Here's the day two report
Liam Patterson-White’s maiden first-class century sparked a spicy Nottinghamshire performance against a diminished Somerset, shorn of Lewis Gregory and Craig Overton. Notts biffed their way to 448, before slicing through the Somerset batting, starting with a wicket in the first over of the reply. Tom Abell, 35, was the only batsman to pass 12, as Somerset slithered to 87 for seven. Luke Fletcher finished with four for 21.
James Vince top-scored for Hampshire, as Yorkshire totted up a first-innings lead of 80. Hampshire’s 163 was a recovery of sorts after Ben Coad and Matthew Fisher had reduced them to 16 for three.
It was a dry old day at Old Trafford as Warwickshire inched to 371 with the urgency of a milk float. In reply, Lancashire lost George Balderson for a duck, but Josh Bohannon and Luke Wells put on 94 for the first wicket. Bohannon, on a dapper 59, averages 61.8 in the Championship this season.
A two-wicket evening burst from Joe Sarro put Sussex in the driving seat at New Road, leaving Worcestershire trailing by 78. Happy days for a young Sussex team with an average age of 19 and not a cap between them.
Glamorgan continued their best impression of a line of cascading dominoes after collapsing for the second time in two days. At one point captain Chris Cooke looked around the wreckage of his second innings to find the score 29 for six. He and Andrew Salter had added 42 by the close, but Essex still lead by 115.
At Bristol, Gloucestershire were relieved of their burden at 90 for six when bad light stopped play. There were three wickets each for Ben Sanderson and Luke Procter. The Northants captain, Adam Rossington, made 94, his highest score of the season.
Ethan Bamber’s four wickets left Middlesex on top against a struggling Derbyshire; while Darren Stevens’ 55 not out at Grace Road ensured the game scurried along like a swift chaser, with Leicestershire trailing by Kent 333.
I’m sorry to report that at 7.08 the light is fading fast. The covers are on at OT after a day of cricket for the connoisseur, enlivened by some sparky Bohannon strokeplay towards the end. Elsewhere, Nottinghamshire, Essex, Northants, Kent and Yorkshire are well on top. That’s it for me for today, thanks for all your messages BTL. Have a lovely evening!
Trying to shake a persistent late afternoon lethargy. Perhaps I need a dose of Darren Steven, propping up Kent’ second innings with a boundary-laden not out 55. Kent 206-9, lead Leicestershire by a hearty 329.
I better write up now - as round the grounds, games are falling to a close.
Ok. On transfer deadline day, who would you bring into your county side.? You may pick anyone still playing first-class cricket.
Alec Stewart was musing on England’s potential spinners for The Ashes. Moeen, for sure, he thoughts, then Jack Leach and Dom Bess. Bess has done himself no harm at The Rose Bowl, fifty and a couple of wickets. At Taunton, Jack Leach took 1-57 in 25 overs and is currently 0 not out as Somerset slide to 77-6.
Hampshire indulging in a bit of hoopla as time at the bar approaches, fours apiece for Abbot and Wheal: 134-9, a deficit of 109 to Yorkshire. Glamorgan, dare I look? Things have improved: from 29-6 to 61-6. Chris Cooke, with 29, has more than the rest of the side added together.
Off they go again at Bristol, with Gloucestershire 90/6; meanwhile Hampshire lose their eighth wicket for 123 as McManus is caught off Dom Bess.
And with a flick off his toes, Josh Bohannon brings up his 50 off 73 balls, nine fours.
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A late afternoon fluff by Hain under the helmet, who juggles and ultimately drops Wells on 18. Lancshire 64-1.
At lunchtime, at Taunton, the Cricket Writers’ Club unveiled a plaque in memory of David Foot, Guardian journalist and lyrical writer of many things, who died earlier this summer.
