Will Macpherson's report from Friday
The Champion County, Essex, secured their ninth and most remarkable win of their special summer and, in doing so, thrust their victims Hampshire – who were bowled out for 76 to lose by 108 runs – into a relegation scrap.
Sam Cook, the 20-year-old swing bowler, took his maiden five-wicket haul to inflict on Hampshire their lowest total since 1984. Hampshire therefore need 12 points against Warwickshire to secure their survival ahead of seventh-placed Somerset, who lost to Surrey in Kumar Sangakkara’s final match at The Oval. Yorkshire thrillingly beat Warwickshire by two wickets, and are 18 points ahead of Somerset.
Essex themselves had been bowled out for 76 in the first innings and invited to follow on 178 behind – Hampshire have lost in such fashion just three times before – and were only 94 in front when they lost their eighth second innings wicket. But Neil Wagner and James Foster put on 82 to guide them to 362 (Dan Lawrence had earlier scored a century) and set Hampshire 185 to win.
Cook and his new-ball partner Jamie Porter swiftly reduced Hampshire to 29 for six, before Simon Harmer dismissed Liam Dawson with his first ball and Wagner picked up two wickets. Cook returned to dismiss Fidel Edwards, and finished with five for 18 to secure a win that was similar to one achieved by Essex over Hampshire the last time they won the title at Bournemouth in 1992, when they were also asked to follow on.
Sangakkara, a day after being given honorary life membership of Surrey, made 35 in his final innings at the Oval as they chased 143 four down to beat Somerset. He has eight centuries so far this summer and, fittingly, it took a brilliant piece of fielding – the sharpest of caught and bowled chances by Dom Bess – to dismiss him. Led by Marcus Trescothick, every Somerset fielder rushed to shake his hand as he received a standing ovation from the crowd.
That Surrey were chasing as much was down to some fine batting from Steve Davies, Peter Trego, and Bess after they began the day four down and 51 behind. Rikki Clarke had Tom Abell caught at slip early on, then Davies and Trego, who later left the field injured when bowling, shared 66. Davies was caught at slip off Gareth Batty, then Craig Overton and Trego – who had been bowled off a Stuart Meaker no-ball when in single figures – were dismissed in successive overs after lunch. Bess, last man out for 35, helped Somerset to 306.
Mark Stoneman got Surrey off to a flyer, but he and Rory Burns fell in the space of three balls, then Ryan Patel was bowled by Bess. Sangakkara steadily put on 55 with Ben Foakes before Bess’s brilliant catch.
Asked about his golden summer, which has so far brought eight centuries and 1,442 runs in 14 innings, Sangakkara said: “I was hoping to just pull my weight in the dressing room, I don’t know what’s changed and I’m not going to dissect it too much – I’m just going to enjoy the ride!
“For sides to evolve and grow, you need new ideas and new players coming through, and Surrey has a great opportunity next year to look for someone who can make them grow stronger. I think I’m not that guy, no matter how many runs I make. There’s enough homegrown English talent to be a real force.
“I can’t ask for anything more than to leave here with a win, that was outstanding. This is an incredible place. I’ve been made to feel so welcome. I’m happy that I could repay people here with some performances. First-class cricket here has a very different feel to it. The county professional is a special breed of person, and I have found a completely new respect for county cricket, and the game as a whole. The players and the fans, that suddenly hit me, and it only hit me when I retired.”
The loss leaves Somerset 13 points from safety and after Middlesex beat Lancashire on Thursday, Yorkshire’s was a vital win over Warwickshire that eases their very real relegation fears. Chasing 174, they fell to 96 for seven (with Jeetan Patel taking five wickets), but No9 Steve Patterson and Matthew Fisher put on 78 for the final wicket, drawing the scores level. Patel, who made a first innings century too, then dismissed Fisher, but Patterson struck the winning runs. They move to 145 points, two more than Middlesex.
There was a seismic result in Division Two too, where Rory Kleinveldt finished with 13 wickets as Northamptonshire beat Nottinghamshire by 124 runs to move 13 points behind second-placed Notts with a game to go. Sussex bowled Durham out for 131, to win by 132 runs at the Riverside.
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That's all folks!
Time for me to sign off. Roundup to follow, as ever. Here’s the scores:
Division One:
- Surrey beat Somerset by 6 wickets
- Yorkshire beat Warwickshire by 2 wickets
- Essex beat Hampshire by 108 runs
- Middlesex beat Lancashire by 36 runs
Division Two:
- Northamptonshire beat Nottinghamshire by 124 runs
- Glamorgan drew with Gloucestershire
- Kent drew with Derbyshire
- Sussex beat Durham by 132 runs
See you next week! Once more with feeling...
Surrey win by six wickets!
Pope smashes a pair of fours to long-on and that is that! Surrey go second, Somerset are 13 points adrift.
Lovely scenes.
A legend of the game leaves the Kia Oval outfield for the final time...
