Tanya Aldred's county roundup
A one-run Yorkshire victory at Headingley had the red terraces leaning over the empty stands in anticipation. With just two needed, captain Steve Patterson ploughed in and Northamptonshire’s Wayne Parnell, who’d whisked 33 crucial runs, was beaten by a fast off-break. For a mini-moment, stillness, until Ben Sanderson fell on his haunches at the non-striker’s end, and the Yorkshire slips bounced in delight.
Northants had started the day needing another 126, reduced to 46 at lunch, though with only three wickets left. Parnell found dance partners in Gareth Berg and Simon Kerrigan, helped by fallible catching from Yorkshire. Then, after an ill-timed break for rain with only 14 needed and as the last man walked out, he fell at the final hurdle. He’d also taken 10 wickets in the match. In the word of Northants head coach David Ripley: “It is gutting.”
From under Leicestershire’s nose, Gloucestershire whipped a four-wicket victory with just minutes left. Chasing 348, Ian Cockbain, scoring his first century since 2014, and Tom Lace, a perfectly-paced 97, steadied nerves at 52 for three before upping the ante . To whooping from spectators in the flats looking over Bristol, Ryan Higgins walloped 33 and extras a cruel 39. Gloucestershire last had three Championship wins at the start of the season in 1948.
Lewis Goldsworthy’s first-class debut was one to remember, unbeaten on 41, and sloughing the winning runs, as Somerset snatched a four-wicket victory over Middlesex. In a seventh-wicket stand of 86 he, and Steve Davies, hauled Somerset over the line after Tim Murtagh had sent Tom Abell and George Bartlett packing in consecutive overs, leaving Somerset six down and in the mire.
Another successful run-chase at Hove, where Keaton Jennings, with an unbeaten 91, steered Lancashire to victory. Starting the day needing 129, there was a hitch when promising Sussex off-spinner Jack Carson picked off nightwatchman Saqib Mahmood and then Liam Livingstone. However Josh Bohannon provided the fire to Jennings’ ice, with a quick-step innings of 46. The five-wicket win took Lancashire to the top of Group Three.
Worcestershire and Essex drew on a listless New Road pitch that sucked the life even out of Simon Harmer. Worcestershire had to follow-on after being skewered by a superb spell from Sam Cook. Cook struck twice more in Worcestershire’s second innings, but Jake Libby compiled a serene 52 before they shook hands after tea.
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Hey County Championship, you spruced up a treat. A variation on an arse-nipper on display at Headingley, Taunton, Hove and lastly, and most surprisingly of all, Bristol. New heroes sleep well tonight: Iain Cockbain, Ryan Higgins, Josh Bohannon, Keaton Jennings, Steve Patterson, Tom Lace and debutant Lewis Goldsworthy.
Thanks for your company over these last four days, Simon and I will be back next week at Old Trafford and Lord’s - till then, my friends, have a wonderful bank holiday Monday. Good Night!
Gloucestershire beat Leicestershire by four wickets!
And from out of the shadows, Gloucestershire pull it off! Bravo Ian Cockbain, Tom Lace and Ryan Higgins. Commiserations to Leicestershire, who just couldn’t stop the game squirming away.
Five overs + ten runs - four wickets = arghghghgh!
Cockbain out for 117 after a superbly-paced, quite wonderful, innings. And another! Next ball, Ryan Higgins swings out too. Gloucestershire now six down, 21 neeeded,
Gloucestershire now need only 26 from eight overs. The irrepressible Higgins will get them in big booming boundaries.
Heave-ho! Consecutive boundaries from new man Ryan Higgins - Gloucestershire need 61 to win, six wickets left.
A century for Ian Cockbain, his first since 2014, but Tom Lace falls! For 97 to Callum Parkinson. A magnificent partnership of 224 leaving 71 runs needed at 5.9 an over....
Worcestershire draw with Essex
Essex 561-8 dec v Worcestershire 364 & 129-2
Well played, Jake Libby, 52 not out, but ultimately another notch in the bedpost for the New Road pitch.
