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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Will Macpherson at The Oval and Ali Martin at Edgbaston

Essex close in on title while Sangakkara scores seventh century

Kumar Sangakkara
Kumar Sangakkara raises his bat after reaching another hundred. Photograph: Charlie Crowhurst/Getty Images

County roundup: Essex close in on title as Sangakkara scores seventh century

We now know this much: if Essex beat Warwickshire and Lancashire fail to beat Somerset, Essex – after 25 years, and having been promoted last year – will be the county champions, and with two games to spare. Both outcomes are likely, and would have ramifications at the foot of Division One, too: Somerset would take their greatest step yet to a memorable escape, and render Warwickshire’s drawn-out relegation inevitable.

The major movement took place at Taunton, where the estimable Jack Leach took five for 47 as Somerset skittled Lancashire for 133, and enforced the follow-on with a lead of 202. Lancashire’s openers, Alex Davies and Haseeb Hameed, negotiated 12 overs to reach stumps 174 behind.

This took Leach to 103 Championship wickets in the last two seasons, and this was his third five-wicket haul of the summer, a mighty comeback from a painful winter that brought a remodelled action. His art, left-arm finger spin, is unfashionable, and so, it seems, is he. But he is mightily effective.

After Craig Overton and Peter Trego got rid of the openers (Hameed was bounced out for four off 56 balls), Leach picked up the prized wickets of Liam Livingstone and Shiv Chanderpaul, then ran through the tail. He and the 20-year-old Dom Bess – who have 85 wickets in nine Championship matches in tandem – hold the key to Somerset’s snowballing survival hopes.

Essex charged serenely on against Warwickshire, building a position in which they were able to declare nine down, 168 in front. Warwickshire’s openers survived two overs to stumps.

Varun Chopra, back at Edgbaston, made 98, while Dan Lawrence scored a stylish 78 – full of legside flicks – and James Foster contributed a punchy 68 to take them from 271 for six to the declaration. Tom Westley was earlier dismissed for 28 as Chris Woakes got one to leave him; that pair’s England team-mate Alastair Cook will be available for the last matches against Hampshire and Yorkshire. He will hope it is a mere lap of honour.

At The Oval, the pitch is bulging with runs and Surrey’s Kumar Sangakkara, a fortnight from the end of his first-class career, was not about to miss out. He scored his seventh Championship century of a golden farewell summer, a gorgeous 164 against Yorkshire, which leaves him with 1,250 Championship runs, 291 more than the nearest mortal in Division One, Mark Stoneman. Sangakkara has missed four matches, yet never misses out against Yorkshire: this season he has a ton against them with a red, white and pink ball.

This was vintage Sangakkara. When Yorkshire posted two short covers barely five yards apart, the ball was threaded between them. He skipped down and stroked straight sixes, off seam and spin. We should all beg him to stay on but his fellow centurion Ben Foakes, with whom he shared 258, says his mind is made up: “He’s well and truly done,” said the wicketkeeper. “All day out in the field, he just tells you how tired he is.”

When he fell, hooking Jack Brooks (who plugged away for five for 113), Foakes ploughed on for his first century of a stellar summer; he was stylish and patient, largely operating in Sangakkara’s slipstream, until Brooks got him too.

Surrey were dismissed for 592, but Yorkshire found batting just as simple. This is the first time since May 2012 that neither Adam Lyth (absent for the birth of his first child) nor Alex Lees (at No3) has opened for them, but Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Shaun Marsh impressed.

Kohler-Cadmore eventually became the debutant Freddie van den Bergh’s maiden Championship wicket, but not before making his first Championship fifty for Yorkshire, while Marsh – who is of interest to both these counties for next season – auditioned fluently with 77, as the visiting side reached stumps on 171 for one.

Updated

That's all folks!

Wow, what a day. A big mover, a big shaker. Will it all be decided tomorrow? If Essex win, and Lancashire don’t, Essex win the title. Both those outcomes are likely, and I’ll be at Edgbaston to see if it comes to pass. It would be an extraordinary title win should Essex do it.

This is where we are:

Division One:

  • Warwickshire 201 & 7-0 v Essex 369-9d
  • Lancashire 133 & 28-0 v Somerset 335
  • Yorkshire 171-1 v Surrey 592
  • Middlesex 76-3 v Hampshire

Division Two:

  • Derbyshire 338 & 31-1 v Sussex 271
  • Kent 60-2 v Gloucestershire 385
  • Glamorgan 207 & 63-1 v Northants 310
  • Worcestershire 270-4 v Leicestershire 404

Speak from Birmingham first thing: very much looking forward to it. As ever, report and roundup to follow. Drink it in...

