Roundup: Durham and Derbyshire deliver late drama
Another final day of late‑afternoon teeth-squeakers in the County Championship. At Chester‑le‑Street, a game that was meandering to a draw burst into life after tea as Nottinghamshire careered, suddenly stabiliser-less, into a bush. The visiting side lost five wickets for 42 runs, Joe Clarke the last man out for 119, to set Durham 91 in 18 overs. Things looked dicey after Mohammad Abbas grabbed two wickets in his opening over but Colin Ackermann’s calm 53 ushered the hosts home with 10 balls to spare.
Earlier, Surrey wrapped up an innings victory against Yorkshire before lunch at the Oval. Ryan Patel removed Jonny Bairstow’s off stump as Yorkshire lost four wickets in just over seven overs for 21 runs. Jordan Clark finished with four wickets, Tom Lawes three, and Surrey stretched back into their winning lycra. They now sit second in the Division One table, breathing down Nottinghamshire’s neck.
In Division Two, Gloucestershire crept nervously over the line against Kent to notch up their first victory of the season, and first at Bristol since 2022. Cameron Green was the calm head who directed a run chase of 162, with 67 not out to complement his first-innings century. Nathan Gilchrist took four for 43 to keep things tense until the end.
Against large odds, the Derbyshire tail defied Lancashire’s Jimmy Anderson at a sun-bathed Old Trafford. Anuj Dal, with an unbeaten 13 from 114 balls, and Jack Morley, a 36-ball nought, kept out not only Anderson (two for 25), given the second new ball just after 6pm, but also the surprise package Josh Bohannon, who finished with two for 21.
Updated
Good night
Derbyshire’s tail sees off England’s leading wicket taker – not a bad Championship story. We’ll be back for the final round of this spring block – and the OBO will keep you company for England’s Test against Zimbabwe starting on Thursday. Thanks for your cheery company – till Friday!
Updated
Division Two Table (each team has played six games)
1 Leicestershire 115
2 Derbyshire 85
3 Glamorgan 75
4 Gloucestershire 75
5 Middlesex 68
6 Kent 63
7 Lancashire 63
8 Northants 59
Division One table (each team has played six games)
1 Notts 96
2 Surrey 93
3 Warwickshire 82
4 Durham 80
5 Hampshire 79
6 Sussex 75
7 Somerset 73
8 Essex 64
9 Yorkshire 56
10 Worcestershire 43
Final scores
DIVISION ONE
Chester-le-Street: Durham 664 and 92-3 BEAT Nottinghamshire 407 and 347 by seven wickets
Taunton: Somerset 338 and 150-5 BEAT Sussex 152 and 335 by five wickets
The Oval: Surrey 512 BEAT Yorkshire 255 and 229 by an innings and 28 runs.
Edgbaston: Hampshire 300 and 203 BEAT Warwickshire 194 and 220 by 89 runs
New Road: Worcestershire 358 and 134 BEAT Essex 157 and 110 By 225 runs
DIVISION TWO
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 424 and 66-2 BEAT Northants 185 and 304 by eight wickets
Bristol: Gloucestershire 516 and 162-7 BEAT Kent 424 and 253 by three wickets.
Old Trafford: Lancashire 458 and 184-7dec DRAW with Derbyshire 314 and 220-8
Lord’s: Leicestershire 274 and 102-3 BEAT Middlesex 232 and 143 BY seven wickets
Lancashire DRAW with Derbyshire
Well played Anuj Dal! (13 from 114 balls), and to Jack Morley for a 36-ball nought. Commiserations to Lancashire – but a much better performance this week
Old Trafford: Lancashire 458 and 184-7dec DRAW with Derbyshire 314 and 220-8
Four balls left at Old Trafford… Hartley the bowler.
Durham BEAT Nottinghamshire by seven wickets!
A victory from thin air and with 10 balls remaining. Durham go fourth, Notts remain top.
Chester-le-Street: Durham 664 and 92-3 BEAT Nottinghamshire 407 and 347 by seven wickets
Nine balls left at Old Trafford. Anderson has been replaced by Balderson. Derbyshire still eight down.
Durham need seven to win from 2.4 overs.
The man with the golden arm, Josh Bohannon, brought on.
Thirteen cricketers and two umpires squeezed inside a rectangle the size of a primary school gym. Jimmy in, Morley lets it pass by. Three overs left. Banging encouragement from the Derbyshire balcony.
