Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Tanya Aldred at the Oval

County cricket: Lancashire relegated to Division Two, Surrey v Essex – as it happened

Amar Virdi of Surrey celebrates dismissing Ravi Bopara.
Amar Virdi of Surrey celebrates dismissing Ravi Bopara. Photograph: Jordan Mansfield/Getty Images

Roundup: Lancashire down after missing out on batting point

Lancashire were relegated to Division Two along with Worcestershire, after just failing to make 300 in their first innings against Hampshire.

It is possible Lancashire may finish on the same number of points as Nottinghamshire, but with one fewer win, after reducing Hampshire to 178 for eight in their second innings, a lead of 92 for the home side at the Ageas Bowl.

Nottinghamshire, with Division One safety assured, were outplayed by Somerset. Notts were bowled out for 133 with four wickets for Craig Overton and a hat-trick for Tom Abell. They followed on and in their second innings were 115 for three at the close.

Essex’s dominance over the champions Surrey continued at the Oval, declaring at 477 for eight, a lead of 410. Tom Westley made 134 and Simon Harmer his maiden Essex century. Surrey finished the day on 88 for one.

At New Road, Gary Ballance’s unbeaten 189 steered Yorkshire to a first-innings lead against Worcestershire. He and Jack Brooks put on 171 for the ninth wicket.

In Division Two, Warwickshire kept up their superiority against Kent in the title decider at Edgbaston. Dominic Sibley made his third hundred in as many matches. There was a guard of honour for Jonathan Trott in what could be his last innings. He made eight before falling to Harry Podmore.

Northamptonshire completed a six-wicket win against Sussex and at the Swalec Stadium Leicestershire collapsed against Glamorgan – all out for 132. Middlesex were bowled out for 121 against Durham but were 255 for two at stumps in their second innings. Gloucestershire need 150 runs to beat Derbyshire, with eight wickets in hand.

Thanks everyone! A very good night to you all - especially in red-rose territory.

Just noticed, as he walks back to the pavilion after top-edging Jamie Porter for 21, that Rory Burns is wearing a vest. That, my friends, is cricket in late September. Surrey 63-1

Surrey now batting for toffee at The Oval - please excuse me while I round-up for (nearly) the last time.

Warwickshire all out 380 - a lead of 213 over Kent.

Div one - Yorkshire creeping closer against Worcestershire, trail only by 50 now. Ballance still there 129 not out. Notts randomly finding it much easier to bat now 66/1 v Somerset. And Hampshire have put on 10 for the seventh wicket, 98/6, as Lancashire aimlessly tighten their grip.

A quick Div 2 round-up: proceedings will conclude today at The County Ground, where Northants need 113 to win with nine wickets in hand. Warwickshire lead Kent by 212 with one wicket remaining at Edgbaston.

Glamorgan 34/1 with an already overwhelming lead of 261 over Leicestershire. Middlesex suddenly finding batting easy at The Riverside 145/1, trailing Durham by 44- fifties for both Gubbins and Eskinazi. Derbyshire 123/7 - a lead of 144 over Gloucestershire.

Simon Harmer moves to his hundred, his first for Essex, with a six off Amar Virdi and Essex declare on 477 for 8 - a lead of a mere 410. Shadow encroaching onto The Oval outfield now as the teams have a quick cup of tea. Have Surrey the mental energy left for a rear-guard action?

Updated

And some good news even for those who think the game is going to the dogs

Gary Ballance unbeaten on 107 - his third County Championship century of the season. Yorkshire 244-8, still trail Worcestershire by 96 runs .

Hampshire now 69/4,as Northeast follows the dominoes, Nottinghamshire still 17 runs behind Lancashire. If only is the Lancastrian phrase of the day.

Ah yes, thank you Pingissimus BTL - Kyle Abbott was the other hat-tricker, against Worcestershire earlier this month - Hampshire’s first for 12 years!

