Roundup: Somerset and Yorkshire win, Pope gets England call
Somerset successfully chased 258 at Edgbaston to beat Warwickshire and close the gap to leaders Essex to just two points with three rounds remaining. They meet at Taunton in the final round next month.
Somerset, eight without loss overnight, achieved their target for the loss of five wickets after tea. They wobbled at 49 for three, only for dynamic quartet Babar Azam (40), Tom Banton (66), George Bartlett and Dom Bess to see them home. Bartlett and Bess shared an unbroken sixth-wicket stand of 88 either side of tea, finishing unbeaten on 54 and 40.
Off-spinner Bess spent a short loan period with fellow title rivals Yorkshire earlier this season. When they were denied permission for an extension of the deal, the White Rose called upon South African Test left-armer Keshav Maharaj, who has since taken 28 wickets in four games as their overseas player.
Maharaj finished with six for 95 as winless Notts were bowled out for 243 two overs after lunch chasing 387 at Scarborough. Discussions are already ongoing about his return next summer. He will play his final game of 2019 against Somerset at Taunton (September 10-13), a game they will go into 37 points behind Essex. Bottom side Notts are 42 behind second-bottom Warwickshire.
Surrey’s Ollie Pope scored his second first-class career double hundred, both of which have come in the last five months, and then weaved his way up the M1 to Headingley in case he is required for the third Ashes Test.
The 21-year-old swashbuckler will add to the two caps he won against India last August should Jason Roy be ruled out with concussion, and Pope could hardly be better prepared despite a disruptive summer following shoulder surgery. After hitting 251 in the MCC champion county fixture in late March, he badly dislocated his left shoulder while fielding one month later.
After returning to T20 action over the last few weeks with limited success, he marked his first Championship appearance of 2019 in fine style, underpinning Surrey’s first-innings 579 for six (declared) against Hampshire with 221 not out off 337 balls. He looked particularly strong off his legs and through the covers, hitting 22 boundaries.
Pope began day four on 176 and left the field when Surrey declared, leading by 212 at 12.10pm. By 12.45pm, he had departed for Leeds, where he arrived via car. Hampshire (253 for five) later held on for a draw in the mid-table battle.
While Leicestershire’s Mark Cosgrove brilliantly held up Durham’s Division Two promotion bid with a match-saving unbeaten 107 at the Riverside, Gloucestershire chased 263 in 49 overs to win by eight wickets with 11 balls remaining at Derby and move into second place. Opener James Bracey led the way with a superb unbeaten 116.
Surrey and Hampshire have now shaken hands at the Oval, the match ending in a draw.
In Division Two, bad light has brought a halt to Leicestershire v Durham, while Gloucestershire need 63 runs to beat Derbyshire with nine wickets in hand.
That’s all for today, but keep your eyes peeled for our roundup of the final day’s play, which will be here later.
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The two games which look like being draws – Surrey v Hampshire in Division One and Durham v Leicestershire in Division Two – are still going. I was half-thinking they may have shaken hands at 5pm. Hampshire lead by 20 with five wickets left and Leicester lead by 23 with four left.
The other match, Derbyshire v Gloucestershire, is very much alive at Derby and going the way of the visitors. They are 142-1, needing 121 more with just under 17 overs left.
The title race: Here’s how the Division One table looks after Somerset and Yorkshire added to their win tallies today.
- Essex – 188 points
- Somerset – 186 points
- Yorkshire – 151 points
Remaining fixtures:
Essex: Warwickshire (A), Surrey (H), Somerset (A)
Somerset: Yorkshire (H), Hampshire (A), Essex (H)
Yorkshire: Somerset (A), Kent (H), Warwickshire (A)
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Somerset beat Warwickshire by five wickets!
Somerset have won by five wickets. That’s great news for the title race, but not so much for Essex. George Bartlett 54 not out and Dom Bess 40 not out, sharing an unbroken 88 for the sixth wicket in their pursuit of 258. The gap is two points with three games to go.
Somerset are nearly there now. They need just 14 more runs with five wickets in hand.
In Division Two meanwhile, Gloucestershire look like they will give their 263 target a go at Derbyshire. They are 76-0 with 29 overs remaining and James Bracey and Chris Dent at the crease.
