Tanya Aldred's roundup
Surrey suffered a severe case of the mid-order collapses at Edgbaston, losing three wickets in an over as the unfatigueable Jeetan Patel wrought out Dean Elgar, Ryan Patel and Will Jacks. Their four-duck innings finished on 188, Ben Foakes 57 not out; Patel four for 53. Warwickshire were 26 without loss at the close, a lead of 131.
Kent’s batting struggled to put one foot in front of the other at Chelmsford, scoring at barely two an over, finally all out for 182, trailing Essex by 131. No one scored more than Daniel Bell-Drummond’s 28; and there were three wickets each for Peter Siddle and offspinner Simon Harmer – who bowled and bowled from lunch till the anoraks were pulled on and the newspapers folded away.
On a rain-truncated day at Headingley, Hampshire inched their way into a small lead. After Ajinkya Rahane had a rush of blood and was stumped off Dom Bess for 31 and Rilee Rossouw went six-four-out, they were wobbling at 93 for four. But Sam Northeast (50) and James Fuller, on first-class debut for Hampshire, (54 not out) nurdled the tail successfully. Ben Coad snaffled four for 41, David Willey two for 52.
At New Road, Middlesex accelerated rapidly into the distance as Dawid Malan, 107 not out, and Nick Gubbins, 72 not out, gave them a lead of 260 in batting conditions that suddenly eased. Worcestershire had earlier been bowled out for 156, with a last-wicket partnership of 40 between Charlie Morris and Joe Leach adding some jazz hands to a despondent performance. Tom Helm took two more wickets to finish with five for 36 – a career best.
A late fightback by Charlie Hemphrey and Marnus Labuschagne gave Glamorgan some spirit after a difficult day in the field against Middlesex. Hemphrey (45) and Labuschagne (77) batted for 137 from the inauspicious beginnings of 0/1, and reduced the deficit to 97. Earlier, Sussex wicketkeeper Ben Brown had made a pitch-perfect 131, that after a hundred last week against Northants, as Sussex knocked up 420.
A low-scoring game at Grace Road continued to rattle through at high speed as Leicestershire were bowled out for 120 before lunch, heady heights reached thanks to a stolid 46 not out from Hasan Azad in nearly three and a half hours. Tony Palladino finished with five for 29. Wayne Madsen’s fifty helped Derbyshire limp to 160 for eight by stumps, a lead of 179.
There was no play at all at Cheltenham after water seeped under the covers overnight and left a damp patch on a length at the Chapel End. “I don’t know what else we could’ve done,” said head groundman Christian Brain, “it’s just one of those unfortunate things. It’s very tricky here with the slope.”
There were some marathon sessions there at the end- and some surprises. Glamorgan - you can’t do it again, can you?
Hampshire have tasty little lead in a low-scorer, Warwickshire are ON TOP against the Champions, having only amassed ten points all season till now, and Kent are in trouble at Chelmsford - Cook’s runs looking all the more valuable with hindsight. Middlesex running away with it at New Road, Glamorgan - we’ll say no more - and Derby v Leicestershire happening at breakneck speed.
That’s it from me for this week - you’ll be in the capable hands of Graham Hardcastle tomorrow and Thursday and I’ll be at Poppit Sands. Thanks for all the fun and comments and see you at Liverpool next Monday!
Oooh dearey me, Clarke has been run out at Edgbaston, Morkel gone for one - Surrey 151 for 8. HEY Warwickshire - you’re going to get a first-innings lead!
And with that, I better write up, keep an eye on things for me.
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A lovely birds-eye view from Liam Cromer at New Road:
“Mike Selvey, who had come down to applaud Helm off the field, was kept waiting for half an hour before Sowter’s leg-spin finally broke that pesky last-wicket partnership. Helm missed out on a sixth wicket but it was enough for a new career best of 5-36.”
“In other important news, the Ladies’ Pavilion continues to provide the best value for £2.50 this side of the M6 (lemon drizzle tested this time, for reference). They even have a card machine now, but you must - must! - take the receipt, to avoid incurring the displeasure of the ladies therein.”
“Middlesex now stabilising after the loss of the openers, both LBW to Leach deliveries that seemed to keep low. The sun is out and Malan and Gubbins are playing with some freedom as Worcestershire seek the wickets they need to stay in the game.”
Inspection at 530 at Headingley with Hampshire 222 for 8, a lead of 41 - Fuller 44 not out.
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There is a lovely article in this month’s Wisden Cricket Monthly by Duncan Hamilton about 1973. This is his intro - some might think it pretentious but I didn’t, I thought it was perfect.