— Surrey Cricket (@surreycricket) September 22, 2017
Thank you @KumarSanga2 👏 pic.twitter.com/PGeVwGqKK9
Surrey’s target is down into single figures. Foakes has 42 and has batted very nicely indeed.
A genuinely magnificent catch.
WICKET! Very casual from Dom Bess and not so casual from the umpire! Surrey 128/4#SURvSOM pic.twitter.com/TdIOFotZqM
— Somerset Cricket 🏏 (@SomersetCCC) September 22, 2017
Sanga is out! He made 35, and has been dismissed by a brilliant one-handed reaction caught and bowled from Bess. A moment of slightly stunned silence followed, before every fielder shakes Sanga’s hand and the crowd give him a standing ovation. What a guy. Cheers Sanga.
Huge six down the ground from Foakes, then Sanga hoicks to cow.
Hundred up for Surrey as Foakes drives Leach beautifully through cover for four.
Foakes was a bit jittery at first but has settled, and Surrey need 50 to win.
As Jon Ryan points out on Twitter, Sanga’s reaction is hilarious.
WICKET! Dom Bess bowls Patel! Surrey 73/3 and need 70 to win#SURvSOM pic.twitter.com/NtADjbefvK
— Somerset Cricket 🏏 (@SomersetCCC) September 22, 2017
Wicket! Leach gets Patel, bowled sweeping for 17. Bess the bowler. Here’s a very, very good question.
@willis_macp spin at both ends, sunshine, Kumar batting, a game with meaning still in the balance, does cricket really have to stop?
— Daniel Forman (@dannyforman) September 22, 2017
Surrey are halfway there...
Sussex beat Durham by 132 runs! Onions the last man to go. Probably his last game for Durham at the Riverside.
Surrey not in a mad rush, and they needn’t be; they need 75 more and have around 25 overs to do it.
Ah, cricket!
Carse & Onions make their way to the middle with 27 overs remaining to bat out! The visitors need one wicket to win #DURvSUS
— Durham CCC 🏏 (@DurhamCricket) September 22, 2017
Middlesex have just announced that Toby Roland-Jones has a stress fracture in his lower back....
Peter Trego is going off injured mid-over. Leach to replace him. Surrey need 85 more.
(Should say, it’s Sangakkara’s final innings here. He just played a lovely cover drive.)
And the great man is off the mark...
Standing ovation as Sangakkara walks out to bat for the final time. What a guy.
Ryan Patel, not Sangakkara, is in at No3. But now Stoneman has been caught behind off Groenewald! Here comes Sanga. 39 for two, needing 104 more. Can Somerset do this?
Wicket! Burns goes, and Surrey are 38 for one, needing 105 more. He hooked Overton and was caught at deep backward square.
Essex beat Hampshire by 108 runs!
Having been bowled out for 76 in their first innings, Essex have delivered a repeat dose to Hampshire and pulled off the most remarkable win! That’s their ninth of the season. Sam Cook gets the last, and completes his maiden Championship five-wicket haul!
Holland’s raging against the dying light. Hants 72 for nine, needing 113 more.
Essex are one wicket away from their most special win of the season. Extraordinary.
Stoneman wants this done sharpish. He has 16 off eight and Surrey are 21 for none.
Abbott goes to Wagner and Essex are nine down! 56 on the board...
Stoneman has just hit an outrageous shot for four over the head of the man at deep-midwicket. Picked up off the pads, and gone.
Surrey are 1 for 0 in their chase of 143. Hoping Sanga gets a bat.
Hampshire are eight down!
Turn. And Hampshire left out Mason Crane.
🎥 | The #harmyarmy are back in voice! Harmer removes the bails of fellow offy, Liam Dawson for 10. Hampshire 37-7. #HAMvESS pic.twitter.com/xlLMgMEhsc
— Essex Cricket (@EssexCricket) September 22, 2017
Ah, good idea. Looks like we are taking tea here.
Dawson gone, Hampshire seven down! Grievous Bodily Harmer strikes with his first ball!
Somerset all out for 306! Surrey need 143 to win
Clarke gets Bess with a strangle, and Surrey need 143 to win. Decent effort from Somerset today, they have battled hard. Still 40-odd overs in the game.
Wicket! Batty returns and gets one to turn on Leach, who is caught at slip! Lead is 126 as the last man Groenewald comes out. The stand with Bess was worth 48.
Six different batting career bests in the game at Cardiff! My word...
Hampshire are 29 for six! Vince goes to Sam Cook!
Surrey will need at least 100 to win. Leach and Bess have put on 21 and the lead is 99.
Hampshire are 25 for five! Essex are halfway there. Vince and his old mucker Dawson come together...
Well played that man. Great celly from Brooks too.
🏏 @YorkshireCCC beat Warwickshire by 2 wkts
— County Championship (@CountyChamp) September 22, 2017
Patterson holds his nerve to see the White Rose home pic.twitter.com/nvySeuLT9d
Lots of relieved Yorkshire fans...