Tea update
Here’s a tea update from around the grounds, with a quartet of games still in play:
Division One
Warwickshire v Somerset, Edgbaston - Somerset are closing in on a win which take them two points behind leaders Essex with three games to play, including a meeting between the two at Taunton in the final week of the season. They are 215-5 chasing 258 - 43 more required.
Surrey v Hampshire, Oval - Hampshire are 184-5 in their second innings, trailing by 28. Amar Virdi has taken three wickets with his off-spinners.
Division Two
Derbyshire v Gloucestershire, Derby - Gloucestershire are 48-0 chasing 263. That would be a huge win in their promotion push.
Durham v Leicestershire, Riverside - Leicestershire, made to follow-on earlier in the game, are 304-6 in their second innings, trailing by four runs. Given Durham’s position in the promotion shake-up, that’s a big final session coming up.
It’s a bit too early to say that Somerset are nearly there at Edgbaston, but they are closing in. At 197-5 chasing 258 and with George Bartlett and Dom Bess set, they need 61 more for a massive victory in their season.
Here’s some reaction from the two camps at Scarborough, firstly from winning Yorkshire coach Andrew Gale, who was delighted with his side’s recovery from 13-4 on the first morning.
“From there, we drove the game,” he said. “That’s a good win. I had no problem with the way we went about our batting in the first innings. I said to the lads after the first day, ‘Sometimes you have to just give the opposition credit’. I thought Luke Wood probably bowled one of the best spells he has done in his career.
“Yes, we gave them a couple of wickets out of the 10 that we lost, but the attitude and approach to it was good. It just happened that we were 13-4. But I thought the partnership between Tim Bresnan and Jonny Tattersall [121 for the sixth wicket] was the biggest difference in the game. They showed a lot of character and skill.”
South African Test spinner Keshav Maharaj claimed eight wickets in the match, including six in the second innings, as the hosts comfortably defended a 387 target to win for the second time at Scarborough this year. They are 37 points behind leaders Essex with three games remaining.
Gale added: “Keshav’s been huge for us. I think one of the lads just said he’s got 28 wickets in four games. When you get a total like that on the board second innings and there’s a bit in the pitch, having a world-class spinner is massive.” On Yorkshire’s title hopes, Gale said: “Kent sort of messed it up against Essex. All we can do is control what we’re doing. We’re playing some good cricket in this format.”
Nottinghamshire stand-in captain Chris Nash was frustrated that his side remain winless. And despite the odd positive here and there – Liam Patterson-White’s all-round display, for example – he bemoaned his side’s inability to convert a position of authority in the first innings.
“It’s hard when you’re in the position we are, at the bottom of the table having lost another game, to draw on any positives. I know people will get sick of us talking about positives, but there were some,” he said.
“Ultimately, we had them 38-5 and let them get 60 or so more than we’d have liked. Then we’re 180 odd all out from 90-2. That’s the switch in the game and the 140 runs we’re looking for. It’s disappointing in that respect.”
Ravi Ashwin returns for the latter stages of the Championship campaign, and Nash added: “We haven’t won a game all season and have lost a lot following some bad sessions. But you never know. We’ll keep working hard and see where we get to.”
Big wicket for Warwickshire debutant George Garrett, who has trapped Babar Azam lbw for 40, ending a 90-run stand with Tom Banton for the fourth Somerset wicket. That left Somerset at 139-4 chasing 258. They are now 144-4, with Banton still there on 57. That’s going to be a fascinating finish.
Yorkshire beat Notts by 143 runs!
There have been two early afternoon wickets at Derby, where the hosts are 411-5 leading by 192. Tom Lace (125) and Leus du Plooy have both fallen.
Ah, as I type, Luke Fletcher is lbw Maharaj. 243-9. Yorkshire nearly there. They would go 37 points behind Essex with three games to play. Maharaj has taken five wickets in an innings for the second match running. Now six. Jake Ball is caught at slip. That’s it. 243 all out. Yorkshire win by 143 runs.
Lunch scores
Here’s a lunch update from around the grounds:
Division One
Surrey v Hampshire, Oval - Ollie Pope finished 221 not out as Surrey set up a first-innings lead of 212, and he has since been called up as injury cover for Jason Roy at Headingley for the third Ashes Test. Hampshire are 38-1 at lunch.
