Round-up: Luke Fletcher skittles Worcestershire for rampant Notts
A soggy seventh round of the Championship, which produced seven draws in eight games, back-flipped into life in the final afternoon.
Suddenly unstoppable Nottinghamshire conjured an innings and 170-run victory over Worcestershire from a two-day broth. Luke Fletcher thundered through Worcestershire’s first innings, his seven for 37 skittling them for 80. He snatched three more wickets in the second, enjoying his first ten-fer. Only Jake Libby passed 31, his 64 making him the second-highest scorer in the Championship. After nearly three years without a Championship victory, a third win in a row zips Notts to the top of Group One.
While at The Oval, Middlesex turned expectations on its head, chasing 290 to win once Surrey declared shortly after Rory Burns reached an unbeaten hundred. From 47 for two and batting out for a draw, Nick Gubbins and Peter Handscomb put on 172 for the third wicket. Rain and bad light squalled over the ground at a crucial moment, leaving them to chase 74 in eight overs with every man on the boundary. Ultimately, the visitors could not get over the line with the match finishing as a draw. Kemar Roach claimed match figures of nine for 147 in his final game for Surrey this season.
The 21-year-old Ben Aitchison pocketed a career-best six for 28 against Durham on a rain-hit day at Derby. Cameron Bancroft made a painstaking 39, in his first innings back after he reignited Sandpapergate and, together with a sprightly 82 from Ned Eckersley, ensured that Durham avoided the follow-on against Derbyshire and a potentially tricky final afternoon.
Gloucestershire collapsed to 27 for six off 14.2 overs against Somerset at Bristol, with Craig Overton grabbing four for 16, before they were rescued by the rain; while Warwickshire just had time to soak up their first-innings deficit against Essex before the inevitable washout.
At Chelmsford, old fashioned sporting declarations by both sides and a final-day run-chase were thwarted by the weather. They called it quits early at Northampton, after just 34.3 overs were bowled over four days. Dane Vilas, the Lancashire captain, fretted about Jimmy Anderson not being able to get the overs under his belt before the first Test against New Zealand, which starts on 2 June. Anderson will start the series needing eight first-class wickets for the magic 1,000.
Updated
Ye gods. Eight overs left at The Oval, Middlesex need 74 to win! The batsmen at the crease, the umpires in the middle, Surrey still in the dressing room.
9pm update: it was a draw! Thanks for all your emails today and sticking with us through the rain. A late message just got through from Outolowski. Summed up the whole round I thought. Till next week, and the Roses match, goodnight!
@tjaldred Hi Tanya, just set up a new twitter account for to send photos to CCLive, including the ones from St Lawrence today pic.twitter.com/76TkHUqOu4
— Outolokowski (@outolokowski) May 23, 2021
Updated
Just popping back to wonder if Middlesex might just do this? We’re into the last hour at The Oval. Middlesex need 88 to win. Gubbins 96 not out, Handscomb ( I never doubted him) 65 not out.
Nottinghamshire beat Worcestershire by an innings and 170 runs!
Notts 400-5 v Worcestershire 80 and 150 all out. Notts 24 points, Worcestershire .
A third consecutive victory for top of the table Notts! The lion awakes.
Derbyshire draw with Durham
Derbyshire 258 draw with Durham 208. Derby 10 points, Durham 11 points.
A career best 6-28 for 21-year-old Ben Aitchison and a hundredth first-class wicket for Matt Critchley in a rain-filled day at Derby.
And with the second ball of that Broad over, Joseph nicks behind. Poor Worcs, 136-8.
I must just concentrate on writing up but will keep an eye on Trent Bridge and The Oval.
D’Oliveria crouches at the crease in disbelief after squirting Paterson to mid-off. Worcestershire 136-7. From Nott-up to Notts-go-go-go. Just to make Worcestershire feel better, Stuart Broad is now steaming in off the turf.
Fifty for Gubbins as the smell of freshly-cooked flapjack wafts in the air. Middlesex 127-2 and, for them, serene.
Mark Wood is a sixth wicket for Ben Aitchison, Durham 208-9.
The weather has frowned on Derby again - play suspended with Durham 187-8, with Eckersley the last to go for 82, lbw to young Aithchison who now has 5-21. Critchley 2-20.