Delighted that @SomersetCCC and @CricketMediaUK were able to organise this tribute to one of the greats. Really sorry not to have been there: https://t.co/yBki02tuGG
— George Dobell (@GeorgeDobell1) August 31, 2021
Woakes, Wood and Pope all in the running for The Oval. Ali Martin reports:
Somerset are wobbling with Lammonby and Abell both caught off Fletcher by Moores in the same over. The umpires then whistle everyone off for bad light. Somerset 52-3, 396 runs behind.
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And just as Josh Bohannon’s virtues are serenaded even more sweetly in the press box, the game pauses while the physio fixes a tweak in his side.
Josh Bohannon has struck three fours in the last over from Craig Miles to move on to 34. Luke Wells is 17* & Lancashire are 51-1 to trail by 319 with the 50 partnership arriving from 108 balls #LANvWAR pic.twitter.com/L5bP101ZoS
— Lancashire Cricket (@lancscricket) August 31, 2021
Not content with being bowled out, Glamorgan throw in a run-out, and are now 20-5. Cooke and Douthwaite survey the wreckage.
Three fours from Bonhannon, square, midwicket and cover, in Miles’ over. Plus a low one-kneed forward defensive. And that’s the fifty partnership. Lancs 51-1.
After a month of white-ball dalliances, is it possible batters might be rusty? Glamorgan 2-2; Gloucestershire 78-5, Hants 109-5, Somerset 30-1.
At OT, the lights have come on, and the scoreboard is shining traffic-light bright. Lancs 28-1.
To see Haseeb Hameed playing so freely on that first day at Headingley was to have a swig of heaven . Here is a superb piece on BTL’s favourite batter.
At Sophia Gardens, Glamorgan tentatively start their second innings, 186 in arrears. And lo - they lose a wicket to the second ball. Rutherford lbw Porter for a duck. A strange situation for Essex, not to be in with a chance of the Championship at the end of August.
It raineth at Grace Road, and they’ve taken tea, with Kent 148-5, a lead of 271. Two wickets for Parkinson C; 26 for Zak Crawley and 19 for Sam Billings. Not enough come-and-get-me for England’s liking.
Hampshire? What is this craziness? Currently 93-5, with James Vince out for 49. Currently 150 behind those Yorkies, who look odds on for the first Div One win.
I love a county cricket crowd. Stoical, cold, huddling in Cafe Nero. At least three people with a limp made a slow circuit, unbothered by any hint of the masses. Grandad. Kids. A day of endurance. And, as a post-tea treat, treated to a wicket as George Balderson is lbw for a duck to Liam Norwell. Which brings in Bohannon, mentioned in dispatches as a future England player. Lancashire 7-1.
Excuse me briefly while I walk round the ground to buy caffeine supplements to see us through a mammoth final session
Bad light has stopped play at New Road, with Worcestershire 164-5, 99 behind Sussex.
Warwickshire all out 371
After the famine, a feast: five wickets falling in the session and they’re going to take tea at Old Trafford. Four for Mahmood, three for Bailey and Parky.
Notts all out 448
What larks! Steady as she goes with at least double figures scores all the way through the innings except No.s 1 and 11. It’s not often you see a Luke Fletcher fifty. Three wickets for Abell and two for Brooks. Incidentally, Lewis Gregory will not bowl again in the Championship this summer. I don’t feel Somerset Champions in my bones.
Saqib runs in for his 27th over, the most he has bowled in an innings since he sent down 33 on debut for Lancs. And as I write that he bends down for a stretch after delivering the ball. Thigh ache. Incidentally, this is the last Championship game at OT this season. In the stands, shoulders are hunched and caps are on.
All manner of excitement as Lamb has a swing and misses Parky’s (topspinner?) and is bowled. Warwicks 359-8. Parky 3-88.
Yikes! Tim Murtagh is doing Tim Murtagh things at Lord’s where Derbyshire are currently 64-5 and fading fast. They trail by 218. The wooden spoon awaits.
