Kyle Abbott skewered Somerset’s hopes of a nice easy run-in to the crucial last game with nine for 40 – the best bowling figures in the County Championship for three years. Somerset then reduced Hampshire to 10 for three before James Vince stepped into his big spoiling boots, and hit his first red-ball century of the season – giving Hampshire a lead of 230 at the Ageas Bowl with two wickets in hand.
Meanwhile, chasers-in-chief Essex clawed back against Surrey at Chelmsford. Sam Cook and Jamie Porter pocketed five wickets each as last year’s champions were dismissed for 174. Jordan Clark then snaffled three quick wickets until 147 from Dan Lawrence and 74 not out from Ryan ten Doeschate stretched Essex’s first-innings lead to 128.
After Kent had declared overnight at Headingley, Yorkshire stumbled to 216, a deficit of 217, and that despite six dropped catches. Warwickshire’s Dominic Sibley did his chances of winter tour selection no harm with his fourth championship century of the summer, against Nottinghamshire at a featherbed Trent Bridge.
In the Division Two promotion race, Gloucestershire bowled out Worcestershire for 128 at New Road. But a late stumble left them 54 for four at the close, needing another 61 to win. Sussex had a chastening day at Derby after Luis Reece and Billy Godleman (106 not out) put on 274 for the first wicket for Derbyshire; Reece was run out on 184.
Northamptonshire dismissed Durham for 131 by lunch at Wantage Road, Ben Sanderson finishing with six for 54, and thanks to fifties from Adam Rossington and Richard Levi, built an overwhelming lead. Glamorgan kept their dreams just about alive, finishing a wicket away from forcing Leicestershire to follow on at Sophia Gardens.
And at Old Trafford Middlesex produced an eye-rubbing turnaround, after starting the day bow-legged at 39 for six. A career-best 167 from ex-Lancashire academy graduate John Simpson, and plucky supporting roles, gave them a first-innings lead. Middlesex’s 337 was a world record score for any side who had lost their first six wickets for less than 40.
Well James Vince has truly thrown everything into the mix with his first championship century of the season. Twenty-three balls to get off the mark, then 14 gorgeous, sumptuous, you-name- it boundaries. Fiend! And Dan Lawrence keeping Essex well and truly in the running with 147. Gloucestershire having a stumble to be resolved in the morning, and Northants looking good against Durham. Middlesex performing miracles from the carnage of 34-6. That’s it from me for tonight - the sun is setting and it is getting a bit dark to ride home. Have a lovely evening. Good night!
And with this match on the brink of a turn-about, I’d better write up... with Luis Reece run-out for 184; Dan Lawrence on the brink of his century at Chelmsford (Essex lead by 44); a quick-step James Vince 68 bouldering Hampshire to an 182-run lead against Somerset; a Dom Sibley century at Trent Bridge; collapsing Yorkshire half-rescued by Fisher; Leicester in trouble, Durham in trouble, Gloucester on the way.
Davies tries to pull Cummins off his fourth ball and is caught by Harris on the fine-leg boundary. Lancashire 1/0. I’m not saying this is a Lancs-up.
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And Lancashire’s long day in the field comes to an end when Ethan Bamber has a swish and top-edges to Keaton Jennings. John Simpson, a career-best 167 not out, removes his helmet and turns to acknowledge the applause coming from all round the ground. What a smashing knock. (Bailey 5-78; Parkinson 3-49)
Lancashire have, we think, seven overs to bat today in the evening sunshine, and a deficit of 78. Not what they were expecting when they hauled their tired bodies up the Old Trafford stairs this morning. Now they can look forward to sharp little spells from Cummins and Roland-Jones.
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Hampshire have lost another, 90/7 - a lead of 144. Can they eek it out to 200? Somerset won’t want to chase any more.
Gloucestershire 115 to win at New Road. I tipped Dillon Pennington last year - maybe this is his match. If Gloucestershire win, they have nearly, nearly, nearly screwed the spikes into their Division One boots. In fact if Durham and Sussex lose, the promotion places are as good as filled.
