Tanya Aldred's roundup
With just two rounds of the Championship left, Thursday’s results promise a spicy run to the line. Surrey duly pip Hampshire to the top of Division One, but they couldn’t dislodge Northamptonshire in time to force a result at Wantage Road. Saif Zaib tickled his first Championship century of the season in a stay of nearly three and a half hours, until losing his head in a blitz of six-hitting, but he, Ricardo Vasconcelos and Lizaad Williams had done enough, getting Northants through till tea to set Surrey a fairy-tale 345 in 39 overs. There was just time for Rory Burns to be run-out for one, before the teams shook hands.
Surrey take an eight-point lead, and in the two remaining rounds will play Yorkshire and Lancashire. Hampshire get the easier run on paper – but both Kent and Warwickshire are clawing against relegation.
Neither Somerset nor Warwickshire could find the killer hit in a swing-ball day at Edgbaston. A Somerset declaration left Warwickshire chasing 364 in 82 overs: the pitch was flat and Sam Hain, Alex Davies and Dom Sibley helped themselves to fifties before a flurry of wickets shut down the case. George Bartlett earlier reached his first century of the summer. Warwickshire, Kent and Somerset fall in the pot for the second relegation spot.
Tom Alsop crushed Worcestershire’s promotion hopes with a stoic century at Hove. His 137 not out, in companionship with a half century from Sussex’s Oli Carter and steady runs from Ali Orr and Tom Clark, did enough to keep Worcestershire at bay, despite losing two wickets in two overs mid-afternoon. A standing ovation greeted Alsop as he walked off the field, his fourth Championship century of the summer.
Middlesex wrapped up a quick victory over Glamorgan at Lord’s, hopping over their heads to nestle behind Nottinghamshire. Toby Roland-Jones, Division Two’s leading wicket-taker, boxed-up his fourth five-fer of the summer before Mark Stoneman and Sam Robson knocked off the runs.
A fifty from Michael Jones ensured that Durham polished things off in just over half an hour at Grace Road, leaving Leicestershire to lick their wounds and contemplate a fourth win-less Championship season in a decade.
That’s that for this week – with the CC furniture re-arranged but nothing stuck down. In the battle for the title, Surrey, with an eight point lead, must play Yorkshire and Lancashire. Hampshire get an easier run on paper with Kent and Warwickshire – but against teams clawing against relegation. It’s a thriller!
Thanks for all the messages as usual – and see you next Tuesday. Bye!
Results
The County Ground: Northants 339 and 426 DRAW with Surrey 421 and 48-1
Edgbaston: Warwickshire 196 and 256-6 DRAW with Somerset 219 and 340-7dec
Headingley: Essex 225 and 162-9 BEAT Yorkshire 134 and 252 by one wicket.
DIVISION TWO
Grace Road: Durham 296 and 108-3 BEAT Leicestershire 202 and 108-3 by seven wickets.
Lord’s: Middlesex 390 and 45-0 BEAT Glamorgan 214 and 220
Hove: Sussex 220 and 312-6 DRAW with Worcestershire 438-5dec
Division One Table - all teams have played 12 games
1 Surrey 225
2 Hampshire 217
3 Lancashire 182
4 Essex 178
5 Northamptonshire 147
6 Yorkshire 132
7 Somerset 123
8 Kent 115
9 Warwickshire 115
10 Gloucestershire 74
Warwickshire draw with Somerset
The final piece of the jigsaw…
Edgbaston: Warwickshire 196 and 256-6 DRAW with Somerset 219 and 340-7dec
Warwickshire 11 points; Somerset 12.
Relegation scrap going into the final two rounds, very much on: Warwicks v Somerset v Kent for the final relegation spot alongside Gloucestershire
Updated
With the lights coming on at Edgbaston, I’m going to start my round-up. Will pop back if anything exciting occurs.
Division Two table - each team has played 12 games
1 Nottinghamshire 215
2 Middlesex 188
3 Glamorgan 176
4 Derbyshire 169
5 Worcestershire 160
6 Durham 158
7 Sussex 115
8 Leicestershire 79
So… with only Edgbaston still in play: Surrey are eight points ahead of Hampshire at the top of Division One – both have two games left to play. And in Division 2, Middlesex have leapt over Glamorgan, to sit 12 points above them in second. Notts way ahead. Will post Division Two table.