Only life at Bristol now, with Gloucestershire in with a fair chance of hitting the 113 they need to win.
Merrily with half an ear on New Road, which is petering out to a draw, I missed that things have picked up at Bristol. Gloucestershire 204 for three, and the chase of 144 has become less theoretical and more a possibility.
Lace and Cockbain bedding in at Bristol - Gloucestershire 144-3. Am expecting handshakes shortly after 5pm. I’m going to start half writing the round up, but will pop back with events.
At New Road, a wicket with the first ball after tea! Fell to that man Sam Cook (2-6) again. Worcs 105-2 but Essex need rapid wickets to force a result in the remaining 29 overs.
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Tea-time scores
Group One
Derby: Notts 256 and 318 beat Derby 105 and 159 by 310 runs
Chester-le-Street: Durham 391-9dec beat Warwickshire 87 and 177 by an innings and 127 runs.
Worcester: Worcestershire 364 and 105-1 v Essex 561-8dec.
Group Two
Bristol: Gloucestershire 275 and 132-3 v Leicestershire 421 and 201-9 Gloucs need 216 to win
Taunton: Somerset 268 and 209-6 beat Middlesex 357 and 117 by four wickets
The Oval: Surrey 560-7dec beat Hampshire 92 all out and 179 by an innings and 289 runs
Group Three
Cardiff: Glamorgan 197 and 19-0 beat Kent 138 and 74 by 10 wickets
Headingley: Yorkshire 206 and 247 beat Northamptonshire 234 and 218by one run
Hove: Lancashire 230 and 255-5 beat Sussex 328 and 154 by five wickets
Poor Wayne Parnell. Ten wickets, 49 crucial runs, only to nick behind, to a fabulous ball, at the crucial moment.
At the completion of round four, group three now reads: Lancashire, Yorkshire, Sussex, Glamorgan, Northants, Kent
Yorkshire beat Northamptonshire by one run!
Man alive! A smart, quick, off-break from Patterson and Parnell edges behind! It takes a second for everyone to realise and then Sanderson falls on his haunches at the non-striker’s end, the Yorkshire slips hug and then everyone pats Parnell on the back.
And Northamptonshire still haven’t won at Headingley for 31 years.
Two to win, one to tie!
The terraces peeking over the top of the blue seats close their eaves...
Sanderson has to play out two balls from Olivier, whose shadow chases him to the crease....
Up and over by Parnell, as he has a bash and the ball slides across the wet grass for four. Five needed!
The target is in single figures. One wicket left. Fiery Olivier bowling to two slips. Parnell, 27 not out, will want to get it in boundaries.
They’re back out at Headingley. Ten needed!
Five men crowded round the bat at New Road as Simon Harmer wheels through the last ball of his over and, is that a hint of weariness as he pulls his cap from the umpire? He’s now bowled 58 overs in the last two days. Worcestershire 72-1. half an hour till tea and the game drifting to a draw.
Lovely crackly rain sound on the BBC mikes from Headingley. Feels like a stretch or five before they get back on. A sneaky chance for me to wish my lovely, smart, kind, gorgeous niece Ruby a Happy 18th Birthday! Not convinced she’ll be tuning into CC Live! from San Francisco, but may she feel the vibes.
In other news, Worcestershire are 48-1 following-on against Essex; while Lace and Cockbain have taken Gloucestershire to 90-3, a theoretical 258 needed to beat Leicestershire.
They’re going off! Rain stops play with Northants 206-9, needing 14.
The number 11, Ben Sanderson, walks out through the rain.
Northants, the new run-chasers extraordinaire, are within 14. Parnell gets an inside edge, fingernails away from his stump. The rain is coming. And, lo, Olivier gets Kerrigan! Caught at second slip. One wicket in hand.
At Headingley, second slip, I’m not sure who, is chewing his nails. 16 to win, two wickets in hand.
