Roundup: Yorkshire seal survival against Essex, Middlesex struggle on spinners' surface
When Middlesex bowled out Somerset for 236, the jigsaw at the foot of Division One began to fall into place. Yorkshire were safe and Middlesex would be, too, should they score 250 in their first innings or avoid defeat at Somerset. Hampshire, who lost the first day at Edgbaston to rain, need eight points against Warwickshire to secure survival.
The trouble for Middlesex is that they lost their top three for five runs and by stumps were 18 for three on a pitch turning aggressively enough for Jack Leach – who dismissed Stevie Eskinazi and Sam Robson – to open the bowling for Somerset. With Middlesex privately furious about the heavily spinning surface served up for them, the deliberations of the cricket liaison officer running the match, Wayne Noon, could prove fascinating and vital.
Somerset, having won an important toss, had looked set for more than the single batting point they managed but, sparked by the wickets of James Hildreth and Roelof van der Merwe in successive balls from the left-arm spinner Ravi Patel (who finished with career-best figures of seven for 81), they lost their last six wickets for 30.
The three points Yorkshire picked up for bowling out Essex for 227 (at which point bad light prevented further play) secured their Division One status, which their head coach, Andrew Gale, described as “obviously pleasing after the situation we’ve been in, but also frustrating that we’ve found ourselves there”.
Both sides seemed happy enough with their day’s work. Essex, having been put in, had battled back from 80 for five through punchy innings from Ryan ten Doeschate, James Foster and Simon Harmer, who made a freewheeling maiden half-century. For Yorkshire, who were not always consistent on a helpful surface, there were three wickets each for Jack Brooks and Steve Patterson.
The gulf in prize money for second (£240,000) and third (£115,000) place was on show as Surrey declared on 201 for eight to prevent Lancashire picking up a third bowling point. Given nine overs before stumps, Lancashire – who will soon announce the signing of Durham’s Graham Onions, who has said he is leaving – reached 17 without loss.
Kumar Sangakkara, in his final first-class match, had earlier been caught hooking for 14, one of a career‑best four for 50 for Saqib Mahmood, while the leg-spinner Matt Parkinson, 20, found big turn and took two for 42.
In the Division Two promotion race, the late runners Northamptonshire were denied any play by rain at Leicestershire, while Worcestershire managed only 26 overs against Durham. Worcestershire are 90 for three, with Joe Clarke unbeaten on 46.
There was more play at Hove, where an unbeaten stand of 123 between Sussex’s Delray Rawlins and Michael Burgess held up Nottinghamshire.
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That's all folks!
Time to sign off. Thanks very much for your company, it’s been a joy once more. Just three more days to go! Here’s the scores on the doors:
Division One:
- Middlesex 18-3 v Somerset 236
- Essex 227 v Yorkshire
- Lancashire 17-0 v Surrey 201-8d
- No play yet between Warwickshire and Hampshire
Division Two:
- Sussex 230-5 v Nottinghamshire
- Worcestershire 90-3 v Durham
- Glamorgan 18-1 v Kent 302
- Derbyshire 104-2 v Gloucestershire
- No play yet between Northants and Leicestershire
Speak in the morning! Until then...
And Lancs are 17 for none at stumps having battled through nine overs. Well done them.
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Into the last over of the day at Old Trafford. Lancs 17 without loss.
Interesting stuff from Taunton...
Match CLO: "I'm going to sleep on this tonight. I've had a hotline all day as you can imagine." #bbccricket
— Kevin Patrick Hand (@KevinHandBBC) September 25, 2017
Match CLO: "I'll have a discusssion with the umpires and come and find you (the media) at the end of play tomorrrow." #bbccricket
— Kevin Patrick Hand (@KevinHandBBC) September 25, 2017
Possibly, but surely not. Surrey could easily say they thought this evening was a great time to bowl. Happened lots in day-night matches so don’t think this is too different.
@willis_macp Extraordinary declaration shenanigans at Old Trafford?
— Andy Shaw (@RedAndy54) September 25, 2017
Just 25 overs possible at New Road. Worcestershire 90 for three against Durham, with Joe Clarke 46 from 46.
Surrey not made the breakthrough yet; Lancs are 12 without loss with four overs remaining.
So Surrey declared on 201 for eight declared! Lots of money at stake between second and third!
Stumps at Chelmsford!
So that must be stumps here. Everyone heading for the Pavilion, and more covers coming out.
Looking very much like stumps here too..