A wicket! At Trent Bridge! Nottinghamshire turn the screw. Worcestershire now 129-6, Cox lbw to Paterson for an 18-ball nought. D’Oliveira (28 not out) and Joseph the not out batsmen. 31 overs left.
Essex v Warwickshire: match drawn
Warwickshire 166 and 66-1 drew with Essex 217. Essex 12 points, Warwickshire 11.
A damp squib of a last day squelched on the remote chances of a result Warwickshire had time to undo the first-innings deficit but that was about it.
It remains, tight, tight, tight in Group One.
Gubbins (44) and Handscomb (22) sit on pleasing scores as well as holding off the Surrey advance. Middlesex 102-2 - it would be some collapse to lose from here.
A superb -yes-no-yes catch by Ben Duckett at slip snaffles Riki Wessels for 10 off Lyndon James. Worcs 124-5 with 37 overs left in the day. I wager they’ll only hold on with the help of the weather.
Think they should call it at day at Chelmsford. where just 66 runs have been scored in a damp, doggone day.
Flummoxed by the weather at every turn, bad light has now prevented them getting back on at Derby, where Durham need another 32 for a first batting points, Derby another two wickets for another bowling point. I guess they’ll keep trying.
Tea-time scores
Hampshire 233 & forfeit v Leicestershire 84 & 26-1 - match drawn
Essex 217 v Warwickshire 166 & 66-1. Warwicks lead by 15 runs
Nottinghamshire 400/5 dec v Worcestershire 80 all out and 114-4. Worcs trail by 206
Derbyshire 258 v Durham 168-7.
Northamptonshire v Lancashire 88/1. Match drawn
Kent 307 and 60-1dec v Glamorgan 64/3 and 23-1. Match drawn
Gloucestershire 27-6 v Somerset 300-8dec. Match drawn
Surrey 190 & 259-2dec v Middlesex 160 and 74-2. Middlesex need 216 to win
Dane Vilas on rain and Jimmy Anderson: “It’s terrible when you come to a ground like this, see such a nice pitch and then you don’t get much cricket on it. Guys like Jimmy (Anderson) needed overs. That was the main thing for him going towards the Test match.
“We won’t have Jimmy against Yorkshire – he’ll be back in the England bubble on Friday, but we have a good stable of fast bowlers who as always have learnt a lot from him.”
Gloucestershire v Somerset: match drawn
Gloucs 27-6 v Somerset 300-8. Gloucestershire 10 points, Somerset 13.
A Bristolian escape.
Updated
It is raining again at Chelmsford unfortunately, and buckets and frogs at Bristol.
Due to restart at Chelmsford sometime about now.
A lone figure creeps back across the emerald turf, Libby caught at square leg for 64. Worcs 103-4. Nottinghamshire need six more.
At Trent Bridge Jake Libby, 60 not out, has found a partner with staying power. D’Oliveira has 17 off 29 balls. Worcs 97-3.
Sam Robson is pintailed by a swinging ball from man mountain Reece Topley,; a couple of balls later, he prods and is collected by Rikki Clarke at second slip. Middlesex 47-2. I’m not sure I can bear watching Handscomb bat.
Post-match Matthew Maynard musings:
“Marnus (Labuschagne) is a very resilient player, you don’t get to number three in the world easily, he’s had a couple of decent balls and a dubious lbw decision in this game, those things happen sand I’m sure Marnus will score plenty of runs for us this not just this season but in seasons to come.
“We bowled fantastically well in the first innings to get in the position we did (Kent 128-8) but Darren Stevens did what Darren Stevens can do, I thought it was a wonderful enterprising innings though we gave him a couple of chances and we probably didn’t put enough pressure on (tail-ender Miguel) Cummins.
“Delighted with the way the guys have been in the first seven games, we need a few more partnerships with the bat and some big hundreds, but with the ball I’m delighted, we’ve bowled straighter than previous years and it’s paid dividends, and we’ve caught well.”
Bancroft (39 not out off 137 balls) has at last found a partner who can stick with him - Ned Eclersley (33 off 59 balls). Apologies, as I type, Stuart Poynter arrives at the crease. Bancroft lbw to Critchley for 39, slow but steady and he got Durham over the the follow-on line. Durham 117-6.