Updated

Stumps at Edgbaston! Warwickshire seven without loss, 161 behind...

Right, Warwickshire are 162 behind and have two balls to survive tonight.

Essex have declared! Two overs remain tonight, I believe.

So Lancs’ openers have made it through those eight overs at Taunton. They are 28 without loss.

At stumps, they are 178 behind.

Foster is gone at Edgbaston, for 68, and Essex are 369 for nine, leading by 168.

Well we have stumps an over early at the Oval, because the light’s poor. Yorkshire 171 for one, with Marsh on 77.

Wicket! Oh my god a wicket! Van den Bergh has his first in the Championship, and how he’s loving it. TKC miscues to point, and Yorkshire are 162 for one! Lees, the nightwatchman (just kidding, guys), in ay No3. Five overs left.

Sure is Stuie!

Northants lead by 103 on first innings!

Davies survives a maiden from Craig Overton.

Somerset enforce the follow-on!

OMGGGG

Woakes gets Harmer lbw, but Essex have four batting points!

That means that an Essex win would mean they win, should Lancs lose...!

Updated

Lancashire 133 all out!

Leach gets McLaren lbw and Somerset lead by 202 on first innings! Will they? Eight overs left tonight.

Gloucestershire 385 all out! Bancroft carries his bat. Grim for Kent.

Lancashire are nine down! Leach has four! They trail by 223...

Cameron Bancroft has a double ton, and Kent’s promotion hopes are all but done. He has put on 108 for the last wicket and Gloucestershire are 382 for nine.

Lancashire 111 for eight. Bess gets Bailey!

Sussex all out for 271! Two in two balls for Viljoen, who finishes with seven. Wright left stranded on 70 not out. They trail Derbyshire by 67 on first innings.

Lancs are seven down!

Fifty for Tom Kohler-Cadmore! All very easy going at the moment.

Well Surrey are just wheeling away with a bit of spin, but Yorkshire are 88 for none.

A third batting point for Essex, who from 220 for two had stumbled slightly but thanks to James Foster (26*) now sit 303 for six and with a lead of 102. Keith Barker struck immediately after the tea interval with the second new ball to see Ravi Bopara on his way lbw for 20 - Hawkeye suggested it was going over - but Foster has found a bit of support from Simon Harmer (15) in a stand of 32. Chris Woakes has bowled some beauties in this spell for no reward. Warwickshire, having roared back into it, are no doubt reeling from the news that the Birmingham bin strike could spill into next year.

Lancashire are six down ... Groenewald gets Vilas. They are looking like missing out on plenty of bonus points...

Right, so covers coming off. Players five minutes from coming back.

And now Lancs are five down as Overton gets Croft! 86 for five, needing every point they can muster, and still 249 behind. All sorts of concerns.

Covers coming off at the Oval, 4.15 restart.

Leach gets Chanderpaul and Lancs are in trouble at 82 for four!

Still just mizzling away at the Oval, so the umpires have taken their business elsewhere.

Essex six down, Barker gets Ravi. The lead is just 70.

Luke Wright and the tail have hauled Sussex to 256 for eight, 82 behind Derbyshire. They need many more...

Umpires having a look at the Oval, where the bowlers run-ups are currently covered.

About to get going at Taunton, with 38 overs left in the day.

During the tea break, some actual rain, and some actual covers.

Tea at the Oval! Surrey brought on spin at both ends to shore things up, and it did a touch. But Yorkshire are 78 without loss after 20. Very tidy start. Big session in the match coming up. With big clouds forming, the covers are coming on during the break.

Levi is gone, and Northants are 241 for four...

Richard Levi has a 91-ball ton at Cardiff, and Northants are flying. 240 for three, lead by 33.

More rain at Taunton, and at New Road. Great.

Restart at 3.20 at Taunton.

And another as Ryan Ten Doeschate chops Sidebottom onto his stumps for a duck ... Essex in danger of blowing full batting points here, maybe, possibly etc 256 for five, new ball due in just under five overs.

At Cardiff, Northants have parity, three down...

Just absolutely abysmal scheduling.

