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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Tanya Aldred and Graham Hardcastle

County cricket: Worcestershire relegated and Kent promoted – as it happened

Players shake hands at Chelmsford after Essex sealed Worcestershire’s relegation from County Championship Division One.
Players shake hands at Chelmsford after Essex sealed Worcestershire’s relegation from County Championship Division One. Photograph: TGSPhoto/Rex/Shutterstock

Day three roundup

Kent will play Division One cricket next season for the first time since 2010 after securing promotion with an innings victory against Glamorgan at Canterbury, their 10th win of an impressive campaign. The all-rounder Darren Stevens took five for 24 as Glamorgan, bowled out for 186 in their first innings before conceding 436 with the ball, capitulated to 78 all out. Matt Henry added four wickets. Kent then had to wait for just over two hours to see if Sussex could reach 400 in their first innings against Warwickshire at Hove, which would have meant Kent could still be caught.

But, replying to 440, they were all out for 343, with the opener Tom Haines absent with an injured ankle. Third-placed Sussex’s race now looks run, with Warwickshire closing day three on 141 without loss, a lead of 238. If Warwickshire win they will return to the top of the table. A draw would also be enough for promotion. In Division One, Essex completed an innings victory against relegated Worcestershire, which made Hampshire safe from relegation and strengthened Yorkshire’s position towards the bottom of the table. Those two sides are playing each other at Headingley, with Yorkshire on top.

But rain wiped out the final two sessions. Yorkshire closed on 287 for five in their second innings, a lead of 314. The opener Adam Lyth reached 134 not out, his first Championship century since last June, although he was dropped on 80 and 94 by the substitute wicketkeeper Aneurin Donald off Liam Dawson. The regular keeper, Tom Alsop, went for an x-ray on a left thumb injury. If Yorkshire win they will be safe.

A draw would leave them needing a minimum of two points from their final-round game at Worcester. The champions Surrey, defending a first-innings score of 485 against Somerset at Taunton, made the hosts follow-on during a weather‑affected day. Somerset, resuming on 122 for nine, were bowled out for 146 before reaching 168 for three in their second innings.

Grant Stewart celebrates with team-mates Joe Denly and captain Sam Billings following promotion.
Grant Stewart celebrates with team-mates Joe Denly and captain Sam Billings following promotion. Photograph: Sarah Ansell/Getty Images

Updated

And that really is it for the day - have a lovely evening everyone!

'
Last man standing: Azhar Ali passes fifty at Taunton in the only game not spoilt by weather as the afternoon turns to evening. Photograph: Harry Trump/Getty Images

Azhar Ali moves past fifty and the light is still holding at Taunton. Somerset 151 for 3, trail by 184 runs.

Apropros of nothing but something that I was pondering yesterday - would Graeme Hick have joined Worcestershire if he was coming over today? Perhaps they were a bigger club then - the Botham/Dilley/Radford era? Richer? Or less of a divide between Test grounds and others?

Cancel that ... cricket has resumed at Taunton..

And that’s pretty much it for today folks - Kent promoted, Worcestershire relegated, Hampshire safe. The weather has interrupted play at Headingley, Taunton, Hove and Lord’s and prevented any play at all at Bristol. Kent beat Glamorgan by an innings and 172 runs and Essex beat Worcestershire by an innings and 129 runs.

I’ll leave you with this...

And bad light stops play at Lord’s too - with Middlesex leading Derbyshire by 327 runs.

And bad light suspends the action at Hove with Warwickshire 141-0 (Rhodes 76, Sibley 43).

Which leaves us with ....Middlesex v Derbyshire at Lord’s as the only game unaffected by rain/not over. If feels, perhaps unfairly, like the last dregs of the season. Anyway, Middlesex 195/7 (Critchely 4-60).

A wicket for Tom Curran at Taunton - James Hildreth caught behind for 60. Somerset 107/3.

Also the results around the country mean that Hampshire are safe and guaranteed Division One cricket next year regardless of the game against Yorkshire at Headingley and next week’s game against Lancashire.

Updated

What I missed earlier was that Essex’s win today guarantees them third place behind Surrey and Somerset in Division One.

