Tanya's roundup
Essex’s championship charge stumbled as they were forced to spend the last day at Edgbaston batting to save the match.
They were dismissed for 324 in the morning, also falling short of a crucial third batting point, with Warwickshire’s captain Jeetan Patel pocketing six for 73. Asked to follow on, they had a stinker of a start at nought for one, but Tom Westley and Alastair Cook smoothed the waters with a partnership of 157.
The teams shook hands after Westley was out for 97. The draw confirms that Warwickshire survive to play another Division One summer and sends winless Nottinghamshire down. Essex, eights points behind leaders Somerset, entertain Surrey at Chelmsford next week and go to Taunton for the final round.
The Division Two championship race heated up after Sussex beat Gloucestershire in Bristol by eight wickets. Gloucestershire cobbled together 46 for their last four wickets but Sussex easily knocked off the 74 needed, after Phil Salt and Stiaan van Zyl put on an unbroken 41 for the third wicket. Sussex have refound their mojo just in time – and lie fifth in the table – in with a glimmer of a chance if they win both their remaining matches. Gloucestershire slip down to third.
After the match, the Sussex coach, Jason Gillespie, said he had been on the phone to the England coach, Trevor Bayliss. “I’ve asked Trevor Bayliss if we can have Jofra Archer back for the last game, but the answer was no. That’s fair enough. We had a bit of a joke about it. We’ve decided not to bring in another overseas players for the last few games, like some of the other counties have done. We’ll go with what we’ve got.”
Northamptonshire easily beat bottom-of-the-table Leicestershire to secure second place in the table after Ben Curran and Alex Wakely made forties to ensure victory. “Momentum is huge, we’re playing with a lot of confidence,” said Wakely afterwards. “It’s in our hands now, next week against Durham is a massive game. We want to finish second if we possibly can.”
Updated
So that’s it from here for today - after Lancashire confirmed their promotion to Division One yesterday, today has signed Nottinghamshire’s relegation warrant - therefore saving Warwickshire’s place in Division One.
It’s all hotting up nicely for the last two rounds - with Somerset patting the nice eight point lead in their back pocket as they head for the Ageas Bowl; and all to play for in the remaining two Division Two promotion places.
Thanks for all the messages and chat below the line and sticking with CCLive! on a quiet day. See you next week - good night!
Nottinghamshire are relegated
Win-less with only two rounds to go, Nottinghamshire are relegated to Division Two after a disastrous Championship campaign in which they have totted up only 11 batting points.
Updated
Warwickshire and Essex draw
They shake hands at Edgbaston after Tom Westley falls for 97 - giving him 237 runs in the match. Essex never recovered from their decision to bowl first - and now slip eight points behind Somerset in the championship race with just two games to go.
WARWICKSHIRE RETAIN FIRST DIVISION STATUS FOR NEXT YEAR
Updated
Good to see Jason Gillespie trying his hand for the last match of the season:
“I’ve asked Trevor Bayliss if we can have Jofra Archer back for the last game, but the answer was no. That’s fair enough, it was what I expected. We had a bit of a joke about it one the phone. We’ve decided not to bring in another overseas players for the last few games, like some of the other counties have done. We’ll go with what we’ve got.”
In the Wantage Road area with some free time on your hands tonight?
Friday night plans, sorted. An Evening of Queen is tonight!
— Northamptonshire CCC (@NorthantsCCC) September 13, 2019
It's an unbelievably nice day at The County Ground, grab one of the last few tickets for this incredible night!https://t.co/3e51z93cIa https://t.co/unpN5LqH5e
And things are purring over smoothly at Edgbaston - just time for both Westley (87 not out) and Alastair Cook (55 not out) to reach their hundreds before handshakes.
Good news for Somerset fans - Tom Banton has just signed a new two-year contract extension.
BREAKING: We are delighted to announce that Tom Banton has committed his future to Somerset County Cricket Club 👊#WeAreSomerset @TomBanton18
— Somerset Cricket 🏏 (@SomersetCCC) September 13, 2019
I’ve just got an email from Somerset asking that anyone who wants to attend the final game against Essex lets them know as they’re expecting heavy demand for media seats. Sky cameras will also be there. Uneasy lies the head that nearly wears the crown.
Which leaves us with one..Warwickshire v Essex which is slowly meandering towards a draw. Essex 82-1 trail Warwickshire by 111, with 48 overs left in the day.
