Roundup: Surrey collapse at Arundel, Essex hold on at Hove
Surrey collapsed in astonishing fashion on the final afternoon at Arundel as James Fuller took a hat-trick. A nick to first slip, an lbw and a cascade of stumps: the first hat-trick of the Bob Willis Trophy, especially fulfilling as Fuller had only bowled two overs in the first innings after being taken off when his second was dispatched for 17. Hampshire won by an innings and 52 runs.
Essex snared a three-wicket win after a pell-mell afternoon at Hove. Simon Harmer had set up victory with yet another five-wicket haul, and all seemed a breeze. However, four wickets from Sussex’s George Garton (nine in the match) and two in three balls from Mitchell Claydon left Essex seven down and still needing 24. But they are the masters, and did it with six overs to spare.
After the game, Sussex announced that head coach Jason Gillespie will leave the club at the end of the current season. He will return to Australia to take up a position with the South Australian Cricket Association. “We are very sorry to see Jason leave after three years at the club, but fully understand and support his decision,” said Sussex chief executive Rob Andrew. “We will not be making any decision on a replacement until 2021.”
Tom Fell made his first century since being diagnosed with cancer in 2015, an unbeaten 110, prepping Worcestershire for victory. Northants, set 263, were bowled out for 184: three wickets each for Dillon Pennington and Josh Tongue. Derbyshire had the best of another damp day at Headingley. Matt Critchley and Anuj Dal made fifties to bat out the match.
Rain thwarted Somerset’s hopes of a third consecutive win and, possibly, qualification for the Lord’s final, as the lowest scoring of the three group winners will miss out. They started the day needing just four wickets to beat Warwickshire, but wave after wave of showers paused and spilt over Edgbaston.
Some declaration bowling, including an accidental wicket from a Hassan Azad’s googly, a couple of forfeited innings, and Leicestershire were set 292 to win by Durham. They were well on the way, thanks to Sam Evans (85) and Colin Ackermann (61 not out), when rain settled the matter.
Lancashire, whose first innings had been chaotic, made batting look easy as they followed on at Trent Bridge. Keaton Jennings and Alex Davies had eased to 120 for 0 at stumps. Notts still search for that elusive win. An unbeaten 59 by Chris Cooke helped Glamorgan cling on despite the best efforts of Gloucestershire’s David Payne and Matt Taylor.
Joe Denly was out for 89 after a particularly elaborate leave resulted in his bails being knocked off by a James Harris offcutter. Kent then lost their last four wickets for nine leaving Middlesex to biff quick runs. In the final session, Kent turned down the pursuit of 248 and the game drifted to a draw.
Updated
Despite the the foul efforts of the rain, another great round! Huge congratulations to Essex - never doubted them - to Worcestershire and to Hampshire, who pulled off the heist of the Bob to date. I won’t be here for the next round, but someone will, back for the September reckoning. Thanks for all your emails and chat and for sticking with it during the drizzle. Goodnight!
Updated
How they stand: Worcestershire’s win means they edge ahead of Somerset at the top of the Central Group, with 57 points to Somerset’s 56. In the North Group, Derbyshire (57) are just ahead of Yorkshire (55) after their draw. Essex are the only team to win all three games so far - they top the South Group on 61 points, with Hampshire (45) in second.
Essex have fallen over the line, beating Sussex by three wickets at Hove. The other victors were Worcestershire, who beat Northants by 78 runs; and Hampshire, who thrashed Surrey by an innings and 78 runs. All the other matches ended in draws, including at Edgbaston where Somerset were thwarted by the rain.
Er, Essex?????
I’d better disappear to do the round-up, nearly all finished in this round of the Bob. Just rainwatch at Edgbaston and Grace Road, Essex strolling to victory at Hove, Yorkshire and Derbyshire crawling to a draw at Headingley and Glamorgan clinging on for a draw at Sophia Gardens - 18 overs left. If Glam were all out now, GLoucs would need 111 in 15 overs.
Kent draw with Middlesex
A bolt attempt by Kent.
Canterbury: Middlesex 269 and 169-1 v Kent 191 and 70-0.
Hampshire beat Surrey by an innings and 52 runs
From 34-4 at tea to 74 all out just afterwards!
Arundel: Surrey 172 (Holland 6-39) and 74 v Hampshire 298.
Updated
A Dan Lawrence fifty guiding Essex to that victory we all knew was coming. Just 54 needed against Sussex. Are Leicester going to be thwarted at the last by the rain? A delay at Grace Road, with 84 to win.