Somerset beat Middlesex by four wickets!
Cracking work by Goldsworthy and Davies in the face of the threat of Murtagh and Finn. Superb by Somerset to come back from such a first-innings debt in a low-scoring game.
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Lancashire beat Sussex by five wickets!
The race at Hove is won. Huge congratulations to Keaton Jennings, 91 not out, who steered the good ship red rose ship home.
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Sam Cook not content with four wickets in Worcestershire’s first innings, has broken through in their second, bowling Mitchell for 20. Worcs 24-1. Can the sludgy New Road pitch yet be jinxed?
“What,” asks Andrew Benton, “does the ghost of weather yet-to-come (or even the BBC) have in store at Bristol? Gloucs’s batting department have been making things difficult for themselves, yet again. “
Even less chance of rain, I’m afraid: less than 7 per cent until 5am tomorrow. Gloucestershire currently 67-3 - Dent and Bracey have joined Brathwaite in the tracksuit gang but Lace and Cockbain to weather it out. A theoretical 281 to win.
Tension at Headingley! Wayne Parnell is dropped at slip, but that man Willey can’t be tamed. Berg gone for 16. 41 needed, two wickets in hand.
The rain has thrown a spanner in Somerset’s’ works. The BBC forecast shows sunny spells with up to a 20 per cent chance of rain for the rest of the day, so it should pass.
Welcome back. A post-prandial four by Steven Croft takes Lancashire just a hop, skip and a jump away from victory.
Time for me to stretch my legs with Somerset and Lancashire in pinching distance of victory, and Northants giving it their all at Headingley - the game to watch when everything resumes at 1.40pm.
Lunchtime scores
Group One
Derby: Notts 256 and 318 beat Derby 105 and 159 by 310 runs
Chester-le-Street: Durham 391-9dec beat Warwickshire 87 and 177 by an innings and 127 runs.
Worcester: Worcestershire 364 and 6-0 v Essex 561-8dec.
Group Two
Bristol: Gloucestershire 275 and 45-2 v Leicestershire 421 and 201-9
Taunton: Somerset 268 and 188-6 v Middlesex 357 and 117. Somerset need 19 to win
The Oval: Surrey 560-7dec beat Hampshire 92 all out and 179 by an innings and 289 runs
Group Three
Cardiff: Glamorgan 197 and 19-0 beat Kent 138 and 74 by 10 wickets
Headingley: Yorkshire 206 and 247 v Northamptonshire 234 and 174-7. Northants need 46 to win
Hove: Lancashire 230 and 228-5 v Sussex 328 and 154. Lancs need 25 to win.
And so Essex do ask Worcestershire to follow-on. 2-0 in a tricky over, or two max, before lunch.
Northants. Northants?! I looked away and Berg and Parnell have heaved them back into contention with a partnership of 28: 49 needed, 3 wickets in hand.
Bohannon. Gone! A smashing catch by Tom Clark at fine-leg, but suspect it is too little, too late. Fabulously well-paced innings. Can’t really believe the Sussex fielders need those bottles of water - unless they’re actually full of hot chocolate. Just 29 needed, six wickets left.
While only 23 needed at Taunton where Somerset also look as if they’re going to chase their target down successfully. Four wickets in hand.
Worcestershire are all out after a disappointing morning’s work, Dillon Pennington, in the midst of a slog ,bowled by Dan Lawrence. The Essex lead 197 - they have to enforce the follow-on and hope for the Harmer effect. Don’t they?
And the rain falls in Manchester.
David Warner dropped by Sunrisers Hyderabad in the still progressing IPL. SRH are currently playing Rajasthan Royals, where Jos Buttler has made 124 in RR’s 220-3.
Kraigg Brathwaite has been and gone for 16, caught off Alex Evans. Gloucestershire 29-1 and shutting up shop for the day I suspect. An ethereal 319 needed to win.