Poor James Bracey, shunned by England who have called up Sam Billings as cover for YJB behind the stumps, becomes Sanderson’s second wicket at Bristol. Out for 7. Gloucestershire 20-2.
Liam Plunkett to plough his furrow in USA
A smashing read on it here but Plunkett will leave Surrey and England to moved to America to be with his wife Emeleah and play for three years in Minor League Cricket before transferring to Major League Cricket.
Another early wicket, this time at Bristol, where Ben Charlesworth made a four-ball duck, Gloucestershire 5-1 (against Northants 327 al out.)
James Vince is biding his time at the Rose Bowl, 11 not out. A recovery of sorts from 16-3, together with Tom Alsop.
From one world-beater to another:
“Bitter sweet” is the right way to sum up a great fast bowler’s career,@DaleSteyn62 . We have witnessed a fierce bowler in you, whose bowling feats will inspire the future generations. Congratulations on a wonderful career buddy and best wishes for whatever you do in future.
— Wasim Akram (@wasimakramlive) August 31, 2021
Adam Collins from Lord’s: “Dark at Lord’s, hooping, four slips. And Ethan Bamber deserves all of them - bowling superbly from the Pavilion End, two wickets already with Derbyshire 33/2.”
And another wicket at Old Trafford! Wells’ catch again, this time a smashing one handed leap, to snaffle Briggs off Parky for 11. Is that the two for the session?
The Old Trafford spectators wake briefly from their chilly slumbers when Parky sends down a dirty great full-toss, Burgess has a huge swing and Wells catches the ball at first slip. Warwicks 322-6
Lunchtime scores (somewhat turgid)
Division One
Old Trafford: Lancashire v Warwickshire 317-5
The Rose Bowl: Hampshire 29-3 v Yorkshire 243 all out.
Taunton: Somerset v Nottinghamshire 397-8
Division Two
The Riverside: Durham v Surrey: cancelled (Covid)
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 134 all out v Essex 215-5
Bristol: Gloucestershire v Northamptonshire 305-9 Not yet lunch
Division Three
New Road: Worcestershire 82-3 v Sussex 264
Lord’s: Middlesex 282 v Derbyshire 22-2
Grace Road: Leicestershire 109 all out v Kent 232 and 25-0
Congratulations (belatedly) to Liam Patterson-White for 101 off just 121 balls to haul Notts towards safety. Things have slowed down since, but Notts will dine comfortably.
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Make that Hampshire 1-2, which is an interesting pre-lunch approach. Joe Weatherly trudging off in Holland’s footprints, for one. Fisher picking up his wicket.
Yorkshire all out for a stout 242. Hampshire keeping it tasty by losing a wicket in the first over: Ian Holland lbw to Ben Coad for a duck. Hampshire 1-1.
Leicestershire are all out for 109, giving Kent a tasty first-innings lead of 123. I fear for the Foxes..
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Warwickshire have 11 balls to get 11 runs to pick up another bonus point. The becalmed ship suddenly rocks about anxiously.
This is cheating, as I’ve taken it from the bottom of today’s Spin, but a quick recap of house-moving in the Championship for those who don’t receive The Spin
With just a month to go until the end of the season, a spontaneous erruption of what might almost be called transfer fever has broken out in English county cricket.
The most tremulous movement has been on the south coast where Chris Jordan and Phil Salt are both packing their bags to leave Sussex, having rejected contract extensions. Jordan is returning to the club where he made his professional breakthrough, Surrey, where he will captain the team’s T20 side. Salt, who made his international debut this year in the Covid-hit England shadow side that played white ball cricket against Pakistan, zips up to Old Trafford, where he will fill the gap left my Alex Davies’ move to Edgbaston. Both moves displeased Sussex and England ex-wicketkeeper Matt Prior who wrote on Twitter “This is absolutely devastating for a Club hanging on the edge right now! How was this allowed to happen??”