Sussex draw with Worcestershire
Hove: Sussex 220 and 312-6 DRAW with Worcestershire 438-5dec
Sussex 10 points; Worcestershire 16 .
Nicely done Sussex, albeit it on a soggy tamed pitch.
Updated
Things seem to be heading draw-wards at Edgbaston and Hove too. Warwicks 230-5 – oh make that six, Yadav has just been run-out to an arrow to remember from Sajid Khan. A second run to regret for Sam Hain. Eighteen overs left.
Surrey draw with Northamptonshire
The County Ground: Northants 339 and 426 DRAW with Surrey 421 and 48-1
Northants 14 pts; Surrey 16.
Well played Northants!
Updated
Oh my – a pair for Michael Burgess, two in two balls for Jack Brooks. Warwickshire 220 for five.
So: a nailed-on draw at Wantage Road; a run-chase at Edgbaston and nervy handshakes at Hove?
This was an intersting, if unsurprising, read on cricinfo but, as the article says, I’m not sure it tells us a great deal about what the Hundred audience want.
Cricket fans survey: The Hundred is English cricket's least enjoyable competition | The Cricketer https://t.co/UejWag6Ylx
— Becky Fairlie-Clarke (@goodgirlcricket) September 15, 2022
A squall, actually: Hudson-Prentice lbw for a three-ball duck to Joe Leach. Somerset 282-6, a lead of just 64. Worcestershire smell blood.
Just watched the replay – an eagle-eyed throw by James Sales at midwicket.
Meanwhile, the seas are calmer at Hove, where Sussex are just drifting along in the autumn sunshine. Tom Alsop 116 not out and – a sudden breeze - Oli Carter has just been out for 55, a second wicket for Dillon Pennington.
Hang on, a nice cup of builders’ in the sun, all is calm, but in another universe Rory Burns has been run out? Surrey 6 for one.
Just grabbing a quick cup of tea, as Surrey make a very home counties kind of start.
Tea-time scores
The County Ground: Northants 339 and 426 v Surrey 421 and 0-0 Surrey need 345 to win
Edgbaston: Warwickshire 196 and 165-3 v Somerset 219 and 340-7dec Warwickshire need 199 to win
Headingley: Essex 225 and 162-9 BEAT Yorkshire 134 and 252 by one wicket.
DIVISION TWO
Grace Road: Durham 296 and 108-3 BEAT Leicestershire 202 and 108-3 by seven wickets.
Lord’s: Middlesex 390 and 45-0 BEAT Glamorgan 214 and 220
Hove: Sussex 220 and 259-4 v Worcestershire 438-5dec
An early tea at Northampton – giving Surrey a session to go on the charge, if that is their fancy.
Love this:
Most men's Test wickets by month of match start
— Mark Puttick (@GryllidaeC) September 14, 2022
January: Kapil Dev 94
February: R Hadlee 130
March: Warne 139
April: Walsh 103
May: Anderson 87
June: Trueman 96
July: Anderson 126
August: Broad 151
September: Murali 79
October: Kumble 97
November: Warne 142
December: Murali 127
Northants all out 426 - setting Surrey 345 off 37 overs
Northants last four and a half hours – which was probably at the top of their expectations . Nine an over is what Surrey need for the win – unlikely but not off the charts in 2022. If this is a draw, Northants get 14 points and edge towards mid-table respectability; Surrey go eight points clear at the top.
A hundred for Tom Alsop!
A potentially match-saving hundred for Tom Alsop – his fourth of this year’s Championship. Sussex have a fragile lead as tea approaches.
A six too many – Saif Zaib reaches for another toffee and is caught centimetres inside the rope by a squatting Tom Curran off Ryan Patel. A fantastic 124 but he hangs his head and refuses to make eye contact as he slopes off.
Two to watch in Pakistan:
Buried in the squad announcements was the fact two new young players are being included in Pakistan's T20 Squad for the England series. Aamir Jamal (allrounder) and Abrar Ahmed (legspinner). Both rewarded for strong performances in recent Pakistani domestic cricket. pic.twitter.com/cfmZfXiJ79
— Aatif Nawaz (@AatifNawaz) September 15, 2022
Meanwhile, Dom “Stokes” Sibley has been caught on square leg boundary for 54. And Saif Zaib rolling pins two consecutive sixes off Ryan Patel.