“A short passage from Henry James never fails to carry me back to the cricket and the cricketers of my boyhood. This is it:
‘Summer afternoon, summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.’
James wasn’t referring to the game, but the semi-colon is dropped in so exquisitely that the pause it creates, no more than a half-breath, allows you to attach whatever context you like to the sentence...
I see Trent Bridge and the low wooden stand in front of George Parr’s tree. I see Grace Road and a white-picket fence the outfield baked brown. I see makeshift games with makeshift equipment on my local recreation ground....”
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Joe Leach is angry. Joe Leach is hungry. Joe Leach has two Middlesex batsmen in his pocket. And he wants another one. Bustle. Bustle.
Rain has temporarily saved Glamorgan at Hove, 17-1, 217 behind, and even the great second-innings specialists look unlikely to get out of this one.
Kent need 46 to avoid the follow-on. Just sayin’
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Tea-time scores
Division One
Yorkshire v Hampshire: Yorks 181 (Kohler-Canmore 45; F Edwards 5-49); Hampshire 222-8 (Northeast 50)
Warwickshire v Surrey: Warwicks 293 (Norwell 64; Dunn 3-65, Morkel 3-87); Surrey 123-6 (Patel 3-29)
Essex v Kent: Essex 313 (Cook 125; Milnes 4-61); Kent 118-5
Division Two
Latest score: Worcestershire v Middlesex: Middx 221 (Malan 45) and 20-2 ; Worcs 156 (Helm 5-36)
Sussex v Glamorgan: Glamorgan 186 all out (Selman 76 not out) and 15-1; Sussex 420 (Salt 103, Brown 131)
Leicestershire v Derbyshire: Derbyshire 139 all out (Abbas 3-38; Wright 3-39) and 37-0; Leicester 120 all out (Azad 46 not out; Palladino 5-29). Bad light stopped play.
Gloucestershire v Lancashire: Gloucs 205 (Hammond 82; Mahmoud 4-48); Lancs 47-2. No play possible today.
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While I was distracted with a piece of birthday cake, no wickets fell at Grace Road or Hove. Tea scores to follow.
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Worcestershire all out 156. A heroic last wicket stand of forty between Charlie Morris and Joe Leach - 32 not out! Helm 5-36.
Borthwick lbw for 40: Surrey 88 for three. Liam Norwell starting to motor again - 2 for 21 following his heroics with the bat and nine wickets in the match against Somerset last week.
And news from the warm-up games:
West Indies 421 all out (Shai Hope 101). New Zealand 3/0 in reply.
India 359 for 7 (Rahul 108, Dhoni 113); Bangladesh yet to bat
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o/1. Glamorgan get off to an unfortunate start at Hove.Hemphrey lbw in the first over of the innings.
Kent lose Daniel Bell-Drummond to Sam Cook for 28 and are fast sliding into a large hole. 106 for five, trail by 207.
Want to swot up on Sri Lanka ahead of the World Cup? You are in the right place:
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Sussex all out, with a handy lead of 234. Glamorgan fans, might be time to check on your geraniums.
Game on again at Grace Road - no wickets yet in Derbyshire’s second breath, but don’t pop out for too long.
Peter Siddle in on the act at Chelmsford, bowling Heino Kuhn for 20, Kent 95 for four.
And scores are level at Headingley, Hampshire three wickets in hand.
In other news: Middlesex women will play Surrey women in a T20 at Lord’s for the first time tomorrow to celebrate MCC Women’s cricket Day. It is part of MCC cricket week, alongside Oxford v Cambridge and, er, Eton v Harrow. Well done MCC but about time!
Both openers out now for Surrey, Rory Burns caught off Hannon-Dalby for 40. Surrey 74 for two. Would it be unfair to say the engine isn’t purring quite as smoothly as last year? A couple of parts needing mechanical attention and a problem with the choke.
On the way to Headingley yesterday, I was reminded quite what a green suburb it is. Trees everywhere, random wildflowers and weeds growing in hidden neglected corners, ginnels and yards gone slightly wild.
A captain’s innings from Joe Leach at New Road -the grand heights of 22 making him the second-highest scorer in this innings.
Brown loses Jordan for 35 -he’s still there, 118. Sussex 390 for seven.
A little bit of Sam Northeast who is experiencing a small GoldRun at the moment
Hampshire 146 for six, Alsop softly, and Sam Northeast just after passing 50. A second for Olivier and a second for Coad. Trailing Yorkshire by just 34 now but having thrown away rather a chance of a good second-innings lead.