Wicket at Edgbaston as Dan Lawrence, on 78, chops Ryan Sidebottom to Ian Bell gully and walks off in bereft fashion. Think he was just trying to guide it square. Had just been baten outside off by Sidebottom and then promptly gave it away next ball. Lovely innings nonetheless, full of wristy flicks through mid-wicket and some sweet drives. Essex 252 for four from 73.5 overs.

And now the sun’s out again.

Possibly just a little bit of rain in the air at the Oval. Still 9 overs til tea.

50 up for Yorkshire, off the first ball of the 11th over. Lead by stumps, I imagine.

Inspection at Taunton at 3.

Worcestershire have lost their first! Mitchell gone – surprisingly – for 58. Callum Parkinson the bowler. 119 for one.

Tidy start from Yorkshire. 30 without loss; TKC, particularly, has played some very fine shots.

Well Sussex have avoided the follow on against Derbyshire. 190 for seven.

Play abandoned at Uxbridge. Rain stopped, but outfield wet. Oh dear. Middlesex 76 for three. How frustrating.

Another half-century for Daryl Mitchell... Worcestershire 100 without loss.

Now here’s an ATL jinx ... Varun Chopra has just been pinned lbw by the part-time right-arm medium of Matt Lamb on 98. Had just nudged a couple backward of square to get within two runs of a 21st first-class hundred ... and then Lamb just got one to nip in off the seam, Chopra played outside it and up went the finger from Martin Saggers. Essex 224 for three.

Updated

Varun Chopra out for 98, lbw to Matt Lamb, at Edgbaston. Looked like he hit it. Ravi in. 224 for three.

Kent have Gloucestershire nine down! Bancroft still there on 137, but 274 for nine is a good fightback from Kent, given Glos were 180 for one.

Half-century up here for Dan Lawrence from 91 balls and has looked very organised in the process. Some nice work on the leg side, especially against Henry Brookes (there was one tangle when he dug out a yorker but otherwise everything speared into him has been whipped away). Essex now in credit too, leading by seven runs and just the two wickets down. Varun Chopra is on 95, eyeing what would be a second century in Division One this summer.

So, as we ascertained yesterday, this is the first time since May 2012 that neither Lyth and Lees have opened the batting for Yorkshire. Kohler-Cadmore and Marsh doing the job, with Lees at No3. They need 443 to avoid the follow-on.

Surrey all out for 592!

Clarke goes to Patterson, caught at midwicket pulling. Surrey all out for 592. Represents a bit of a comeback for Yorkshire but it’s been a torrid four-and-a-bit sessions for them. Another tough one coming up.

Meh.

Successive sixes for Rikki Clarke off Bres. 569 for nine.

Two wickets in two balls again here, on quintuple-nelson. Freddie vdB, then Meaker, both to Patterson. Batty in with Clarke now. Suspect a dart is incoming.

The 18-year-old debutant Henry Brookes is getting a fast-tracked education here at Edgbaston, with his first over in the afternoon session taken for 11 runs. Wristy punch through mid-wicket for the first four by Dan Lawrence, before a sumptuous straight drive back past the bowler. Decent speeds from Brookes but line and length wavering a touch. Varun Chopra earned a life on 80 a couple of overs ago (half a life, maybe) when Sam Hain couldn’t cling on to a sharp chance at short-leg off the bowling of Jeetan Patel. Hain maybe didn’t stay down long enough and the ball clanged off his ankle on the full. Chopra onto 85 now.

News

Glorious sunshine at Edgbaston now, where play is about to resume. Chris Woakes has five balls of his over to complete and Dan Lawrence, 10 not out, is the man on strike. Varun Chopra is unbeaten on 79 and Essex are 146 for two...

Covers on at Taunton. Pesky.

Lunch! Scores on the doors.

That there is luncheon to conclude a very fine morning session, lit up by that man Mr Sangakkara. Scores are these:

Division One:

  • Essex 146-2 v Warwickshire 201
  • Surrey 543-7 v Yorkshire
  • Lancashire 61-3 v Somerset 338
  • Middlesex 71-3 v Hampshire

Division Two:

  • Worcestershire 1-0 v Leicestershire 404
  • Northants 87-2 v Glamorgan 207 (playing on there, after a delayed start)
  • Sussex 96-4 v Derbyshire 338
  • Gloucestershire 242-5 v Kent (no play there yet)

Bit of a muddle there, but some games aren’t done yet. Enjoy your sarnies.

