom Lammonby not crashed a 36-ball 90. 

Somerset will have to defend their 2019 Royal London Cup with a depleted squad, but in the coming weeks other counties will also lose their best players to The Hundred. Durham were off to a flier, smashing 405-4 against Kent at Beckenham. Graham Clark and Alex Lees shared an opening partnership of 242 on the team’s way to a record 50-over total. There’s a long way to go, of course. I wonder what future lies ahead for The Hundred… 

Team of the Week: Inglis (Lei), Vince (Ham), G Clark (Dur), Bedingham (Dur), Lammonby (Som), Bopara (Sus), McManus (Ham +), Harmer (Ess), Cullen (Mid), Briggs (War), Wood (Lan)

Double Delight for Somerset

Setting aside a few World Cup warm-ups, last week was all about Somerset and Hampshire. First-class victories left them occupying the top spots in the Championship, neatly setting up their clash at Lord’s in the Royal London One-Day Cup final.

The tournament has been depressingly downgraded by the ECB, squeezed into the schedule before the big-bucks World Cup and the Ashes. The once hugely popular county competition has been treated like a toddler being told she can watch one more episode of Peppa Pig before the grown-ups regain control of the remote. Anyway, tell that to the Zummerzet boys on Saturday who cheered Tom Abell’s side to a comprehensive and thorough thrashing of an admittedly depleted Hampshire. Any trophy for the perennial runners-up is mightily welcome, believe you me!

Earlier in the week, Somerset had edged a low-scoring game at Taunton against Warwickshire to stay top of the table. Oliver Hannon-Dalby’s 5-18 and Liam Norwell’s second innings 7-41 maybe deserved better, but the leaders boasted a superior collective attack, including the reliable Craig Overton and Lewis Gregory and won by 49 runs.

Newport has been in the new a lot lately. The Welsh football club were at Wembley for a play-off final and the old Spytty Park ground hosted its first Championship game for over fifty years. This week, its Isle of Wight namesake was also granted a rare first-class fixture, and spectators were treated to a 244-run triumph for Hampshire. Sam Northeast and new recruit Ajinkya Rahane shared a brisk 257 second-wicket stand to set up a declaration and the formidable seam attack of Abbott, Edwards and Barker did the rest, each claiming six wickets in the match.

Beckenham is a regular outlier on the county circuit and this summer it welcomed neighbouring Surrey to the Kent town. It produced an entertaining contest of runs a-plenty and a close finish. Sam Dickson contributed 219 in total for the home side but, with Scott Borthwick twice passing fifty and Rikki Clarke in fine all-round form, the champions were pushing for victory on the final afternoon only for young Wiaan Mulder to hold them up, just two wickets short when time ran out.

In Division Two, Lancashire beat their close rivals Worcestershire at Old Trafford by six wickets. For the visitors, Wayne Parnell fought hard but the combination of James Anderson and Richard Gleeson, with his third five-four in successive matches, held sway over three days.

Glamorgan enjoyed a rare away victory, overcoming Derbyshire by two wickets. The home side’s all-rounder Luis Reece struck a century and took four wickets but the Welsh lower order, including Tom Cullen and Daniel Douthwaite (OK, so neither are actually Welsh) got stuck in and finished the job.

At Chester-le-Street Durham lost yet again, this time handing Gloucestershire nineteen points with more than a day to spare, while batsmen were more to the fore at Northampton, where the home side played a high-scoring draw with Sussex. The most notable performances came from skipper Ben Brown (156) and Chris Jordan (166) who delivered a triple-century stand on day one.

I’d expect Sussex to come out on top next week against Glamorgan, and Lancashire should beat Gloucestershire to remain top. In the higher tier, Somerset sit it out and celebrate their cup win, so Hampshire will almost certainly overtake them, even if they only draw against third place Yorkshire. Warwickshire have little chance of arresting their decline with a home tie against Surrey who seem barely weakened by England’s World Cup selections.