Wise words from Mark Ramprakash.
Ooof. The little wooden lady with the parasol disappears and the little wooden lady with the umbrella pops out in the weather house at Wantage Road. Saif Zaib kicks the earth as Lizaad Williams is lbw to Kemar Roach for 30. An excellent partnership of 71 in 33 overs. The lead 305. 48 overs left.
Have confirmation that Ollie Pope will be available for Surrey in the next two Championship rounds.
A hundred for Saif Zaib!
Fantastic hundred for Saif Zaib in his first Championship game since May, a crucial peg in holding Northants second innings together.
Disability Premier League Final
After a trial in 2021, 2022 has been the first official season of the Disability Premier League (DPL). Today is the final, at Bristol, with The Pirates taking on The Tridents - live on Sky for the first time – before England women take on India women in the final T20 of the series.
The DPL is the only tournament of its kind in the world, bringing together different types of impairment in the same competition. It takes the 60 best disabled players in the country – those in rhw England Learning Disability, Physical Disability and Deaf squads - and adds the best players from our domestic competitions that haven’t quite made England standard yet.
Paul Edwards has been chatting to Keaton Jennings and Keaton wants to keep 14 Championship games a year. A few selected quotes below but read the full thing here.
“In my opinion you can keep the 14 County Championship games and that’s only what Ben Stokes said on social media a few weeks ago,” said Jennings. “But you can factor in breaks, so that you can play three four-day games and then have a break from the Championship. I think my view is representative and it certainly echoes what the England captain said.
“I think 14 games is a good amount and the cricket we play is of good quality, but the problem comes when you have a week off at the start of April and then another at the start of September. Including the Royal London Final, we play 13 days in September whereas in April we were playing 12 in 17.”
“You can’t only play cricket in April and September, you need to play cricket throughout the season,” Jennings said. “Bowlers need to learn how to take wickets when the sun’s out and pitches are flat, batters need to work out how to get runs when it’s nipping around. The skillsets are different and we need go all the way through the summer.
Northants and Warwickshire’s batters ploughing on, through the sust of the early afternoon. At Hove Sussex still trail, and are four down. Jack Carson will add a bit of ballast though.
The umpires gesture towards the floodlights at Wantage Road.
Worrall plodding slowly back to his mark at Wantage Road, irritated by a really quite classy off drive for four by Williams. Frustration building for Surrey and the sky is hanging heavy with great mucky clouds. Northants 358-7.
England’s T20 side have landed in Karachi –a year late after the 2021 cancellation debacle – England’s first tour of Pakistan for 17 years.
If you squint here, Buttler could be sitting on a throne:
Jos Buttler: “The passion that Pakistani people have for cricket is fantastic. We’re delighted to be here. We are aware (the country is) going through a tough time with the flooding. Sport has a great power to unite people and give focus to that.” pic.twitter.com/FbhZL4pJUY
— Richard Gibson (@richardgibsonDM) September 15, 2022
Impressive, Northants. Zaib and Williams lace up, and bat on. Northants: 342 for seven, the lead 260 – though the clock is the important thing.
Brothers making maiden first-class centuries in the same season (doing so in the County Championship):
— Andrew Samson (@AWSStats) September 15, 2022
RE Foster/WL Foster 1899
GJ Bryan/JL Bryan 1920
HW Parks/JH Parks 1928
AS Rollins/RJ Rollins 1995
SM Curran/TK Curran 2022@backandacross @oldmanradd
Just grabbing some lunch – back shortly.
Names in the frame for the England Chairman of selectors job (which was advertised last week): Nick Knight, Steven Finn, Alec Stewart.
Lunchtime scores
The County Ground: Northants 339 and 327-7 v Surrey 421
Edgbaston: Warwickshire 196 and 56-1 v Somerset 219 and 340-7dec
Headingley: Essex 225 and 162-9 BEAT Yorkshire 134 and 252 by one wicket.