Updated

Lunch at the Oval! Surrey 543 for seven. Be amazed if they declare now.

As lunch approaches, some clouds are gathering to my right, which is where the weather comes in from. Lee, the groundsman, is hovering, as if he thinks it might rain.

Ben Foakes is gone! He nibbled behind for 110 to become Brooks’s fifth wicket. Well done him. Yorkshire waited 85 minutes for a wicket this morning, and now he has four in half an hour. Looks like Freddie van den Bergh in on his Surrey debut now, with Surrey 540 for seven. Not the worst time to bat. Lunch in five, and I reckon Surrey will just remorselessly plough on until they are bowled out, because Gareth Batty is a hard bastard.

So Worcestershire finally bowled Gloucestershire out for 404, I see. They are 1 for 0 and it’s lunch, because of a little shower.

Leach’s 150th first-class wicket.

Now Brooks has bowled Scurran for five. He was slogging. It doesn’t really matter. He has three wickets today though. Surrey are 531 for six, and Rikki Clarke is coming out to bat. Suspect they will continue slogging a bit after lunch too.

Lancashire are in a bit of bother! Leach gets Livi and they are 39 for three...

And at Uxbridge, as soon as Edwards gets Eskinazi, they are off for rain with Middlesex 62 for three.

A ton for Ben Foakes! Somehow his first of the Champo summer. The third of the innings. 166 balls, and reached with his 19th four. Hits his 167th for four, too.

Surrey 530 for five.

Foakes to 99...

Has...

Hat-trick ball survived at the start of Brooks’s next over, by Sam Curran. 513 for five, Foakes on 96.

Middlesex are 58 for two as Robson is caught at second slip off Ian Holland...

Hameed gone at Taunton! Caught at, err, fine-leg off Trego for four off 56. Lancs 26 for two.

They are off for rain at Edgbaston, it seems. Essex 146 for two.

Sangakkara is out! The first chance he’s offered and he’s gone. He’s gone hooking, caught at fine-leg (Brooks the bowler), and gets a handshake from all the Yorkies and a standing ovation from the Oval faithful.

Remarkable innings: 164 off 187, with 21 fours and three sixes. Surrey are 513 for four, as Pope comes in.

Will that be Sanga’s final ton? It’s no 63 in first-class cricket, and seventh this season.

And Pope’s gone first ball! Caught at slip. Brooks is on a hat-trick.

Play at midday in Cardiff!

500 up...

150 for Sanga! His third of the season, by my count. 180 balls, reached with his 19th four, to go with three sixes. Think the third 50 has come in 53 balls.

498 for three, and Surrey have scored 100 runs in 75 minutes this morning.

Middlesex 40 for one! Fidel bowls Compo!

Two short covers, so Sanga drives Bressie between them.

Six, four. Sangakkara right in the mood. He has 140.

Hameed is doing his thing! He has three off 40. Lancs are 20 for one.

Middlesex have made a steady start at Uxbridge, where I hear there’s no carry at all. 36 for none.

In fact, replay shows it wasn’t so much squaring Tom Westley up as a nibble at a ball that nipped away a touch. Still, lovely bit of bowling from Chris Woakes.

Change of ends for Chris Woakes works immediately as Tom Westley is squared up and feathers behind for 28 ... lovely bit of bowling.

Varun Chopra appears a batsman with a point to prove at Edgbaston and is in pretty silken touch against his former county with some lovely cover drives and now a classy late dab to third man for four. All ended a a bit sourly for him here last year, such that he was allowed to move on mid-season. He’s moved to 71 with Tom Westley, who is himself growing in confidence by adding a lovely on drive off Brookes for four, on 27. Essex 128 for one.

And the next over brings the second six of the match. Bressie hoicked into the Pavilion...

As if to rub in the fact that Yorkshire are in the 110th over and have just one bowling point, Sanga skips down to Rafiq and hits the first six of the match. 465 for three. Could see Surrey batting very deep into the afternoon session here...

200 stand, then...

Foakes is joining in again now. He’s on 81, and Surrey are 447 for three...

As someone has pointed out on twitter: the bowler’s Holden, the batsman’s ....

Morning Stuie!

Sanga to 110 with a brutal swipe to leg off Patterson, who I think it’s fair to say he has fairly minimal respect for. 440 for three.

Beauty...