Team of the Week: Dickson (Ken), Reece (Der), Borthwick (Sur), Northeast (Ham), Hain (War), Brown (Sus +), Clarke (Sur), Jordan (Sus), Parnell (Wor), Norwell (War), Anderson (Lan)

Hampshire have a trophy but Denly has a Blast

While England and Wales continue to bathe in baking sunshine, the county treasurers will delight in higher attendances in the first week of 2018’s Vitality T20 Blast. Last weekend’s Royal London Cup final seems like a different age. It was for Riley Rossouw, whose hundred for Hampshire set them up for an easy victory for Kent at Lord’s only to be lbw first ball at home to Glamorgan in the short stuff.

In the 50-over final, Kent’s Joe Denly made few runs but took four wickets. His all-round contribution in a narrow victory over Surrey was more impressive: a rapid 102 and 3-31. Surrey were also outdone by an all-rounder earlier in the week. They lost the London derby thanks largely to Paul Stirling’s 36-ball 66 and three wickets.

Across both North and South divisions, Worcestershire are so far the only county to win two matches, although no individual shone especially. It was a team effort. Lancashire’s nine-wicket demolition of Derbyshire was the most convincing performance of the week, thanks largely to Liam Livingstone’s century. When it comes to big hitting, none could surpass the innings of Nottinghamshire’s Daniel Christian; his unbeaten 113 in the win over Northants included nine sixes!

However, for consistency, credit goes to Sam Hain, who contributed a couple of 50s for Warwickshire, and Ben Duckett. The Northamptonshire opener just missed out on three figures – not once but twice.

Sussex look a useful T20 outfit, bolstered by Jofra Archer and Rashid Khan. However, it was David Wiese who achieved the only five-for of the week, although Imran Tahir’s 4-14 for Durham deserves a mention.

It’s early days in the competition but so long as this weather continues, the fans turn up and the players deliver, it could be a bumper summer for the Blast.

Team of the Week:

Duckett (Nor), Denly (Ken), Livingstone (Lan), Hain (War), Christian (Not), Burgess (Sus +), Clarke (Sur), Wiese (Sus), Archer (Sus), Imran Tahir (Not), Brooks (Yor)

Heino Kuhn and James Vince in a hurry

The Royal London Cup knockout stage delivered nothing on the scale of England’s record-shattering total against the Aussie second string at Trent Bridge. There was no shortage of runs, though, especially when Kent were batting.

In the so-called quarter-finals, holders Nottinghamshire were battered by nine wickets. Chasing 256, Daniel Bell-Drummond and Heino Kuhn mustered 194 for the first wicket before Joe Denly thrashed an unbeaten 52 in 28 balls to take Kent into the semis at Worcester.

There, Kuhn produced his fourth century in the competition but this time the pursuit was a much closer affair. Brett D’Oliveira (78) and Ben Cox (122 not out) helped Worcestershire – lacking Moeen Ali – to a reasonable total of 306-6 but the South African’s 127 took Kent to within a whisker of victory. Four were still needed with just three balls remaining, but Podmore immediately found the boundary to snatch victory.

At Chelmsford, Jamie Porter’s 3-25 helped restrict Yorkshire to 259-7 but when Steven Patterson eventually entered the bowling fray Yorkshire took charge and ran out winners by 25 runs. A few days later, they travelled to Southampton and found life considerably tougher. Hampshire’s James Vince showed his class with a series of silky strokes en route for 171 in 126 balls and Liam Dawson’s spin claimed four wickets as the White Roses slipped to 241 all out, 107 adrift.

So the final on 30^th June will see  an all-South Coast battle between Kent and Hampshire, Kuhn versus Vince I’m not sure if another Proteas stalwart, Dale Steyn, will still be around to make an impact, or if New Zealander Matt Henry, a revelation in the four-day game, will be as effective in the white-ball contest.

Nevertheless, whoever wins will bring some welcome silverware to the far south of England. Hampshire could yet face another relegation fight in the Championship, while Kent are currently in the hunt for promotion, but the RL Cup will surely boost their confidence for the season’s second half.

Team of the Week: 

Bell-Drummond (Ken), Kuhn (Ken), Vince (Ham), Ballance (Yor), D’Oliveira (Wor), Mullaney (Not), Cox (Wor +), Dawson (Ham), Patterson (Yor), Podmore (Ken), Porter (Ess)

Moeen Ali steers Worcestershire into Royal London Semis

The Royal London Cup knockout qualification places went all the way to the wire this week and there were mixed fortunes for the so-called white-ball specialists.