Here at The Oval, Adam Wheater has retired hurt after that blow from Morne Morkel before tea. His replacement Jamie Porter is lbw to Jade Dernbach for 1. Essex 449-7, a lead of 382.

Oh my eyes, my attention has just been drawn to this - Simon Hughes is James Corden in the British Carpool Karaoke.

Tea-time scores:

DIVISION ONE

Worcestershire 340 (Mitchell 127; Brooks 6-94) v Yorkshire 214-7 (Ballance 89 not out; Tongue 3-31)

Surrey 67 all out v Essex 441-6 (Westley 134, Wheater 68 not out, Harmer 80 not out)

Nottinghamshire 133 all out (C Overton 4-27) and 12-0 v Somerset 463 (Hildreth 137, Davies 55, J Overton 55) LATEST

Hampshire 187 and 65-3 (Gleeson 3-23) v Lancashire 273 all out (Jones 68; Edwards 4-72)

DIVISION TWO

Warwickshire 326/8 (Rhodes 110, Sibley 119) v Kent 167 all out LATEST

Northants 171 all out and 4-0 v Sussex 118 all out and 222 all out (Finch 63; Cotton 5-48) LATEST

Glamorgan 359 (Carlson 83, Meschede 55, van der Gugten 50) v Leicestershire 132 all out (Wagg 3-25) LATEST

Durham 310 all out (Harte 112, Murtagh 4-56) v Middlesex 121 all out and 104-1 (

Derbyshire 184 all out and 97-6 v Gloucestershire 163 all out (Reece 7-20)

A record seventh-wicket stand for Essex against Surrey here at The Oval - 158 between Wheater (68) and Harmer (80) - and that’s tea.

Tea scores round the grounds to follow

It’s tea at Northants where Sussex have been bowled out for 222 - a lead over Northants of 169.

Oooh that looks nasty. Adam Wheater hit on the hand by an explosive lifter from Morne Morkel. Ewww, the physio is doing something very painful looking...

Updated

Somerset have enforced the follow-on against Nottinghamshire and, as was keen-eyedly spotted BTL, Trescothick has done the decent thing.

.
Seven days after winning his county cap for Somerset, Tom Abell takes a hat-trick! Photograph: Alex Davidson/REX/Shutterstock

Arghgh, sorry I didn’t realise that Tom Abell had a hat-trick! Apologies all round. Hat-tricks in 2018: Jordan Clark’s cracker against Yorkshire and I’m pretty sure there was one in another match on the day of the TIE! between Surrey and Somerset but I’m racking my brain to think who it was. Any more?

What’s going on at Sophia Gardens? Leicestershire 96/8...Graham Wagg 3-25. The smell of an external review seems to have put a rocket up the Welsh bottom.

Those basket hands of Trescothick again for your pleasure below. Notts 133 all out. Craig Overton 4-27, and eh, what happened here - Tom Abell 3 for 0 off 1.3 overs!!

Incidental stat insertion:

And that’s fifty for Adam Wheater, 77 balls, 5 fours, one six. Essex 374/6. This drifted away from Surrey some time ago - minds on other things? End of season awards dinner tomorrow night? Wee winter break in Dubai?

Gubbins and Robson going well at The Riverside, 56/0 - Middlesex trail Durham by 133 and it’s still fairly even at Derbyshire. Derby 66/4 in their second innings - a lead of 87 in a low-scoring game, better than a sneeze, worse than a sniffle.

Hain, Ambrose and Barker all out since lunch at Edgbaston, but the Warwickshire lead over Kent is already 127. Dominic Sibley still there 109 not out.

At The County Ground, Sussex have made a slightly better fist of their second innings, 173 for 7 . The simply but beautifully named Ben Cotton, 4-46. That’s a lead of 122 over Northants.

And so it came to pass that Hampshire have already lost a wicket, 7-1, trailing Lancashire by 79.

Ok, let’s think about the off season now - how about this if you’re in London in early October?

