Roundup
A clutch of tail-end wickets for Jack Leach helped dismiss Surrey for 380 at Taunton as Somerset ended the day 137 runs behind with five wickets still remaining. The old colossus Marcus Trescothick fell early, but Azhar Ali hurtled to 60, and James Hildreth, less impetuously, to 90 before being caught and bowled by Rikki Clarke. An unbeaten 54 from Steve Davies kept Somerset in the game.
At Edgbaston, Dominic Sibley (93 not out) did his best to hold together a fragile Warwickshire line up, but fast ran out of partners as Kyle Abbott charged in (four for 43). Hampshire’s Tom Alsop had earlier reached 150 before falling to Jeetan Patel, who finished with six for 94.
Gary Ballance (57 not out) and Adam Lyth ensured Yorkshire kept the game alive at Canterbury after Kent had batted their way to a handy first innings lead of 86, thanks to a hundred from 20-year-old wicketkeeper Ollie Robinson. Ben Coad and Duanne Olivier took three wickets, Dom Bess one, and Tom Kohler-Cadmore, slipper extraordinaire, six catches.
Nottinghamshire hit trouble at Chelmsford, where they were reduced to 90 for six in their second innings, a lead of just 36 over Essex. Simon Harmer was the chief destroyer with four for 32. Essex earlier shuffled to 241, with five wickets for Luke Fletcher, and two for Stuart Broad, who dismissed Alastair Cook for the first time in Championship cricket.
In Division Two Worcestershire had a wobbly start against Durham – 17 for three – but Rikki Wessels (118) and debutant Josh Dell (61), from the fruitful academy, put on 140 for the fifth wicket. An unbeaten partnership of 85 between Ross Whitely and Ben Cox gave Worcestershire a first-innings lead of 32.
At Lord’s, sixties from Harry Dearden and Colin Ackermann weren’t enough for parity and Leicestershire finished on 257 for nine, 92 behind. Ollie Rayner picked up four for 58.
Another sunlit day at Old Trafford was the setting for a somnolent, if at times lacklustre, Lancashire innings on a pitch that flattened by the hour and Northamptonshire’s fielders with a touch of dropsy. Keaton Jennings fell three short of a durable century, as neat and tidy walking back as he was coming out, after getting an edge to a Ben Sanderson snorter. His was one of four wickets to fall after tea to the new ball. Dane Vilas and Tom Bailey then scattered serenity with an unbroken partnership of 67.
At Newport, Glamorgan are in trouble, needing 73 to avoid the follow-on. An injury to captain Chris Cooke and a collapsing sightscreen added to their woes, after Gloucestershire reached 463 with Ryan Higgins hitting 103.
Not sure quite what happened to Notts while I was away - losing 6 for 16, now 90 for 6, just 36 ahead of Essex? Anyway, we’ve all had days like that. That’s it from me for today - hope to see you back BTL tomorrow, have a wonderful evening.
I’d better write up now so I’ll leave you BTL-ing. Don’t worry, Vilas and Bailey have this under control.
Adam Lyth nips a catch to Robinson (second snaffle of the innings) and Yorkshire 85-2. Slater and Duckett sending Notts back up to near parity , just 9 behind Essex.
Wessels charges onwards 114 off 129 balls - Worcs 230/5, just 43 behind Durham. Ackerman and Dearden’s partnership now worth more than 100 at Lord’s - Leics 223/4. Vilas and Bailey taking a deep breath at Old Trafford (Lancs 216/6) and Wagg and Cooke inching Glamorgan towards 200.
Josh Dell. He deserves a photo, 61 (he was not out when I started typing) on debut. Worcestershire 207/5. But he’s so new that there are no photos of him on the Guardian archive. So have Basil D’Oliveira playing with his children instead.
circa 1968 Photograph: John Pratt/Getty Images
Jones lbw Wood 67. Lancs 204/5.
Runs, runs, elsewhere. Hildreth passes the mid-seventies, lovely,
SHOT! Lovely from James Hildreth! He moves to 75* and Somerset 166/4 in the 43rd #SOMvSUR#WeAreSomerset pic.twitter.com/8d9G9bExzT
— Somerset Cricket 🏏 (@SomersetCCC) May 15, 2019
Riki Wessels just six off his century (Worcs 202/4); Dearden 49 not out at Lord’s (201/4) but things looking a little sloppier, a little sadder, for Glamorgan. Billy Root gone for 18 (149/5).
See here Surrey on the prowl. McKerr, 6 foot 6, fast and 21. Somerset 152/4.