“A bit of injury news for Hampshire supporters.....Hampshire are awaiting results from a scan on Tom Alsop’s injured left thumb. They are suspecting a fracture and ligament damage. He will bat tomorrow if required, but that will be the end of his season.”

Selv comes off his long run...

Rhodes moves on to 67 not out and Warwickshire pass the hundred - lead 201. I think, and the radio has just agreed, that Warwickshire are just four points away from promotion (win advantage in their favour).

A miserable sight. Play has been abandoned for the day at Bristol.

And with a run-out, they take tea at Lord’s. Middlesex 127/4 (Robson run out for 73)

Tea score:

Sussex 343-9 v Warwickshire 440 and 78-0 (Rhodes 51 not out)

Orange balls. So there.

Bad light brings the teams off at Taunton, which leaves us with just two games - Middlesex v Derby at Lord’s (82/1) and the one that matters at Hove - Sussex v Warwickshire (59/0 in their second innings, a lead of 156 over Sussex)

Nick Gubbins is out, hit wicket for 19, in Middlesex’s second innings against Derbyshire. James Hildreth has 50 at Taunton, Somerset 91/2 in their second innings - still 248 runs behind.

A rather touching farewell to James Foster from the Essex faithful: aside from his county heroics, he was also the veteran of seven Tests, and is the only man to ever stump Sachin Tendulkar in Test cricket.

“Play has been abandoned for the day at Headingley.”

RIP Ralph Prouton, Hampshire’s former wicketkeeper, who has died aged 92. He played 52 matches for Hampshire and was also on the books at Arsenal alongside Denis Compton.

“The rain has got heavier I’m afraid, with full covers on and just one person sat in the East Stand under a brolly. This really is a bleak scene. The season is ending at Headingley how it started - wet. It brings back all the memories of four full days against Essex washed out.

Ahhhhh! So ... Kent fans get to go to lots of Test match grounds with a little light relief at Taunton (not sure what to say about Chelmsford)

Azhar Ali and James Hildreth going along a-pace at Taunton - Somerset 66/2 in their second innings (273 runs behind). Warwickshire 24/0 in their second innings, and Middlesex 46/0 in their second innings at Lord’s.

Still raining at Headingley and no play yet at Bristol.

'
Promotion! Kent leap up to Division One, inspired today by Darren Stevens’ 5-24 against Glamorgan Photograph: Clive Rose/Getty Images

The Sussex innings closes on 343 (Haines injured and unable to bat) which means that KENT ARE PROMOTED TO DIVISION ONE.

Updated

.
Hero to zero: The T20 blast champions Worcestershire are relegated to Division Two of the Championship. Photograph: Philip Brown/Getty Images

Oh! Worcestershire are all out for 251. Essex win by an innings and 129 runs and WORCESTERSHIRE ARE RELEGATED TO DIVISION TWO. From Kingpins to spillikins in less than a week...

Updated

Tom Watson’s announcement that the next Labour government will impose a ban on betting ads during live sports events probably means that it will eventually happen whichever party is in power. Good thing too (imho) but will mean a big blow for the Sky coffers. Cricket’s reliance on gambling money always rather sticks in the craw.

Interestingly, Lizzie Ammon wrote back in 2017 that in the new T20 comp (what was to become The Hundred) it is “likely that there will be no alcohol or gambling sponsorship allowed on team shirts or inside the grounds .”

While there is bad news for Worcestershire at Chelmsford , there is a consolation prize - a civic reception at Worcester Guildhall on the last Thursday of September. The T20 trophy will be on display downstairs from 3pm.

Chris Jordan out for 17 down at Hove. Suspect it’s all over for Sussex’s promotion hopes now - 317/8.

“It has started raining at Emerald Headingley now. That, I suspect, will be that for the day I’m afraid.”

It’s the tale of the nearly men at Hove today. Ben Brown out for 99 (Wiese earlier for 93). Sussex 315 for 7 -Jordan and Jofra at the crease.

Barnard - gone! An eleventh wicket for Jamie Porter in the match, a fourth in the innings, Worcestershire 216 for 8 and the end is nigh.

News from Bristol: a further inspection at 1.45. Ground sheets have been removed, but the outfield still needs to dry out.

