County Batters run riot

At the end of last week, all four Division One counties batting first racked up scores well in excess of 500. Pity the spinners twirling away for hours with no reward: Danny Briggs and Simon Kerrigan ended with figures of 1-166 and 0-177, respectively. The opening run blitz almost guaranteed there being no results. 

Bristol hosted the exception. Tom Abell’s 142 and a run-a-ball 89 from Lewis Gregory helped Somerset to 591-7 declared, a total Severn derby rivals Gloucestershire failed to match in two attempts. For the first time this season, Somerset’s line-up looked as strong as in 2021 and Jack Leach led the march to victory, taking 8-90. 

At Beckenham, Surrey set a remarkable new world record for first-class cricket. Their 671-9 was the highest total to include no centuries! Pope, Overton and Foakes each passed 90 but none pushed on to three figures. Jamie then chipped in with 3-37 as Kent slipped to 230, but rain ensured league leaders Surrey couldn’t press home their advantage. 

The Roses fixtures always make headlines, and Joe Root’s 147 was, surprisingly, his first against Lancashire in the County Championship. However, James Anderson dismissed him for four in the second innings. The former England captain notwithstanding, Lancashire dominated the game from the off, as Keaton Jennings followed last week’s 110 with an even more impressive  238. Meanwhile, at Edgbaston, Warwickshire and Northamptonshire served up a rather dreary draw to suck the life out of bowlers. There were 1,165 runs but only ten wickets. Vasconcelos and Young shared an opening stand of 287 for the visitors then, in response, Sam Hain and Matt Lamb extended their partnership to 254 as the game petered out. Luke Procter also made 100 not out but Warwickshire captain Will Rhodes missed out, dismissed for 99. 

This week, Surrey aren’t playing so Lancashire could overtake them by beating Essex at Old Trafford. I’ll cheer Somerset against Hampshire as they aim to complete a trio of triumphs following the previous three drubbings. 

In Division Two, bowlers had slightly more success. Durham and Glamorgan went as far as producing an exciting contest which could have swung either way on the fourth day. Despite another poor start, Glamorgan established a first-innings lead then Michael Neser and Marnus Labuschagne bowled them into an even stronger position. However, defending only 195, the home team regained the advantage as Matt Potts seamed his way through the line-up, taking 7-40, easily the best county figures of the week. 

At Derby, Shan Masood maintained his remarkable form with another century, and his 113 was eclipsed by number seven, Anuj Dal, who reached 114 when Godleman declared the innings at 565-8. Worcestershire avoided defeat thanks to day four stonewalling by centurion Jake Libby, Azhar Ali and first-innings ton-maker Jack Haynes. At Lord’s, leaders Middlesex kept Nottinghamshire at bay despite the latter’s dominance throughout. Notts skipper Steven Mullaney accelerated his declaration decision by launching a T20-style second-innings assault. He struck eight sixes en route to a hundred, but Sam Robson played a patient 101 not out, assisted by Max Holden’s 18 which spanned almost three hours. Struggling Leicestershire were spared another defeat, this time against Sussex, who themselves had not won for eighteen games. At 209-7 on Sunday morning, an innings defeat was on the cards, but a combination of rain showers and sturdy defence by Harry Swindells, and bowler Callum Parkinson gobbled up the overs needed by Sussex to complete the victory. 

In the last round of fixtures before Twenty20 blasts off at the Bank Holiday weekend, Middlesex entertain Durham while Nottinghamshire wait to pounce should they beat neighbours Derbyshire. Glamorgan have played a game more but, should they win and Middlesex lose, they could enter the Championship break in pole position. 

Team of the Week: Vasconcelos (Nor), Jennings (Lan), Hain (War), Root (Yor), Foakes (Sur +), Lamb (War), Mullaney (Not), Neser (Gla), Pattinson (Not), Leach (Som), Potts (Dur).

Nottinghamshire Thrash the Champions

It was a good week for the bowlers, especially on the first day. Indeed Saif Zaib’s 135 was the highest innings of the week. Saturday was nearly a national washout, which ruined half the games as contests, but the rest ended in convincing victories. 

