Graham Hardcastle's county roundup
Surrey completed a thrilling six‑run victory against Lancashire at the Oval as Morne Morkel pushed his new county towards their first Championship title since 2002.
The hostile South African quick took all five wickets to fall on day four as Lancashire, chasing 271, advanced from 177 for five overnight against the pink ball.
Surrey were pushed to near breaking point by a Lancashire side now bottom of Division One and staring at relegation with four to play. The 33-year-old Morkel wrapped up Surrey’s seventh win in nine and their sixth on the trot when he had the last man, Matthew Parkinson, superbly caught at short‑leg by the substitute Will Jacks, finishing with six for 57. He has now taken 33 wickets in his first five Championship appearances.
Make no mistake, this was a hammer blow to Lancashire, for whom the ninth-wicket pair Graham Onions and Tom Bailey shared 47 to advance from 209 for eight either side of lunch. Onions even hit the first ball after lunch for six off Sam Curran to take the target to 18. They are now six points adrift of second‑bottom Worcestershire after six defeats. They have also played once more than all of their relegation rivals.
The result at the Oval also took the gloss off second‑placed Somerset’s win against Essex at Taunton as Jack Leach returned eight for 85 to bowl the champions out for 290 chasing 336. They had been 171 for one. Surrey lead by 32 points with five to play and have to travel to Taunton in the penultimate round.
Hampshire completed a 270‑run home win against Nottinghamshire to ease their relegation concerns.
In Division Two Sussex moved second and within four points of the leaders, Warwickshire, by beating Derbyshire at Hove while Middlesex’s slim promotion hopes remain alive after beating Northamptonshire at Wantage Road having been asked to follow on earlier in the contest. Northants fell 31 short of chasing 216.
County Championship results
Division One
- Yorkshire 216 & 170; Worcestershire 572-7 dec Worcs win by an innings and 186 runs
- Somerset 324 & 202; Essex 191 & 290 Somerset win by 45 runs
- Hampshire 277 & 399-7 dec; Nottinghamshire 166 & 240 Hampshire win by 270 runs
- Surrey 211 & 306; Lancashire 247 & 264 Surrey win by six runs
Division Two
- Sussex 440 & 353-6 dec; Derbyshire 389-9 & 161-9 Sussex win by 243 runs
- Northamptonshire 346 & 184; Middlesex 187 & 374 Middlesex win by 31 runs
Updated
Surrey have won by six runs, with Morne Morkel finishing with six wickets in the innings and all five to fall today. Will Jacks has just taken a stunning one-handed catch at short-leg to help remove Matthew Parkinson. Surrey have won for the seventh time in nine matches this season and lead Somerset by 32 points. That is their sixth straight win.
For Lancashire, who contributed so much to that game, they are bottom of the table, six points behind Worcestershire with one win and six defeats from 10. They have also played one more than the teams directly above them. Those two meet at Southport next week.
Middlesex have also beaten Northants by 31 runs at Wantage Road to keep themselves just about alive in the promotion race in Division Two.
Sussex have beaten Derbyshire at Hove, by 243 runs. Three wickets in the second innings for the left-arm spin of Danny Briggs. They are back up to second and have cut the lead to Warwickshire to just four points. More importantly, they lead third-placed Kent by 11 points. Lancashire need seven to win.
Morne Morkel has just bowled Graham Onions for 29, and Lancashire are now 256-9, needing 15. Morkel has all four wickets to fall today and five in the innings. Matthew Parkinson strides to the crease to join Tom Bailey. 32 Championship wickets so far this season for Mr Morkel.
Bosh! Graham Onions has hit the first ball of the afternoon session, from Sam Curran, over long-on for six. Lancashire need 18 with two wickets in hand.
Somerset have beaten Essex. They have secured their fifth win from nine matches and have significantly cut the gap to leaders Surrey, who are involved in a humdinger of a finish at the Oval.
Jack Leach with 8-85 as Essex, chasing 336, slipped from 171-1 to 290 all out.
I can just imagine them singing Blackbird in the Taunton changing-room huddle around a laptop checking on events in South London.
At lunch, Lancashire need 24 with two wickets in hand. Tom Bailey and Graham Onions have shared 38 and counting for the ninth wicket.
Updated
Lancashire are 37 away with two wickets in hand (234-8) against leaders Surrey at the Oval. Tom Bailey and Graham Onions are at the crease with Matthew Parkinson to come. Bailey and Onions have already shared 25 for the ninth wicket.
Essex are in a similar position against second-placed Somerset at Taunton. They are 286-8, needing 50 more. Peter Siddle and Jamie Porter are unbeaten.
Lancashire are seven down at the Oval. Steven Croft (43) and Josh Bohannon (32) have fallen to Morne Morkel. At 204-7, they still require 67 with Tom Bailey and Joe Mennie in.
Hampshire have beaten Notts at the Ageas Bowl, making a Lancashire win all the more important. Essex are now six down against Somerset, needing 77 more at Taunton. They are 259-6 with Simon Harmer and Ravi Bopara at the crease. Jack Leach has a five-for.
