Malan's the Man, Surrey the Team

A relatively quiet week domestically. While the County Championship and Ashes series took a break, the counties completed the group stages of the Royal London One Day Cup. It was rendered even quieter thanks to the rain which swept across much of England in the latter part of the week.

There was the added sideshow of Australia (minus Michael Clarke) getting some pre-Test practice against Northamptonshire. David Willey may be on his way to Yorkshire, but team-mate Stephen Crook caught the eye not only in the tour match with his blistering 142 not out but also in the defeat of Gloucestershire. His 4-37 and brisk 19 put his county in a good position to qualify for the quarter-finals only for the weather to deprive them of the opportunity to beat Yorkshire, themselves already through.

Durham squeezed out Northants by defeating Derbyshire. John Hastings’ 4-24 and Scott Borthwick’s 2-31 removed the threat of Madsen and co. Derbyshire took their revenge on Worcestershire at Derby where Shiv Thakor put in a match-winning all-round performance.

Somerset enjoyed the best week of any side in Group A, but they were never in the hunt for the knockouts. Surrey may have headed the table but Jim Allenby and Craig Overton nullified the runs of Steven Davies (111) and Rory Burns (76). A few days later, Leicestershire finished another miserable week being thumped by Peter Trego and quitting the new competition without a win.
Earlier they had lost to Worcestershire, for whom Alex Hepburn enjoyed a fruitful debut taking 4-34. Rory Burns was again in the runs in a twelve-run success over Gloucestershire to decide who won the group.

Group B was the preserve of Nottinghamshire despite losing to Kent. James Taylor’s impressive 109 was trumped by Sam Billings’ unbeaten 118 in 89 balls. It also proved enough to qualify in fourth behind Essex, whose sole fixture this week was washed out. Hampshire also progressed although Lancashire edged them by 29 runs. Another Ashwell Prince century took the away side past 300 then, with Alex Wheater also making three figures, the Rose Bowl looked set to celebrate a home victory. Instead, Kerrigan, Jarvis and Faulkner mopped up the tail. Lancashire missed out on the quarters by a tiny Net Run Rate margin, and Old Trafford rain prevented them from gaining the all-important extra point against Glamorgan.

Star man, however, was Dawid Malan, in a real rich vein of form for Middlesex. He plundered 156 in 128 deliveries to reach a mediocre target of 252 set by Glamorgan, for whom Colin Ingram struck 102.

The quarter-finals take place next week after an interlude of four-day cricket. Champions-elect Yorkshire travel to Sussex but a key encounter is Worcestershire’s visit to Somerset. Neither side will want to lose that one in the Division One danger zone. In Division Two, Gloucestershire face Surrey and Lancashire could extinguish any remaining hopes Glamorgan may have of achieving promotion come next month’s climax.

Team of the Week: Davies (Sur), Hales (Not), Malan (Mid), Ingram (Gla), Burns (Sur), Billings (Ken +), Crook (Nor), Trego (Som), Hepburn (Wor), Hastings (Dur), C Overton (Som).

Steelbacks show their mettle

If Somerset couldn't win it this year, then lowly Northants got my vote, so it was heartwarming to see Alex Wakely's team brush Essex aside then smash Surrey to win the Friends Life T20 Cup. It was not only their only domestic T20 title but also their first trophy of any kind for more than two decades!

Often it's the big names who win matches but with Northants in this and the other two competitions it's been a real squad effort. Overseas stars Richard Levi and Cameron White have made important contributions but throughout the season, it has been the ex-Bradford League Pakistani Azharullah who has shone with the ball. Club captain Andrew Hall handed the responsibility to 24 year-old Wakely for the short stuff and he has responded in fine style, gelling the team and striking a brilliant unbeaten 59 in the final at Edgbaston.

Stephen Crook has been a revelation in 2013, coming from nowhere to being one of the most effective all-rounders in county cricket. His semi-final blitz then brave flurry of slow balls at the death tonight destroyed first Essex then any faint hopes Surrey may have harboured of an unlikely victory. Kyle Coetzer has been consistent with the bat while Lee Daggett and James Middlebrook are proven experts at mixing things up and disrupting batsmen's rhythm in mid-innings.

Nevertheless, the decisive figure in tonight's final was David Willey. A promising left-arm seamer for a few years now, he has come into his own with not only the new ball but also as occasional opening batsman. In T20 promoting a bowler to bash some Powerplay boundaries doesn't always come off but Willey's 27-ball 60 created a magnificent foundation for the Steelbacks' final innings. He credited Levi and White for 'talking him through' but must surely deserve plaudits for the way he attacked the usually mean Azhar Mahmood and the wayward Jade Dernbach.
Yet he had a lot more to give. Northants' success was sealed by his bowling at the death. Ansari and Lewis chipped good balls to fielders, then 'keeper David Murphy's smart catch to dismiss Tremlett gave Willey a fairytale hat-trick and the Wantage Road outfit a memorable win.

No Smith, no Ponting, no Pietersen, but Surrey had the personnel to hurt their considerably financially poorer opponents but, as Willey said after the game, Northamptonshire are a tight unit who "enjoy each other's company on and off the pitch". They are going great guns in the YB40 and in the promotion places of Division Two in the Championship. They are the team of the county season so far, and hopefully will not collapse as they did last year. They look a stronger squad than Derbyshire so, if they advance to the top tier, they could be a match for any of the more prosperous counties.

Unlike most years, spinners have not dominated the bowling lists. Instead, the wicket totals and averages have been led by seamers, including both experienced pros and youngsters eager to prove their worth. So what about my FL T20 team of 2013? Well, quite a few Northants players featured in my thinking, and here's my final selection. Well done to them all, and the Northamptonshire faithful who were at Edgbaston to witness the night of their lives.

Carberry (Hants), Kieswetter(Somerset, +), C White (Northants), Allenby (Glamorgan *), Willey (Northants), Stokes (Durham), Crook (Northants), Yasir Arafat (Somerset), Azharullah (Northants), G White (Northants/Notts), Topley (Essex).

Surrey's disgraced Gareth Batty is my nomination for licking their boots and clearing up the litter in the car park....