“For once, it turns out it is a good idea not to have any cricket on a bank holiday,” writes Drew Morgan, “what with the appalling forecast.”
Yes, that dastardly forecast is a low blow for lots of recreational cricket.
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A couple of fours from Davies released a little pressure at Taunton. On the Sussex stream, the fielders look cold, as Josh Bohannon clips Henry Crocombe for four. I think Keaton Jennings (75 not out) has bagged this for the red rose. Just 65 needed, six wickets left.
Four squeezed through a vacant gully by Lewis Goldsworthy. Knocking them off, run by run at Taunton in an abrasive crawl to the finish. Somerset still need 64, four wickets in hand.
Lewis Goldsworthy and Steve Davies have put on 15 at Taunton, another 69 needed. Middx are chasing four more wickets.
Apparently the Lancashire coaching staff are lapping the outfield. Is this an omen, like an approaching storm?
Leicestershire declare and Gloucestershire need 348 to win!
Five wickets for Ryan Higgins as Leicester chucked the bat to add 76 this morning.
And Barnard is bowled by Harmer, and the Worcesters are collapsing!
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A fourth wicket for Sam Cook at New Road, where Alzarri Joseph has been lbw for a duck. Worcester have lost two for two, still trail by 235 with only two wickets left. I’d back them to bat out a follow-on but you never know.
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Clearing my throat to inform you that Liam Livingstone has been out to Jack Carson and the shadow of a Lancs-up ventures onto the pitch. 101 still needed to win, seven wicket left.
Nightwatchman Saqib Mahmood is stumped going for a quick polka off Jack Carson. Lancs 147 for 3, need 106. Carson now has six wickets - he’ll be on that winter tour if he doesn’t watch out.
Somerset - arghg - have lost Tom Abell and George Bartlett in the space of five runs. Both to Tim Murtagh who now has 4-46. Somerset still need 84, only four wickets left, time for the tail to bail them out yet again.
Luke Procter is no more, as David Willey makes his mark against his old club in thick black marker pen. I fear this was lost for Northants when Willey threw down the stumps of Vasconcelos yesterday evening. Still, only 101 to win, five wickets in hand.
Riki Wessels glances back to see his stumps castled by Sam Cook, leaving Worcestershire still 85 adrift of the follow-on with Ed Barnard and Ben Cox at the crease.
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No wickets in the run chases, but Rishi Patel is out, caught behind, I’m guessing having a slog, at Bristol. The lead there now over 300.
Leicestershire are batting on at Bristol, despite the threat of rain. They’re making rapid progress though, adding 25 already this morning, as the lead grows to 293.
There is a spot of rain at Hove where Lancashire’s run-chase has been delayed. Elsewhere, they’re up and running, with Tom Abell, 43, beaten by Tim Murtagh in the first over. Lewis Gregory has tested negative for Covid so will be available for selection on Thursday - these games do come round relentlessly.
Happy belated birthday to Sonny Ramadin, up in the Lancashire hills, who turns 92, and Gordon Greenidge 70, both yesterday. And happy proper birthday to Brian Lara, unbelievably 52 today. Roll back the years here:
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Sunday's scoreboard
Group One
Derby: Notts 256 and 318 beat Derby 105 and 159 by 310 runs
Chester-le-Street: Durham 391-9dec beat Warwickshire 87 and 177 by an innings and 127 runs.
Worcester: Worcestershire 302-5 v Essex 561-8dec.
Group Two
Bristol: Gloucestershire 275 v Leicestershire 421 and 125-3
Taunton: Somerset 268 and 104-4 v Middlesex 357 and 117. Somerset need 103 to win
The Oval: Surrey 560-7dec beat Hampshire 92 all out and 179 by an innings and 289 runs
Group Three
Cardiff: Glamorgan 197 and 19-0 beat Kent 138 and 74 by 10 wickets
Headingley: Yorkshire 206 and 247 v Northamptonshire 234 and 94-4. Northants need 126 to win
Hove: Lancashire 230 and 124-2 v Sussex 328 and 154. Lancs need 129 to win.