And for those of you sniffing for wickets at Old Trafford - I’ve good news.
🔥 McKerr gets his man! pic.twitter.com/yNLSFbEUcR
— Surrey Cricket (@surreycricket) May 15, 2019
Ah - now a third-ball duck for Liam Livingstone. Lancs-**?
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New balls please and ...a that’ll be Keaton Jennings out for 97, trying punch the ball away from his body. Gloves off, head down, he trudges off. As neat leaving as he was arriving - in that matter, at least, he is the perfect replacement for Alastair Cook. Lancs 188/3.
Updated
TEA-TIME SCORES
Division One
Warwickshire v Hampshire: Hampshire 354 (Alsop 140, Donald 75; Patel 6-94, Hannon-Dalby 4-69); Warwickshire 79-2 (Sibley 47 not out)
Somerset v Surrey: Surrey 380 (Burns 107, Elgar 103, Clarke 59 not out; Gregory 3-52; Leach 3-85) Somerset 140/3 (Azhar 60, Hildreth 61 not out.
Kent v Yorkshire: Yorkshire 210 (Milnes 3-63) and 42-1; Kent 296 all out (Crawley 81, Robinson 103; Coad 3-66, Olivier 3-82)
Essex v Nottinghamshire: Essex 68-0; Nottinghamshire 187 (Porter 4-75); Essex 241 (Browne 67, Harmer 43; Fletcher 5-50)
Division Two
Worcestershire v Durham: Durham 273 (Burnham 76, Bancroft 70; Morris 6-53; Leach 3-59); Worcestershire 191-4 (Dell 57 not out, Wessels 90 not out)
Middlesex v Leicestershire: Middlesex 349 (Gubbins 75; Abbas 4-72); Leicestershire 180-4 (Ackermann 44 not out)
Lancashire v Northants: Northants 230 all out (Luke Wood 66; Gleeson 5-63, Onions 4-45); Lancashire 183-2 (Jennings 93 not out; Jones 61 not out)
Glamorgan v Gloucestershire: Gloucestershire 463 (Bracey 152, Roderick 88, Higgins 103 de Lange 4-116); Glamorgan 136-4 (Hemphrey 60)
Updated
This session has slipped into the post-lunch third dimension. A sleepy hollow - Warwickshire plodding away against Hampshire (62/2 - Sibley 42); Somerset have slowed down since Azhar was out - though Hildreth now 51 not out (130/3). Yorkshire 29/0 and no-one can break the ninth-wicket partnership at Chelmsford - Siddle and Harmer now pushing past 80.
Worcester’s Dell and Wessells now both well past 50 - 181/4; Ackermann and Dearden wafting about for Leicester - 173/4 -at Lord’s, even Glamorgan recovering - actually no, another wicket, Hemphrey for 60 - 124/4.
And a sweeping Jennings dropped again by Sanderson at backward short leg, on 92. Lancs 183/2 and that’s tea.
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Jennings and Jones in calm control here at OT - and Ackermann and Dearden keeping quiet counsel at Lord’s.
Liam Dawson in the wickets - and, it sounds, close to the England WC squad.
WICKET: @daws128 comes into the attack and makes an immediate impact! ☝️
— Hampshire Cricket (@hantscricket) May 15, 2019
With just his second delivery, he gets the ball to grip & turn out of the rough to bowl Yates (6) - @WarwickshireCCC 48-1 (25 overs).
📲 iOS: https://t.co/3H80EnOA4p
📲 Android: https://t.co/gImTwZuJKX pic.twitter.com/v9CFfGDxEw
A short-armed pull and Jennings moves into the eighties. No space for Ben Curran in this Northants side poor kid - I chatted to him in April and he was full of hope for the season. Being The Other Brother is, I imagine, tricky. Though, actually, he got 69 odd against Leicester in the RL.
Dell and Wessels showing them how it is done at New Road. Partnership of 73, Worcestershire 137/4. While we’re on Durham - Matt Salisbury: The Riverside’s young Mr Reliable?
Kent all out 296 - Robinson 103, well played that man! Ben Coad 3-66, Olivier 3-82; Bess 1-52. So, a lead of 86 over Yorkshire in a relatively low scoring game...
And Essex crawl/drag/haul themselves into a lead of six runs over Notts. Harmer and Siddle both on 19.
Azhar Ali, 53 off 54 balls, and James Hildreth in an unbroken partnership of 79 at Taunton. Here’s that Tresco wicket, FYI.