Nottinghamshire will play Division One cricket next season

That’s despite being 93-7 against Somerset! Craig Overton 4-26.


Updated

.
Wilted Rose: Division Two cricket at Old Trafford next season Photograph: Gareth Copley/Getty Images

Lancashire relegated to Division Two

Lancashire all out for 273 and that’s it I’m afraid - second tier cricket for them next season. Even if they take 21 points from this game they can’t overtake Notts, who have won two games more.

Updated

.
Man of the moment, Dominic Sibley : three centuries in three games for Warwickshire Photograph: Harry Trump/Getty Images

Sibley, Sibley - I forgot about Sibley - 100! Bravo that man for struggling through the briars and settling upon the castle. Warwickshire 279/4 - a lead of 112.

Another wicket at Trent Bridge, Josh Bohannon gone for 28. Lancashire 273 for 8. Those 27 runs look a bit of a stretch...

Adam Wheater dances down the pitch at The Oval and Virdi disappears into the stands. Essex 324/6 - a lead of 257.

HPG, Somerset have borrowed your klaxon! Notts now 73 for five, while Lancashire are 273 for 7. Hmmmm

Anyone got a spare million quid? Lovely cricket ground for sale here on the Isle of Wight - one of Hampshire’s out grounds.

Yorkshire tripping up, Kohler-Cadmore gone for 8, now 125/4, still 215 runs behind Worcestershire.

Rob Jones out for 68 at The Ageas - Lancashire 241/7, Bailey and Bohannon in. A third wicket for Ian Holland.

Notts doing their best to keep Lancashire in it - 57/3, Duckett out for a golden duck just after lunch - straight into the big hands of Trescothick.

Jamie Overton off the field there with a heel problem. Doesn’t look great...hope he’s ok

Lunchtime scores:

DIVISION ONE

Worcestershire 340 (Mitchell 127; Brooks 6-94) v Yorkshire 83-3

Surrey 67 all out v Essex 282-6 (Westley 134)

Nottinghamshire 50-2 v Somerset 463 (Hildreth 137, Davies 55, J Overton 55)

Hampshire 187 v Lancashire 239-6 (Jones 68 not out) Lancashire need another 61 runs to be in with a chance of staying in Division One

DIVISION TWO

Warwickshire 236-3 (Rhodes 110, Sibley 82 not out) v Kent 167 all out

Northants 171 all out v Sussex 118 all out and 104-2 (Finch 57 not out)

Glamorgan 359 (Carlson 83, Meschede 55, van der Gugten 50) v Leicestershire 48-2

Durham 310 all out (Harte 112, Murtagh 4-56) v Middlesex 121 all out and 5-0

Derbyshire 184 all out and 21-1 v Gloucestershire 163 all out (Reece 7-20)

And with a wicket here at The Oval that’s lunch! Tom Westley out for 134, well caught down the leg side by Ben Foakes off Rikki Clarke (2-54).

Lunchtime scores to follow.

A thoughtful read here from Simon Burnton on lob bowling:

Updated

And up at Edgbaston Dominic Sibley closes in on what would be his third hundred in three matches after a horribly lean summer since his transfer from The Oval in exchange for Rikki Clarke.

It is almost five years to the day since he scored 220 not out for Surrey against Yorkshire while still in the sixth form - becoming the youngest player to hit a double century in the Championship. That fact comes courtesy of Huw Turbervill, managing editor of The Cricketer, who watched Sibley that day and whose birthday it is today. Happy Birthday Huw!

A couple of wickets around the grounds - Yorkies lose Leaning for 13 - 51 for 2 and a wicket in Lancs relegation scrap at The Ageas - Vilas caught and bowled Liam Dawson for 27. A valiant effort. But Rob Jones still there on 59 - 211/6.

And so it ends - Trott out for 8. An inglorious, caught Stevens bowled Podmore. Perhaps there will be another.