Oooh, T-I-M MURTAGH. Liam Cromer wrote in celebration of his first wicket:
Back out at New Road and just five balls for Murtagh to take the wicket he deserved, Wessels bowled in traditional Murtagh manner. A wicket maiden, to take him to just the seven maidens from his ten overs so far. Helm replies with one of his own, pushing Whiteley back to nick off. A Worcestershire supporter just asked me what the follow-on cut-off is: no danger on that score, but their situation remains far from healthy.
He’s just taken a second, Ed Barnard lbw for 6 after Jamie Cox had coaxed some desperate last runs from the tail. Worcs 118 for 8, 110 behind Middx.
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Ok so rain updates:
There will be no play today at Cheltenham.
And in the grand cheese-off (ref BTL) at Leicester, rain has stopped any further moulding on either side. Both first innings completed, Leicestershire 19 runs behind.
David Gower on the length of the World Cup (in his Hindustan Times column) https://t.co/ce5mo6HCh8 pic.twitter.com/qpKTfUd2z5
— Ali Martin (@Cricket_Ali) May 28, 2019
Lunch-time scores
Division One
Yorkshire v Hampshire: Yorks 181 (Kohler-Canmore 45; F Edwards 5-49); Hampshire 117-4 (Northeast 43 not out)
Warwickshire v Surrey: Warwicks 293 (Norwell 64; Dunn 3-65, Morkel 3-87); Surrey 39-1
Essex v Kent: Essex 313 (Cook 125; Milnes 4-61); Kent 42-3
Division Two
Latest score: Worcestershire v Middlesex: Middx 221 (Malan 45) ; Worcs 85-7 (Helm 5-28)
Sussex v Glamorgan: Glamorgan 186 all out (Selman 76 not out); Sussex 348-6 (Salt 103, Brown 109 not out)
Leicestershire v Derbyshire: Derbyshire 139 all out (Abbas 3-38; Wright 3-39); Leicester 120 all out (Azad 46 not out; Palladino 5-29)
Gloucestershire v Lancashire: Gloucs 205 (Hammond 82; Mahmoud 4-48); Lancs 47-2. No play yet today - match delayed.
A further inspection at 1.30 at Cheltenham and, sorry Ben Brown , who has made the second hundred of the Sussex innings. 109 not out, Sussex 347 for six.
Azad still hanging on at Grace Road! A magnificent 46 not out which has steered Leicester to within 19 of Derby, with one wicket in hand. Palladino 4-29.
No dream return to the Championship for Joe Denly, out for 20 at Chelmsford - following six fruitless overs yesterday. Kent 42 for two.
Six, four, out! What a strange innings. Riley Rossouw back in the pavilion before lunch. Hampshire 93 for four and a wicket for Willey at Headingley!
Bess to Rahane: see Dom, being stuck in the Championship isn’t too bad... and as I write that...Rahane has a huge swing and is stumped for 31!!!! Hampshire 80-3.
Stoneman out for duck at Edgbaston - Surrey 16 for one. It would be a turn up if Warwickshire rolled them over quickly...
Just heard via Will McPherson that the London Hundred team will be called the LONDON SPIRIT.
Thoughts?
For twelveses:
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2019/may/28/the-spin-a-brief-history-of-the-cricket-world-cup?CMP=share_btn_tw
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Warwickshire all out 293 - a super recovery from 186 for 8. Morkel took the last two wickets to fall, finishing with 3-87.
And at Headingley, David Willey takes the ball. Well done Hants for seeing off the new cherry.
Ben Brown, who seems like he’s got quite a stack of runs in his purse this season, currently 76 not out at Hove. Davie Wiese 23 not out in support as Sussex’s lead over Glamorgan passes one hundred.
No repeat of yesterday’s heroics from Liam Norwell - Morkelled for 64. Warwickshire 282/9.
💥 Morkel bowls Norwell top of off for 64... And another good catch from Clarke 😂 pic.twitter.com/esfBuuEPak
— Surrey Cricket (@surreycricket) May 28, 2019
Leicestershire are 85 for seven, still 54 runs behind Derby’s miserable 139. Poor Hasan Azad has nearly been in two and a half hours for 24 as things fall about him. Anyone at Grace Road? Is it the pitch? Or am I being generous?
Here is Tom Helm, for your observation:
And news from Cheltenham where there will be a further inspection at 12.30 - I guess they’re taking an early lunch there.
Kent have had bad start. 0-1. Porter strikes in his first over, Sean Dickson for a duck.
A Wicket! A wicket! at Headingley as Duanne Olivier ramps up and ramps up. Weatherly well caught by Adam Lyth at second slip off - of course - a short one. So we’re back to the Isle of Wight heroes of Rahane and Northeast.