Fifty for Jake Libby, reached with a rather gracious drive.
And another! Who you ask? Fletcher I say. Worcestershire 63-3 as Haynes prods his third ball and Fletcher grabs the ball off his own bowling. This is Fletcher’s first ten-fer in a match. Worcs 63-3 and need rain soon.
Action! A snatch at short leg, Fletcher again! Fell goes for 13, Fletcher 2-13, Worcs 63-2.
In the crowd at The Oval, a hardy woman pulls her anorak collar up over her nose with her mittened hands, half an inch of eye visible before the bottom of her bobble hat. Clarke has the ball, we try again...
Rain, rain, everywhere except Derby, where Durham stumble on, 96-5, 12 runs from avoiding the follow-on.
Northants v Lancashire: match drawn
Northamptonshire v Lancashire 88-1.
Just 34.3 overs possible in a four-day wash out. The only story, a fifty for Alex Davies. Time to dry off and head home.
Ooof, I’ve just switched on the live stream from The Oval where father and son are sheltering under an umbrella and the wind is attempting to push even Rikki Clarke backwards. Not for long, off they go again. Middx 21-1.
It seems that the BCCI can be embarrassed - great work Izzy Westbury.
What an amazing coincidence.
— hypocaust (@_hypocaust) May 23, 2021
Great work @izzywestbury. pic.twitter.com/xg5XCYlTj7
The rain’s scattergun approach is paying dividends - currently only two games in progress - at Derby where Durham are 70-5, with Bancroft stolidly holding the fort; and at Trent Bridge where Worcestershire have reached half their first innings score, for the loss of only one wicket. Only the possibility of bonus points keeping life in the game at Northants, where the weather relented briefly to give Davies to reach fifty before it returned with vigour. Only 34.4 overs have been bowled in the match.
If you are a Middlesex fan, retreat a little, fasten the shutters, withdraw to the bedroom and pull up the sheets. Roach, with his tail up has Jack Davies caught by Ollie Pope for 2.1 8-1. It’s all about Robson and Gubbins. Ah, but what merciful news, a temporary reprieve, the rain has returned.
Kent v Glamorgan: match drawn
Kent 307 and 60-1dec v Glamorgan 64/3 and 23-1. Kent 12 points and Glamorgan 11.
Rain spoils the best of intentions in what will forever be known as Stevens’ match: 190 off 149 balls for the big man, a contender for innings of the year.
Updated
Action in the last 15 minutes: they’re on, ye gods, at Northampton, where Alex Davies is just three short of his fifty; nightwatchman Danny Briggs has been out at Chelmsford where Warwicks are 66-1 and Dominic Sibley is at the crease; Worcestershire haven’t lost a wicket (29-1); but Durham have (57-5, Bancroft still there on 20). It is raining at Canterbury and Middlesex have so far countered a steaming Kemar Roach (14-1).
Time for a quick stroll in the squall. Back in half an hour!
Lunch time scores on the doors
Hampshire 233 & forfeit v Leicestershire 84 & 26-1 - match drawn
Essex 217 v Warwickshire 166 & 63-0. Warwicks lead by 12 runs
Nottinghamshire 400/5 dec v Worcestershire 80 all out and 10-1. Worcs trail by 310
Derbyshire 258 v Durham 51-4.
Northamptonshire v Lancashire 75/1. No play yet today, due to start at 1.30pm
Kent 307 and 60-1dec v Glamorgan 64/3 and 23-1. Glamorgan need 281 to win
Gloucestershire 27-6 v Somerset 300-8dec. Gloucs trail by 273
Surrey 190 & 259-2dec v Middlesex 160 and 4-0. Middlesex need 286 to win
In the game of weather okey-cokey at Derby, Durham are back out, 47-4.
Raining at Trent Bridge, where they’re taking an early lunch, as they are at Bristol, Canterbury and Northampton.It is also raining at Chelmsford, while at The Oval, the Middlesex challenge begins: 0, currently, for 0.