Glamorgan all out 359 . Incidentally Hugh Morris has announced that Glamorgan will be holding an external review at the end of the season, with the results presented to the Board next month.

“Every summer we have an internal review where we look at the things we have done well and not so well and we will implement changes,” Morris said

“Given the results we have had this summer we are seeking to have an independent external review of what we do....We have had a desperately disappointing season, especially results in the championship in the second half of the season and we can’t sugar coat that and the fans recognise that.”

Sussex 57/2 in their second innings - a lead of four runs over Northants -a couple of wickets for Brett Hutton.

And against all odds, Lancashire are in with a chance of passing the magic 300: Rob Jones 44 not out, Dane Vilas 27 not out: Lancashire 196/5.

Somerset all out for 463. Yorkies 37/1 chasing Worcestershire’s first innings 340 - Adam Lyth out for 27.

As it should be:

Stop all the clocks: Trott is in at Edgbaston for possibly the last time.

.
A fond adieu, Jonathan Trott. Photograph: Harry Trump/Getty Images

Updated

Jamie Overton’s been having a go at Trent Bridge - 10 fours in his 54. Take that! Somerset 457/9.

And some interesting hints about the Lions squad from our Will.

Will Rhodes out for 110 at Edgbaston; and here at The Oval Essex lose another - Ravi Bopara bowled for 8. 237/3

Also this from Moeen Ali’s appearance on the Today programme this morning. Speaking about being called “Osama” by one of the Australian players: “You always get some stuff from the crowd here and there but that was the one that really not just upset me but you can’t believe someone actually said that.

“We tried to deal with it at the time, it’s been investigated so it’s all done now, it’s all in the past. (But) there’s no room for that in life in general, not just in sports.


“There’s ways of trying to put your opponent off and sometimes you don’t have to say anything. You can have a passion and things but we play so much cricket, for me it’s more important to be a good person and try to play the cricket the right way.”

Updated

Worcestershire all out for 340 - Brooks 6/94. Yorkshire are 12/0 in reply. How will they bat now survival is assured - a touch of the Surreys? Or the Glamorgans?

Updated

,
Hundredweight: Tom Westley acknowledges the applause for his hundred at The Oval. Photograph: TGSPhoto/REX/Shutterstock

Updated

After being alerted by Longhop BTL (thank you!), I read David Hopps’ piece on cricinfo. It does indeed suggest that Trescothick hasn’t yet signed his one year contract offered by Somerset. Say it ain’t so.

A wicket at Trent Bridge - a sixth wicket for Harry Gurney, Somerset 405/8.

And a hundred for Tom Westley, 213 balls, 17 fours - back in gorgeous form. Lots of chat here about how what a good influence Murali Vijay has been on Westley’s batting. Not so much which balls to hit but which balls to leave. I heard them saying on the radio yesterday how Westley was too good a player not to come back into the England reckoning - discuss...

A wicket at The Oval, Dan Lawrence lbw for 17 after glancing a lovely four to the boundary.

.
Breakfast of champions Photograph: MarkGillow/Getty Images

Mmmm, a warmed, flaky pain au chocolat to start the day and round the country wickets are already a-falling.

Worcestershire lose Twohig, lbw to Coad for 30. And Lancashire lose Livingstone for 46 - that 300 looks far away at 123/5. DOOM is searching for just a couple of letters now - it shouldn’t take long.

Overnight scores

Division One

New Road: Worcestershire 319-8 (Mitchell 127, Moeen 60; Brooks 5-83) v Yorkshire
The Oval: Surrey 67 all out, Essex 197-2 (Westley 93no, Vijay 80)
Essex lead by 130 runs
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire v Somerset 353-7 (Hildreth 137, Trescothick 71, Davies 55; Gurney 5-66)
Ageas Bowl: Hampshire 187 all out v Lancashire 123-4
Lancashire trail by 64 runs