ALL OUT
— Gloucestershire Cricket🏏 (@Gloscricket) September 17, 2019
Shannon Gabriel gets the final wicket for Gloucestershire as he bowls Finch for 6 💪
Worcestershire finished their innings on 128, leading by 114 🏏#GoGlos 💛🖤 pic.twitter.com/idDkMj0HFV
Sibley (83*) and Hain (45*) have now put on 83 on what I’m guessing is a featherbed at Trent Bridge - Warwicks 206-6. And what do you say about Derbyshire? Scuppering Sussex with a opening partnership of 245 - a lead of 153. Luis Reece an incredible 164 off 165 balls - 30 fours, and Godleman 68 off 115 balls
Yorkshire’s efforts to finish the season with a whimper going well. Now 201-7, 281 behind. Milnes 4-61. Bresnan top-scorer with 39, till this...
💥 BOWLED HIM | @mmilnes84 gets Bresnan!
— Kent Cricket (@KentCricket) September 17, 2019
He departs for 39 and Yorkshire are 194/7, still trailing by 288
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Hampshire 45 for six! Two wickets each for Gregory, Coverton and Davey! Vince still there .... a Hampshire lead of 99.
And that’s the record! This is the highest ninth-wicket partnership by Middlesex against Lancashire, beating that jointly held by John Murray and Fred Titmus at Lord’s in 1974, and Hugh Bromley-Davenport and Cyril Wells at Lord’s in 1896.
Dan Lawrence holding Essex’s hopes together at Chelmsford with 51 not out. Bopara morkelled in the first over after tea.
The first over after tea. Morkel strikes. 👊
— Surrey Cricket (@surreycricket) September 17, 2019
WATCH LIVE ➡️ https://t.co/v0NSMoOLr7 pic.twitter.com/N9A6i3ZgRH
Apologies - premature announcement - This is NEARLY the highest ninth-wicket partnership by Middlesex against Lancashire, currently 83 jointly held by John Murray and Fred Titmus at Lord’s in 1974, and Hugh Bromley-Davenport and Cyril Wells at Lord’s in 1896.
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A cheeky 20-minute potter around outside. A handful, perhaps a good scattering, of supporters taking advantage of the really quite warm northern sunshine. Shirts and caps rather than anoraks and woolly hats. Trams rattling past, friendly murmurings - though not so friendly about Lancashire’s day. Sowter proving a more than adequate foil for Simpton with five crashing fours in his 38. Simpson reached a career best 144 with a drive to deep-cover. And Middlesex now lead by 29,
Rutherford’s run-out leaves Worcestershire to crack on with just the tail 72/7. Northants 102-4, a lead of nearly 200 v Durham; three wickets for Samit Patel as Leicestershire fold for the penultimate match this year -93/5; Derbyshire’s openers plough on -149-0- in what is a must-win for Sussex; and it is tea here at Old Trafford where John Simpson has guided Middlesex to within seven runs of Lancashire. Time for a quick cuppa and a circuit of the ground.
Stats for the ages.
📜 | @Stevo208 has joined an elite list - three of which have played for Kent
— Kent Cricket (@KentCricket) September 17, 2019
(Stat via @AWSStats) pic.twitter.com/JhQdKDbD07
And lo it came to pass that Gregory and Davey were full of fire and did steam in and Hampshire were 14-3 in the tenth over, a lead of just 68.
💪💪💪
— Somerset Cricket 🏏 (@SomersetCCC) September 17, 2019
LIVE STREAM -> https://t.co/dF6GhNA901#HAMvSOM#WeAreSomerset pic.twitter.com/TyKwoooigr
Reece and Godleman laughing in the faces of Robinson, Jordan, Wiese and Topley - Derby 104-0, deficit erased, game on. Leicestershire 86-2; Azad still there, 27 not out. Salisbury and Raine putting the pressure on Northants - 65-4- but Northants already lead Durham by 151. Worcestershire sink further, 49-6, and here Middlesex trail by just 29 - in a textbook account of all not being lost until the fat lady sings final digit is raised.
