Tanya Aldred's roundup
Keith Barker, Kyle Abbott and Fidel Edwards whittled through Nottinghamshire’s batting on another bonny day on the Isle of Wight, where summer fancies floated on the breeze. With three wickets apiece, they regularly sent batsmen on the slow trudge home until, by mid-afternoon, Jake Ball was caught off Mason Crane and it was all over – a victory for Hampshire by 244 runs.
Chris Nash, with a steady 60, was the only man to score over 25. Hampshire’s stand-in captain, Sam Northeast, was full of praise for the Newclose ground: “Sometimes you can get really bad out-grounds, but for certain there will be more cricket played here in the future.”
Hampshire are now only two points below Division One leaders Somerset – the teams meet in the Royal London Cup final on Friday. It was a miserable day, though, for Notts, who have not won a first-class match since last June. Their coach, Peter Moores, was not impressed. “We need to learn lessons from it, we can’t just move on. There are areas to address and talk about and be adjusted fast.”
Kent started the day chasing a nominal 380 with one body already back in the Beckenham pavilion. Just as last week against Yorkshire, they had to try to bat out the day and hope that someone, anyone, made a big score. Sean Dickson (91) and Heino Kuhn (81) did their best against the might of Morne Morkel, dangerous with the new ball, and Rikki Clarke. Sam Curran limped off the field with a hamstring injury shortly after yorking the nightwatchman Adam Riley. With 15 overs to go, Surrey still had to take four wickets but despite removing Alex Blake and Darren Stevens, Wiaan Mulder (68 not out) and Harry Podmore held on to secure the draw and five extra points.
It was a tense final afternoon too at the County Ground where Sussex strained to run through the Northamptonshire batting. After adding 47 in the first four overs, they declared to set Northants 394 – or, more realistically, bat out the day. Josh Cobb, only playing as a concussion substitute after the captain Alex Wakely hit his head on a low beam at home, finished with 68 and shared a stand of 99 with Ben Curran. Mir Hamza took four for 51 but an unbeaten seventh-wicket stand of 70 between Adam Rossington (69) and Brett Hutton (25) ensured the long shadows ended in a draw.
Kent and Surrey has indeed finished in a draw – the defending champions’ third in a row this season. They are fifth in the Division One table, with Somerset, Hampshire, Yorkshire and Kent above them.
Northants v Sussex has ended in a draw, after the hosts nurdled their way to 288-6 after tea. Still playing at Beckenham, with Surrey needing two more wickets to snatch a dramatic victory. Kent are 344-8 and almost home and dry.
The Spin, a brand new cricket podcast covering the World Cup and Ashes this summer, launches on Friday. Give it a listen!
Tis time to write up. I think these games are dead - but then again, I’ve just refreshed and Heino Kuhn is caught behind off Morkel for 81. Heino! So near! Kent 266 for six; Northants 236 for six.
Next week’s games to whet your whistles:
Division One
Yorkshire v Hampshire, Headingley
Essex v Kent, Chelmsford
Warwickshire v Surrey, Edgbaston
Division Two
Sussex v Glamorgan, Hove
Worcestershire v Middlesex, Worcester
Gloucestershire v Lancashire, Cheltenham
Leicestershire v Derbyshire, Leicester
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I’ve had to revert to the family behemoth which won’t let me add links or photos - apologies, but I’ve just read a piece by Tim Wigmore saying that the CWC authorities are stepping up security against...drones.
“The steps to prevent the use of drones are regarded as significantly advanced from 2017, when England hosted the Champions Trophy and Women’s World Cup, and among the most sophisticated ever used in sport. But drone technology is considered to have evolved too, stressing the need for vigilance. Disruption that could be caused by drones is considered a growing risk across major sports events.”
A trickle of wickets at Beckenham and The County Ground. Robinson Morkelled for 32, Kent 242 for five. And Mir Hamza putting whizz into whizzo - now four for 39 as Procter goes for 25. Northants 218 for six.
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Tea-time scores
DIVISION ONE
Beckenham: Kent 294 (Dickson 128) and 233-4 (Sean Dickson 91, Kuhn 71 not out); Surrey 439 (Jacks 120) & 280 (Sam Curran 80; Milnes 3-74). Kent need 193 runs to win
Newport: Hampshire 310 & 367-5dec (Rahane 119, Northeast 133), Nottinghamshire 239 (Mullaney 102) and 194 (Nash 60). Hampshire win by 244 runs.
DIVISION TWO
Northampton: Northants 368( Vasconcelos 83) & 212-5 (Cobb 68; Hamza 3-39), Sussex 422 (Jordan 166, Brown 156) and 292-4 (Salt 122). Northants need 182 runs to wi
Apologies everyone, my computer suddenly died. Anyone know what to do when suddenly the lead stops charging (but you don’t notice until it is too late...)
Anyway, Northants are now 206 for five - nice to see Chris Jordan getting a wicket to go with his couple in the first innings. And Kent defying predictions, still four down: Kuhn 71, Robinson 24.