Derby and Yorks drifting to a draw. Rain at Somerset. Hampshrie have 20 overs to take one wicket at Arundel. And Glamorgan holding on with the tips of their fingernails at Sophia Gardens.
Lancashire v Notts: match drawn
Trent Bridge: Notts 472 all out v Lancs 173 and 120-0.
Worcestershire beat Northants by 78 runs
County Ground: Worcestershire 219 (Wessels 88; Buzarabani 4-29) and 255-6dec v Northamptonshire 212 and 184 (Rossington 44; Pennington 3-30, Tongue 3-38, Barnard 2-38)
So pleased to see Dillon Pennington back in the wickets. He picks up his third, Blessing Muzarabani, and Worcestershire are only one wicket away.
Northants walking the plank now. Rossington gone for 44. Two wickets left - 93 needed. Leicestershire running away with the game at Grace Road, just 96 needed to win, Durham need seven wickets..
James Fuller gets a hat-trick!
Morne Morkel leaves one that removes his off stump and Surrey are 51-8 and the game is swirling swiftly down the plughole.
Updated
Surrey have lost two MORE wickets in two balls and JAMES FULLER is on a hat-trick!
Charles Sedrick has been sending me regular photos of Edgbaston surrounded by clouds in various states of furiousness.But the latest missive brings better news
“The floodlights are off for the first time today, either they know something we don’t or it is getting lighter….
“ Oh, and nice to see two Somerset lads doing the drinks duty for the T20s. Very surprised if either actually get to play.”
Updated
Middlesex have declared, setting Kent 32 overs to make 247. Or stay in. The covers are still on at Edgbaston but Worcestershire are back in with a chance at Wantage Road as the weather relents.
Jason Roy didn’t last long after tea at Arundel, Surrey 82-5.
England Men’s IT20 Squad:
Eoin Morgan (Middlesex) (captain), Moeen Ali (Worcestershire), Jonathan Bairstow (Yorkshire), Tom Banton (Somerset), Sam Billings (Kent), Tom Curran (Surrey), Joe Denly (Kent), Lewis Gregory (Somerset), Chris Jordan (Sussex), Saqib Mahmood (Lancashire), Dawid Malan (Yorkshire), Adil Rashid (Yorkshire), Jason Roy (Surrey), David Willey (Yorkshire).
Reserves: Pat Brown (Worcestershire), Liam Livingstone (Lancashire), Reece Topley (Surrey).
Tea-time scores
South
Hove: Sussex 194 and 141 v Essex 140 and 80-2. Essex need 116 to win
Canterbury: Middlesex 269 and 169-1 v Kent 191
Arundel: Surrey 172 (Holland 6-39) and 34-4 v Hampshire 298.
North
Headingley: Yorks 400-6 v Derbyshire 231-6
Trent Bridge: Notts 472 all out v Lancs 173 and 86-0.
Grace Road: Durham 291-8 dec v Leics 142-2. Leicestershire need 150 to win.
Central
Edgbaston: Warwickshire 121 and 140-8 v Somerset 413-9dec. Rain delay.
County Ground: Worcestershire 219 (Wessels 88; Buzarabani 4-29) and 255-6dec v Northamptonshire 212 and 114-6. Worcs need 4 wickets to win. Rain delay
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 116 and 139-8 v Gloucestershire 181.
Holy heck, Surrey 31-4 as Mason Crane gets Bothwick lbw for 5. Essex have steadied the ship, 74-2 as tea approaches round the grounds. It could be that both Somerset and Worcestershire are denied victory by rain in the Central Group, which would be good news for Gloucestershire - who are odds on to beat Glamorgan.
Updated
Wetter and wetter at Edgbaston:
UPDATE | The players returned but so did this! ☔️
— Warwickshire CCC 🏏 (@WarwickshireCCC) August 18, 2020
🐻#YouBears #WARvSOM pic.twitter.com/MOIRJNlVTS
I’m suffering from a mid-afternoon lethargy that only a Lancs-up can solve. Holding strong at 67 for 0 and patting away overs with every minute. Over at Grace Road, Leicestershire are, building, building, thanks to Colin Ackermann and Sam Evans: 121-2, Leics need 171 to win. And at Sophia Gardens, the Glamorgan lead inches to 74, but just three wickets left.