Stumps at Taunton! Middlesex 18 for three...
Covers coming on at Chelmsford.
Essex 227 all out! Porter holes out to Carver. How many of the remaining 12 overs will we see? Umpires having a chat.
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Middlesex three down! Robson gone to Leach. 5 for 3. Oh my.
Harmer out! He made a belting 64 but is lbw to Carver. Essex 222 for nine.
Middlesex four for two! Eskinazi gone to Leach, who opened...
Harmer has a 50, and this is a great fightback from Essex. From 80-5, they are 208-8.
Middlesex, though, are 1 for 1 after Compo got a duck.
Permutations! Update
Right, so Somerset’s one batting point means this:
- Yorkshire are safe
- Middlesex need 250
- Hampshire need 8 points v Warwickshire
200 up for Essex! Grievous has 42...
What a knock from Joe Denly! He has 150, and Kent are 294-8.
FYI.
@willis_macp Re Middlesex and a 2 down declaration. Would have to seek permission and probably wouldn't be allowed pic.twitter.com/Kw72R4IqPy
— Alex Klymyszyn (@AlexKlymyszyn) September 25, 2017
Somerset 236 all out! Middlesex, provided they don’t fancy a naughty declaration five down, need 250 for safety. Ravi Patel took seven for 81! That, unsurprisingly, is a career best.
Yorkshire, therefore, are safe...
Play back underway. Essex 185 for eight.
Here come the umpires at Chelmsford!
As Martin Ibbotson points out, if Somerset don’t get 300 - or even 250 - Middlesex could simply declare for whatever they are two down for, and know they are safe. How naughty do they feel?
Somerset are nine down! Patel has his sixth, Leach - who may be looking forward to a bowl. 230 for nine... Yorkshire praying they don’t manage 20 more.
Well it’s barely raining here, but we are off the field. Bit frustrating.
Somerset have edged their way to 230 for eight.
Eight down! Bess gone for a duck. Patel has 5, btw.
Coverton gone! 214 for seven. If they don’t get 250, Yorkshire are safe.
Patel gets Roloef first ball and it’s 206 for six! Two bowling points for Middlesex...
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Hildreth goes reverse sweeping Ravi Patel and Somerset are 205 for five!
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And Somerset have a batting point!
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And we are going off for a bit of rain at Taunton, and that's tea. 184-8.
Oh dear.
Davies dropped at silly point off Stirling first over after Tea. Middx making this very difficult for themselves in the field. #bbccricket
— Kevin Patrick Hand (@KevinHandBBC) September 25, 2017
Back on at Old Trafford and Taunton.
Off for the day at Grace Road.
Wagner’s fun is over, toe-ending Brooks to mid-on. 183 for seven.
Looked a belting player against England u19s in the summer.
Not strictly CCL @willis_macp, but Prithvi Shaw (17) is on 134* in the Duleep Trophy Final. His only previous FC scores are 4, 129, 71, 44.
— Gary Naylor (@garynaylor999) September 25, 2017
Karl Carver is on! 177 for seven.
Six! Wagner picks one up off his feet and smacks Coad into the newly named Doug Insole Pavilion. 175 for seven.
So, tea at Taunton and Somerset are 193 for four. Huge session coming up in that match.
Stumps at Edgbaston! No idea if that’s good or bad for Hampshire.
Westley has had a precautionary x-ray on his right thumb. Hearing it’s not broken... 156 for seven.
Joe Denly has a century, and it's his magnificent effort that has carried Kent to 201 for six.
Sussex 100 for four, as Mullaney gets Hutton. And Worcestershire are 15 for two. Bit going on in the promotion race.
Oh no.
The last thing you want when battling for Div One survival...
— County Championship (@CountyChamp) September 25, 2017
Abell is run out & @Middlesex_CCC are fighting back: https://t.co/2EkxWhUZDM pic.twitter.com/xJoIvEYcf3
Ten Doeschate caught behind pushing forward to Patterson! Essex need Wagner to do the business once more. 142-7.
Abell run out! Somerset 175-4. Bad time for a collapse.
Foster smacked Patterson down the ground for four but goes next ball, holing out at cow. Stand 55, Yorkshire have a second bowling point.
And now they are off for bad light at Old Trafford.
Foster andrew Tendo have put on 50! That's the Essex story this year.
And Worcestershire are 10-1. Mitchell gone, to Rushworth. Few yarns in that dismissal.
Surrey 112-5 as Parry gets Foakes!