And that’s it, Balls goes to Crane for a duck, and it is an easy win for Hampshire in the end on the Isle of Wight. See you soon lovely Island.
Hampshire beat Nottinghamshire by 244 runs
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Loving this awkward staging:
There’s all ten captains. It’s far too trendy here. I feel very uncool pic.twitter.com/KsjFZe5pwD
— Elizabeth Ammon (@legsidelizzy) May 23, 2019
Nottinghamshire nine down, Stuart Broad caught at first slip for nine, trying to play at Edwards. Not long now.
And a parcel arrives! Duncan Hamilton’s The Great Romantic: Cricket and the Golden Age of Neville Cardus. Looks a cracker.
So, the Royal London final on Saturday. Anyone going? Any best one-day final memories?
Hampshire obvs without James Vince and Liam Dawson... here Marcus Trescothick analyses his teammates ahead of the day.
Farewell Sean Dickson, nine runs shorts of two centuries in the match. Kent 179 for four and - would it be unfair to say that’s probably that?
Mullaney can’t continue his heroics of the first innings and is totally flummoxed by Keith Barker. Nottinghamshire 170 for eight.
WICKET: Keith Barker picks up a deserved third scalp! ☝️
— Hampshire Cricket (@hantscricket) May 23, 2019
He removes Mullaney (13) who is beaten for pace and clean bowled - @TrentBridge 170-8 (268 behind).
📲 iOS: https://t.co/3H80EnOA4p
📲 Android: https://t.co/gImTwZuJKX pic.twitter.com/vUof4iX7ED
Super sub Josh Cobb becomes Hamza’s third nugget of the day. Gone for 68. Northants all the threes 133 for three.
This is fun from Dean Wilson. At the captains’ press conference in Dalston, one of the kids present asked the captains who they would pick if they could have one player from another team.
Morgan: Ponting (ugh), Kohli: Faf (nice guy), Sarfaraz: Buttler, Holder and Naib: No-one (boring), Mortaza: Kohli (obvs), Finch: Rabada (wheels), Faf: Bumrah, R Khan, Cummins (PICK 1!!!), Dimuth: Stokes (Gun), Williamson: R Khan (Worldie). (2/2)
— Dean Wilson (@CricketMirror) May 23, 2019
Gah! Ben Curran out for 36, a second for Mir Hamza. Northants 124/2.
Sorry, 144 for seven - Moores lbwed by Abbott for five.
WICKET: It's another for @Kyle_Abbott87! ☝️
— Hampshire Cricket (@hantscricket) May 23, 2019
Moores (5) is the batsman to depart LBW this time as he gets one that keeps a little low - @TrentBridge 144-7 (294 behind).
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📲 Android: https://t.co/gImTwZuJKX pic.twitter.com/YqwZu5Hvns
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Nash goes, post-lunch, for 60, and matters on the Isle of Wight start to potter towards a close. Notts 144 for six and two each for the reliable trio of Abbott, Barker and Edwards.
Virat on Jofra:
After Jofra Archer says he wants to take his wicket Viral Kohli admits: “No wonder England fast tracked him into the side. He has the X-Factor they wanted.”
— Dean Wilson (@CricketMirror) May 23, 2019
Those green trainers (rather partial to a coloured shoe actually)
A knight of the realm in green trainers. Tsk. @tjaldred pic.twitter.com/Bs4apFpTln
— Richie B (@HorizontalsRich) May 23, 2019
Lunch-time scores
DIVISION ONE
Beckenham: Kent 294 (Dickson 128) and 133-3 (Sean Dickson 75); Surrey 439 (Jacks 120) & 280 (Sam Curran 80; Milnes 3-74). Kent need 293 runs to win
Newport: Hampshire 310 & 367-5dec (Rahane 119, Northeast 133), Nottinghamshire 239 (Mullaney 102) and 131-5 (Nash 60). Notts need 308 runs to win
DIVISION TWO
Northampton: Northants 368( Vasconcelos 83) & 104-1 (Cobb 59), Sussex 422 (Jordan 166, Brown 156) and 292-4 (Salt 122). Northants need 290 runs to win
Jake Libby falls just before lunch on the Isle of Wight. Notts 130/5 - perhaps they fancy a quick dip in the Solent before heading home. or a scone at the Baywatch cafe at St Helens - probably nice this time of year, fewer wasps than at high summer. Chris Nash still there btw, 60 not out on a sleepy morning round the grounds.
And that’s lunch-time: asparagus! Scores to follow.
I see poor old Michael Rice’s Eurovision score has been revised down to 11...meanwhile this is a nice read on Lance Klusener’s magic in the 1999 World Cup.
A relatively easy morning for batting at Beckenham, Newport and Northamptonshire.
I spoke to David Ripley about Ben Curran earlier this season for The Cricketer:
“He’s a very determined little fellow, a gutsy, fighting cricketer. He’s not had as straightforward a journey as others have managed, including his brothers, but he’s there now and perhaps that makes him a bit more hungry.
“He’s a quiet guy, with a nice bright sense of humour when he lets it out, and an inner steel, he is not going to die wondering, he’s going to give it his all.