Just a fortnight ago I’d have split my sides at the suggestion of Essex being thrashed by hapless Nottinghamshire but after breaking their three-year duck last week, Notts turned the tables by twice bowling out the champions for a sub-300 aggregate. Steven Mullaney top-scored with 117, while Luke Fletcher’s career-best 6-24 did the damage in Essex’s first innings, followed by Lyndon James in the second. Pity poor Shane Snater. In only his sixth Championship outing, he took 7-9 and still ended up on the losing side. Incredibly Nottinghamshire now top Group 1 ahead of Warwickshire and Worcestershire, who drew at Edgbaston where Rob Yates and ‘keeper Michael Burgess made hundreds. 

Gloucestershire’s winning ways were maintained at Lord’s where Middlesex were their fourth victims of the season so far. This week’s hero was left-arm seamer David Payne who captured eleven wickets for only 87 runs. At Southampton Somerset were bossing it at halfway but an obdurate four-hour 44 by Joe Weatherley on day four tested their patience. Fortunately for my lot, Josh Davey finished the job started by Craig Overton and they claimed equal shares of the ten Hampshire wickets. The other Group 2 fixture saw Leicestershire being held by Surrey despite their first innings featuring no fewer than three centuries, by Evans, Harris and Swindells. 

In Group 3, it’s still the Roses rivals occupying the top two positions. Rain on both sides of the Pennines prevented any result in Yorkshire’s match against Kent and Glamorgan’s visit to Lancashire. In contrast, Northamptonshire rebounded after their heartbreaking one-run loss last week by drubbing Sussex at home by an innings and 12. The aforementioned Saif Zaib Northants’ charge but it was the combined efforts of veteran Gareth Berg and Ben Sanderson, taking nineteen wickets between them, which proved decisive against the South Coasters. 

Next week, they meet neighbours and fellow strugglers Kent at Hove, while Yorkshire will take charge of the group by avoiding defeat at Glamorgan. The same goes for Somerset, who host Surrey in their quest for a fifth triumph out of six. Gloucestershire sit it out which may prove fortuitous give the rotten weather forecast. The top two in Group 1 are also resting so if Worcestershire record a maiden success in 2021 against Durham they will leapfrog both Notts and Worcestershire. 

Team of the Week: Evans (Lei), Stoneman (Sur), Harris (Lei), Saif Zaib (Nor), Burgess (War +), Mullaney (Not), James (Not), Berg (Nor), C Overton (Som), Payne (Glo), Sanderson (Nor)

Stevens breaks records, Abbott breaks Somerset

Because of an impending holiday in Portugal, I am taking the unusual step of writing this week’s county blog before the full set of fixtures are over. However, with most of the results already confirmed, it’s not completely crazy.

Somerset’s hopes of that elusive Championship title rest entirely on beating Essex at Taunton next week after being flattened by Hampshire at the Rose Bowl inside three days. They have become accustomed to bowling sides out twice, thanks to the Overtons, Gregory, Leach or Davey but this week they came up against Kyle Abbott, who claimed the best bowling figures ever for the county and the best by anybody since Jim Laker since the Fifties.

First up he took 9-40 then, once Somerset’s openers had established a solid 86, he produced another devastating spell of 8-46. And yet Somerset may have triumphed had Hampshire not had to rely on centuries by Liam Dawson in the first innings and James Vince in the second.

Meanwhile, Essex did all that could be asked of them by routing Surrey at Chelmsford. Porter and Cook each claimed five-fors in the first innings then the spin of Simon Harmer polished off the calamitous ex-champions on Thursday afternoon. Dan Lawrence and the reliable Ryan Ten Doeschate each struck tons. As a result, a draw will be enough in the final fixture at Taunton. I think all us Somerset fans know exactly how it will play out….

Kent look set to beat Yorkshire and that man Darren Stevens has done it again. After a mediocre summer, Kent decided not to renew his contract but they may be reconsidering because he thumped a career-best 237 as part of a Kent record sixth-wicket partnership of 347. At 43, he is also the oldest double-centurion for the county for seventy years. And he’s not finished in this match because at stumps on day three he has 4-12 with the ball. What a legend! It’s rare for a man making three figures twice to be outshone, but that’s what has happened to his skipper Sam Billings.

Nottinghamshire have a chance of a first victory of the season, thanks largely to Steve Mullaney and Joe Clarke, who is seeking to emulate Billings by heading towards a second hundred of the match. Dom Sibley’s unbeaten 215 for Warwickshire may have done enough to ensure a draw.