Rainclouds metaphorical and physical for Somerset:
UPDATE: Doesn't look good for the rest of the day unfortunately 😔#GLOvSOM #WeAreSomerset pic.twitter.com/CR1UUeoXYj
— Somerset Cricket 🏏 (@SomersetCCC) May 23, 2021
A hundred for Rory Burns as Surrey declare on 259-2!
Burns reaches three figures and promptly declares.Middlesex need 290 to win. Ollie Pope had time to ruffle to 37 off 20 balls with four fours and a couple of big uns.
Fletcher! Again! Eight! Mitchell! Gone! Worcestershire 7-1.
Quietly, Durham have lost two wickets this morning, Borthwick and Bedingham gone, leaving Bancroft (15 not out at the top of the order) and Burnham at the crease. Durham 43-4, Ben Aitchison an amazing 4-8.
Daryl Mitchell has just been dropped on one at Trent Bridge. Hameed again.Not sure this will last till tea.
Rain-watch: no play currently at Chelmsford (Warwicks 63-0); Bristol (Gloucestershire 27-6); Canterbury (Glamorgan 23-1 - David Lloyd the man out for 17) and Northampton (Lancs 75-1: no play yet, due to resume at 1.30pm)
And at Trent Bridge, Stuart Broad has the new ball to start Gloucestershire’s second attempt at batting - they lost 4-24 for this morning.
Worcestershire 80 all out!
Seven for Fletcher, three for Broad. Gloucestershire follow on - 320 behind. It’s all about survival lads.
“Morning, Tanya,” Morning Outolokowski!
“Very grey here in Canterbury, but a laudable decision by both sides to make a game of it. Attached pic is Lloyd fending off Stevo.”
Sadly the picture hasn’t worked, but here are some spectators doing what you’re doing:
At Bristol, Overton is back in the rhythm, back in the loop: Gloucestershire 27-6. Cockbain the victim.
They’ll be trooping back on again at Bristol at noon. At Chelmsford, Warwickshire are zipping along 51-0 and have made up the first innings deficit.
And the skittles continue to tumble at Trent Bridge, Worcestershire now 74-9 as Stuart Broad earns his second wicket.
A shout out for Marcus Rashford and Jordan Henderson - amazing generosity.
I salute @MarcusRashford not just his advocacy but also for his personal generosity. It’s an extraordinary example from such a young man. He is a tremendous role model and a tribute to our nation. https://t.co/RGmFIGVyJU
— David Lammy (@DavidLammy) May 22, 2021
Updated
A miserable story from India, where the BCCI are said to have withheld the prize money owed to the women’s team for reaching the final of the T20 world cup in 2020: £350,ooo between them.
Kent have declared! Glamorgan need 304 to win in 84 overs
Douthwaite and Carlson to get there with ten overs to spare.
Mark Stoneman has been caught off Ethan Bamber at The Oval, Surrey 157-1; Haseeb Hameed has dropped a catch in the slips at Trent Bridge in the slips. Cold hands.
If Luke Fletcher’s success over the last two days is success for your typical England seamer - who are the best of that ilk in county cricket at the moment? Throwing Ben Coad into the mix.
Fletcher’s 7-26 are a career best.
They’re off for rain at Bristol after Craig Overton’s early morning stretch was followed by a wicket for Josh Davey as Kraigg Brathwaite is caught for 15. Gloucestershire, ouch, 25-5.
If you’re watching at a ground, and your numb fingers are still functioning, do send a message or photo to tanya.aldred.freelance@theguardian.com or @tjaldred.
In the meantime, Luke Fletcher has persuaded Alzarri Joseph to follow suit and snick behind . Fletcher 7-26. And Worcestershire 63-8 - with two and three-quarters of a day to survive.
The joy of rain after the drought . Rampant Nottinghamshire charge onwards, as Luke Fletcher picks up his sixth wicket, Josh Tongue caught behind for 7. Worcestershire 56-7.
The start is delayed at Derby, where the heavens have opened.
And another, two balls later. Tom Lace is caught behind for a duck, Craig Overton has a third wicket (for 12) and Gloucestershire are fumbling in the spring at 21-4.
First ball wicket! Tom Smith is lbw to the first ball of the day at Bristol - Gloucestershire 21-3.