They’ve taken an early tea at Edgbaston because of rain. It’s a nail-biter. Somerset v the weather. Midddlesex giving it some welly at Canterbury - the lead already 207. And George Garton has snatched two wickets in two over at Hove. Essex, 53-2, need 143 to win.
Suddenly, wickets a go-go. Mark Stoneman is caught off Brad Wheal to leave Surrey 14-2; and Thompson prods aimlessly at Jamie Overton with inevitable results. Somerset nearly there, Warwicks 138-8.
GONE!!! Jamie Overton removes Thompson caught behind!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Warwickshire 138/8#WARvSOM #WeAreSomerset pic.twitter.com/MdrzSSGOns
— Somerset Cricket 🏏 (@SomersetCCC) August 18, 2020
I like to see Worcestershire take wickets. Too niche? I think not.
😍Another brilliant burst of wickets pic.twitter.com/UCgUcx8CxY
— Worcestershire CCC (@WorcsCCC) August 18, 2020
Nick Browne and SirrAlastair have purred to 28-0, Essex need 198 another to beat Sussex. If Ollie Robinson was playing this would be a whole different story.
Now, this could be interesting. Surrey, 126 behind on first innings, are now 7-1. Though Ian Holland can’t have such a golden arm this time round. Can he?
Inspection at 2.30 at Edgbaston. Northants 59 for 3, need 204, scales sliding heavily towards Worcestershire.
Oooooooof! Glamorgan 111 for five with pinprick lead of just 46.
Rotten news for England’s women - South Africa have now followed India in pulling out of their tour. Talks ongoing for a replacement but it is already August 18 so the chances can’t be high and so women’s cricket, like other female sports, drops right down the agenda. One scrap of good news: live streams may be available for the RHF Cup.
Not a pretty sight at Edgbaston, but the Met Office promise only ten percent chance of rain by 4pm.
UPDATE | There will be an inspection at 2pm.
— Warwickshire CCC 🏏 (@WarwickshireCCC) August 18, 2020
🐻#YouBears #WARvSOM https://t.co/B6YFhgzMdn
Harry Dearden goes half forward, half back, to Ben Raine and Leicestershire are 69 for two, the run-rate near enough four an over.
Lancs-up watch.
Passing showers have prevented a restart on time but we're due to get back underway at 1:45pm & 3 overs have been lost
— Lancashire Cricket (@lancscricket) August 18, 2020
🌹 #RedRoseTogether pic.twitter.com/VrpEU3Urgx
A bit late to spot four wickets for Amar Virdi at Arundel. But 15 overs have disappeared from the day so looks nailed on for a draw there.
Updated
Lunchtime scores
South
Hove: Sussex 194 and 120-7 v Essex 140
Canterbury: Middlesex 269 and 34-0 v Kent 191
Arundel: Surrey 172 (Holland 6-39) v Hampshire 258-7.
North
Headingley: Yorks 400-6 v Derbyshire 198-6 Inspection at 1.30pm
Trent Bridge: Notts 472 all out v Lancs 173 and 2-0.
Grace Road: Durham 291-8 dec v Leics 60-1. Leicestershire need 232 to win.
Central
Edgbaston: Warwickshire 121 and 138-7 v Somerset 413-9dec. Rain delay.
County Ground: Worcestershire 219 (Wessels 88; Buzarabani 4-29) and 255-6dec v Northamptonshire 212 and 28-0. Northants need 235 runs to win.
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 116 and 92-4 v Gloucestershire 181.
Lunch scores to follow.
Another sporting declaration, this time at The County Ground. There Worcestershire have declared with a lead of 262. Northants in reply are going great guns, four an over, for 27-0.
Kent all out 191, Middlesex 34-0 in their second dig, already a lead of 112.
Aha! Somerset move a step closer as Lewis Gregory bowls Henry Brookes. The rain at Trent Bridge removes possible points for the leaders of the North group and Essex are not out of the woods at Hove. So good news on the final qualification front for Taunton.
I don’t fancy Lancashire’s chances. They’ve just been bowled out in less than two sessions and have just over two sessions to survive this time round. All out 173, they trail by an irrelevant 299. Unless rain is in the air, Notts should prepare the fatted calf for their first first-class win since a now mythical June 2018.
Durham make a breakthrough! Brydon Carse sends Hassan Azad’s stumps flying with his first ball of the innings. Leicestershire 34-1.
Well played Tom Fell! 104 not out and a partnership of 70 with Ed Barnard. Worcester have a promising lead of 253 over Northants.
