County Cricket: Duckett Double, Hadley Heroics

The two leading title contenders met at Trent Bridge but the batters dominated to produce a stalemate. Nottinghamshire stay top after Joe Clarke’s prolific form continued, and Ben Duckett notched his first century of the county season, and it was an unbeaten 203, although Surrey bowling Burns, Sibley and Patel at the end probably helped a wee bit. 

Warwickshire leapfrog Surrey into second spot following a 377-run trouncing of Yorkshire. It is a weird scorecard. Three sub-200 totals scattered around the decisive Warwicks second innings of 553-6 declared, in which Sam Hain’s 164 not out headed a succession of solid scores. Oliver Hannon-Dalby was back in the Warwickshire fold after his Worcestershire loan, and claimed match figures of 7-71 against his home county. Harry Brook chipped in with sixty-six runs but couldn’t save his side. 

One-time leaders Somerset continued their miserable May, leading Glamorgan before crumbling in their second innings despite two more Tom Abell half-centuries. Inexperienced Aussie Ryan Hadley took 3-28 but it was his batting which sparked the last-day headlines. Glamorgan still faced an awkward target of 283, and Hadley entered the fray as nightwatchman with four wickets down. Incredibly, he was still there at the death, having persevered for almost five hours, facing more deliveries than in the whole of his first-class career, finally driving to the boundary to bring up his maiden fifty and winning the match by two wickets. His fifty-over 114 partnership with Sean Dickson (76) defied all that the Somerset seamers could throw at them and now the Welsh are above them in the table. 

Sussex achieved victory number three, with Leicestershire their latest victims at Hove. Centuries from Daniel Hughes (the only one by any opener this week) and John Simpson put them out of sight, then three wickets apiece by Robinson and Hudson-Prentice left the batsmen with a simple chase which they won at a gallop. Meanwhile, at Chelmsford, Hampshire’s batting woes continued, their hosts Essex winning by six wickets inside three days. The visitors’ James Fuller took 5-43 in the first outing but Matt Critchley compensated for early jitters against Kyle Abbott (4-36) by thumping fifteen fours in his unbeaten match-winning ninety. Hampshire now have the unenviable task of defeating leaders Notts later this week. 

In Division Two, Durham remain at the helm, comfortably beating Worcestershire by nine wickets at New Road. Despite Ben Raine’s 5-63 and 2-54 by the rarely-spotted Ben Stokes, Worcester claimed a slender led at halfway. However, Callum Parkinson (5-13) induced a collapse which left Gay and McKinney to add to their run tallies and steer their side to victory. 

Middlesex returned from Old Trafford with a win bonus and healthy bowling figures, especially by Ryan Higgins. On the third and final day, Ben Geddes steadied the ship and piloted his side home by six wickets, dropping Lancashire to fourth. Last week, Northants crushed Worcestershire by an innings but this time they were on the end of a similar pasting. Derbyshire recovered from a loss to Kent to compile a formidable 604-7 declared, crowned by a double-hundred stand between Martin Andersson and Brooke Guest. Northants tried to drop anchor, but with Shoaib Bashir sending down more than sixty overs and Guest catching six nicks off the seamers, Derby were patient and took the win. 

Having collected their first triumph for a year last week, Kent made it two on the bounce at Bristol. Gloucestershire pushed them all the way to the closing session, with Bell and Williams taking fourteen of the eighteen wickets to fall. Nonetheless, James Taylor enjoyed his first ten-wicket haul and Tawanda Muyeye (90 and 108) top-scored for Kent in the two-wicket success. 

In the last round before a Championship break, Kent entertain leaders Durham at Beckenham and Middlesex welcome Derbyshire to Lord’s. Northants visit Gloucestershire, and it’s off to the Southport seaside for Lancs and Worcestershire. 