Six overs left at OT. Three more for Jimmy Anderson. Two Derbyshire wickets left. Morley defends carefully and has a little nervous potter before settling for the next ball.
At Chester le Street, Ackermann and Lees have nearly taken Durham home – just 26 needed in six overs.
Morley is surrounded by men in Lancashire caps. Like a man in the middle of a game of ring a roses. Anderson steams in – a series of snorters.
At slip, Jimmy Anderson removes his hat, pulls his jumper off, and takes the new ball. Derbyshire 217-8.
Gloucestershire BEAT Kent by three wickets!
Cameron Green sees them home! A first win of the season for Gloucestershire.
Bristol: Gloucestershire 516 and 162-7 BEAT Kent 424 and 253 by three wickets.
All getting a bit heated at Chester le Street – it’s not often you see HH furious. Durham 32-2, 59 needed, run rate rising.
An eighth down at OT! Aitchison gone for a considered duck, lbw Bailey. Morely and Dal to bat out 11 overs, plus the new ball, plus Anderson. Good luck!
Three games left, three games still alive. Gloucestershire need 11, three wickets in hand. Derbyshire are still defying Lancashire, three wickets remaining – 12 overs left. Durham are two down, needing 63.
I’d better start writing up for the paper, but will pop back with events. Do keep chatting BTL.
Mohammad Abbas giving Durham an early scare, removing both McKinney and Gay in one over. Durham 6-2 chasing 85.
Andy Bull on the changed Zimbabwe who face England in Nottingham on Thursday.
Leaps and roars as Lancs are sure they’ve have Dal caught – but the umpire says no, and the replay shows the ball coming off his shoulder.
Durham need 91 from 18 overs to beat Nottinghamshire
Light work…
A second for Bohannon! Chappell gives Bosh some gentle catching practice low down by his knees. Forget Jimmy Anderson, Josh Bohannon’s the man. His first f-c wickets since May 2021 have come in this game.
Fifty for Cameron Green!
To go with a first innings 128. He looke likely to take Gloucs home – just 25 needed, with Tom Price in attendance.
Andersson drives with a flourish, but to extra cover, where Jennings is waiting. Bohannon blows kisses to the world, and the Lancs fielders have a good belly laugh. Derbyshire six down, 20 overs left.
All change at Bristol – two in two for Nathan Gilchrist! James Bracey caught having a go, van Buuren caught snicking behind. A pair for van Buuren. Four wickets for Gilchrist. Gloucestershire suddenly six down – 40 needed. Green still there.
More stumps rearranged at Chester le Street. This time Hutton’s off stump skits away in a tumbling dance. Raine again. Notts nine down.
RAINEY AGAIN!!! Off stump gone & Nottinghamshire are nine down. #ForTheNorth pic.twitter.com/5flGNFAfpf
— Durham Cricket (@DurhamCricket) May 19, 2025
Updated
As Hartley continues, long legs, high arm from the Statham end, the ball scuffing into the dust. Derbyshire prod, runs now irrelevant.
But there’s more action at CLS, where Ben Raine removes Patterson-White’s middle stump. Notts lead by 77, two wickets left.
Notts have the new ball. Carse pounds the turf.
At OT, Hartley wheels in, a huge lbw appeal, not out. Four maroon and gold chairs from the hospitality suite have been brought out onto the grass and two members of the groundstaff, tanned nut brown by the harsh Lancashire sun, are watching with a cup of tea.
Gloucestershire need 63.
At Bristol, Cameron Green looks likely to steer Gloucestershire to victory, 32 not out, Bracey 11 not out – just 67 needed. Just the ticket for the generous benefactor.
A wicket at Durham. Two wickets at Durham! Both Verrynne and James gone, one to Drissell, one to Ackermann. Clarke and Patterson-White with hammer, nail and hatch duties. The lead 57, just three wickets in hand.
Teatime scores
DIVISION ONE
Chester-le-Street: Durham 664 v Nottinghamshire 407 and 305-5
Taunton: Somerset 338 and 150-5 BEAT Sussex 152 and 335 by five wickets
The Oval: Surrey 512 BEAT Yorkshire 255 and 229 by an innings and 28 runs.
Edgbaston: Hampshire 300 and 203 BEAT Warwickshire 194 and 220 by 89 runs
New Road: Worcestershire 358 and 134 BEAT Essex 157 and 110 By 225 runs
DIVISION TWO
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 424 and 66-2 BEAT Northants 185 and 304 by eight wickets
Bristol: Gloucestershire 516 and 65-4 v Kent 424 and 253 Gloucestershire need 97 to win
Old Trafford: Lancashire 458 and 184-7dec v Derbyshire 314 and 165-5 Derbyshire need 164 to win
Lord’s: Leicestershire 274 and 102-3 BEAT Middlesex 232 and 143 BY seven wickets
Spectators on the pitch at OT, tea round the grounds.