First appearance of the Tom Westley whip here, with Keith Barker slotted through midwicket off the back foot by the Essex man, who has moved to 13 with three boundaries - the first four of which was controlled through third man, the second less so when Chris Woakes squared him up. Now for a spot of Henry Brookes on his Championship debut, having replaced Woakes from the Birmingham End. Right-armer, England Under-19, has an easy action - slightly Jake Ball-ish, albeit goes slightly wider at the crease. Essex 97 for one in the 29th.

Lancashire are one down... Al Davies gone to Coverton! Tres with the catch, and Lancs are 6 for 1.

50 for Varun Chopra at Edgbaston...

This is a question I’ve been asking myself a lot lately. He wants to go out while he’s still at the top of his game. Which he most certainly is. This, by the way, is his third century of the season against Yorkshire: one against the pink, white and now red ball...

Sanga has his seventh ton of the summer! Flicks through midwicket to move to 98, then runs hard to third man – where he’s spotted Sidebottom – and gets the two he needs! 127 balls, 15 fours. Surrey 414 for three.

Sangakkara to 98...

Derbyshire all out for 338 - Sussex’s replay has begun.

Delayed start in Bristol too – only just noticed that.

Early wicket at Edgbaston ... at least I think there is ... yes ... Nick Browne has been caught at first slip by Jeetan Patel off the bowling of Keith Barker in the third over of the day. Some question of whether it carried but replays looked clean to me. Now then, Essex 72 for one ... and Tom Westley is striding out to the middle

Somerset all out for 335! Bailey gets Leach...

And Surrey bring up their fifth batting point in the opening over of the day! Foakes moves to 65, Sanga to 87. They are 401 for three.

Watch cricket!

Stream news. You can watch Warwickshire v Essex on Sky. But there are other options!

Delayed start at Cardiff. Shame.

Players on their way out at the Oval. Sanga has 85, Foakes – who batted beautifully last night – has 64. Surrey need two for full batting points.

About eight minutes to go until we start here, which is lovely.

I’ve just noticed that Middlesex have left out RoJo. Stoneman didn’t have to play in this game, but wanted to. Bit different for a fast bowler, mind.

A debut for Maxy Holden for Middlesex too!

News from Uxbridge: no toss, Hampshire to bowl first against Middlesex. Teams:

Middlesex: Robson, Compton, Eskinazi, Voges, Holden, Simpson+, Franklin*, Harris, Rayner, Helm, Finn

Hampshire: Adams*, Weatherley, Alsop, Organ, Ervine, Holland, Dickinson +, Berg, Abbott, Crane, Edwards

Organ’s playing for Hampshire: be still my beating heart!

That’s a very green looking Hampshire batting lineup. Vince has a hamstring injury, so Adams is captain.

Morning all it's the morning call!

Welcome to the Oval, where it’s beautifully sunny and, in about 30 minutes, Kumar Sangakkara will resume on 85. All, you’ll sense, is right with the world. I’m Will Macpherson and I’m going to guide you through the action from here and round the grounds, with a little help from my friend Ali Martin at Edgbaston.

Tuesday at the Oval was a triumphant one for Surrey, with a ton for Stoneman and runs to all corners of this oval-shaped ground. Eh? There was no play at Uxbridge, but a toss is imminent there, so that’s good.

The two most important games for the title and relegation are at Taunton and Edgbaston. Somerset looked to have the better of day one at Taunton, but Lancashire remain very much in it. At Edgbaston – don’t forget you can watch that on Sky – Essex are right in charge. Tom Westley will have a bat soon, which adds intrigue. There are also four games in Div Two, some of which were a wee bit rain-affected yesterday; Worcestershire need a good day against Leicestershire, I reckon.

Division One:

  • Essex 69-0 v Warwickshire 201
  • Surrey 398-3 v Yorkshire
  • Somerset 330-9 v Lancashire
  • No play on day one between Middlesex and Hampshire today

Division Two:

  • Leicestershire 325-7 v Worcestershire
  • Northants 59-2 v Glamorgan 207
  • Derbyshire 338-9 v Sussex
  • Gloucestershire 242-5 v Kent

The report and roundup from yesterday is at the top of the liveblog. Please read it.

I am contactable! Here’s how:

I look forward to hearing from you! As per usual, lots of comments, please. All that leaves me say, as ever, is enjoy the cricket. There’s not much left...

Updated

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