“The biggest thing for him is not to put himself under too much pressure, he doesn’t need to burst in. Now he’s got a contract, there are opportunities to play, he just needs to take everything one step at a time.”
A picture of all the kids at Old Trafford yesterday. The lion won the the mascot race.
GALLERY: Schools Open Day photos are available to view on our website. 📸
— Lancashire Cricket Foundation (@LancsCricketFDN) May 23, 2019
Spot your school? 👉 https://t.co/yeK0h0Q5f3
A huge thank you must also go to our volunteers from @GMPstretford, @gmpolice, @manchesterfire and @RoyalAirForce 👏👏 pic.twitter.com/sAyCvmuQxX
Anjali Doshi casts her expert eye on India’s World Cup chances.
Ricardo Vasconcelos out for 10 at the County Ground, Northants 51-1. Ben Curran still there on 17 - come on Ben!
And there goes Daniel Bell-Drummond for 7, Rikki Clarke gets his man, Kent 90-3.
Just having another look at the CPL squads - Alex Hales was the only Brit picked up in the first round - earning USD 160,000.
And Notts lose another wicket - Joe Clarke for a duck. A first wicket for Abbott: Notts 94-4.
Sounds like Surrey have been chastised by the umpires. Rikki Clarke getting hot around the collar.
Updated
In case anyone was wondering why Alex Wakely went missing from the game against Sussex - he hit his head on a low beam at home and had to have a concussion substitute - Josh Cobb.
And Sam Curran has gone of the field at Beckenham - so Surrey down a bowler.
And on the Isle of Wight, the other nightwatchman goes. Adam Riley is Sam Curraned for 7. Kent 71 for two.
This is brilliant from the, award-winning, Somerset twitter feed. The intense physical hit of both defeat and victory. Keep an eye on the batsmen.
#WeAreSOMERSET pic.twitter.com/DlLhn0F018
— Somerset Cricket 🏏 (@SomersetCCC) May 23, 2019
Notts lose a wicket, ye olde nightwatchman Matthew Carter for 23. Notts 77/3 chasing the dream of another 362 to win. A second for Keith Barker.
And SUSSEX HAVE DECLARED on 339/4 - yet more runs for Ben Brown - 60 not out - and Stiaan van Zy, 81 not out. That leaves Northants a nominal target of 394.
OB Jato writes in praise of the retro kits of England and Australia.
And here, while we’re at it, is the report on Australia’s warm-up game. Steve Smith makes runs, Usman Khawaja gets hurt and David Warner makes 12
Before a wicket falls.... very sad to hear about the death of Judith Kerr, who provided so much joy with her wonderful stories. Sleep sweetly.
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And a little ad for Hampshire’s outdoor cinema in August. Anything else going on round the grounds extra-curricula? I remember A-ha were at Canterbury last year...
🍿 The Ageas Bowl is delighted to announce the return of the venue’s outdoor cinema event this summer, taking place on Saturday 3rd August! 🎞️
— The Ageas Bowl (@TheAgeasBowl) May 22, 2019
📝 Full info ➡️ https://t.co/ibjry4tdqA pic.twitter.com/bPspDCPLuX
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Oh how I wish I was on the Isle of Wight
☀️ A beautiful start to the day here at @newcloseiow!
— Hampshire Cricket (@hantscricket) May 23, 2019
Who's joining us for today's action? 🙋♀️ pic.twitter.com/bEqMfje6X9
If you’ve time over coffee, try this on Bangladesh, or these highlights of Surrey yesterday
🎥 Highlights: Another good day for Surrey saw them finish 380 runs ahead needing 9 Kent wickets. The hosts will resume on 46 for 1. pic.twitter.com/KgLZEsZdEd
— Surrey Cricket (@surreycricket) May 23, 2019
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Oh, god, this photograph
Cricket is world away from wides, witless video and England woes of 1999https://t.co/3FTbC79wh8
— Mike atherton (@Athersmike) May 23, 2019
Start of play scores
DIVISION ONE
Beckenham: Kent 294 (Dickson 128) and 46-1; Surrey 439 (Jacks 120) & 280 (Sam Curran 80; Milnes 3-74). Kent need 380 to win
Newport: Hampshire 310 & 367-5dec (Rahane 119, Northeast 133), Nottinghamshire 239 (Mullaney 102) and 42-2. Notts need 397 runs to win
DIVISION TWO
Northampton: Northants 368( Vasconcelos 83), Sussex 422 (Jordan 166, Brown 156) and 292-4 (Salt 122). Sussex lead by 346 runs
And this, from yesterday, on Andrew Strauss and the foundation he has set up in memory of his wife Ruth.
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Good morning!
It’s all rather calm today after yesterday’s excitement at Taunton and The County Ground. Well done again to Glamorgan, what a cracking game that was.
There are three matches still breathing - Surrey and Hampshire look likely to come out on top, Northampton could well end in handshakes at five o’clock.
In other news, Ravi Ashwin is going to join Notts as their overseas player for six County Championship games from the end of next month, starting with the game against Essex.
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