Warwickshire v Somerset, Edgbaston - Second-placed Somerset, chasing 258, have advanced from 8-0 overnight to 87-3. They are aiming to cut the gap to two points between themselves and leaders Essex.
Yorkshire v Nottinghamshire, Scarborough - Yorkshire need two more wickets for victory over the bottom side having taken four morning wickets. Notts are 238-8 chasing 387. Liam Patterson-White has played nicely for 55 not out - his first fifty.
Division Two
Derbyshire v Gloucestershire, Derby - Wicketless session as the hosts pile on the runs in their second innings. Centurion Tom Lace and Leus du Plooy have shared 145 unbroken for the fourth wicket. At 385-3, they lead by 166.
Durham v Leicestershire, Riverside - Leicestershire holding on to frustrate their promotion chasing hosts. Also a wicketless morning, with Mark Cosgrove and Colin Ackermann cutting their deficit to 88 at 220-3 having been made to follow on in reply to 544-9 declared.
The man of the moment, Ollie Pope, is on his way to Headingley as a standby for Jason Roy, who will continue to be monitored for concussion. Notts are now 219-8 after wickets for Tim Bresnan and Keshav Maharaj.
An impressive maiden fifty for Liam Patterson-White. Born in Sunderland, not a million miles from Scarborough, LPW (a nickname I have made up on the spot) has just lofted Keshav Maharaj straight over the sight screen for six to get him there off 98 balls. It thudded into the press box wall as well. A bit higher and my laptop could have been toast. Notts are now 210-6, needing 177 more to win.
Plenty more action in Division One ...
Wickets at Edgbaston and here at Scarborough, and a declaration at the Oval. Tom Abell has been trapped lbw by Henry Brookes, with Somerset now 58-3, needing 200 more to win. Keshav Maharaj has just ousted Tom Moores, caught at short-leg, and Notts are 191-6. At the Oval, Surrey have declared their first-innings reply to Hampshire’s 367 on 579-7, meaning a lead of 212. Ollie Pope finished on 221 not out.
There has still not been a wicket in Division Two. Derbyshire are 349-3 in their second innings at home to Gloucestershire, leading by 130. Leicestershire are 191-3 second time around at Durham and still trail by 117 having been asked to follow-on in reply to 544-9 declared.
And another head blow as I type – Duanne Olivier has just sconned Paul Coughlin.
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Ball-to-head in cricket is very much a hot topic at the moment, but there can be few stranger examples than this, from Leicestershire’s Mark Cosgrove off the bowling of Ben Raine at the Riverside:
Who's the better header of a ball, @cozzie99 or @HarryMaguire93? 😂 pic.twitter.com/6hjTqMvSX1
— County Championship (@CountyChamp) August 21, 2019
Duanne Olivier has removed Ben Duckett for 75, caught at point off a leading edge as he tried to play to leg (Notts 181-5), while Ollie Pope has reached 200 at the Oval. Surrey will set up a victory pursuit later in the day in their mid-table battle with Hampshire. They are 186 in front at 553-6.
🎉 What a moment for Ollie Pope.
— Surrey Cricket (@surreycricket) August 21, 2019
His double-century came off 323 balls and included 19 fours.
LIVE STREAM ➡️ https://t.co/t6mTPqMUCs pic.twitter.com/VBJ5IAlhR1
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A second wicket falls at Edgbaston, with Somerset 42-2 as James Hildreth is trapped lbw by Ollie Hannon-Dalby. Babar Azam has arrived at the crease, while Ollie Pope is in the 190s at the Oval.
Here at Scarbados, Ben Duckett is holding Yorkshire up. He has 71 not out from 171-4 as Notts face the all-South African attack of Keshav Maharaj and Duanne Olivier. Their target is 387. In Division Two, it has been a wicketless start to the day at Derbyshire and Durham.
Breakthrough for Warwickshire. Steve Davies has been caught behind off Ollie Hannon-Dalby. Somerset are 33-1.
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Surrey have lost their sixth wicket at the Oval, Ben Foakes bowled by Kyle Abbott. But Ollie Pope is still there on 183. At 502-6, they lead Hampshire by 135. More importantly in the grand scheme of Division One, Somerset have made a solid start to the day as they chase 258 to beat Warwickshire at Edgbaston. They have moved from 8-0 to 29-0 thanks to Tom Abell and Steve Davies.