Record crowds at The Oval
A heady 14,853 spectators went to The Oval over the last four days to watch Surrey and Yorkshire, a 21st century record at the ground.
Surrey are confident that, with 38,000 already coming through the Hobbs gate (other gates are available) this year, they will beat last year’s record of 65,000 watching Championship cricket at The Oval
The final round of this two-months block of Championship games coincides with the Festival of Red Ball cricket – and Surrey are laying on free cricket coaching sessions for under 16s plus other activities to celebrate.
If you’re in London, and have time on your hands, I recommend it – if you don’t mind watching the 2024 Champions stretch into their winning lycra.
A second for Hartley! An inside edge onto his pad into the left mitt of man under the helmet George Bell. Delighted are Lancashire and delighted is Jimmy Anderson and his lovely big white smile. Derbyshire, 151-5, now in big trouble. Dal, who was stumped twice against Glamorgan last week, joins Andersson.
And a third wicket at Bristol, Ollie Price hits his bat in frustration after flapping the ball back to bowler Nathan Gilchrist. Glos 41-3, need 121.
Oooof! A dismissal similar to accidentally putting your swimming costume on the wrong way round and strolling out to the pool, Guest bowled sweeping, ball zipping behind his legs. Hartley rejoices. Andersson, who failed in the first innings, joins Came.
Notts may yet wriggle out of this one. They’ve got a lead, a small one, and Joe Clarke is well entrenched with 71. Verreynne 23 not out. Five wickets in hand.
And the ball after cutting Tom Bailey very energetically for four, Madsen gets a whisper legside and is caught for 19. He marches off. Derbys 128 for three. Fifty one and a half overs left.
Gloucestershire haven’t won at Bristol since September 2022, and that might not change after a tricky start to their chase this afternoon – both Bancroft and Charlesworth gone in single figures. Gloucs 26-2.
A generous round of applause for Harry Came’s fifty, and very chipper it was too, including ten fours. It’s beautiful in the sun at OT but chilly in the shade, a brisk wind fluttering the pride flag on top of the pavilion. Derbyshire 121-2, require 208.
Jake Ball of Somerset, lately Durham, and now Kent, with the new ball. What entreaties has Adam Hollioake whispered in his ear?
Derbyshire breathe a temporary sigh of relief, Anderson’s post-prandial spell is done: four overs, two maidens, one for four.
Gloucestershire need 162 to win!
Kent did well to nudge up to 233-5, just a shame they then lost five for 20 – the last wicket a stunning catch by Cameron Green at second slip. A target of 162 should be light work for Gloucestershire’s first win of the season.
Yorkshire coach Anthony McGrath chews the fat after an innings defeat by Surrey:
“It is obviously disappointing to lose any game, but being beaten by an innings is not great. I think we spoke at the start of this game about how well we’d performed last week [at Essex] and the importance of backing it up this week against another good team.
“Obviously, they’ve set the benchmark for the last three years, but again we just couldn’t hold our skills with both bat and ball for long enough. Against good teams at this level in this division, you’ve got to do it hour after hour, session after session, and it’s about the first team that breaks, unfortunately.
“Again, we competed for parts, but then we just lost clusters of wickets. When we got pressure on with the ball, we just couldn’t make that breakthrough, and then the guys who were coming on after that just released some pressure. It’s just about the levels of this division and learning.
“We’ve just said in the dressing room that, to be at the level I think these lads can be, we’ve got to hold our skills and have a lot more belief in our abilities for longer against a top team like Surrey.
“Going into the game we had the leading run-scorer and the leading wicket-taker, but I think we’re performing with only four or five guys and you need more than that in this division. It’s very obvious now, after six games, that we need individuals to stand up and perform. So, again, I think it’s the skills, but it’s also the belief.”
Ben Charlesworth has pulled apart the Kent tail – Stewart, Denly, Ball – in quick succession. Singh Dale pops up to remove Kashif. Benjamin still there, forlornly, on 56. The Kent lead 158.
… and there you have it! Lloyd gets an Anderson almond and pings him plump on the pads. Derbyshire 78-2.
And at the Jimmy Anderson end, Jimmy Anderson.