Somerset now 28 for 2 - Tom Banton out to Curran for 4. Just thinking about how brilliant Matt Renshaw was for them earlier in the year.

https://twitter.com/MattRenshaw449/status/1010555245561344001

Derbyshire all out at Lord’s. Lunch score there:

Middlesex 423 v Derbyshire 295 all out. Derbyshire trail Middlesex by 128

“We have reached lunch at Headingley, and Yorkshire are in complete control at 287-5, a lead of 314. Adam Lyth has 134 not out. Yorkshire will just be happy to bat for as long as possible, taking rain out of the equation for a second. A draw would suit them given Worcestershire’s likely defeat against Essex. That would leave them needing a maximum of two points against Worcester at New Road next week to secure safety, a simple task if ever there was one. Although, I admit, stranger things have happened!”

Updated

I glanced at the Somerset scorecard. It said 4/1. Alas. A six-ball duck for Trescothick, a Morkelled pair in the match. Something poignant in the way he glances at his stumps, just to be sure.

Updated

Some lunch scores (staggered lunches today)

DIVISION ONE

Yorkshire 184 and 287 for 5 (Lyth 134 not out; Dawson 3-85) v Hampshire 157. Yorkshire lead by 314 runs.

Essex 474 dec v Worcestershire 94 and 212-7 (Porter 3-47). Worcestershire trail Essex by 168

DIVISION TWO

Sussex 311-6 (Brown 98 not out, Wiese 93; Barker 3-41) v Warwickshire 440. Sussex trail by 129 runs and need 89 more to stay in the promotion race.

Also:

Kent 436 beat Glamorgan 186 and 78 (Stevens 5-24; Henry 4-53) by an innings and 172 runs.

Gloucestershire 125 v Northants 173. No play yet today.

Updated

James Harris has had a good Lord’s breakfast - three wickets this morning to reduced Derby to 260/9 (trail by 163).

Somerset are following-on at Taunton. Come on Tres!

Sussex over the 300 line - 303 for 6, Brown 94 not out. Somerset have put on 20 this morning for the tenth wicket. Parnell and Barnard still holding on for Worcestershire and the Yorkies have lost a wicket - 273 for 5. Time for a declaration there, with rain expected? Lead of 300 now.

Here’s the table being discussed BTL, which puts Kent on top, Northants at the bottom and Durham in cheerful mid-table mediocrity.

“Ah a bit of wicketkeeping confusion here......Tom Alsop hasn’t been on the field at all today (I do pay attention usually you know!) Alsop didn’t travel with the team this morning to the ground as he is suffering from a hand injury. That means he hasn’t dropped a catch this morning, but Aneurin Donald has - twice. There is also a thought that ex-Glamorgan man Donald, a sub fielder, has never kept wicket previously.”

.
Kent on the brink of promotion – the new lime tree will be 14 years old when Division One cricket returns to Canterbury next season. Photograph: Tim Ockendon/PA

Updated

I don’t want to add to everyone’s confusion but, despite what you may have read earlier before I deleted it , Worcestershire are still batting. 180/7, Parnell and Barnard doing their best to make it last till lunch.

“Adam Lyth has reached a hundred, his first in the Championship since last June - off 179 balls with 13 fours included. However, there was incident in the nineties. He was dropped on 94 by wicketkeeper Tom Alsop off Liam Dawson’s bowling before a huge appeal for the same manner of dismissal was turned down by umpire Graham Lloyd next ball. Safe to say, Dawson was not happy, and he let Lyth know at the end of the over. Yorkshire 245-4 now, 262 in front.”

This could be interesting, depending on how mouthy (or otherwise) Dom Bess is feeling.

S’all over! Glamorgan 78 all out, lose by an INNINGS AND 172 RUNS. That’s Kent on the brink of promotion.

Updated

Glamorgan 77 for 9 with Jack Murphy still there 21 not out, four wickets aperson for Darren Stevens and Matt Henry.

Weather update: play will start at midday at Lord’s, and the umps are out at Bristol examining the pitch.

David Wiese falls just short of his century at Hove. Sussex 285/6, still need another 115 to reach the magic 400

A third for Matt Henry as Ruaidhri Smith is caught by Sam Billings for 9. Glamorgan 62/8.

We currently only have three games in play - at Headingley, Taunton and Kent as the weather spoils for a fight.