In Division Two, Gloucestershire defeated Worcestershire despite Ed Barnard’s 6-42, and must surely be home and dry for a promotion they can’t honestly have predicted. Northamptonshire are set to join them and Lancashire in the top tier next season, barring a late-order miracle comeback by Durham. ‘Keeper Adam Rossington’s batting counter-attack and Ben Sanderson’s wickets look to have done the trick.

Sussex’s slender hopes were skittled by Derbyshire, for whom Luis Reece crafted a second innings 184 and took 5-63. White ball specialist Reece Topley enjoyed a reasonable but long-delayed first-class debut for Sussex, albeit in a losing cause. Leicestershire will definitely finish bottom of Division Two as Glamorgan are on the verge of victory against them in Cardiff. Kraigg Brathwaite earned his crust by grinding out 103.

Unless we decide to stay on the Algarve for another six years to retain EU residency, I’ll be back to report on the conclusion of proceedings next week.

Team of the Week: Mullaney (Not), Sibley (War), Clarke (Not), Billings (Ken), Dawson (Ham), Rossington (Nor +), Stevens (Ken), Simpson (Mid), Abbott (Ham), Harmer (Ess), Sanderson (Nor)

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)

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)

Super Sangakkara so close to a new record

In the clash involving to the top two, the weather wasn’t conducive to a clear result. However, following Kumar Sangakkara’s splendid first-innings 200 (after Surrey’s early collapse to 31-5), the final day was all about whether the Sri Lankan star would become the first player to score six consecutive County Championship centuries. He was cruising into the 60s when play was suspended. Surely Sanga wouldn’t be robbed of the record so cruelly? Fortunately, he was soon back in the middle but Jamie Porter was dismissing his partners at a rate of knots. Then on 84, he fell to a caught-and-bowled by Westley, and that was that. So near yet so far. With both sides claiming eleven points, the draw left Essex a point clear in the race for the Championship pennant.

The only other Division One fixture saw Somerset lose again inside three days. Spinners Jack Leach and Dom Bess nabbed seventeen wickets for the Taunton hosts but, David Elgar apart, the Westcountrymen struggled with the bat against the slow bowling of Liam Dawson and Matt Crane, who took 5-40 to clinch a 90-run victory for Hampshire which keeps them in third place.

Hampshire will now meet Warwickshire while Somerset travel to Lord’s in what will be a tough challenge against the champions. We also have another Roses encounter, this time in Yorkshire, and both counties need a victory to kickstart their red-ball seasons.

There was a full round of fixtures in Division Two, yielding three substantial margins of victory. At Trent Bridge, Nottinghamshire flattened Gloucestershire by an innings and 50 runs and now sit atop the table. Cheteshwar Pujara and Michael Lumb each reached three figures while it was all-rounder Steven Mullaney’s 5-32 which wrapped things up on the third day.

Kent remain hard on their heels after taking the honours in the South East derby at Tunbridge Wells. Having dropped him from my Fantasy team, Joe Denly duly struck 119 and 71 not out. Typical! The doughty Darren Stevens then took 5-40 to restrict Sussex to 164 all out and, after a rapid declaration second innings, the visitors were offered the challenge of scoring 504 in the best part of two days. The first three batsmen fell for just eight runs but the rest did at least make a fist of reaching the formidable target before Coles and Harris ended the run chase 147 runs short.

At Northampton, Worcestershire maintained their 100% record in the Championship. Opener Daryl Mitchell continued his recent fine form, contributing 237 to the cause, including a first-innings 161 and a run-a-ball 78 to save the game going to a fourth day.

It was a closer encounter at Swansea where Glamorgan achieved their first win of the campaign. Michael Hogan may not be deemed quick enough to open the bowling, nor Paul Collingwood fit for international duty, but both were in fine fettle for their respective counties. Nevertheless, it was young Nick Selman’s fine 116 not out which proved decisive on an exciting final day down by the seaside.