Lunchtime scores
Chester-le-Street: Durham 664 v Nottinghamshire 407 and 179-4
Taunton: Somerset 338 and 150-5 BEAT Sussex 152 and 335 by five wickets
The Oval: Surrey 512 BEAT Yorkshire 255 and 229 by an innings and 28 runs.
Edgbaston: Hampshire 300 and 203 BEAT Warwickshire 194 and 220 by 89 runs
New Road: Worcestershire 358 and 134 BEAT Essex 157 and 110 By 225 runs
DIVISION TWO
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 424 and 66-2 BEAT Northants 185 and 304 by eight wickets
Bristol: Gloucestershire 516 v Kent 424 and 241-7
Old Trafford: Lancashire 458 and 184-7dec v Derbyshire 314 and 78-1 Derbyshire need 251 to win
Lord’s: Leicestershire 274 and 102-3 BEAT Middlesex 232 and 143 BY seven wickets
Bad news for Kent, Grant Stewart gone just before lunch, eyeing up Ben Charlesworth, but cutting onto his stumps. Kent 241-7, lead 149.
Not exactly what the captain ordered, 14 from the over. Derbyshire are going at 4.15 an over.
And, with ten minutes till lunch, Harris plays his trump card: Josh Bohannon.
Updated
Fifty for Chris Benjamin!
Stewart and Benjamin have pulled on Saturday’s clothes and are re-pummelling the Gloucestershire attack. Stewart 41 from 35 balls, Benjamin 51 from 132. Kent 233-5, the lead 141.
Things are afoot at CLS, where Notts are four down and still 106 behind. McCann bowled by Carse, Slater slides an outside edge off Yusuf for 74. I may have been a little hasty with that handshakes comment.
And yes, that’s the end of Anderson, who shuffles down to slip to chew the fat with George Hurst.
A pause at OT as Luke Wells goes to fetch the ball which has made its way to the nets.
It was Ryan Patel who bowled Jonny Bairstow – and there is a great interview with him in Wisden Cricket Monthly this month. It is a piece on cricketers who are always playing for their place/careers. Patel is in a better position than the other two (from memory Scriven and Andy Umeed but don’t quote me on that), he won his county cap last year, presented with it by Alec Stewart at the end of season dinner, with his parents watching.
Anderson reels into over six – probably the last of this spell. He walks to his mark, and then the familiar arms pummel him in. Hmm, Lloyd didn’t look entirely in control of that shot to a short ball, which he flicks urgently legside. Derbyshire 35-1.
Updated
Surrey BEAT Yorkshire by an innings and 28 runs.
That didn’t take long. Rather a dismal collapse for Yorkshire – four wickets lost in just over seven overs for 21 runs. Only another 13 runs for YJB. Four wickets for Clark, three for Lawes.
Surrey are stretching into their 2025 skin, two wins under the belt now, and up to second in Division One.
The Oval: Surrey 512 BEAT Yorkshire 255 and 229 by an innings and 28 runs.
Surrey 22 points, Yorkshire 3
Updated
Anderson strikes! This time it takes 21 balls, as Jewell chips to a diving Tom Bailey at mid-on. Anderson ticks off another Australian wicket (for the second time in the match).
As Derbyshire put their toe in the water of the third-highest successful run-chase at Old Trafford, 3.73 an over needed, a spy at the other second division match.
Kent are having a good morning, or were having, Leaning just out for 34. Another good innings from the impressive Benjamin, not out 42, who has been joined by first-innings centurion Grant Stewart. The lead 94 – if they could just squeeze out another 70 or so….
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We don’t think that many of this Derbyshire line-up – apart from Madsen, and possibly Lloyd, and Tickner in a Test match – will have played against Anderson before. So that’s nice for them. First over survived. The sun comes out and illuminates the slips – daddy longlegs Keaton Jennings and diminutive George Bell.
The highest successful fourth-innings run-chase here against Lancashire was Nottinghamshire’s 359 in 1991.
Requiring 329 to win here at Old Trafford, here's a few numbers relating to @DerbyshireCCC v @lancscricket fourth innings totals at Manchester... pic.twitter.com/zqxZmuVmCD
— David Griffin Photography (@dgriffinpix) May 19, 2025
And Jimmy Anderson has the ball at the Jimmy Anderson end.
Lancashire declare! Derbyshire need 329 to win.
The instructions from Marcus Harris are obviously up and at em – Hurst and Bailey throwing the bat at OT. A bit of confusion at the end with overthrows and ball hitting helmet – but they declare on 184-7, Hurst 56 not out.