Oh wow! It’s absolutely hammering it down at Durham, where Sussex are a wicket from victory. Or an alternative way of looking at things is that Durham need 133 to win.
The hoop on this!
🔥 | Don't need a caption for this one, well bowled Little Chef. Hampshire 12-4. #HAMvESS pic.twitter.com/EZsyAsrq8Z
— Essex Cricket (@EssexCricket) September 22, 2017
Surrey have the new ball. Somerset 88 in front with two wickets in hand.
Going into the final week, Yorkshire are going to have a nice cushion from the relegation spots.
Yorkshire beat Warwickshire by two wickets!
Patterson gets them home! He hits Wright for four and Yorkshire win! They take 22 very important points and move third!
Hampshire are 12 for four! If they can pull this off, it might just be the most extraordinary of Essex’s nine wins...
Hearing there’s rain in the air at Headingley...
Hampshire are 12 for three! Cook gets Adams...
Scores are level at Headingley ... but Fisher is out! Patel’s sixth. A hat-trick seals a tie. He stuck on 78 with Patterson.
Scores level at Headingley!
Hampshire are 12 for two! That man Porter again ... 185 looking a long way off.
Six to win for Yorkshire!
Whittingham takes two in three balls and Sussex are a wicket away from victory. Onions, most likely playing his penultimate game for Durham, is the last man in.
Durham had a big eighth wicket stand but it’s been broken! Whittingham bowls Weighell and they are 111 for eight.
Wicket! Trego has played all around Patel – trying to stick him into the Peter May Stand – and been bowled! 242 for eight, with a lead of 78...
Yorkshire’s target is below 20 now... Three wickets in hand.
Little Chef!
🎥 | Little Chef continues the superb start to his first XI career, trapping Weatherly LBW. 1-1. The Great Escape is on. #HAMvESS pic.twitter.com/VriO52OG58
— Essex Cricket (@EssexCricket) September 22, 2017
Wicket! Very full ball and Meaker has Coverton leg before. Seven down, lead of 70.
Hampshire are one down! Weatherley gone to Cook... Can Essex win having been bowled out for 76?
Steve Rackett asks how many overs Hampshire have to chase 186 to beat Essex. They are 1 for 0 and there are a minimum of 66 left.
Yorkshire edging closer: 25 required...
And Trego has 50!
So we are back underway at the Oval, with Batty and Meaker bowling.
And Essex are all out for 362, so hampshire need 185 to win!
At lunch, Yorkshire require 34 to win...
Lunch at the Oval, where Somerset are 220 for six, leading by 56.
Northants beat Notts by 124 runs!
Notts Lose two quick ones and Northants have done it!! They take 20 points, and the race for promotion runs on...
Wagner gone! Caught in the deep off Dawson. He put on 82 with foster and Essex’s lead is 176 with one wicket left.
Yorkshire are down to 43 to win, three wickets in hand...
Dropped! Sanga has shelled Trego on 36 at first slip!
Sussex have Durham seven down!
Samit gone! Notts 175 for eight...
Wicket! And how Batty loves it. After a fine stand of 66, Davies is gone, caught at slip! The lead is 34...
Indeed - Wagner has now put on 50 with Foster and Essex are setting up a tricky target...
@willis_macp couple of Kiwis making a big impact today - Dave at Headingley and Wags at the Ageas.
— Vinnie Schumacher (@VinceSchumacher) September 22, 2017
50 for Davies... Somerset lead by 27. A draw would be very handy indeed.
Yorkshire have lost Hodd now, and 96 for seven. 79 to win...
Northants have Notts seven down... when can we start believing?
Davies is batting beautifully against his old side. What a treat.
Somerset lead!
Hearing that Bresnan was caught at deep midwicket slogging...
And Yorkshire are 86 for six as Jeetan gets Bresnan for a duck! That's his fifth. Still require 89...
Meaker just bowled Trego... but it's a no ball! Somerset still trail by nine, five down.
Yorkshire are five down!!!
Big Rory has got Libby – his 13th of the match – and Notts are five down, still needing 181!
Harmer goes and Essex are eight down, leading by 94.
The weather in south London today is absolutely stunning.
Wicket at Durham: Latham gone to Whittingham Durham need 244 more to win.
Updated
Wicket! Abell flashes at Clarke and is caught at second slip... Five down, still 32 behind.
Pujara gone! Notts 123 for four – Big Rory with the wicket...
Ballance is out! Yorkshire four down, needing 100 more...
Everyone has been put out of their misery at Chesterfield. What a farce.
Morning Stuie! Steve Davies is batting here, which is lovely.
@willis_macp morning will!
— Stuie Neale (@MrNeale92) September 22, 2017
Morning all it's the morning call!
Good morning, and welcome to Friday on county cricket - live! We really are very nearly there. I’m Will Macpherson and for the last time this summer I’m at the Oval watching Kumar Sangakkara play cricket. How exciting!
Big day at Headingley too. Yorkshire can’t muck that chase up. Can they?
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