It has been an eventful first two overs at Scarborough, in which Ben Duckett has reached his third fifty of the season with a boundary to long-leg off Ben Coad, who had only just dropped a return catch with the left-hander on 47. Liam Patterson-White also edged Steve Patterson in between two slips and a gully for four. Notts are 143-4 chasing 387.
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England have also announced their schedule for next summer:
England will next year play six Tests as part of the ICC World Test Championship, six ODIs and T20 matches against four different national sides. The ECB’s summer 2020 schedule sets up fixtures with West Indies, Ashes rivals Australia, Pakistan and Ireland.
England will be looking to gain revenge after losing the Test series in the Caribbean last winter and begin their three-match series against West Indies at the Oval in June. The second Test follows at Edgbaston with the third Test taking place at Lord’s.
Australia return to England for a three-match T20 series across the north of England with matches at the Riverside, Headingley and Old Trafford.
In July and August, Pakistan arrive for a three-Test series at Lord’s, Old Trafford and Trent Bridge as well as three T20s at at Headingley, Sophia Gardens and the Ageas Bowl. Trent Bridge, Edgbaston and the Oval then host a three-match ODI series against Ireland.
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Away from the county scene, here’s some good Ashes news for England ...
Jason Roy has passed a concussion test and is fit to play in the third Test at Headingley, starting tomorrow. The Surrey man was struck by a throw-down from former international Marcus Trescothick, who is working with the team in a temporary capacity, during practice yesterday.
Roy was assessed after impact and was able to continue batting, but also required a follow-up check on the eve of the match to determine any delayed symptoms. That is how Steve Smith was ruled out of this match following his Jofra Archer neck blow on Saturday. He was fine to continue batting following a short time off the field, only to report delayed symptoms on Sunday morning.
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Preamble
Good morning from Scarborough ahead of the fourth and final day of this latest round of Championship fixtures. Of the nine games we started the week with across the two divisions, we only have five left in play, including this one between Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire.
There is every chance that the top three sides in Division One will win. After leaders Essex completed their come-from-behind success over Kent at Canterbury yesterday, it is down to Yorkshire and Somerset, who are chasing 258 to beat Warwickshire at Edgbaston, to follow suit. Somerset’s win is the one which is most in the balance. They will begin day four on 8-0.
Third-placed Yorkshire need six wickets with Notts, chasing 387, on 135-4. Ben Duckett is unbeaten on 47. The Yorkshire hierarchy have always played down their title chances, right from the end of last season in fact.
I remember chatting to Andrew Gale in the first week of October when they played in a T20 competition in Abu Dhabi and he said then, “We’re a young, developing side, consolidation is key”. I’m paraphrasing a touch, but you get the picture.
Only last week, Gale said the title would be a big bonus. If we assume Yorkshire win, they will go into the final three rounds 37 points adrift of Essex with Somerset, their next opponents at Taunton next month, sandwiched in between.
I was very impressed with Notts yesterday. Yorkshire started the day leading by 225 with eight wickets in hand in their second innings, so it would have been easy for Notts to crumble. But they didn’t. They bowled well, lead by five wickets for Luke Fletcher in the afternoon.
Champions Surrey, out of the title race, have an outside chance of victory against Hampshire at the Oval. At 490-5 in reply to 367, they lead by 123 at the start of the day. How great is it to see Ollie Pope back in the swing of things after his early season shoulder injury? He is 176 not out and could easily take James Vince and co to task this morning.
The key fixture in Division Two today sees Durham try to complete a victory over Leicestershire at the Riverside which would throw them right into the thick of the promotion race. Leicestershire will resume their second innings on 153-3 and still trail their hosts by 155.
Gloucestershire are also in the hunt for a top-three finish, but their clash at Derbyshire is likely to finish in a draw. Derbyshire, 305-3 in their second innings overnight, lead by 86. Every time I seem to see Derbyshire or look at a scorecard, Billy Godleman has got runs. He notched 86 yesterday. How many runs has he got this season across all formats? There won’t be many batsmen with more, I would suspect.
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