Updated
Kent nine down, still 81 behind. Not sure if we’re going to see a contrived run chase here? Lancs 162-7, still a MASSIVE 310 behind.
A great Spin this, by Simon Burnton, on Andy Caddick, central contracts and Duncan Fletcher.
“There were some challenging times prior to contracts with dressing-room morale. After [they arrived], you had time to understand each person, their mental and physical strengths and weaknesses. You helped each other. When you do that you will all benefit. Prior you’d be looking over your shoulder – ‘I’m not going to help him, because he could take my job.’ After that we were all in it together. It became a much more relaxed atmosphere, and for the first time I just did what I did for Somerset – give me the ball and I’ll bowl. I just enjoyed bowling.”
A lovely leave by Joe Denly on 89 - just a shame he chose that particular ball....Kent 185-7.
☝️ | DENLY GONE FOR 89!@James_Harris9 gets the crucial wicket of Joe Denly as he misjudges a leave and the ball clips the off stump 👊
— Middlesex Cricket (@Middlesex_CCC) August 18, 2020
Kent 182/7
Let’s see that again ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/IIbPhf4EMd
Steven Croft (55) and Tom Hartley (9) defending away for Lancashire the first three quarters of an hour of the day. Nick Selman and Billy Root resisting Matt Taylor, something Charlie Hemphrey and Kiran Carlson were unable to do. Glamorgan, wobbly, 41-2.
When a wicket isn’t the result you’re after.
⭐️ @Bat_Pad_Man ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/5P63iFzG4i
— Leicestershire CCC (@leicsccc) August 18, 2020
It is raining at Arundel now too. Porter has removed the dangerous Salt at Hove. With 16 wickets, he’s now the third highest wicket-taker in the Bob, behind Simon Harmer (23) and Oliver Hannon-Dalby (18)
“You have only been and done it now…. 8 hours of drizzle and a soggy draw ahead!” accuses a cross Charles Sheldrick. Patience, Charles.
A tricksy declaration at Grace Road. This is how I think it works. Durham have declared their innings at 291. Leicestershire have then forfeited their first innings and Durham their second innings, so Leicester now need 292 off 82 overs to win. No rain is forecast.
The noise you can hear is the brumbrella easing into place at Edgbaston.
Updated
Some post-Test reading:
Updated
I predict a Somerset win, a Lancs-up, Glamorgan to fold, Worcestershire’s young bowlers to grab themselves a late victory, draws at Arundel and Canterbury and Simon Harmer to haul Essex out of a hole. Jinxes begone!
Scores on the doors
South
Hove: Sussex 194 and 57-2 v Essex 140
Canterbury: Middlesex 269 v Kent 146-5.
Arundel: Surrey 172 (Holland 6-39) v Hampshire 198-3.
North
Headingley: Yorks 400-6 v Derbyshire 198-6 START DELAYED
Trent Bridge: Notts 472 all out v Lancs 129-6.
Grace Road: Durham 250-7 v Leics.
Central
Edgbaston: Warwickshire 121 and 104-6 v Somerset 413-9dec.
County Ground: Worcestershire 219 (Wessels 88; Buzarabani 4-29) and 177-6 v Northamptonshire 212.
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 116 and 23-0 v Gloucestershire 181.
Rain watch
Soggy at Headingley.
Nice at Grace Road, Northampton, Edgbaston, Arundel, Hove.
Not sure at Trent Bridge, Canterbury and Sophia Gardens.
An interesting read on the Netflix documentary on the women’s T20 World Cup:
It comes out in the same week that the Rajasthan Royals announced a new sponsor, Niine, an Indian firm that makes sanitary towels. The team will wear the name on their shirts, a significant decision in a country where there are still huge taboos around menstruation and period poverty is common.
Updated
Preamble
Good morning from this the final day of the the third round of the Bob. Not sure about you but I’m onto my third coffee, it feels like that kind of morning.
The weather is bleugh. I’ll do a ground by ground round-up shortly.
Good morning. We may have to be patient today. It’s a wet one pic.twitter.com/9Dq0h4yxVm
— Graham Hardcastle (@tykestravels) August 18, 2020
Some other bits and bobs hitting the news. The Covid fallout continues - a county player’s minimum wage is going to decrease from £27,500 to £24,000; summer contracts will be allowed for those in education or who have other sources of work, and 18-21 year olds will have a longer qualification period before qualifying for the minimum wage.
And Simon Harmer is pursuing the possibility of returning to play for South Africa.
Updated
