Essex on a roll, Somerset robbed

 Reigning county champions Essex are the only side with a 100% record thanks to a nervy win at Hove and rain elsewhere. An Lawrence’s 60 was the top score in the match, so it was the familiar combination of seamer Jamie Porter and spinner Simon Harmer which clinched it. Sussex’s George Garton took nine wickets, including Alastair Cook twice, but all in vain. 

Surrey also have a 100% record – of losses – after succumbing to an innings defeat at Arundel. Alsop and Northeast each scored 80+ while Ian Holland claimed a first-innings 6-60 and James Fuller scooped a hat-trick on the final day. At this rate, Surrey will do well to avoid a whitewash. In the other South group, Surrey’s next opponents Kent settled for a home draw with Middlesex after the latter set them an unlikely target of 248 in 32 overs. Robbie White missed his maiden century by a whisker, caught off Darren Stevens on 99. 

Somerset had a topsy-turvy ride at Edgbaston. Struggling to earn a single bonus point, Jamie Overton joined Stephen Davies and put on 190 for the ninth wicket. The bowler thumped six sixes and 15 fours in his 120 and his team looked set to secure an innings victory before the last of several rain delays proved terminal, with Warwickshire eight wickets down. Sums up Somerset’s grim luck with the red ball. 

Worcestershire leapfrogged them at the top of Central division by beating Northants at Wantage Road by 78 runs. Tom Fell was the hero, his 110 the first Championship century since his cancer diagnosis five years ago. At a soggy Sophia Gardens, Glamorgan and Gloucestershire batsmen struggled again. Home skipper Chris Cooke once more led a second-innings resistance before the weather closed in for good. 

Further north, group leaders Yorkshire and Derbyshire had to settle for a draw at Headingley, but similar results elsewhere ensured they retained the top two positions. Dawid Malan scored a career-best 219 for his new county before Derbyshire worked towards a third batting bonus point at close of play. Derby next meet Durham who to their credit agreed a competitive last-day contest with Leicestershire. A final-hour thrash could have brought Leicester the spoils but another shower prevented a result. 

At Trent Bridge, Nottinghamshire made Lancashire follow on, thanks largely to a 178-run stand involving Ben Duckett and Ben Slater, who could be forgiven for a degree of confusion. A fortnight ago, he was striking 172, but for Leicestershire! Last week he made a ‘pair’ and now the runs returned for his new club. A first success of the summer was thwarted when openers Jennings and Davies dug in for the draw. They’ll need more such grit if they are to win next week’s Roses battle. 

Team of the Week: Slater (Not), Robson (Mid), Duckett (Not), Malan (Yor), Fell (Wor), Davies (Som +), J Overton (Som), Holland (Ham), Harmer (Ess), Payne (Glo), Garton (Sus)

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)