A draw is still meaningful, as it will confirm Nottinghamshire’s relegation, and Warwickshire’s place in Division One for 2020.
Sussex beat Gloucestershire by eight wickets
Van Zyl and Salt take Sussex safely home, which bunny-hops them up to fifth. See Div 2 table below.
🍾 SUSSEX WIN BY EIGHT WICKETS!
— Sussex Cricket (@SussexCCC) September 13, 2019
An excellent all-round performance brings us 23 points.
We’re up to 5th! #gosbts pic.twitter.com/LAwKx2Nl1H
Thank you Mes for these lovely roses - good to see you are hedging you bets in case of an impromptu CCLive! garden party.
@tjaldred My red roses and white roses pic.twitter.com/6cQKdnF7QH
— Chris Drew (@mesnilman) September 13, 2019
Alastair Cook and Tom Westley nice and steady steady for Essex - 57-1.
Some post-match quotes from Grace Road where Alex Wakely, who has stuck with Northants through thick and thin, is feeling positive.
“I feel in decent touch, I’m enjoying batting without the pressures of captaincy, playing with a smile on my face. But everything is easy when you’re winning!
“That said, momentum is huge, we’re playing with a lot of confidence, the balance of the team looks good and we’re in a very good position. It’s in our hands now, next week against Durham is a massive game. We want to finish second if we possibly can.”
I haven’t worked this out so I hope it doesn’t spell something rude like the rogue Guardian crossword the other day, but something to pass the afternoon.
Good Afternoon Cricket Twitter,
— Tom Russell (@TRLawMediation) September 13, 2019
Notable Oval appearances are the theme for Ashes Crossword #39.
Hints available by DM, if needed.
Feedback appreciated. pic.twitter.com/mqvF6md1YP
A lovely apple from the tree polishes off lunch nicely. Meanwhile at Bristol, Tom Haines has gone but Sussex are nearly there on their latest of late charges. Just 24 more to win.
Northamptonshire beat Leicestershire by seven wickets
Curran and Wakely guide Northants to victory, which takes them up to second in the Division Two table, nine points ahead of Gloucestershire, 14 points clear of Durham, and 16 clear of Glamorgan, who will be overtaken by Sussex this afternoon.
Updated
Lunchtime scores
Division One
Warwickshire 517; Essex 324 (Westley 141; Jeetan Patel 6-73) and 26-1. Essex trail by 167 runs with 9 wickets and 66 overs remaining .
Division Two
Gloucestershire 200 & 243; Sussex 370 and 24-1. Sussex need 50 to win.
Northants have lost a couple more wickets but it’s almost in the bag - just 20 more needed.
And THANK YOU so much to Wegie below the line for spotting this - it seems the Darren Stevens show may have another season yet to run.
“We are allowed to change our minds and we want to reward performance,” Kent head coach Matt Walker told BBC Radio Kent. “At the moment Darren’s performances are right up there.
“We have to get the balance right - especially at Kent - between still trying to be competitive and win, but also making sure young players are progressing.”
He added: “I’m very pleased with how he batted, more than how he bowled. Those runs at that stage of the game were very important.
“He hasn’t batted as well as he would have liked in this format and that was vintage Darren with the bat, which was great to see.
“And with the ball he’s been fantastic for the last few wickets, as he has been for however many years.”
Safe to say that David Warner has a bit of a shocker.
Out for 0 - lbw Broad
Out for 0 - c Bairstow b Broad
Out for 0 - lbw Broad
Out for 61 - c Bairstow b Archer
Out for 5 - c Burns b Archer
Out for 3 - b Broad
Out for 8 - c Bairstow b Broad
Out for 2 - lbw Broad
Out for 5 - c Bairstow b Archer
Gloucestershire all out. Sussex need 84 to win.
Ah! I forgot that the follow-on in county cricket is 150. Warwickshire have in fact enforced the follow on. And calamity! Nick Browne is out to the fourth ball of the innings. Essex 0/1.
Essex all out after a pig of a morning for 324. A deficit of 193. Warwickshire just need to bat out the day to be assured of Division One cricket next year, and hand Somerset a tasty lead going into the final two rounds.
The irrepressible Jeetan Patel finished with 6-73.
ALL OUT | Patel gets his sixth wicket as Banks makes a great grab to remove Bears for 20.
— Warwickshire CCC 🏏 (@WarwickshireCCC) September 13, 2019
Essex reach 324, still 193 behind. 76 overs remain.