In the North division, holders Nottinghamshire needed to beat Derbyshire in the ‘A52 derby’ at Trent Bridge to progress and they did so courtesy of a dreadful batting performance by the visitors. The Derby skipper Billy Godleman had amassed more than five hundred runs during the tournament but he could add only four more as Jake Ball (4-29) and spinner Matthew Carter (3-19) helped bowl them out for a paltry 110. With run rates coming into the equation, Riki Wessels clumped four sixes in one Qadri over and the rout was completed inside twelve overs. The aggressive chase was successful, too, in that Notts did finish second to secure a home play-off tie. It didn't matter that Alex Hales could muster only 38 runs from three innings.

Yorkshire also progress thanks to victories over Roses rivals Lancashire and Northamptonshire. Adam Lyth struck a second century in a week and, while Kohler-Cadmore and Pujara suffered rare failures, England limited-overs international David Willey stepped up to the plate with a rumbustious 131 and, across his two games, seven wickets. However, it was Jonny Tattersall’s maiden 50 which saw them sneak home on the final day.

Warwickshire beat Durham by five wickets in a match featuring no fewer than four centurions. Richardson and Smith reached three figures for Durham but their visitors, needing 300 to win, duly made them thanks to vintage batting from former international partners Jonathan Trott (100) and Iain Bell (143 not out). In the concluding day-nighter at Edgbaston, the final place was decided by a straight shootout between Warwickshire and Worcestershire. The winner would top the group and get a bye into the semi-finals while the loser would depart the competition. After a duck in the preceding game, Moeen Ali rediscovered his form at the right time, especially given Joe Clarke’s first-ball dismissal and Callum Ferguson bowled by Stone for seven. Ali followed his admirable 3-40 with an excellent 114, including five sixes. Supported by Ben Cox (80), he put Worcester into a winning position. However, a flurry of wickets left them on 288-9, with plenty of overs but still five runs short. Fortunately Ed Barnard was at the crease and able to hit the winning boundary.

In the South, Hampshire went into the final fixture already assured of progressing but it was all very tight behind them. Surrey beat Middlesex in the all-London tie but, two days earlier, had suffered a second massacre in the tournament when Kent demolished them at Beckenham by 220 runs. Heino Kuhn struck 117, then Darren Stevens’ 6-25 meant there was no way back. Glamorgan managed a consolation victory over Sussex at Cardiff, with captain Colin Ingram’s runs the only bright light in a woeful campaign.

Paul Stirling’s third cup century lifted Middlesex spirits against Gloucestershire, whose Royal London Cup hopes were ruined by three ‘no-results’. On the final evening, Somerset went after Hampshire’s formidable score of 356-9 knowing that it would be in vain should Essex beat Kent at Chelmsford. Oh, for another Kuhn century and Stevens five-for. Instead it was David Lawrence – not known for his white ball batting – and Ravi Bopara who made hundreds, while Jamie Porter’s return netted 4-37. Therefore, by the time Craig Overton sneaked a winning boundary from the very last ball, after Peter Trego’s 100 had done the hard work, Somerset knew they had narrowly missed out. It hadn’t been a great day for England’s new hero of sorts, Dom Bess, whose three overs went for 34. However, Hampshire’s more illustrious last-minute signing, Dale Steyn, got clouted for eighty. At least he wasn’t injured again.

So next week’s ‘quarter-finals’ will see Notts hosting Kent and Yorkshire making the trip to Essex, with Worcestershire and Hampshire awaiting the winners the following weekend. I wouldn’t mind betting Notts will be in another final but I can’t predict their opponents.

Team of the Week:

Moeen Ali (Wor), Kuhn (Ken), Godleman (Der), Trott (War), Willey (Yor), Foakes (Sur +), Richardson (Dur), Stevens (Ken), Carter (Not), Crane (Ham), Ball (Not)

Essex Shine in the Lights, Hales Hits the Heights

First I must raise a glass to Nottinghamshire for grasping the first county crown of 2017. The Royal London Cup Final at Lord’s was a game of two centuries. Mark Stoneman may have been disappointed at not making the England Test squad but he ripped an unbeaten 144 out of Surrey’s useful total of 297-9. However, this was eclipsed by Alex Hales’ superb 187 in 167 balls. Helped by his skipper’s valuable 58, he not only ensured his side chased down the target but also easily surpassed the previous one-day final record set more than fifty years ago by Geoff Boycott, of all people.