Saqib Mahmood has a third! Borthwick gone for 30, and Surrey 110 for four.
Notts have a point! They need 11 more... Sussex are 61 for three.
Bartlett gone at Taunton! Patel’s second. 139-3...
Sanga is out! Mahmood with the wicket, and Surrey are 80 for five!
Oh my goodness.
It's doing a bit at Taunton 👀
— County Championship (@CountyChamp) September 25, 2017
Follow all the action: https://t.co/2EkxWhUZDM pic.twitter.com/6r6bfJI6r1
Anyone seen this filth?
#WicketWatch: What a delivery this is from @mattyparky96!
— Lancashire CCC (@LancsCCC) September 25, 2017
🌹 #RedRoseTogether pic.twitter.com/vAzLBIlEbc
Kent are 127 for six, but have the advantage of still having Joe Denly there. He’s got 49.
Have a look at this.
@willis_macp Re @davidgpearce's question, if Cricket Archive were not spreading the gospel from behind a paywall, I'd look up Wilfred Rhodes
— Gary Naylor (@garynaylor999) September 25, 2017
So they are on at Hove, and Sussex are 30 for one.
Trescothick is gone to Patel, Somerset are 118 for two, and this is in play.
If Somerset get under 300 in their first innings, Middlesex could declare on 5 wickets down, lose match and be assured of safety
— Tim (@timwig) September 25, 2017
2pm start at New Road.
And Surrey are 72-2 at lunch. Parkinson got Stoneman in his first over.
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Lunch! Essex 84 for five.
Sanga is in, and has 13 from eight! Surrey 72-2.
Five down! Ravi lbw to Brooks. Three in three overs - 80-5.
Wicket! Browne bowled through the gate by Coad, and its 80-4!
Good question! Anyone?
@willis_macp Not sure if there's ever been such an age gap between opening partners as Trescothick and Byrom. Any ideas if it's a record?
— david pearce (@davidgpearce) September 25, 2017
Wicket! Brooks returns, and gets Lawrence leg before. Yorkshire have a point! 74 for 3.
Wicket and lunch at Taunton! Stirling gets Byron, and Somerset are 93-1.
Here’s the Westley wicket.
Tom Westley gets a painful blow on the hand for @EssexCricket & is out
— County Championship (@CountyChamp) September 25, 2017
Live updates ➡️ https://t.co/2EkxWhUZDM pic.twitter.com/W6i9OdUBmC
First wicket down at Old Trafford, as Burns goes to Saqi Mahmood. Surrey 47-1.
Wicket! Westley gone, and hes in some pain. Gloved to second slip, ran from the field... Broken thumb I reckon. 63-2...
What a start for Somerset! 67-0.
Chopra has looked in great touch - he hit Patterson out of the ground - but he is gone! Caught second slip. It's 41-1.
Read Gary Naylor’s talking points!
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Essex are 28-0 after eight overs. Looking steady, and Patto is on early.
And now Billings is gone. Kent 39-4.
Well Sam Billings has moved to 18 of 12 and Kent are 38 for three...
Kent 21-3 as Northeast goes!
Few changes at Old Trafford for Lancs. Hameed, who has had an op, is obviously out. Mahmood and Parry in too. Surrey have Borthwick back for Ryan Patel.
Lancashire: Davies (w), Jones, Livingstone, Vilas, Chanderpaul, Croft (c), McLaren, Mahmood, Parry, Bailey, Parkinson
Surrey: Burns, Stoneman, Borthwick, Sangakkara, Foakes (w), Pope, S.Curran, Clarke, Batty (c), Meaker, Dernbach
Well, Varun Chopra has leaned into cover-drives with the first two balls of the match. Two, then four.
Lancashire are fielding first against Surrey...
Teams here, then. Four minutes away from the start. Essex batting first, without a toss. They are unchanged, while Yorkshire have left Bresnan out for Carver.
Essex: Chopra, Browne, Westley, Lawrence, Bopara, Tendo, Foster, Harmer, Wagner, Porter, Cook
Yorkshire: Lyth, Brathwaite, Lees, Ballance, Leaning, Hodd, Patterson, Fisher, Brooks, Coad, Carver
So Kent are one down! DBD out, and now Dickson gone, to Hogan. 14 for 2.
Well unsurprisingly Essex will bat first here.
So the covers being drawn back and I suspect, with low clouds about, there won’t be a toss. But Ballance and Tendo will come together for a chat.
That looks very dark.