Lancashire are whittling down their target at the Oval. At 188-5, they now just need 83 to win. What a game Josh Bohannon is having. A determined and diminutive batting all-rounder from Bolton, Bohannon has added an unbeaten 28 to his first-innings fifty on debut. He has shared 64 and counting with Steven Croft for the sixth wicket. Not a bad week to do it in given the Red Rose have lost Jordan Clark to Surrey!
Result at the Ageas Bowl: Hampshire have beaten Nottinghamshire by 270 runs after getting the final two wickets to leave Notts all out for 240.
Updated
Some reaction from Worcestershire’s head coach Kevin Sharp to Moeen Ali’s potential return to the Test side: “I think he’s got the bit between his teeth,” he said. “He was very disappointed to be left out, and it wasn’t what he wanted. I have to say he’s taken it on the chin and come back to Worcester. His work ethic has been excellent.“The fact that he’s been left out has really spurred him on to get back into the team.”
Hampshire are on the verge of beating Notts at the Ageas Bowl, where the visitors are 209-8 requiring 302 more to win. Kyle Abbott and Liam Dawson have three wickets apiece.
Essex look like they have the advantage at Taunton, despite losing Nick Browne and Tom Westley in successive overs. Chasing that 336, they are 213-3. They need 123 more.
In Division Two, Derbyshire are 71-2 in pursuit of 405 at Sussex. The best they can hope for is a draw out of that one. Northants have started well in their pursuit of 216 to beat Middlesex at Wantage Road. They are 76-1 with Luke Procter and Ricardo Vasconcelos at the crease.
Updated
Worcestershire have won by an innings and 186 runs, bowling Yorkshire out for 170 in their second innings. It took just 40 minutes of play this morning for Moeen Ali and Dillon Pennington to strike twice apiece. Worcestershire are now five points behind Yorkshire. Both sides await other results to see exactly where they stand in the Division One table.
At Wantage Road, Northants are chasing 216 to beat Middlesex and have reached 13-0 in the early stages of their chase. The last knockings here....Yorkshire are 164-8 with Jack Brooks and Jonny Tattersall trying to resist. Well, I say resist, Brooks is not the sort to hang around. Hang on, he’s just been bowled by Dillon Pennington. I told you he’s not the sort to hang around! 164-9 now.
Two wickets already for Moeen Ali, and he has 6-39. David Willey was bowled and Matthew Fisher was caught behind within four balls in the 56th over, the fourth of the morning. Moeen still on for 10 wickets in the match and a double hundred.
Preamble
Good morning from Scarborough, where the sun is shining and we have the best weather of the week. Unfortunately, though, we are due for a pretty short day as Worcestershire need just four wickets to beat Yorkshire (140-6, trailing by 216) to claim their second win of the campaign.
Bottom before this game, they could move higher depending on other results at the Oval and the Ageas Bowl. They would be just five points behind Yorkshire with as many games to play. The two meet at New Road in the final round of the season next month. David Willey and Jonny Tattersall will begin the day at the crease hoping for a miracle.
If Lancashire manage to complete a surprise win over Surrey at the Oval – they will begin at 1.30pm on 177-5 in their second innings needing 94 more – and Hampshire complete victory over Nottinghamshire, then Yorkshire would be second bottom in Division One.
Notts will resume their second innings on 128-4 with 383 more needed for victory. The three results already completed in this round have come in Division Two; leaders Warwickshire beating Gloucestershire, Kent winning a key promotion battle with Leicestershire and mid-table Durham beating bottom side Glamorgan.
At Hove, Derbyshire are chasing 405 against Sussex, for whom opener Phil Salt scored a magnificent 148 off 138 balls yesterday to turn what looked like being a high-scoring draw into a genuine victory chance for the hosts. Derbyshire reached 6-0 last night and only have nine wickets to play with given Ravi Rampaul is out of the game following breathing problems.
At Wantage Road, Middlesex simply have to win to maintain their slim hopes of a late promotion charge, and it looks like being a cracker of a finish against Northants. Middlesex lead by 215 with one second-innings wicket in hand. Some effort from the visitors having been asked to follow-on 259 behind. Sam Robson, Max Holden (94) and James Harris have all contributed significantly to their second-innings 374-9. Harris will resume on 79 this morning with Tim Murtagh for company.
Latest scores
Division One
Yorkshire 216 & 140-6, Worcs 572-7dec Yorks trail by 216 runs
Somerset 324 & 202, Essex 191 & 147-1 Essex need 189 to win
Hampshire 277 & 399-7dec, Notts 166 & 128-4 Notts need 383 to win
Surrey 211 & 306, Lancashire 247 & 177-5 Lancs need 94 to win
Division Two
Sussex 440 & 353-6dec, Derbys 389-9 & 6-0 Derbys need 399 to win
Northants 346, Middx 187 & 374-9 Middx lead by 215 runs