With Notts sitting pretty at the top of Division Two, it looks like a successful finale for veteran wicketkeeper Chris Read. The county were thwarted in their bid to extend their lead by the rain but Steven Mullaney’s 168 and five cheap wickets against rivals Kent showed they have promotion in the bag even with two months to go.

Meanwhile, in the top tier, the loss of almost two days’ play couldn’t halt Essex’s impressive march to the Championship title. At Chelmsford, after dismissing Middlesex for under 250, openers Nick Browne and Alastair Cook put on 373 for the first wicket. Cook’s departure merely brought in Varun Chopra whose own century, with Browne’s ‘double’, took Essex past 500 without further loss. He was only batting because Tom Westley left mid-match to join the Lions. Incidentally Westley also reached three figures, so everyone’s a winner!Nevertheless, it was Simon Harmer's 9-90 which wrapped things up in stirring style.

In the week when all Championship fixtures were day/night events, it was such a shame that awful weather ruined so much of them. Little more than a day’s play was possible at Headingley, but at least those who witnessed some action were able to see yet another batting masterclass from Kumar Sangakkara. His 180 not out at almost a run a ball was his sixth hundred in ten innings. He’ll be sorely missed in the second half of the summer, and not only by Surrey.

At the Rose Bowl, almost the whole game was concertina’d into the fourth day. True to form, Somerset had the worst of it but, amidst the clatter of wickets (many by Hampshire’s Gareth Berg), managed to hold on for a draw. Last week I despaired at the plight of Somerset’s young skipper Tom Abell, hoping he managed some runs this time. So what did he achieve? A pair of ducks! Everyone is allowed temporary dips in form but poor Tom is desperately in need of confidence, which surely now can come only from a drop to the Seconds or club cricket, I’m afraid.

The Edgbaston weather wiped out the final day of Warwickshire’s contest with Lancashire, but not until Shiv Chanderpaul had compiled another 141 to his 26,000+ first-class run tally. Andrew Umeed’s 113 for the home side was only his second century but there’ll be plenty more, I’m sure. Jos Buttler made a rare Championship appearance for Lancs but fluffed his lines by scoring three runs in two innings and 26 balls. Haseeb Hameed fared little better.

Down in Division Two, there were two nail-biting finishes. At Northampton there was a cracking conclusion to proceedings. Duckett, Wakely and Keogh each struck centuries en route for setting Leicestershire a hefty target of 394 in just over a day. Colin Ackermann seemed to be steering them to victory, ably assisted by Mathew Pillans, With time running out on Thursday evening, and just three runs needed, Pillans holed out to Cobb and blew their chances of a first win of the season.

Derbyshire did finally break their duck, beating Glamorgan by 39 runs at Cardiff. Star performer was Derby debutant Hamidullah Qadri. At the age of 16 (yes, 16), the Afghanistan-born spinner claimed 5-60 to end the Welsh rearguard. Elsewhere, there wasn’t much to shout about amidst the raindrops at Hove and Chester-le-Street, apart from Luke Wright’s 118 and a Mark Wood five-for.

Next week, if the sun shines, the key matches could be Kent v Northants and Somerset’s trip to Scarborough. With Gary Ballance likely to be lining up for England, this may be the visitors’ best chance for nicking that elusive victory.

Team of the Week: Browne (Ess), Hales (Not), Mullaney (Not), Sangakkara (Sur), Ackermann (Lei), Wright (Sus), Read (Not +), Berg (Ham), Harmer (Ess), Hamidullah Qadri (Der), Wood (Dur)

Notts and Surrey Fire towards the Final

While the cream of the world’s one-day batsmen were struggling to accumulate scores of 300+ in the Champion Trophy, elsewhere in England those left behind were making hay while the sun shone on the knockout stages of the Royal London Cup.