The umpires and captains have got together but they've decided it's too dark to toss at Emirates Old Trafford at the moment. #LANvSUR pic.twitter.com/p5OAKDvDsC
— Surrey Cricket (@surreycricket) September 25, 2017
Right, they are getting going down at Taunton!
Big news. He’s off to Lancs, I believe.
📝 Graham Onions has decided not to accept a contract extension and will leave DCCC at the end of the season
— Durham CCC 🏏 (@DurhamCricket) September 25, 2017
➡️ https://t.co/TyzzkLqwkn pic.twitter.com/0lJJ3Y4lu0
Kent have won the toss and are batting against Glamorgan.
Not a pretty scene at Grace Road, where it’s might wet.
A bit on prize money. Essex have obviously sewn up the really important bit, but there’s plenty for Surrey and Lancs to play for. Second place shares £240,000, and third £115,000. The winners of Division Two gets £120,000, and the runner-up £57,000.
Me too! I have three transfers and - criminally - five skipper changes to make. I’m in disarray!
@willis_macp All these delayed starts are wreaking havoc with my Fantasy team plans. can't decide how to best use my final transfer :(
— Tom Willis (@T_AWillis) September 25, 2017
I normally do a teams and tosses tab, but we haven’t had many of them, so I’ll leave it for a little while.
Covers being slipped back on at Chelmsford...
We are having a toss at 10.30 here at Chelsmford. And there’s one at 10.20 at Old Trafford.
Delayed start at Edgbaston too...
Morning Stuie!
@willis_macp last week :( morning
— Stuie Neale (@MrNeale92) September 25, 2017
Teams from Taunton, where Somerset have won the toss and will bat first!
Somerset: Trescothick, Byrom, Bartlett, Hildreth, Abell*, Davies+, RvdM, Coverton, Bess, Leach, Groenewald
Middlesex: Robson, Compton, Eskinazi, Malan, Voges*, Stirling, Simpson+, Harris, Finn, Murtagh, Patel
Bit of gentle sass in this...
Here's the wicket in Taunton for our crucial @CountyChamp clash vs @SomersetCCC ! Not sure we're looking at a four day wicket #MightTurn pic.twitter.com/oiC9BpBnlf
— Middlesex Cricket (@Middlesex_CCC) September 25, 2017
Delayed start at Old Trafford and Hove too...
There's a bit of moaning over a very used pitch at Taunton. Anyway, Somerset have won the toss and will bat...
Well we have a delayed start here at Chelmsford. The covers are off and the umpires are having a look. Warm ups beginning.
Morning all it's the morning call!
Good morning, happy Monday – it’s an even greyer one than usual – and welcome to the final week of the season on County Cricket – live! I’m Will Macpherson and I’m here to guide you through the action from Chelmsford (the weather isn’t great) where the Champions, Essex, meet the not-quite-safe-former-champions Yorkshire. Hopefully we will have Vic Marks at Taunton on all the other days, but not today. I’ll keep you abreast of developments there in his absence.
The Taunton game is the real biggie. Somerset are 16 points behind Middlesex, who thrashed Lancs last week. So it’s do or die for Somerset. Win or bust. Even if they win and pick up fewer bonus points, they’re gone. The pitch will no doubt be absolutely jam-packed with spice. Hampshire, who are at Edgbaston, are also not safe. They need a high-scoring draw to guarantee their safety. Yorkshire need seven points. Oh it’s so confusing!
In Division Two, the picture is a touch clearer. For promotion, Worcestershire need six points against Durham and Notts need 12 against Sussex. If either of those two things doesn’t happen, Northants – who are playing against Leicestershire – will come into the equation with a big win. Here’s our full fixture list.
Division One:
- Essex v Yorkshire
- Lancashire v Surrey
- Somerset v Middlesex
- Warwickshire v Hampshire
Division Two:
- Worcestershire v Durham
- Sussex v Nottinghamshire
- Leicestershire v Northamptonshire
- Kent v Glamorgan
- Gloucestershire v Derbyshire
I sense that there’s a bit of weather about this morning. Why not pass the time by reading Vic pontificate on the Ashes touring party which will be announced on Wednesday.
You can contact me!
- Below The Line (play nicely)
- By email: will.macpherson.freelance@theguardian.com
- On twitter: @willis_macp
I greatly look forward to hearing from you. Team and toss news to follow, and I’ll try to keep you as clear on where we are promotion-and-relegation-wise as possible. All that leaves me to say, as ever, is enjoy the cricket. There’s not much left.
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