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)

One-Day Cup: Mulder and Ollie prove the talent is out there

While the big names ply their trade in the Hundred, the One-Day Cup allows many other county stalwarts and youngsters to make their mark. It also gives cricket a chance to reach outposts like York and Newport, Isle of Wight, which rarely or never host Championship or white-ball county cricket.

The first week has been particularly fruitful for Hampshire, following their Blast title with three consecutive wins in the fifty-over tournament. 19 year-old Tom Prest has been a revelation, smacking Kent for 181 out of a team total of 396-5, a Hampshire record. The winning margin was 163 runs, but this afternoon’s game on the Isle of Wight against Northamptonshire was one they really should have lost. Prest top-scored again but White and Keogh cut them down to 199 all out. Northants were cruising in mid-innings just 24 from victory when their batting imploded dramatically. Young Jack Campbell, born just across the Solent in Portsmouth, grabbed three quick wickets and 177-5 became 188 all out. Northants did hold their nerve somewhat better against Essex, pipping them by two wickets with just two balls remaining.

Kent ‘keeper Ollie Robinson struck the week’s only double-century, tonking the Worcestershire attack for an unbeaten 206, including 27 fours and six sixes. Chasing 352 for victory, Robinson’s efforts delivered the goods five overs early. Other batting highlights were Colin Ingram’s 155 for Glamorgan and Will Fraine’s rapid 143 for Yorkshire.

In Group A, Nottinghamshire won both their opening fixtures, including a ten-wicket trouncing of 2019 champions Somerset, who also lost to local rivals Gloucestershire. Middlesex opener Stevie Eskinazi was on excellent form, and Leicestershire’s South African Wiaan Mulder carried his red-ball record into the 50-over stuff. Gloucestershire’s Jack Taylor was probably the all-rounder of the week.

Next week, Hampshire look to continue their run against Derbyshire and Lancashire. Nottinghamshire are borrowing Grantham in Leicestershire for their ‘home’ clashes with Durham and Middlesex, while the latter host the London derby against Surrey at Radlett. With the widespread drought set to continue, let’s hope there are a few green patches on the outfields.

Team of the Week: Eskinazi (Mid), Fraine (Yor), Robinson (Ken +), Prest (Ham), Mulder (Lei), Ingram (Gla), J Taylor (Glo), Kimber (Sur), Hutton (Not), Williams (Lan), Campbell (Ham)

Gloucester in the Groove

 Back in the Blast, even with most counties facing only two further group fixtures, some of the quarter-final placings have already been confirmed. 

So far, only Gloucestershire have amassed six victories, three coming this week. Two were against closest rivals Northamptonshire and the Bears, giving them an unassailable 4-point lead at the top of Central group. Their bowlers inflicted the most damage, notably Smith and Van Buuren. Glamorgan seemed to be finding some kind of bowling form, too, led by Sisodya and Van Gugten, only to be thumped at Cardiff yesterday by the inconsistent Somerset, for whom Babar Azam crashed an unbeaten 114. 

In the South section, Surrey notched their fifth consecutive success to top the table. Jacks, Evans and Amla contributed with the bat, while 21 year-old Dan Moriarty has made an impact with his slow left-arm. Luke Wright’s top-order runs and the economic spin of Danny Briggs didn’t translate into four wins for Sussex. Middlesex opener Steve Eskinazi is currently the tournament’s highest scorer but his side have fallen short too often. The exception came at Canterbury where they held on by just two runs. I don’t normally associate the veteran Tim Murtagh with Twenty20 but this week he took five cheap wickets. 

Besides Azam, only Kent’s Zak Crawley reached three figures and wins over Essex and Surrey next week will enable their progress to the last eight. 

Up North, Nottinghamshire should consolidate their two-point lead at the top with just one win from their final three matches. An enviable batting line-up featuring the likes of Joe Clarke, Hales, Duckett and Christian has yet to disappoint. Yorkshire have been hampered by Covid cases while their Roses rivals and conquerors at Headingley this week, Lancashire, stand second. Durham struck the highest team score of the week: 223-8 against Derbyshire. In that game, Ben Raine slammed eight sixes and just one four in a 39-ball 71. However, they look unlikely to make the quarters. 

Team of the Week: Wright (Sus), Eskinazi (Mid), Lyth (Yor), Clarke (Not), Raine (Dur), Lawrence (Ess), Cox (Wor +), Van Buuren (Glo), Sisodya (Gla), Murtagh (Mid), Waller (Som)