Match drawn at the Oval. Surrey win County Championship Division Two. Hands shaken with Surrey 90 short. Think Wilson and Foakes decided it was time for the party to start.
Thanks for all your support BTL this year. We’ve enjoyed it greatly up here. Presentation time, then I have lots of writing to do.
Surrey 11 for five
BOOOOOOO. Jason Roy goes, miscuing White to Cobb running in from long-off for 77 from 35. Outrageous. Surrey know they’ve won the league so would carry on slaying it you’d think, especially given quite how much fun everyone is having.
SURREY WIN DIVISION TWO
A draw at Chelmsford, where Ravi had some fun this afternoon, confirms Surrey’s title. It’s the end of season members do here tonight, and I reckon – based on the noise in the crowd already – that it’s going to be a rowdy one. Roy is pretty rowdy right now too. There’s been another six over point, another two into the Pavilion, a ramp and all sorts of other japery. He’s 56 off 26 and really fancies it.
Surrey 10-1
Roy and Davies time!! Oh, that didn’t last long, as Davies is bowled first ball by Azharullah. Brings the young lad Sangakkara to the crease. Looks a decent prospect. Roy tracks Azharullah and sticks him into the Pavilion for six. This is going to be great fun.
Northants 514 all out
Batty has Kleinveldt caught and bowled to end a fun, runner-aided last wicket stand that took Northants to their highest score of the season. Now it’s tea and Surrey need 215 in 33 overs. Expect Jason Roy and Steve Davies to appear. Very sad for Sussex, but caps must be doffed to Hampshire. Great stuff.
SUSSEX ARE RELEGATED
How sad.
WICKET & ALL OUT.. Liddle is LBW to Rashid without score. Yorkshire have beaten Sussex by 100 runs at Headingley @LV_Cricket #GOSBTS
— Sussex CCC (@SussexCCC) September 25, 2015
Northants 468 for nine
Couple more wickets here, and a lovely maiden first class ton for David Murphy, who becomes the fourth wicketkeeper in the match to bag a ton, but the first to actually wear the gloves. Azharullah slapped Dunn to point where CurranT took a fine catch, before Chambers played on. With just an injured Kleinveldt (and his runner Keogh) for company, Murphy slogged Batty for four and six, then scampered a two off a sweep to complete a ton, to a massive ovation. Northants lead by 166, so I expect some Roy and Davies opening fun in the none too distant future. The end is nigh at Headingley. Adam Lyth in the wickets….
Northants 441 for seven
We’ve had a couple of wickets, and Matt Dunn has both. Rossington nicked behind, then White drive straight to point. Murphy has 87, his first class best.
Northants 429 for five
150 stand is up, and we’re headed for a draw. Smiles all round, I guess, except for Tom Curran, who has had three drops off his bowling to day. He needs one more wicket for 77 - the most for Surrey since Waqar Younis took a million in 1991. Shame to see Yardy out, but sounds like a lovely moment.
Northants 393 for five
Rossington brought up a magnificent ton off 88 balls, including 18 fours in the first over after lunch. Hell of a knock and a growing lead. He doesn’t move well, young Rossington (somehow just 22) but his striking is immaculate. He edged his first ball between second and third slip but has been a joy to watch since. Would you believe it, but since lunch, Roy has dropped both batsmen off Tom Curran at second slip. First a simple chance off Murphy, then a tougher one off Rossington. Perhaps he’s giddy at the news he’s got himself a new three-year contract. I imagine that’s worth a fair packet.
Eyes on Headingley – come on Yards….
This was a fine win by Hampshire who at one time were 137 behind on first innings with two wickets remaining. It was set up by a composed opening stand of 129 between Jimmy Adams and Michael Carberry and after Adams (70) and James Vince had fallen to successive deliveries from Jake Ball, was completed by Carberry and Willl Smith with an unbroken third wicket stand of 71, Smith making 34 not out. Carberry charged to the line and 84 not out by taking 23 from nine balls from Samit Patel.
So ends the season, and the county blog. Big thanks to Will on here who has been heroic as well as enthusiastic. And to all those below the line on what is an oasis of civilised comment. Have a good winter all: new season starts in six months
Northants 358 for five
This has been a superb counter-attack from Rossington, who lunches on 94 having continually taken advantage of attacking fields to slay 19 fours and a six, including some wonderful cuts. Surrey will have a bit of a chase on their hands at some stage, but it doesn’t matter all that much. They are going to win the league.
Oh, Sussex. And congrats to Hampshire, who deserve great credit for a fine win.
Northants 320 for five
Northants have a lead thanks to a bit more biff from Rossington. He brought up his 50 in 48 balls with 11 fours, and very few scoring strokes, so it’s been fun. Harinath and Batty on in tandem so it must be almost time for a bit of the Currans. Anyone else think that Curran is one of those surnames that looks unbelievably punnable but actually just isn’t?