Division Two

Edgbaston: Warwickshire 148-0 (Rhodes 102no), Kent 167 all out
Warwickshire trail Kent by 19 runs
Northampton: Northants 171 all out, Sussex 118 all out & 4-0
Sussex trail Northamptonshire by 49 runs
Cardiff: Glamorgan 331-8 (Carlson 83, Meschede 55) v Leicestershire
Riverside: Durham 227-5 (Harte 76, Richardson 50) v Middx 121 all out (Salisbury 6-37)
Durham lead Middlesex by 106 runs
Derby: Derbyshire 184 all out (Reece 59; Miles 5-50) v Gloucs 100-5
Gloucestershire trail by 84 runs

Good morning from a sun-kissed Kia Oval

Fresh, cold, clear with light jackets and a cappuccino de rigeur on the Harleyford Road.

A most peculiar Monday yesterday here for the Champions, who were bowled out for 67 - their lowest CC score since 1986. According to someone who was here yesterday it was a day of thirds - hopelessly difficult to bat, easy to bat, then impossible to score a run. Tom Westley and Murali Vijay put on 146 for the second wicket to give Essex a 130-run lead at the close

Over at Edgbaston, Warwickshire are well on top against Kent and closing in on the Division Two crown; down at The Ageas Bowl Lancashire’s hopes of saving themselves from relegation are receding. They got maximum bowling points, but need to pass 300 in the first 110 overs of their first innings to even mathematically keep in the race. Yorkshire are safe, despite a good day for Worcestershire and a century for Daryl Mitchell. Somerset are having the better of the game at Trent Bridge, and have nearly secured second place, Notts need a further three points to ensure Div 1 survival.

In Division Two, wickets tumbled at Northampton, The Riverside and Derby while Glamorgan batted beautifully to irritate Leicestershire at Sophia Gardens

In other news, Andrew Flintoff has said that Ben Stokes is not the same cricketer since his trial; and Stuart Law is the surprise choice as the new Middlesex head coach. He will start his four year contract in December, leaving his job coaching West Indies after the tours of Bangladesh and India.

One last thing, I caught the end of a fascinating programme on Radio 4 last night - where Rob Eastaway, cricket statistician and writer, was talking to Michael Rosen on Word of Mouth, not about cricket but about language. Made me think that perhaps by talking about ten ball overs, all the ECB were trying to do was decimalise cricket? Just not sure how the orange ball fits in yet...

Updated

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Check Your Medicine Cabinet: 5 Cough Drops Recalled Over Safety Concerns
It’s easy to overlook the small items in your medicine cabinet, especially something as routine as cough drops. Most of us grab them without a second thought, trusting they’re safe and effective. However, recent recalls have raised concerns about certain products that may pose unexpected health risks. From contamination issues…
Budget and the Bees
Budget and the Bees
Louis CK to headline Hollywood Bowl for Netflix festival
Headlining set for Netflix Is a Joke festival marks first outing with major streamer since misconduct allegations in 2017
The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
“Who the F are the Cockroaches?”: Just the greatest rock n’ roll band in the world… perhaps
The Stones have used the guise before, and could be doing so again?
MusicRadar
MusicRadar
Mom’s Hack For Removing Red 40 From M&Ms Hilariously Roasted After Viewers Spot Daughter’s Reaction
“What is the purpose here? If it's unhealthy, it's completely unhealthy,” one comment read.
Bored Panda
Bored Panda
Meryl Streep Stuns Again: Top 10 Jaw-Dropping Looks from The Devil Wears Prada 2
Explore Meryl Streep's Devil Wears Prada 2 press tour looks, including the viral cerulean sweater moment that's sparking debate over nostalgia, styling choices, and Miranda Priestly's lasting fashion influence.
International Business Times UK
International Business Times UK
State Police Speak Out After 'Heroic' Governor And More Pulled Bob's Burgers Star Out Of Car ‘Engulfed In Flames’
This could have been far more tragic.
Cinemablend
Cinemablend
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.
Download on the AppStore Get it on Google Play