Last night James Rew was the Somerset man on media duty after they beat Sussex.Here he talks about his England call up.
“It was an incredible moment when I got the call, something you dream of, but never think will happen.
“To join up with the squad last week and do a bit of training with them was amazing. Just watching Test Match players go about their business is a great learning experience.
“It’s hard to put into words how I felt. Everything they do is a class apart and to be able to draw on the wisdom of great players is a wonderful opportunity for me.
“Watching the England boys bat in the nets and the level of skill they show was incredible. And the way they train is the next level to anything I have seen before.
“The commitment they show to practice is amazing to see. I am going back to train with the squad tomorrow for the next couple of days before the Test Match starts on Thursday.
“If I am not required, I will be heading up to Durham with the Somerset team. If I play for England it would be fantastic, but just being involved in the build-up to the Test will be tremendous, so we will wait and see.”
And another interesting snippet from later on in his interview is that Lewis Gregory opened the batting at an early stage of his career.
Lancs are batting on at OT, but only added eight runs before Balderson holed out. Tickner also seems to have hurt the back of his knee in his follow through.
No beers before bedtime.
Sunday's round-up
Leicestershire’s rise to the top of Division Two – four wins out of six, nearly half the season gone – is starting to cultivate peony‑sized dreams of promotion. Middlesex fell under the cartwheels, losing six for 34, dismissed for 143 in their second innings.
Logan van Beek and Ben Green gathered three wickets each. Peter Handscomb, the captain, hit the winning runs and Leicestershire could tick off a first Championship win at Lord’s in 45 years.
At Old Trafford, Derbyshire just avoided the follow-on thanks to some doughty batting and tail‑end bounty. Lancashire pulled Jimmy Anderson back from patrolling the boundary with an eight‑down Derbyshire needing 29 to not bat again. But although he removed Zach Chappell, Ben Aitchison and Blair Tickner got the visiting side over the line.
Lancashire suffered a tumble of wickets going for quick runs, including an astonishing caught and bowled by David Lloyd, but a lead of 285 is nearly enough to let Anderson off the leash in the second innings. A career-best six for 19 from Matthew Waite helped Worcestershire to secure their first win of the season, as Essex’s second‑innings chase of 336 ended damply – 110 all out.
Lewis Gregory is finding the shoes fit very nicely in his new role as Somerset opener. His busy and boisterous 89 lifted Somerset to a five-wicket win against Sussex, from an unpromising 30 for three.
James Fuller (five for 56) and Kyle Abbott (three for 44) undid Warwickshire against Hampshire at Edgbaston. Chasing 310 they lost two wickets with 10 on the board, and the climb was too steep.
Durham cruised to their highest first-class score, with centuries from Emilio Gay, Ollie Robinson and Graham Clark. Yorkshire are in trouble at Surrey despite an unbeaten 64 from Jonny Bairstow. Sam Northeast and Asa Tribe safely escorted Glamorgan to a three-day victory against Northamptonshire.
Scores on the doors
Chester-le-Street: Durham 664 v Nottinghamshire 407 and 67-1
Taunton: Somerset 338 and 150-5 BEAT Sussex 152 and 335 by five wickets
The Oval: Surrey 512 v Yorkshire 255 and 185-6
Edgbaston: Hampshire 300 and 203 BEAT Warwickshire 194 and 220 by 89 runs
New Road: Worcestershire 358 and 134 BEAT Essex 157 and 110 By 225 runs
DIVISION TWO
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 424 and 66-2 BEAT Northants 185 and 304 by eight wickets
Bristol: Gloucestershire 516 v Kent 424 and 135-4
Old Trafford: Lancashire 458 and 141-6 v Derbyshire 314
Lord’s: Leicestershire 274 and 102-3 BEAT Middlesex 232 and 143 BY seven wickets
Preamble
Hello from a cooler Old Trafford, where the clouds have dropped and the sky is grey. Only four games still in progress, after Glamorgan, Leicestershire, Somerset, Hampshire and Worcestershire all romped to victories yesterday. Of those left: Yorkshire look unlikely to bat all day at The Oval, even with a furious YJB at the crease; Kent are in trouble against Gloucestershire unless Grant Stewart fancies a reprise of the first innings; a draw beckons at CLS, which leaves the most interesting prospect at Old Trafford – where Derbyshire might find themselves with a battle on their hands against Jimmy Anderson.
Play starts at 11am, do join us.