Personally, I’ll be sad if Sussex go down. My parents live there and all three of the grounds the county uses these days – particularly Arundel and Hove – are stunning. It would be amazing for Yardy, too. I like Hampshire as well, and think the Ageas is a fine ground, but lord it’s a pain to get too. What’s more, I sense that the ECB would be pretty happy if only one side in Division One (Somerset) didn’t have a Test ground….
But with Sussex four down, it looks likely, unfortunately.
Nothants 279 for five
As I sent that, Batty got Cobb to edge to short leg and the dream is over. Shame on you, Gareth Batty. Shame on you. The Currans were having a party and you ruined it.
And Machan is out too. Sussex, I fear for you. I really do.
Northants 279 for four
Rossington edged his first ball between second (Roy) and third (Burns) slip at a very catchable height, and since he’s been on the chance, and he’s just uppishly flicked Dunn over midwicket for four, the second of three boundaries in the over. He’s loose, Rossington, but can look great when he gets going. Cobb, on the last day of his mammoth season (he’s played every single game) is being a bit more watchful. Northants are only 25 behind now.
I see Sussex have lost a couple. Nash, Wright, Brown and Yardy are the key, either way. All are very much capable of crease occupation and all massively care about Sussex.
Tom has another, Wakely plumb LBW to Tom. He has nine for the match, 76 for the season and the brothers have 14.
Northants 228 for three
Would you believe it. A wicket second ball of the day for Tom Curran. 75th of the season, so I’m doffing a virtual cap to him. First ball of the day Duckett edged to third man for four to bring up 1,000 runs for the season, then very next ball, he goes, LBW to Tom. Looked right, to me.
And another, Sam this time! That is really poor from Rob Keogh, he’s had a clash at a wide one on 0 and has been caught at point. Currans still on for all 20, which is staggering.
I see Yorkshire are all out. You know your task, Sussex. Bat all day, bat all night.
A beautiful autumn morning finds me at Trent Bridge, courtesy of Worcestershire taking Middlesex down in three days. This is one of the two games that will decide the second relegation place and whether Middlesex will finish second or third in the table. At the moment a fine comeback by Hampshire means that they are in the box seat against Nottinghamshire requiring, as I write, 105 more runs to win with all wickets in hand. Notts will be hoping that the clear skies overnight and the early start will put enough in the pitch for them to be able to make some early inroads.
It’s autumn now. You wouldn’t know it from the weather – at least not here in London – but at some stage this afternoon we will have official confirmation that autumn is upon us. That’s because the cricket season ends today; another long, taxing but altogether lovely cricket season. Over.
I’m manning the blog all alone on the final day of the season, after Mike Selvey’s season ended with a Middlesex collapse at New Road. His, as ever, is a lovely report.
There’s plenty to be decided on this final day. I’m at The Oval, where come what may it looks like Surrey will be crowned Division Two champions, as Lancashire’s game at Chelmsford peters out to a draw. Yesterday was a remarkable day’s cricket, with the Currans – especially Tom – just buowling beautifully, and Northants just rolling over and offering them records. But then, just as we looked set for an early finish – up popped Ben Duckett and Alex Wakely, both batting beautifully to make a game of it, which was great to see. There could be another collapse, but I suspect we will see hands shaken then corks popped some time mid-afternoon. Who knows, though. On a side note, if you’re nearby, Gareth Batty decided to do a jumble sale here today. It’s at 2pm and for the wonderful Tom Maynard Trust. Get yourself down – Stuart Meaker (remember him?!) is hosting.
Things are pretty blooming exciting at the bottom of Division One, where two south coast rivals are clinging on to their top flight status, fighting tooth and nail. ONLY ONE CAN SURVIVE. Hampshire are likely to knock off the runs at Trent Bridge, which would be amazing (and would also consign Notts to lots less money in third place). Sussex then would need to survive for a draw at the Champions. They really should be able to do it, but what do I know, eh?
There’s other cricket going on, although it isn’t nearly as important. Warwickshire are looking like pulling off a remarkable heist at safely-safe Somerset, draws (like winter) are coming at Chelmsford and Bristol, while there’s a game happening at Derby.
For the very final time this season, ENJOY THE CRICKET. Thanks for all your comments below the line. We really do appreciate them, even if some folk express that in different ways than others. This really must be the friendliest BTL thread across the Guardian, and that matters to us up top because we’re a sensitive bunch, you know. We’ve loved watching county cricket for you this season, and hope you’ve enjoyed what we’ve seen and also what we’ve told you of it. Winter well, fine internet friends. There’s not much cricket left, and there’s not much blazing sunshine like this left, either.
Morning all,
Welcome to the last county cricket live blog of the season. Today we are with Will Macpherson at Surrey v Northants and Mike Selvey at Notts v Hampshire. Here’s a roundup of yesterday’s action:
Enjoy the cricket
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