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A reminder of Saturday's events
One thousand and forty-three days after Nottinghamshire last won a County Championship match, they broke their duck with a 310-run victory over Derbyshire. Inspired by Stuart Broad, steaming off the grass, and taking four for 37, they were able to clutch victory just before lunch.
Derbyshire’s pursuit of 470 had got off to a rotten start when Broad, in the first over of the morning, had Luis Reece snaffled at slip and Leus du Plooy lbw the very next ball.
Five wickets fell in the first hour and only a maiden fifty from Ben Aitchison delayed the inevitable.
The ever-patient, ever-hopeful, captain, Steve Mullaney said: “A lot of hard work has gone into having this feeling, but at the same time we know it’s only the start on our journey to getting better as a team. I felt we were close but you never believe it until that last wicket is taken. Stuart ran in for both games he’s played like it’s been a Test match.”
Kemar Roach mangled Hampshire with a display of late in-swing for the ages, as Surrey strode triumphantly out of the Oval with an innings and 289-run victory in their pocket.
There had seemed little chance of escape for Hampshire after being bowled out for 92 before absorbing a Surrey total of 560 for seven declared, but Roach’s career-best eight for 40 sealed it. It was Surrey’s first win of the season, Hampshire’s first defeat.
A bum-squeaker at Headingley continued, closing with Northamptonshire left to score another 126 for victory. David Willey dominated against his old club, top-scoring with an unbeaten 41 in Yorkshire’s second innings, before dismissing Rob Keogh and running out Ricardo Vasconcelos with a direct hit from midwicket. Wayne Parnell finished with five for 79, grabbing 10 wickets in the match.
Durham won their first Championship game of the season, applying the full welly-boot to Warwickshire, defeat by an innings and 127 runs. Durham had added another 104 runs in the morning before declaring, whereupon Mark Wood made a near-instant breakthrough, Will Rhodes caught at slip. When Hanuma Vihari was lbw for a duck, Warwickshire were eight for two but it was the pace of Brydon Carse, who picked up five for 49, that was decisive.
New Road continued to bear the effects of winter flooding, with the ground staff, despite their best efforts, unable to inject any pace into the wicket. For the batsmen, therefore, great pleasure, for the bowlers, not so much. Daryl Mitchell, Tom Fell and Brett D’Oliveira made half-centuries for Worcestershire, while Simon Harmer picked up three wickets for Essex.
After a spell in the Hampshire academy, and time with Middlesex, Essex, Warwickshire and, finally, fruitfully, Leicestershire, the 35-year old Chris Wright took a career-best seven for 53 to give his side a chance of a first victory of the season. Gloucestershire batted stoically through the morning to avoid the follow-on. Bad light and rain followed; Leicestershire had time to build a second-innings lead of 271 before the weather again intervened.
Lancashire need 129 more runs to win at Hove, after Sussex collapsed to 154 all out in their second innings.
A final-over wicket at Taunton leaves Somerset to score another 103 with six second-innings wickets in hand. Middlesex had earlier been bowled out for 117 with five wickets for Craig Overton.
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Preamble
Good morning from a sleepy bank holiday Sunday. We’ve rolled into the fourth day and just five matches are still in play after Glamorgan squished Kent in two days, and Surrey, Durham and Notts were the glorious trio to triumph yesterday. A cold flannel and paracetamol chaser to those still with sore heads. Three lip-chewers are in the throes of battle, with Lancashire chasing 129 at Hove, Northants 126 at Headingley and Somerset 103 at Taunton to avoid two home defeats on the bounce. Elsewhere, New Road smells like another draw unless Worcestershire fail to make the follow-on, but even then...and Leicestershire and Gloucestershire could yet bubble into something more spicy.
We are still following the sports social media boycott so, to get in touch, please do email me at tanya.aldred.freelance@theguardian.com or post your thoughts below the line.
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