Oh dear, that does look rather soggy at Cheltenham, like when your three year old piddles on your parents’ new carpet:
Water seeped under the covers at Cheltenham. Serious doubts about play today. pic.twitter.com/YioirAbOwQ
— Bob Hunt (@BobHuntSport) May 28, 2019
On the one hand, rain has stopped play at New Road (Worcs 85-5), but on the other, play will start at ten to noon at Edgbaston.
Essex all out 313, Matt Milnes 4-61. This could be an intriguing little game if Kent manage to get close.
And while I was looking that up, Helm got another! Tongue for seven. Worcester, whose batting doesn’t match up to the bowling, 77 for 5 with the two Ws left to do some emergency patching.
So, Tom Helm: just turned 25, played Bucks age group, England Lions and U19s, a loan spell a Glamorgan and Middlesex.Twenty-three first-class games, 58 wickets at 31. Ah - a fine fast bowling prospect but has suffered from injuries - stress fracture and ankle.
Worcestershire lose a fourth - Fell fell for 19, Worcs 75-4 - and third for Tom Helm at New Road. I don’t know enough about Helm, let me squirrel.
A hundred first-class wickets for Harry Podmore! Porter lbw 1 and Essex on the edge of all out - 303/9.
There’s a delayed start at Edgbaston due to rain and at Cheltenham (I’ll try and get it right this time) due to leaking covers. Here is the umpire’s eye view:
Start of play scores
Division One
Yorkshire v Hampshire: Yorks 181 (Kohler-Canmore 45; F Edwards 5-49); Hampshire 14-1
Warwickshire v Surrey: Warwicks 275-8 (Norwell 58 not out; Dunn 3-59)
Essex v Kent: Essex 303-8 (Cook 125)
Division Two
Worcestershire v Middlesex: Middx 221 (Malan 45) ; Worcs 64-3
Sussex v Glamorgan: Glamorgan 186 all out (Selman 76 not out); Sussex 208-5 (Salt 103)
Leicestershire v Derbyshire: Derbyshire 139 all out (Abbas 3-38; Wright 3-39); Leicester 55-4 (Palladino 3-3)
Gloucestershire v Lancashire: Gloucs 205 (Hammond 82; Mahmoud 4-48); Lancs 47-2
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RIP Les McFarlane
A lovely little bio from the Northants website:
Born in Jamaica, Les earned a reputation as a formidable fast bowler with United Social in Northampton Town League cricket during the 1970s, forming a much-feared pace partnership with his brother Carl.
Few if any club batsmen relished facing Les on the ‘sporting’ park pitches of the time – but he was too good a bowler to need that degree of help from the conditions and duly attracted interest from Wantage Road.
He turned out for Northamptonshire’s Second XI as early as 1974, and at the end of May 1979 – forty years ago this week – made his first-class debut for the County (player number 322) against Surrey at The Oval, sharing the new ball with Sarfraz Nawaz.
He took 13 wickets in eight matches that season – also playing in five John Player League games – but failed to make enough of an impact to persuade NCCC to offer him a full contract for 1980.
Then a superb season for Bedfordshire in 1981, claiming 62 wickets at 16.62, persuaded Lancashire to sign him. He made 35 appearances for them between 1982 and 1984 and took 73 wickets including a match-winning 6-59 against Warwickshire at Southport in 1982.
He subsequently left Old Trafford and spent the summer of 1985 with Glamorgan, for whom he picked up 16 wickets in 13 matches.
Everyone connected with Northamptonshire County Cricket Club has been saddened to learn of the passing of our former player Les McFarlane at the age of 66.https://t.co/8hwShM52mK pic.twitter.com/32OQqiMBWC
— NCCC (@NorthantsCCC) May 28, 2019
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Latest news from Cheltenham: inspection at 11.30.
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That 💯 moment... 👨🍳😍 #ESSvKEN pic.twitter.com/HqAUxtUi2P
— Essex Cricket (@EssexCricket) May 27, 2019
Preamble
Good morning!
First an apology. My broken laptop has meant that I’m going to have to write on the home desktop, but Graham Hardcastle will be your guide tomorrow and Thursday in situ high up in the Headingley press box. But though I can’t lick my finger to taste the direction of the Headingley gale, Twitter says that it is overcast and dry.
All round the counties, batting was tricky, except at Edgbaston at the last (arise Liam Norwell!), Hove, when Sussex were batting, and at at Chelmsford where Sir Alastair managed to run himself out on 125. But bad news from Cheltenham this morning...
Bad news from Cheltenham. Water has got onto the wicket overnight and we are going to have a delayed start. The umpires are due to inspect at 10.30 and as soon as we have news we will provide an update #GLOvLAN
— Lancashire Cricket (@lancscricket) May 28, 2019
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