The group stage runners-up and third placers met in the sort-of-quarter-finals at Taunton and Headingley. Somerset scored an impressive 405 but unfortunately for them, it w in pursuit of a stunning 429-9 racked up by Nottinghamshire, who had passed 400 twice in last year’s competition. Even without Hales, their batting in limited overs has enormous potential, and most delivered last week.

Brendon Taylor thrashed 154 in 97 balls, followed by a rapid 62 in the semi-final a few days later. Riki Wessels and Samit Patel knocked half-centuries but only Somerset’s reliable Dean Elgar managed a decent innings (91) in response. The late-order did their best with cameo hitting but were bowled out 24 runs and two overs short.

Surrey also claimed an away win by the same margin. That man Kumar Sangakkara passed three figures yet again in that beautifully fluent style that is his hallmark.

When it came to the semis, Surrey were even more emphatic. England discard Jason Roy rediscovered some form with 92 and wicketkeeper struck a second successive score of 86, ahead of the Sri Lankan legend’s 72-ball 73. In a week where county attack were being taken apart, all credit – albeit grudgingly! – to Gareth Batty, who took 5-40 as Worcestershire crumbled.

At Chelmsford, Alastair Cook achieved a third century in the competition this summer for Essex, and at more than a run a ball. His face may not fit the current template for power and aggression but often it’s mastery of the basic which can be so effective in the 50-over game, and Cook is undoubtedly a master batsman. His skipper Ryan Ten Doeschate also produced another of his 102 not outs  And yet it wasn’t enough. A brilliant partnership of 185 between Samit Patel, sweating in the sunshine, and the ebullient Steve Mullaney, took them to the brink of the huge 374 target before Mullaney was caught behind off Wagner on 111. Patel took his side over the finishing line six deliveries later.

It all sets up an enthralling final next month.

Team of the Week: Cook (Ess), Wessels (Not), Sangakkara (Sur), Patel (Not), B Taylor (Not), Mullaney (Not), Foakes (Sur +), Gregory (Som), Batty (Sur), Azeem Rafiq (Yor), Porter (Ess)

Somerset On Top

It’s been a while since I could wax lyrical about Somerset sitting on top of a table, but their sixth Royal London Cup win of the summer, against Hampshire, confirmed their first place in the South division. At long last, Mahela Jayawardene and Jim Allenby shared a decent opening partnership which provided the solid foundation required. Somerset earned a home quarter-final against Worcestershire, whose victories over Lancashire and Nottinghamshire were enough to qualify from an extraordinarily close North division.

Four counties finished at the top on nine points, while bottom-placed Lancs were only three points behind. Tom Fell was on great form for Worcester, aggregating 179 runs without being dismissed. Northants topped the group after easily hunting down a target of 273 set by Derbyshire at Wantage Road. Cobb, Duckett and Keogh each passed 60. Spare a thought for the opposing opener Ben Slater. His career-best 148 not out was all in vain.

Yorkshire lost twice this week yet still contrived to make it into the knockout stage. Their heavy defeat to Warwickshire proved decisive in the group. Jonathan Trott’s century and seven wickets to the spinners Jeetan Patel and Ateeq Javid ensured the Midlanders’ progress to a home tie against Essex.

Essex lost one game to the weather but Kent capitalised by winning their final two matches and taking the runners-up slot. It was good to see Will Gidman taking a rare opportunity to snap some vital wickets for them, including 3-28 against his old side Gloucestershire.

Surrey took the fourth quarter-final position thanks to batting second in a 16-over thrash at Lord’s. Their previous match had been ruined by the rain so it was with relief that the weather relented to allow play of sorts in the money-spinning London derby. It also prevented Hampshire from going through, despite some consistent performances by Will Smith (143 runs), Ryan McLaren and Liam Dawson, who scored a rapid hundred against Glamorgan and took a few wickets at Taunton.

It’s years since Hants failed to reach the latter stages of a limited-overs competition after once dominating the white-ball game. The same was true of Somerset, although we rarely converted finals into trophies. Dare I hope 2016 will be an exception?!

Team of the Week: Slater (Der), Denly (Ken), Fell (Wor), Smith (Ham), Trott (War), Dawson (Ham), O’Brien (Lei +), McLaren (Ham), Franklin (Mid), Berg (Ham), Coles (Ken)