Live stream 🎥 https://t.co/2fzOdaSAqT
🐻#YouBears #WARvESS pic.twitter.com/IUck0Z2Ntd
A wicket at Grace Road, Rob Newton for 29, but surely too late for any last-minute wobbles. Northants 74-1, need 67.
Thinking on the New Zealand tour - which, I was reminded at Lord’s yesterday, won’t count for the new Test World Championship. If they rest most of the World Cup & Test players and hand the captaincy to Stokes - on the assumption that he would like to go back to New Zealand -who else gets on the plane? Some names to throw in the pot - Sibley, Crawley, Azad (too soon?), Pope, Foakes, Ollie Robinson, Donald, Malan, Gregory, Bartlett?
Nice to see Ben Curran getting runs in what hasn’t quite been the breakthrough season he was hoping for - only one fifty in nine innings to date.
14.6 | @curranjb_57 pulls out the reverse sweep to bring up the 50 partnership.
— Northamptonshire CCC (@NorthantsCCC) September 13, 2019
Northamptonshire 52/0. pic.twitter.com/SXIn1v8hEI
When men were men, and phones were MASSIVE.
Gold in the press box. Vic Marks has reclaimed a copy of his benefit brochure from 1988. Blue chip sponsor on the back too pic.twitter.com/a1WZ6xgmHb
— Ali Martin (@Cricket_Ali) September 13, 2019
Essex having a Friday wobble, two wickets gone in the first half hour.
Gloucestershire are having one of those mornings, the eighth wicket goes with the lead only 35. Sussex, who were jeered at by a rather pathetic bunch of home fans before the summer break, could be about to pull the rabbit out of the hat.
On his fiftieth birthday, Shane Warne makes one of his most important contributions to cricket, speaking out on the climate crisis.
Updated
A wicket with the fourth ball of the day for Chris Jordan down at Bristol, Jack Taylor for ten. Gloucestershire’s lead is just 30.
Follow all the latest at the Test with our crack team of OBOers.
We could pass the time BTL on what will be a quietish day by chewing on our pencils to come up with 16s for the men’s winter tour parties: New Zealand in November for five T20s and two Tests; then a mega-tour of South Africa from December to February consisting of four Tests, three ODIs and three T20s.
START OF PLAY SCORES
Division One: Warwickshire 517; Essex 278-6. Essex trail by 239 runs with four wickets remaining (first innings).
Division Two: Gloucestershire 200 & 197-6; Sussex 370. Gloucs lead by 27 runs with four wickets remaining (second innings).
Division Two: Leicestershire 308 & 189; Northants 357 & 22-0. Northants need 119 runs to win.
RESULTS
Division One:
Hampshire (149 & 436) beat Surrey (162 & 151) by 272 runs.
Kent (304 & 259) beat Nottinghamshire (124 & 212) by 227 runs.
Somerset (199 & 329) beat Yorkshire (103-9 & 127-9) by 298 runs.
Division Two:
Middlesex (143 & 151) beat Durham (147 & 191) by 44 runs.
Lancashire (418) beat Derbyshire (244 & 129) by an innings and 45 runs.
Worcestershire (205 & 299) beat Glamorgan (193 & 156) by 155 runs.
Updated
Preamble
Good morning! from this final day of the-round-before-the-penultimate-round of the season, where just three games are still breathing. As it was ordained, the day has dawned brightly in Manchester now that Lancashire have returned to the bright lights of Division One, thanks to a thumping win over Derbyshire yesterday. They’ve been clearly the best team in Division Two all season.
Somerset finished yesterday 17 points clear of Essex, who will have to perform a small miracle at Edgbaston to conjure a win from a 239-run deficit, with Tom Westley 123 not out.
Northants (22-0) need only another 119 runs to beat Leicestershire and turbo-charge their promotion chances; and Gloucestershire have slipped up against Sussex, who are also still in the mix - with four second innings wickets left, they lead by just 27.
The weather is looking kind everywhere, even Bristol.
It's a glorious morning here at The BCG🌞👍
— Gloucestershire Cricket🏏 (@Gloscricket) September 13, 2019
Entry for the fourth and final day of our @CountyChamp match against @SussexCCC is FREE🎟️
Gates open at 8.30am
Match starts at 10.30am #GoGlos💛🖤 pic.twitter.com/gyC43R5nbT