👏 A low catch from Foakes sees the back of Trescothick, gifting McKerr his first wicket of the game. pic.twitter.com/MAHjV6uqm5
— Surrey Cricket (@surreycricket) May 15, 2019
Oh heck - Jennings put down by Bavuma off Overton at second slip.
And bit of a collapse at Canterbury - Kent 286-8 - Robinson 98 not out.....two for Olivier and one for Bess! Good for you Dom.
Somerset 43/1 and I’m concerned by this bit of news from The Shuffler BTL:
Trescothick out cheaply again, which will only add fuel to the “It’s a season too far for him” chat that has been going round the County Ground of late.
Has anyone been watching him closely? Heavier of foot? Slower of eye? It must have been about a year ago that he broke his metatarsal here at OT on the way to a hundred and . In fact just over a year - Ive found it!
And that’s the hundred partnership between Jennings and Rob Jones in the sun on a pancake pitch. Lancs 136/2.
Set your videos (or modern equivalent):
“The squads of eight brand-new cricket teams will be finalised on 20th October, when The Hundred’s first ever men’s player draft takes place.
Viewers can watch British sporting history unfold live, as teams are chosen from a pool of overseas and England stars, plus the best home-grown talent.
The men’s draft will be shown live by Sky Sports from 7pm, with extensive coverage across the BBC. Both broadcasters will offer fans in-depth build up and previews in the days before, as well as post-draft reaction*. It will take place at Sky Studios in west London.
*The Spin R0om! (I’m pleased with that.)
Ooops and Glamorgan go belly-up after lunch - Labuschagne lasagned by David Payne (2-6)
Lunch-time scores
Division Two
Worcestershire v Durham: Durham 273 (Burnham 76, Bancroft 70; Patel 6-53; Leach 3-59); Worcestershire 57-3
Middlesex v Leicestershire: Middlesex 349 (Gubbins 75; Abbas 4-72); Leicestershire 62-2
Lancashire v Northants: Northants 230 all out (Luke Wood 66; Gleeson 5-63, Onions 4-45); Lancashire 112-2 (Jennings 55 not out)
Glamorgan v Gloucestershire: Gloucestershire 463 (Bracey 152, Roderick 88, Higgins 103 de Lange 4-116); Glamorgan 14-1
Lunch-time scores
Division One
Warwickshire v Hampshire: Hampshire 354 (Alsop 140, Donald 75; Patel 6-94, Hannon-Dalby 4-69); Warwickshire 18-0
Somerset v Surrey: Surrey 380 (Burns 107, Elgar 103, Clarke 59 not out; Gregory 3-52; Leach 3-85) Somerset 10/0.
Kent v Yorkshire: Yorkshire 210 (Milnes 3-63); Kent 244/5 (Crawley 81, Robinson 80 not out)
Essex v Nottinghamshire: Essex 68-0; Nottinghamshire 187 (Porter 4-75); Essex136/4 (Browne 63 not out)
Also if anyone was trying to get in touch by email, apologies the link didn’t work. Should do now.
Updated
Thanks to Romeo for this photo of Alan Knott with unturned brim, and here’s Geoff again:
“Hi again, thanks for the explanation in your blog. It makes perfect sense for any keeper unable to tilt a cap further back on their head (or to turn up the peak).” Why thank you!
“I confess I always felt one of Knott’s greatest priorities was to focus attention upon himself, especially when cameras were present. He was ever a less fidgety/ hyperactive performer in a sparsely attended county game than in Tests, especially between balls and overs. But then I was a big Bob Taylor fan - Foakes is the first I’ve seen since of similar ability.”
Geoff - that will upset a few people, but a kernel of truth in there I suspect.
Right, now lunchtime scores:
And that’s lunch here at OT. Lancs 112/2 (Jennings 55 not out). Time for some sustenance - lunch scores on the doors to follow.
An email! From Geoff Wignall.
Good morning Tanya, and an explanation please.Why does wearing a sunhat in preference to a cap (11.16) require less neck movement for a wicketkeeper? I’m properly puzzled and getting nowhere thinking about it.
So. “Because the peak of the cap is lower over the head, so the wearer has to raise his/her head higher than if they were wearing a sunhat - especially one with a turned-up brim (which Knott often had).”
Does that make sense?
And fifty for Keaton Jennings. He’s looking good, actually.
GLoucestershire all out 463 - Higgins last man out for 103!
Hants all out (354) Patel 6!-94. Surrey all out 380, Rikki Clarke stranded on 59. Jack Leach and Lewis Gregory three wickets a piece. Kent’s Ollie Robinson 75 not out - Kent 230/5. And slow going at Chelmsford, Lawrence out for 19 - Essex 135/3.