An email! Thank you to Matt Cast for digging into his memory banks for this gem of information.
“I’m sure someone will have pointed this out already, [I don’t think they have!] but the Hampshire v Somerset match is setting up rather like their match in September last year a low-scoring scrap with seam bowlers and particularly Kyle Abbot to the fore (not a single over of spin in last year’s game!). Hampshire have got a similar lead to the one they got last year and unfortunately I suspect the result will be similar...”
“That game last year was my first (and only, so far) time ever watching county cricket and it was quite an exciting one with the clatter of wickets and a 50 from one of my favourite players, Marcus Trescothick, although I’d have preferred a different result!”
What a treat to see Trescothick score runs in the autumn of his career. That could well have been his last fifty for Somerset?
Oh Worcestershire, take two. Last year I was sent to New Road to see Surrey clinch the Championship (a game which included 16 homegrown players). Worcestershire gave them a bit of a scare in the chase, and Alec Stewart was full of praise for the young team coming through.
“It is important to have a nucleus of home grown players and that’s why Worcestershire, I really hope they stay up.
“I think they have also shown if you produce your own, you fight together.
“They didn’t look a bottom of the table team in this game and they pushed us hard at The Oval as well.
“If you can get your own players, who have come through the system, understand what the club is about, and grow up wanting to play for the club, they can find that little bit more when the going gets tough.
“Also when you win something, it means that little bit more.”
This afternoon they sit, 38-5 in their second innings, a lead of a miserly 24, second bottom in the Div 2 table, with three wins to their name.
And Gloucestershire, least fancied, back in the chase.
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Enjoying very much Josh Davey’s reluctance to accept the inevitable here:
WICKET & INNINGS: Sensational, @Kyle_Abbott87! 👏🔥
— Hampshire Cricket (@hantscricket) September 17, 2019
He rounds off an incredible display by claiming the final @SomersetCCC wicket, finishing with a career-best 9-40, as the visitors are dismissed for 142! 🙌
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Somerset 142 all out, trail Hampshire by 54
Kyle Abbott throwing a spanner in the works with nine for 40. Somerset owe much to Dom and co who added 77 for the last two wickets.
And with a pull through midwicket, Simpson goes to his first ever hundred against Lancashire, his second of the season and Middlesex’s ninth of a dismal batting Championship summer.
To the whirr of the tractor and the glug of the flagon, Bess and van der Merwe have added 53 for the seventh wicket. Somerset reduce the deficit to 70.
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Oh Worcestershire; losing a wicket with the very first ball of the innings was not the lunch-time plan. Mitchell lbw to David Payne.
By the way, the latest groundless HH rumour I can pass on is that he is off New Road. Seems he has plenty of interest anyway, wishing him wisdom in his choice.
And Tom Westley, fresh from very-nearly-two-hundreds in the last game, is bowled by the first ball after lunch. Essex 28/2. At Headingley, Yorkshire are 97-4. Milnes joins Stevens in the two-fer club.
A wicket for Parky! Smashing ball that spins away and bowls Harris for 32. Middx 141-7, 118 behind. A partnership of 107 that removed Middlesex from life-support.
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And as they come back on at Old Trafford, the news that the last time Lancashire went unbeaten in Championship was 1974, when they finished eighth, drew 15 games and won five. This is Simpson’s fourth fifty against Lancashire and his highest score.
If Lancashire win this game, Lancashire will have a winning record against every team in the Championship except Surrey and Yorkshire.
(enough stats, ed.)
Lunchtime scores
Division One
Headingley: Kent 482-8 dec: (Stevens 237, Billings 138; Olivier 5-108). Yorkshire 80-3.
Chelmsford: Surrey 174(S Cook 5-53; Porter 5-62) Essex: 26-1.