Leicestershire and Derbyshire are still winless after their clash at Derby, but the runs flowed freely like the River Derwent. It’s not often that Leicester reach 600+ but centuries from Colin Ackermann, Mark Cosgrove and Ned Eckersley (a career-best 158) did propel the side to such heights. Godleman and Thakor also made pleasing hundreds as part of a 532-run response. Spare a thought for Sri Lankan spinner Jeevan Mendis who had to wheel away for 74 overs for a six-wicket return across the match. I think it’s fair to say that neither will make the promotion placings, and to rub it in Derbyshire now meet leaders Notts.

Team of the Week: Mitchell (Wor), Mullaney (Not), Denly (Ken), Sangakkara (Sur), Cosgrove (Lei), Collingwood (Dur), Cooke (Gla +), Porter (Ess), Crane (Ham), Bess (Som), Hogan (Gla)

Team of the Week: Cook and Bell back in business

One-dayers ruled this week, and so did the batsmen. The sun shone (mostly) in Britain and the runs flowed accordingly. For once, the Caribbean didn't get much of a look-in, but I'll start with an A team one-day series Down Under. In recent years, Phil Hughes has been in and out more than the world hokey-cokey championship where CA has been concerned. However, he had a great week for the 'A's, starting with an unbeaten 202 (yes, that's not a typo) against South Africa A, followed by two further half-centuries. His aggregate far outweighed the 165 accrued by Alastair Cook, but the embattled England skipper also makes my Eleven for showing the character in adversity to not only score much-needed runs but also to lead his side to their first Test victory in almost a year. And to blunt the knives of the media and tongues of ex-captains who should know better!

The big centuries scored in that Third Test against India by Gary Ballance and Ian Bell also propel those two into my team of the week. The Zimbabwean has been in good form all summer but when Bell is firing on all cylinders, England normally do well. Last year, Derbyshire captain Wayne Madsen enjoyed his best season for the county bt so far in 2014 runs have been harder to come by. Normally better suited to first-class cricket, Madsen surprised me by striking not one but two hundreds this week in the new 50-over One-Day Cup.

There were numerous other excellent middle-order innings in this trophy. Karl Brown, Glen Maxwell and James Hildreth particularly impressed but I've gone with consistency over one-off brilliance. Ex-England leader Paul Collingwood produced a 92-ball 113 against Somerset and 77 versus Warwickshire, also contributing a few wickets to Durham's cause. The century shold have been enough to win the game but Somerset were to compete in three thrilling contests. They came from behind to win that one, then tie the fixture at Nottingham and lose by just two runs in an incredible finish at Taunton after Kent compiled 383!

Lewis Gregory has been a godsend for Somerset when he's been fit this summer, and he scored 105 not out in 71 deliveries against Durham. However, he took a pasting in the Kent match, in which young Sam Billings thumped 135 off just 58 balls. The wicketkeeper also notched 64 in 54 earlier in the week, so he beats England debutant Jos Buttler to the gloves.

Gregory is also eclipsed by Steven Mullaney for the all-rounder of the week position. The Notts man has been batting low in the order in recent weeks but it hasn't prevented him making vital quick runs. IN total, 103 came in 66 balls, alongside 6-59 with his medium pacers. A greatly under-rated member of the Nottinghamshire squad.

James Anderson has to be there, too. Unlike the previous game, he deserved to be the Man of the Match at the Aegeas Bowl, claiming 5-53 and 2-24 to thwart a lacklustre India. His acquittal on disrepute charges in the Jadeja 'handbags' incident polished off a great week for him. Now Ian Botham's longstanding England Test wicket record is there for the taking.

My line-up is completed by two spinners. Jeetan Patel has done wonders for Warwickshire in the Championship and this week he was Mr Consistent in the Royal London tournament, with figures of 4-24, 2-36 and 2-43, adding a few runs, too. He didn't have to bowl as much as Rangana Herath, though. Having already sent down 45 overs in the first innings and now with South Africa under the cosh, he opened the bowling in the second innings with Perera and flogged a dead pitch for another 45. Two in three were maidens, and he finished with stats of 45-30-40-5. It wasn't enough to win as Amla and co defended splendidly to defy SL, draw the match and win the series. Sometimes a backs-to the-wall performance can deliver a dramatic cricket match just as much as a runfest.

My team: Cook (Eng *), Hughes (Aus A), Ballance (Eng), Madsen (Der), Bell (Eng), Collingwood (Dur), Billings (Ken +), Mullaney (Not), Patel (War), Anderson (Eng), Herath (SL)