Bess has bowled 6 overs for 25 at Canterbury. Jamie Overton taken off here after 9 overs for 32 - his (relative) lack of speed illustrated by Jennings pulling him forward of the wicket. Not a quick OT pitch though.
Updated
Tom Alsop finally out for 150 at Newport - bravo! Jeetan Patel 5- 94, Hannon-Dalby 4-69. Gloucs 349/9.
What’s happening at Taunton? The Surrey juggernaut stutters - can big Rikki Clarke (48 not out) biff them to a fifth batting point? Only McKerr left with him though. Surrey 364/9.
REPLAY: Here's a look at the latest Surrey wicket to fall!#WeAreSomerset#SOMvSUR pic.twitter.com/AEy2ISPN8N
— Somerset Cricket 🏏 (@SomersetCCC) May 15, 2019
Ryan Higgins just 12 short of his century at Newport - but can anyone stay with him? Gloucs 432/8.
Damn! I see Zak Crawley was out for 81. Kent 193 for 5, still in Yorkshire arrears by 17 runs. And a second for Stuart Broad at Chelmsford, Tom Westley joining Cook in the pavillion for 12 - Essex 116/2.
Jennings looking in little trouble against Overton. We reckon he’s hitting the 80mphs but no higher.
Worcestershire entering a single digit competition I see, and if Rhodes and Dell can get out now the first five on the scorecard would make a nice symmetry. Currently 30/3.Middlesex all out 349 - a run out removing the tantelising chance of a third batting point.
Here is Jack Leach bowling just lovely, and Eoin Morgan suspension news.
REPLAY: Lovely from Jack Leach! #SOMvSUR#WeAreSomerset pic.twitter.com/lUlq36FnY5
— Somerset Cricket 🏏 (@SomersetCCC) May 15, 2019
Morgan suspended for Nottingham ODI after second minor over-rate offence whilst Bairstow also fined https://t.co/zjXfbMlDRq via @ICC
— ICC Media (@ICCMediaComms) May 15, 2019
Overton on, huge man, tiny shadow. Runs in fast, looks solidly put together, not fragile at all.
Updated
In a white van battle, Van der Gugten snaffles a second at Newport - Van Buuren for 25 - Gloucs 411/7; and Middlesex nearly down and out, 349/9 - George Scott for 55.
And a couple more fall early, morning hopes spoilt, curdled milk in the tea. Tom Fell lbw to the enduring Matthew Salisbury at New Road - Worcestershire 17/2; and Alastair Cook caught off Stuart Broad for 31 at Chelmsford - Essex 78/1.
Paul Edwards has just told me that Alan Knott changed from a cap to a sunhat so he had to move his neck less. That’s the sort of attention details we need, BTLers.
There’s been a wicket to alert the somnolent at Old Trafford - Joe Burns for 10 off 23 balls - I wonder, is he about to precipitate his first Lancs-up?
And finally, YJB et al running amok at the run-fest in Bristol.
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Here’s the peerless Matthew Engel on outgrounds and county cricket. Do you remember his 500 word match reports? Things of beauty.
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The lads in the The Hundred promo pic are causing a few problems (hope they didn’t eat the women and children)
These lads bloody love 100-ball cricket. But what else are they into? THREAD. pic.twitter.com/gsZL1hedMr
— Dave Tickner (@tickerscricket) May 15, 2019
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Good morning!
And it’s another gorgeous one here at Old Trafford - trees in full green, happy blackbirds - and then you arrive at the concrete carbuncle that is Old Trafford. I know I’ve said this before but - surely there is plenty of space for a little garden, or some grass for children to play on, or some trees here and there, or some wild flowers.....
Anyway.
Yesterday played out a soupcon differently to the first two rounds of games – runs a little more difficult to get – or maybe the bowlers have learnt how to control the 2019 sceptred orb - though count on more runs at Newport - the wicket is reportedly a belter.
I’m looking forward to getting a better look at Jamie Overton when he hauls his six foot five frame from the Statham end in half an hour -exciting England selectors when he was a teenager until injury followed injury – but he still believes.
Also set your alerts for Dom Bess (with the ball) and Zak Crawley (with the bat) this morning.
Right time for a quick stretch.... and here is some hundred news while we’re at it.
The Hundred now has a logo and a website https://t.co/fiQwsEnRM7
— Will Macpherson (@willis_macp) May 15, 2019
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