DIVISION TWO
Grace Road: Durham 296 and 108-3 BEAT Leicestershire 202 and 108-3 by seven wickets.
Lord’s: Middlesex 390 and 45-0 BEAT Glamorgan 214 and 220
Hove: Sussex 220 and 152-3 v Worcestershire 438-5dec
In the remaining Division Two game, Sussex trail Worcestershire by 72 with seven wickets left. A quick-step 55 not out for Tom Alsop.
At Wantage Road, Northants are almost a third of the way to their target (survival). The lead 239 and only two wickets lost to the might of the Surrey attack and the new ball: 321-7. Sibley and Davies hunkering down for Warwickshire: 55 for one.
Updated
I have received an email from Harvey of “delicious pumpkin recipes for your readers to try in autumn.” If anyone would like a recipe for roasted pumpkin on sourdough, loaded pumpkin fries or pumpkin and sweet potato rosti – just let me know.
This was Durham’s interim head coach Neil Killeen on Matthew Potts yesterday:
“Matthew (Potts) has been outstanding, to take a match CB in this game is fantastic. It is credit to the bowler he has been all summer, he has done that from start to finish. But to be honest he couldn’t have done that today without the whole bowling group putting the hard work in around him to enable him to keep attacking and keep taking those wickets. I’m proud of the whole group.
“As a young bowler he has potential to get better still, of course he has. Over the last few years he has got stronger, fitter, faster and he has now learned his game and he deserves every success he has got this year.
“He was never going to play every game for England this summer and he was really keen to come back and bowl some overs for us in hopefully what is preparation for the Pakistan tour later in the year.”
Re the discussion BTL on the High Performance Review – there was a hint that counties could be rewarded for more than performance – see page 34: “Potential reward based on impact: performance, inspiring generations, talent development etc to align with English cricket objectives.” I suspect this is reward in terms of money rather than points – but more will become clear. Possibly.
Read the review here.
A wicket at Edgbaston …. Rob Yates sent on his way lbw to Sajid Khan. Warwicks 30-1. Don’t hate me but …this is Somerset’s, isn’t it?
County chairs' meeting postponed
The BIG MEETING of county chairs to discuss the HPR will now no longer take place on September 20. That confirmation arrived care of Middlesex CCC in a letter to members. An extract below:
The planned meeting of all FCC Chairs on September 20th has also been deferred, and the ECB will work with all counties to rearrange a suitable date, when Chairs will have the opportunity to discuss the proposals in the review in relation to future domestic structures. Furthermore, the ECB has also confirmed that no final decision on the domestic structure for 2024 and beyond will be taken at this meeting, which will provide all Counties with sufficient time to consult on the proposals.”
I don’t want to overdo the excitement content on this blog, but I’ve just fetched my slippers from their over-summering in the back of the wardrobe.
At Northants, Surrey have taken the new ball, and made the break through. The steadfast Vasconcelos lbw to Dan Worrall for 79. Skittles time?
Middlesex beat Glamorgan by 10 wickets at Lord's
A drubbing, and after Glamorgan had looked so good just before tea yesterday as well. Five wickets to chief destroyer Toby Roland Jones, before Stoneman and Robson rattled off the runs in five and a bit overs.
Updated
Durham beat Leicestershire by seven wickets
Easy-peasy for Durham, losing just Jones for exactly fifty this morning. Take a bow Matthew Potts. Leicestershire – just two more games before you can retreat to lick your wounds. And rise again (maybe).
Grace Road: Durham 296 and 108-3 BEAT Leicestershire 202 and 108-3 by seven wickets.
Somerset declare, 340 for seven, a lead of 363
Whither Warwickshire? 364 runs to win; 82 overs to survive. Safety for Somerset if they win.
Fresh-faced/wet behind the ears/short-trousered etc etc Sussex lose nightwatchman Brad Currie. Ali Orr, in the running for the CWC young player of the year, has played an andante 44, Alsop four not out at the other end. A day’s vigil seems unlikely.
Durham need just three runs to beat winless Leicestershire. In sympathy to those at Grace Road, here is a happier memory (thanks Romeo).