In return, Steven Finn is moving to Sussex, after 17 years with Middlesex – where he made his debut as a 16 year old. “It has been more than a club,” he said. “It has been a family.” Meanwhile, former England and Durham batsman Mark Stoneman crosses London to sign a three-year contract at Lord’s, after five years at The Oval.
Mohammad Abbas will be available for Hampshire’s last three Championship games, while Warwickshire have signed West Indian fast bowler Chemar Holder as their autumnal ammunition. Sam Northeast, who has trudged through a disappointing season, will join Nottinghamshire for September, who were looking for back up for Haseeb Hameed. It will be Northeast’s third club of the summer, after being released by Hampshire and a short spell at. Yorkshire.
And sad news for Jack Burnham, the former England Under-19 international batsman, who has been released by Durham. Burnham’s career never recovered after being banned for a year in 2018 after failing three recreational drugs Tests.
An email pings in from Bob Utber
Good evening (morning) Tanya
I have just read your article on the Afghani women’s cricket team and
like you, I am extremely disappointed with the reaction from cricket
worldwide.
For weeks I have been trying to find out what is going on with Afghani
Test in Hobart in November but it falls on deaf ears. For too long
Cricket Australia has neglected both Bangladesh and Afghanistan
cancelling tours at the last moment etc.
Fortunately, the Bangladesh Tour went ahead and just showed how far the
Bangladeshi have improved in their cricket. Mind you I do not think
Australia is that good anyway!
Here’s hoping we hear more positive stuff about the women’s team.
Here’s hoping indeed. And I am keeping the chilblains at bay at the moment, thank you.
The last American has left Afghanistan, which wakes up this morning under full Taliban control. Their female cricketers face an unknown future.
Keith Barker does the business for Hampshire, bowling Dom Bess for 54; Yorks 222-8. While Nottinghamshire have collected their fourth batting point, the only team to have stepped on the accelerator so far.
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Jamie Bowman, Sefton Park’s and the Bury Times’ finest, is tantalising us with talk of his foraging for sloes, bullaces, damsons, hazlenuts, elderberries, and apples. Feel rather ashamed of my blackberries.
And in that fruity vein, the twelfth man has just run on with two bananas for Saqib Mahmood. Warwickshire 275-5. And Parky removes his jumper, and comes into the attack.
Elsewhere, Dom Bess has made fifty after Jordan Thompson was bowled by the second ball of the day (Yorkshire 214-7), Dan Lawrence has fallen after trying to ping Andrew Salter out of the ground and being caught at long-off (Essex 108-3). Nottinghamshire are heading towards 350, with Liam Patterson-White unbeaten on 74.
The new ball is working for Lancashire after Tom Bailey reported that yesterday felt like, “bowling with an old sock.”
And a farewell, this time from Dale Steyn of South Africa, Essex, Hampshire and Warwickshire. One of the greatest of his generation - 439 Test wickets at 22.95.
Announcement. pic.twitter.com/ZvOoeFkp8w
— Dale Steyn (@DaleSteyn62) August 31, 2021
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I’ve just arrived, belatedly, (lost pass), to find that Lancashire have grabbed two wickets in the first half hour. One for Saqib Mahmood, returned by England, and one for Tom Bailey. A happy press box celebrates after watching yesterday what was, reportedly, one of the dullest days cricket at Old Trafford in memory.
WICKET WATCH Will Rhodes is bowled for 10 by a terrific delivery from @SaqMahmood25 & Warwicks 272-5 (94 overs) pic.twitter.com/sQFaDNF3Kf
— Lancashire Cricket (@lancscricket) August 31, 2021
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And on August 31, all eight games will start on time!
Huge congratulations to the very talented Kiran Carson who received his Glamorgan cap yesterday!
𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗧𝗬 𝗖𝗔𝗣 🧢
— Glamorgan Cricket 🏏 (@GlamCricket) August 30, 2021
Congratulations to Kiran Carlson who was presented with his County Cap this afternoon 👏#GoGlam pic.twitter.com/wP5MhuppSx
Sadder news for Jack Burnham, the former England Under-19 international batsman, who has been released by Durham. Burnham’s career never recovered after being banned for a year in 2018 after failing three recreational drugs Tests.
Start of play scores
Division One
Old Trafford: Lancashire v Warwickshire 259-3
The Rose Bowl: Hampshire v Yorkshire 197-6.
Taunton: Somerset v Nottinghamshire 282-6
Division Two
The Riverside: Durham v Surrey: cancelled (Covid)
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 134 all out v Essex 92-2
Bristol: Gloucestershire v Northamptonshire 232-5
Division Three
New Road: Worcestershire v Sussex 254-9
Lord’s: Middlesex 218-5 v Derbyshire
Grace Road: Leicestershire 66-5 v Kent 232
Geoff Lemon's report on Monday's play
There was much to get used to as the County Championship returned. Counties moved into three divisions, only one of which vies for the title.
Batting after months of white-ball cricket was easier for those with time to adjust in the middle order. Dom Sibley, Alastair Cook, Sam Robson, Mark Stoneman, Adam Lyth: former England Test openers of varying recency were all out early.
In Division One, Warwickshire recovered from Sibley’s duck to dominate Lancashire. Wicketkeeper Chris Benjamin on his county debut made 127, and piled on 237 with Sam Hain. Warks reached stumps on 259 for three, with Hain to resume on 113. Lancashire’s Saqib Mahmood nearly made a Test debut last week, but went wicketless here until the second new ball had Benjamin baseballing across the line.
Nottinghamshire got a late boost against Somerset at Taunton to reach 282 for six, thanks to Liam Patterson-White down the order swinging nine boundaries in making 46 from 37 balls. He’ll resume with Tom Moores.
Yorkshire had a day of changing fortunes after Hampshire sent them in on a green Ageas Bowl surface. The visitors started slowly to reach 84 for two, but Hampshire chipped away, including the first three wickets to Kyle Abbott. It needed 45 not out from Dom Bess for Yorkshire to reach 197 for six at stumps.
Another player looking for an England recall, Zak Crawley, did well with 50 opening for Kent. It was the major score of the innings through a collapse to 164 for nine, until Jack Leaning reached 75 not out during a 68-run stand with No 11 James Logan that lifted the visitors to 232 all out. That rattled Leicestershire despite Callum Parkinson’s four wickets, and they slumped to 66 for five by stumps.
Surrey’s trip to Durham was cancelled after Surrey players were ruled close contacts in a Covid trace.
In Cardiff, the Netherlands international Shane Snater took six for 39 for Essex on the way to bowling out Glamorgan for 134, with England candidate Dan Lawrence on 29 not out in the reply of 92 for two. Northamptonshire made 232 for five against Gloucestershire at Bristol, led by captain and wicketkeeper Adam Rossington’s 66 not out.
Middlesex collapsed to 52 for four against Derbyshire, but Robbie White picked a good time to make his maiden century in first-class cricket. His 101 not out by stumps rescued the situation at Lord’s to 217 for five. With Sussex resuming on 254 for nine against Worcestershire, No 9 Jack Carson will also resume on a career best, having hit a counterattacking 75.
Preamble
Hello from a fair to middling morning in Manchester, where front garden flowers are overblown, and the occasional cardboard box of windfalls sits outside the front gate. Welcome to the last days of summer.
The second half of this Championship - the playoffs - started yesterday. One of the teams in Division One will walk away with the Championship, the top two will battle for the Bob Willis Trophy at the end of September, for everyone else it is pride, places and pounds.
There was steady progress yesterday all round, except for Grace Road, where 15 wickets fell, and Sophia Gardens, where 12 batsman arrived and departed before the close. Play starts at 11am - bike willing, I’ll see you at Old Trafford.
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