Team of the Week:- Hughes (Sus), Duckett (Not), Clarke (Not), Hain (War), Muyeye (Ken), Guest (Der +), Higgins (Mid), Hadley (Gla), C Parkinson (Dur), Hannon-Dalby (War), J Taylor (Ken)

County Cricket: Surrey surge but Somerset Still Top

Most of this week’s Vitality Blast action focussed on the South group where Somerset had been unbeaten. After almost three weeks without an individual century, we witnessed two, both scored by Kent openers albeit in different fixtures. 

Indeed, it was Kent who spoiled Somerset’s 100% record. Daniel Bell-Drummond’s 49-ball hundred dominated a 158-run opening stand with Tawanda Muyeye (70) as the Spitfires racked up 228-5. The Westcountrymen aren’t fazed by a challenging chase, and Toms Banton and Kohler-Cadmore set about the task in typical fashion. Joey Evison strangled the middle-order and, although Dickson and Green tried their best, and Craig Overton launched the last ball for six, Somerset fell four runs short. 

Kent again topped 200 on Friday, this time at Chelmsford. It was Muyeye’s turn to score exactly 100 but, with only Simon Harmer’s seven sixes to cheer the home crowd, Matt Parkinson’s 5-23 hastened Essex’s seventh defeat of the campaign. Meanwhile, Somerset did bounce back with victories over Hampshire and Glamorgan. Riley Meredith was the pick of the bowlers, taking eight across the three games. 

Surrey surged into second place thanks to a trio of wins, each achieved easily after batting first. With an international top six, they could hardly fail, and it was Will Jacks who stole the show, including a 56-dellivery 97 against a miserable Middlesex. Sussex lie third, falling to Surrey but beating Glamorgan in Cardiff. Interestingly, all fifteen wickets to fall were either caught or stumped. Pakistan international spinner Imad Wasim may be Swansea-born but only this week did he make his Glamorgan T20 debut, finishing the week with five cheap wickets. 

There were three particularly exciting tight finishes. Needing ten from the final over bowled by Tom Helm, Essex could nick only eight, Noah Thain failing to find the crucial boundary. In the North Group, the Bears were involved in not one but two real nail-biters. At Edgbaston, Nottinghamshire needed seventeen off the concluding over. Daniel Sams whacked a couple of sixes, leaving the scores level with one ball remaining. Notts ‘keeper Tom Moores thought ‘what the hell’ and cleared the boundary to win by six wickets. At the same ground a few days later, neighbours Worcestershire popped over the border to contest a desperately close, low-scoring affair. Dan Mousley took 4-19 and the home team required only 135 to win. However, wickets fell regularly and it was left to Sam Hain to shepherd the tail to the finishing line. But could he do it? At 132-9 after nineteen overs, they required three while Matthew Waite scented blood. The Bears didn’t suffer another last-minute defeat as Hain struck the decisive single off the third ball.   

Northamptonshire retained their position at the top despite losing to Notts and there are now three teams queuing up behind them just four points adrift. Durham are one of them, picking up consecutive successes against Yorkshire. Last Sunday, Matthew Potts (5-17) starred at York while the Chester-le-Street encounter featured a genuine team effort, the winning margin being 63 runs. 

Still plenty to play for, but players must curb their crazy ramps and cow-corner heaves for the next few weeks. The Championship is back (hooray!), and leaders Notts welcome back red-ball specialists like Hameed, Slater and Abbas for the visit of Yorkshire. Surrey travel to lowly Worcestershire, Sussex to Durham, while Somerset and Warwickshire meet for the opportunity to go second or third. Essex hope to begin rescuing their sticky summer at home to Hampshire. 

In the second flight, surprise package Leicestershire look to extend their lead by beating Glamorgan, who themselves were in good form before the June hiatus. Basement clubs Kent and Lancashire come together at the Blackpool seaside. 

Team of the Week:- Muyeye (Ken), Bell-Drummond (Ken), Jacks (Sur), Smeed (Som), Rehan Ahmed (Lei), S Curran (Sur), Moores (Not +), Potts (Dur), Evison (Ken), Singh Dale (Glo), M Parkinson (Ken)

County Cricket; Burns Sparks another Surrey Victory

After being shunted into a summer holiday siding for six weeks, the County Championship returned and it was like it had never been away. For example, after a storming One Day Cup, Glamorgan were back to losing ways and Surrey’s dreadful white-ball run was forgotten as the champions registered victory number seven, surely en route to another red-ball title. 