Ageas Bowl: Hampshire 196: Dawson 103, Barker 40; Gregory 3-63. Somerset 103-8: (Abbot 7-21)
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire 498 (Mullaney 179, Clarke 125). Warwickshire: 24-0
Division Two
Old Trafford: Lancashire 259: Livingston 84, Croft 55*; Sowter 3-42, Harris 3-59. Middlesex 132-6 (Simpson 71 not out; Bailey 5-38)
Pattonair County Ground: Derbyshire 138: Dal 35; Wiese 4-18 and 1-0. Sussex 231: (Van Zyl 60; Garton 50; Reece 5-63)
Wantage Road: Northamptonshire 217: (Rossington 82; Rushworth 5-68, Raine 3-53). Durham 131: (Sanderson 6-54)
New Road: Worcestershire 221: Wessels 72; Higgins 4-55, Payne 3-57. Gloucestershire 235: (Barnard 6-42.)
Glamorgan 435 (Cooke 95; Wright 5-64) v Leicestershire
Middlesex reach lunch without loss - a partnership of 98 between Harris (27) and Simpson (71). That’s not exactly what I was expecting, some cracking mid-September curve balls already this round.
Lunchtime scores to follow.
Here Livingstone is tonked straight back over his head for six. At Chelmsford, Essex have the w of an ‘obble -16/1 - Jordan Clark bowling Browne in his first over.
And some lovely pictures to browse over your sandwiches.
#Ashes2019: stellar images from an unforgettable summer. By @TomJenkinspix https://t.co/jXZSanGT9r #Ashes19
— Guardian sport (@guardian_sport) September 17, 2019
Glamorgan have zooomed past maximum batting points despite Chris Cooke being bowled just four short of his century. Currently 432-8 against the wooden-spoonists.
An email arrives:
Good morning Tanya
Good morning Geoff!
Surely the answers to Steve Smith and the flaky English batting were there all along - they simply needed to pick Darren Stevens. Whatever happened to Ed Smith’s hunchometer? Sticking with the Ashes-related, can Glamorgan put in a compensation claim to the Aussies (or indeed to the ECB) for their promotion bid being concussed?
That’s a nice idea - though Somerset and Sussex, Surrey and Yorkshire might fancy adding their names to the list too.
The Durham and Somerset collapse-off continues. Durham 100-7 (117 behind - Sanderson 5-43); Somerset 81-8 (115 behind - Abbott 7-71).
At Old Trafford, PARKY is on, to warm applause.
This incredibly strong statement from Ben Stokes. What a pointless and cruel editorial decision.
Ben Stokes hits out at 'despicable' Sun story about family tragedy https://t.co/o824eu0Umh
— Guardian sport (@guardian_sport) September 17, 2019
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I was doing the washing-up last night with half an ear on Michael Vaughan on the radio. Interested to hear his tour squad for New Zealand- forward planning for the next Ashes - that included Sibley/Crawley, Pope, Archer/Saqib Mahmood, Foakes/Bairstow/Buttler, Curran/Woakes and the assertion that England should only play one of Broad or Anderson at any one time.
And Liam Livingstone has been hauled into the attack at the James Anderson end. Middlesex 108-6.
And Surrey crumble to 174 all out - losing 6-22 at a most inopportune rate. Time for Morne to have a morning.
John Simpson batting very nicely here at OT - wiser heads than me say he was in the very first academy intake at Old Trafford but was let go because they had too many wicket-keepers.
WICKET: Six of the best for @Kyle_Abbott87! ☝️👀👏
— Hampshire Cricket (@hantscricket) September 17, 2019
Gregory (0) is the latest batsman to fall, again LBW, as Kyle claims his sixth - @SomersetCCC 58-6 (21 overs).
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Kyle Abbott puts his big boots through the Taunton fairytale. 12-9-11-6. Somerset 59-7.
Lancs fans may like to know that the Division Two trophy is motoring up from ECB HQ this very moment and will be presented at the end of this match. We don’t think Colin Graves is driving.