For those who’d like to read further on India post Test-defeat, may I point you in the direction of this by the consistently-superb Sharda Ugra.

“The weather remains a concern at Headingley. There is constant talk of rain this afternoon, maybe as early as 12pm. And when it starts, the view is that it won’t stop for the rest of the game. Fingers crossed not. Adam Lyth has moved to 87 out of 210-4, a lead of 237.”

Plucky unbeaten eighth-wicket stands at Chelmsford (3) and Canterbury (10) putting the stoppers on Kent and Essex.

“Treat Ollie Stone like a Ferrari,” super quotes from Ashley Giles in this cricinfo piece.

Not sure if this was discussed BTL yesterday, news for next season - a proposed Championship restructure would put ten counties in Div 1 (and 8 in Div 2) for 2020 - so that at the end of 2019 three teams will be promoted and one relegated. A consolation prize for Sussex.

And Ben Cox falls at Chelmsford, hang on a minute... so does Josh Tongue on the same score. Oh dear - a whimper rather than a bang for Worcestershire then. Now 161 for seven.

While we wait for play to start at Taunton, a reminder as to why Surrey won the title.

Sussex continuing their plucky effort against Warwickshire - David Wiese (81), Ben Brown 75. Will Jason Gillespie’s first season be considered a success?

Oh Glamorgan - FIGHT, FIGHT against the dying of the light! 45/7

“Yorkshire have advanced to 182-4 in the early stages of the day, with Adam Lyth and Jonny Tattersall taking their partnership to 50. Yorkshire are leading by 209.”

Play also delayed at Lord’s and Bristol.

There’s no play yet at Taunton - inspection at 11. And Worcestershire have already lost a wicket - Clarke bowled by Jamie Porter for 74. Looks like it could be all over at Chelmsford and Canterbury this morning.

Sorry a few technical difficulties here. Glamorgan now 42/6 - yet another for Darren Stevens, two this morning. If Glamorgan lose against Kent and Sussex fail to make 400 against Warwickshire - Kent are promoted today!

Some thoughts from Chris Rushworth to start the day (whom, I’ve just discovered, is Phil Mustard’s cousin)

And good morning and a happy late September day to all of you – if you’re in the North East, have a mug of commiseration with your morning stewed apple.

So – we have seven games still in play and Graham on the spot at Headingley, still plenty of life in the CC Blog yet. Wouldn’t a Trescothick century be a nice way to pass the day...

Preamble

Good morning from Headingley, where it is a surprisingly sunny scene ahead of day three between Yorkshire and Hampshire. There was a thought that today might be a write-off with the weather, but we will start on time at 10.30am.

When Yorkshire resume, they will do so on 172 for 4 in their second innings leading by 199. They are in a strong position, with Adam Lyth’s unbeaten 60 representing the only half-century of the match so far. The theory is that the pitch has flattened out a touch, but I still wouldn’t fancy Hampshire’s chances of chasing 300. Elsewhere in Division One, bad light curtailed play last night between Somerset and Surrey at Taunton, where the hosts closed on 122 for 9 replying to 485.

South African-born seamer Conor McKerr struck three times for the champions. McKerr has had limited chances to shine at the Oval since moving to England ahead of 2016 alongside another seamer Mat Pillans, who has recently joined Yorkshire on a three-year contract and made his debut in the draw against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge a fortnight ago.

There is every chance that game and Essex v Worcestershire at Chelmsford will be over today should the weather hold. Worcestershire, at 140 for 4 in their second innings, are still 240 runs in arrears. With defeat comes relegation. What a week, hey. T20 Blast title success and then relegation. Talk about not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

In Division Two, Sussex showed some real fight yesterday as they bid to win their game with leaders Warwickshire from nowhere. After the Bears racked up 440, Sussex slipped to 87 for 5 before unbeaten 50s from Ben Brown and David Wiese took the score to 224 for 5 at close. Second-placed Kent are all over Glamorgan like a rash at Canterbury and should clinch promotion today with victory. Glamorgan are 33-4 in their second innings, trailing by 217. At Lord’s, Derbyshire are 222 for 6 replying to Middlesex’s 423, while Northamptonshire claimed a 48-run lead on first innings over Gloucestershire at Bristol – 173 in reply to 125.

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