Even without Ollie Pope and Jamie Smith on England duty, Surrey made short work of Lancashire. Jprdan Clark, Dan Worrall and Conor McKerr shared almost all the wickets, and skipper Rory Burns compiled a career-best 227. Somerset’s draw with Warwickshire helped widen their lead at the top to thirty-five points with only four matches remaining. At Edgbaston, Craig Overton’s side were always playing catch-up and, had rain not intervened, may well have lost. Abell and Rew were well set but 163 short of the target, four wickets down. 

Below them, Essex and Hampshire played out a draw although the wet weather was the ultimate winner. Four batsmen did salvage something by reaching three figures apiece. On the final day, Hampshire’s Toby Albert (124) and Tom Prest (156) looked solid before each were dismissed by Matt Critchley, following the efforts of Dean Elgar and Jordan Cox. The latter marked his international T20 call-up by thumping 141 from only 124 balls. 

Durham consolidated fifth place by crushing Nottinghamshire by an innings and seventeen. Alex Lees and England Under-19 captain Ben McKinney opened the innings with centuries, then Aussie Ashton Turner also joined the fun with an unbeaten 114. The visitors were subsequently banished by a teenage debutant Daniel Hogg, whose remarkable second-innings 7-66 included the wickets of Hameed and Clarke. With England’s current penchant for selecting complete unknowns, can Hogg be far from an Ashes appearance?! 

Up to now, England-qualified, Zimbabwe-born Tawanda Muyeye probably hasn’t given selectors much to ponder. However, his 211 for Kent showed some fight in the face of considerable adversity, albeit in vain as the bottom county succumbed to Worcestershire by eight wickets. Joe Leach doesn’t do much with the bat these days but his 6-52 put Worcester in the driving seat from the off, and the 23 points will do their relegation battle a much-needed boost. 

In Division Two, leaders Sussex suffered an unexpected defeat at the hands of Yorkshire who are now very much in the promotion hunt. Jonny Bairstow made a rare appearance in front of the Scarborough fans, making 57 and 0, plus four catches behind the stumps, but it was Ben Coad’s 5-69 on Saturday which hastened Sussex’s demise. Second placed Middlesex also won, overhauling Northamptonshire at a soggy Northwood by eight wickets. Ben Sanderson did his best but Toby Roland-Jones stole the show, claiming match figures of 11-113. Injury may have snuffed out his England career very early but how many seamers ca boast a career Test bowling average of under 20? 

A ten-wicket triumph over Glamorgan is always worth celebrating but Derbyshire were even more over-joyed because it was their first victory at the county ground for five years! Zak Chappell’s 6-47 was also his best return in first-class cricket and the result lifted them off the foot of the table, albeit by a single point. If you wanted runs, Bristol was the best place to be. Leicestershire opener Ian Holland top-scored for the guests but Gloucestershire’s 544-4 declared featured not one but two double-hundreds. Ben Charlesworth (210) and James Bracey (207 not out) also shared a fourth-wicket stand of 290. Young Leicester fast bowler Josh Hull demonstrated why he is in the England squad next week by taking 1-133, taking his career bowling average to 62.75. Pardon? 

Pick of next weekend’s contests must be Yorkshire v Middlesex at Headingley and, in the first tier, Somerset against Durham. On this week’s form, Nottinghamshire should give Surrey few problems but Essex may have their hands full should the Worcestershire batsmen show what they are capable of. 

Team of the Week:- Muyeye (Ken), Burns (Sur), Charlesworth (Glo), Bracey (Glo +), Cox (Ess), Prest (Ham),  Roland-Jones (Mid), Carson (Sus), Hogg (Dur), Sanderson (Nor), Chappell (Der)