@tjaldred One for CC Live!, perhaps https://t.co/kQHaTLl6Pb
— Romeo Romeo Tango Ψιτιζεν οφ Νοςηερε (@RomeoCCLive) September 15, 2022
A hundred for George Bartlett
A huge hug for George, a first ton of the summer, and a crucial one too. He celebrates by smashing a six shortly afterwards.
Updated
The final curtain about to draw over Lord’s. A fourth for TRJ, nine down, with the Glamorgan lead just 28.
Updated
If Vasconcelos and Zaib could stretch the lead to 250…. but no, actually I think Surrey will get the runs, however many, unless Northants can bat all day. Northants currently 226 for five, 145 ahead.
Somerset lose an early wicket: no fifty for Lewis Goldsworthy, but a hundred in sight for George Bartlett.
Scores on the doors
The County Ground: Northants 339 and 209-5 v Surrey 421
Edgbaston: Warwickshire 196 v Somerset 219 and 277-4
Headingley: Essex 225 and 162-9 BEAT Yorkshire 134 and 252 by one wicket.
DIVISION TWO
Grace Road: Leicestershire 202 and 198 v Durham 296 and 51-2
Lord’s: Middlesex 390 v Glamorgan 214 and 191-8
Hove: Sussex 220 and 39-1 v Worcestershire 438-5dec
Wednesday's round-up
Matthew Potts followed up six wickets in Leicestershire’s first innings with seven for 49 in their second, to assemble a career-best, all-dancing, 13 for 101 and put Durham within sight of victory. Potts, with the air of a man who pulls ploughs for fun, muscled through three spells, decimating winless Leicestershire’s scorecard.
With the scores level at Headingley, and Essex nine wickets down, Shane Snater smeared the winning runs with a leg-side boundary to snatch a one-wicket victory in a thriller against Yorkshire. Snater’s 65 not out in 51 balls propped up Essex after they’d made a hash of chasing 162, slipping from 51 for two to 64 for six.
Steve Patterson, released by Yorkshire at the end of the season, grabbed five for 46. Ben Coad and Finlay Bean had earlier made debut first-class fifties to give the hosts a sniff of a chance.
Somerset, who started the day by issuing a press release criticising the ECB’s current cricket schedule as “unacceptable,” crawled to an advantage on a slowing pitch in the crucial relegation face-off at Edgbaston. As Toms Lammonby and Abell, then George Bartlett (91 not out) and Lewis Goldsworthy, admirably saw off Warwickshire’s bowlers, members chewed over a 300 lead and the club’s statement.
“The current domestic playing programme, which resulted in only four one-day matches being played in Taunton over 43 days in the height of summer this year, with 17 Somerset players unavailable, is unacceptable to the club, its members and the South West’s cricketing public,” it said.
Tom Curran hit his maiden first-class century as title-chasing Surrey grabbed their match against Northamptonshire by the collar. Because of injury, the IPL and Covid, Curran hadn’t played a first-class game since April 2019, but slotted right back in, punting with panache, three sixes flipping the rope in his 93-ball 115.
Surrey’s 82-run first-innings lead looked crucial when Northants lost early second-innings wickets, but half centuries from Luke Procter, and then Ricardo Vasconcelos gave Northants a 100-plus lead by stumps and set up a tantalising final day.
All was smooth sailing at Lord’s for Glamorgan until 10 minutes before tea. From there, they lost eight for 52, after squandering an opening stand of 123 between David Lloyd and Edward Byrom. Just 15 runs in front, defeat looms against their promotion rivals Middlesex in the morning. Toby Roland-Jones took three for 48; Tim Murtagh and Ethan Bamber two wickets a piece.
A double hundred for Jake Libby, his first, put Worcestershire in the driving seat at damp Hove, cracking quick runs once the weather relented. Worcestershire declared with a lead of 218, giving Sussex time to lose their captain Tom Haines before the close.
Preamble
Good morning! It’s the final day of this round , with Surrey likely to rise back to the top of the table, unless Northants can do something extraordinary. Elsewhere, Matthew Potts’s 13 wickets should ensure Durham tidy things up early this morning; Glamorgan are in deep trouble, and Sussex’s mettle is about to be tested at Hove. Somerset have set themselves up to save the game on a stodgy Edgbaston pitch, while Essex pipped Yorkshire in the CC game of the summer (discuss) yesterday.