Oooooh - excitement at Canterbury! Glamorgan have declared on their overnight score of 64-3 - 243 behind: a hoopla run-chase is on the cards.
Some pre-match reading. Here is Wisden’s profile of Mohammad Rizwan, one of the Five Cricketers of the Year and a thoughtful piece by Ian Chappell on whether the modern cricketer has it better.
I think every match except Northants v Lancs will start on time.
Weather watch
“Today, areas of cloud and persistent rain will continue to sweep eastwards through the afternoon, spreading across much of the UK. Parts of the far east may remain dry until the late evening.”
Incidentally, can anyone advise how best to hang a paper lampshade so it hangs straight and you don’t punch a hole in it in the process? Particular tips needed for when you can’t see what you’re doing because the ladder is too short
Love this story. Seems the people of Barcelona have a soft spot for the great English game, if not our Eurovision entry...
Saturday's round-up by Simon Burnton
A decade after his previous County Championship involvement – four matches for Warwickshire in 2011 title – Kemar Roach’s second spell in the competition ends today and he seems determined to sign off with a flourish. Opening the bowling for Surrey he produced a phenomenal spell, taking three wickets in eight overs as Middlesex were reduced to 27 for four.
Since Surrey had found themselves at 135 without loss on the afternoon of day one, 14 wickets had fallen for 82 runs, but Middlesex then staged a recovery of sorts to post a score of 160, with John Simpson’s 100-ball 68 the highlight. Surrey’s second innings was greeted by the unfamiliar sight of sunlight and in the best batting conditions of the match they led by 165 with 10 wickets left at the close.
The batting performance of the day came at Trent Bridge, where Ben Duckett scored a superb unbeaten 177, with 19 fours, to guide Nottinghamshire from 51 for three to 400 for five, whereupon, final batting bonus point safely banked, they promptly declared against Worcestershire, who ended the day trailing by 347 runs. Duckett and Lyndon James (78) put on 205 for the fourth wicket before James top-edged a catch to Brett D’Oliveira at cover, whereupon Steven Mullaney rattled off 88 runs from 73 balls.
Somerset survived a collapse from 127 for two to 143 for six, with Gloucestershire simply unable to deal with Tom Abell. The 27-year-old scored a superb 132 with support from Lewis Gregory, who came in at No 9 to score his second half-century of the season and claim second place, behind Abell, in his side’s batting averages. Somerset declared on 300 for eight before reducing their opponents to 16 for two.
At the Ageas Bowl, Hampshire’s Kyle Abbott and Mohammad Abbas – against the side he represented in 2018 and 2019 – came very close to bowling through the Leicestershire first innings, going unchanged for 29 overs and taking nine wickets between them. Abbott took six including that of Rishi Patel for 27, the only one of the top nine batsmen to reach double figures, but Alex Evans and Ed Barnes put on 30 for the last wicket and the visitors avoided the follow-on by a single run.
With 22 overs left in the day Hampshire forfeited their second innings, daring Leicestershire to tilt at the 6.8 runs an over required to win. They did not and the match was drawn.
Close of play scores
Hampshire 233 & forfeit v Leicestershire 84 & 26-1 - match drawn
Essex 217 v Warwickshire 166 & 0-0 - Warks trail by 51 runs
Nottinghamshire 400/5 dec v Worcestershire 53/6 - Worcs trail by 347
Derbyshire 258 v Durham 20/2 - Durham trail by 238
Northamptonshire v Lancashire 75/1
Kent 307 v Glamorgan 64/3 - Glam trail by 243
Gloucestershire 16-2 v Somerset 300-8 - Gloucs trail by 284
Surrey 190 & 135-0 v Middlesex 160 - Surrey lead by 165
Preamble
Hello! It’s the final day of a damp round seven, with seven games left, most of them draw-ridden. The match with the highest chance of some Sunday pizzaz, bells and brisket, is at Trent Bridge. There Nottinghamshire, inspired by Ben Duckett’s unbeaten 177 , have a chance to leap to the top of Group One. They have Worcestershire in deep trouble, 347 behind on first innings, with only four first-innings wickets left.
I’m afraid the rain threatens once again, with a late start already called at Northampton where the groundstaff are out with their mops. Inspection there at 11am and more news round the grounds as it comes in.
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