Middlesex bring up the fifty partnership in 95 balls and it is as if yesterday evening never happened. 87-6. Meanwhile Somerset self-destruct further - George Bartlett for 9. 58-6 and in the middle of an existential crisis.
Essex making up for lost time at Chelmsford - Surrey 159 for seven, Foakes, Clarke and Jacks all snaffled this morning. Somerset relying on Clark and Plunkett to bully the total past 200.
So Darren Stevens has now made 237, struggled out of bed, limped down to breakfast, taken the new ball and taken two for four.
Yorkshire 17 for 2. Ballance lbw - I don’t need to tell you who to.
☝️ OUT | ..........who else?!?!@Stevo208 traps Ballance LBW and he departs for 4
— Kent Cricket (@KentCricket) September 17, 2019
Yorkshire are now 17/2 trailing by 465
LIVE STREAM ➡️ https://t.co/25sPGZr6eP #SuperKent pic.twitter.com/nDwSjrDtJl
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Somerset have decided that what they really, really want is down to the wire, tension-building cricket - otherwise winning the Championship for the first time in their history doesn’t really count. So they’re now 57-5, 139 behind Hampshire, Bartlett and Gregory trying to desperately stick thumbs in the dyke.
September wickets galore. In Division Two Sussex’s day doesn’t get off to the best of starts - two in two from Luis Reece, Delray Rawlins for 34 and Ben Brown first ball (134-5). Glamorgan lose Root and Wagg to Griffiths 330-6; Harris and Simpson have put on Middlesex’s biggest partnership of the innings - 31- in the more welcoming morning sunshine; Durham - what are you doing? - 51 for SIX, Sanderson 5-29 -against Northants. Gloucestershire potter on without incident at New Road - 103-4.
Can’t believe how much I missed yesterday - Darren Stevens doing it for 40 year olds everywhere, Lancashire winning the Championship, and Nottinghamshire remembering belatedly, and with the pressure off, how to bat.
Here at Old Trafford, I’m told that Middlesex’s batting on Monday evening wasn’t that bad, Tom Bailey was brilliant and a couple of the batsmen - Robson and Cummins - were perhaps a little unfortunate to be walking back to the pavilion.
Start of play scores
Division One
Headingley: Kent 482-8: Stevens 237, Billings 138; Olivier 5-108
Chelmsford: Surrey 137-4: Smith 34, Foakes 31*; Porter 2-47 Essex: Yet to bat
Ageas Bowl: Hampshire 196: Dawson 103, Barker 40; Gregory 3-63. Somerset 30-2: Abbott 2-1
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire 425-6: Mullaney 179, Clarke 125, Evison 45. Warwickshire: Yet to bat
Division Two
Old Trafford: Lancashire 259: Livingston 84, Croft 55*; Sowter 3-42, Harris 3-59. Middlesex 39-6: Bailey 5-16
Pattonair County Ground: Derbyshire 138: Dal 35; Wiese 4-18. Sussex 116-3: Van Zyl 49*; Reece 2-27
Wantage Road: Northamptonshire 217:Rossington 82; Rushworth 5-68, Raine 3-53. Durham 37-4: Sanderson 3-20
New Road: Worcestershire 221: Wessels 72; Higgins 4-55, Payne 3-57. Gloucestershire 87-4: Barnard 3-16
Glamorgan 300-4 v Leicestershire
Updated
Good Morning!
From a beautiful Old Trafford where the sun is out, the air is still, and melancholy hangs but hasn’t fallen.
First, this:
I’m not going to lie, Im a little stiff this morning!😳 I just wanna say a HUGE thx 2 all that have sent me messages. The support has been unreal, I really appreciate it👍🏻 Special day spent in the middle with 1 of my close pals @sambillings @KentCricket #39-5 #specialday #1stdiv
— Darren Ian Stevens (@Stevo208) September 17, 2019
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