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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Simon Burnton at the Oval

Nottinghamshire’s Fletcher puts Worcs in trouble: county cricket – as it happened

Kemar Roach of Surrey bowls to Martin Andersson of Middlesex.
Kemar Roach of Surrey bowls to Martin Andersson of Middlesex. Photograph: Jordan Mansfield/Getty Images for Surrey CCC

County Championship roundup

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.

Updated

The 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

Fifty! The sun is shining on the Oval, Surrey’s openers are having fun again, and Mark Stoneman has just claimed his second half-century of the match. With that I’m afraid I must go, but the round-up will be posted here in due course and scores updated at close of play. Bye for now!

Hampshire draw with Leicestershire

It’s all over at the Ageas Bowl, where Leicester were dared to launch into a thrilling if foolhardy late run chase and refused.

Declaration! Nottinghamshire reach 400, bank the final batting bonus point and promptly declare, with Ben Duckett unbeaten on 177 and Steven Mullaney scoring 88 off 73 before falling with the score on 398!

Century! Tom Abell has gone into triple figures at Bristol, where Somerset are 260-7 with Lewis Gregory approaching his half-century. Gregory is averaging 43.25 this season, which isn’t bad for your No9.

I’m going to focus for a while on penning the round-up for tomorrow’s big paper, while keeping an eye on Tom Abell’s pursuit of a century at Bristol, and Ben Duckett’s potential double ton at Trent Bridge.

That’s 150 for Ben Duckett! Mullaney at the other end has 60 off 51, and the two of them are looking unbeatable this afternoon.

Fifty! Steven Mullaney has 52 for Nottinghamshire off 43 balls, and is providing excellent assistance to Ben Duckett, who has 143. Notts are 324-4 and I suppose will try to bank one (for reaching 350) or even two (for passing 400) more batting points before having a bowl.

Leicestershire are 1-0 after two overs, and will (barring a ludicrous collapse) claim a draw from their game at Hampshire.

You can watch the denouement of that Hampshire v Leicestershire match here. They need 6.87 an over. Worth a bash, or take the draw?

Hampshire forfeit their second innings!

Leicestershire are thus set a target of 150 to win the match, and 20-odd overs to do it in. Game on!

Ben Duckett had scored 195 runs all season going into this week’s matches. He’s currently 135* against Worcestershire, and not far off doubling his tally.

That wicket in full:

Play has already resumed at Trent Bridge, where Worcestershire have finally broken the partnership between Ben Duckett and Lyndon James. It’s James who has gone for 78, top-edging the third ball after tea to Brett d’Oliveira, leaving Duckett unbeaten on 134, and their partnership was worth a princely 205.

Follow-on averted! Leicestershire have been bowled out for 84, one run more than was required to avoid the follow-on. They trail Hampshire by 149 runs, and tea will now be taken. This the final day of that match, and the question is how long Hampshire will bat - if at all - before seeing if they can bowl Leicestershire out before stumps.

STUMPS: They’ve called it a day at Northampton, where they’re averaging a little over nine overs a day.

The rain has stopped here, and the covers are being removed. There will be some mopping up to do before the players get back on the field, mind. Here’s a quick update:

Group One

Derby: Derbyshire 186-5 v Durham.
Chelmsford: Essex 133-6 v Warwickshire 166; Essex trail by 33
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire 255-3 v Worcestershire.

Group Two

Bristol: Gloucestershire v Somerset 180-7.
Southampton: Hampshire 233 v Leicestershire 82-9; Leics trail by 151 runs.
The Oval: Surrey 190 * 8-0 v Middlesex 160, Surrey lead by 38.

Group Three

Canterbury: Kent 307 v Glamorgan 55-2. Glamorgan trail by 252 runs, with no play so far today.
Northampton: Northamptonshire v Lancashire 75-1. A little over 11 overs have been bowled today.

The decision to head in for an early tea here was certainly a good one. Here’s the scene two minutes ago:

The skies suddenly darken here at the Oval, and with a bit of moisture in the air the umpires decide to head in for tea. And not just here, by the looks of it:

At the Ageas Bowl Abbas and Abbott continue to rip through Leicestershire. Abbott has a six-fer now, after getting Rishi Patel caught behind. With 27 Patel very nearly has 50% of Leicestershire’s sorry total of 55-9, and is their only batsman to reach double figures.

Murtagh boshes a slow full toss to cover, and Middlesex are all out for 160, giving Surrey a lead of 30 after first innings.

Century! Ben Duckett is still going for Notts, his partnership with Lyndon James (63*) worth 172 and counting.

What a grab from Ollie Pope! John Simpson’s excellent innings for Middlesex is over, after he very deliberately but inadvisedly guides the ball too close to Pope at fifth slip, who takes what looks a splendid low catch. Middlesex are 152-9.

Helm is eventually patched up and declared ready to continue, and he proves that he is not suffering from concussion by absolutely nailing a half-volley, straight to Hashim Amla at mid-off.

The Oval is bathed in sun at the moment, and Tom Helm has been hit in the helmet and is getting some physiotherapeutical attention. Not so at Derby or indeed at the Ageas Bowl, where play has been suspended in the last couple of minutes.

Sir Alastair Cook has a half-century for Essex against Warwickshire, where Essex are 79-3.

Fifty! Lyndon James reaches his half-century at Trent Bridge, and he and Ben Duckett (86*) have taken Nottinghamshire from 51-3 to 184-3.

Kemar Roach is bowling beautifully today, it’s an absolute pleasure to watch him. He’s just destroyed Blake Cullen’s off stump and done some really very enthusiastic celebrating afterwards, and Middlesex are 140-7.

I might have underplayed that a little - that was a two-wicket maiden from Worrall, with Lewis Goldsworthy caught behind off the first ball and Davies off the third, and he’s taken three wickets for one run in his last two overs.

At Bristol Somerset have lost a few wickets in short order, slipping from 127-2 and 135-3 to 143-6. Steven Davies is the latest to go, caught in the slips off Daniel Worrall for nothing.

Fifty! John Simpson has been all calm assurance at the Oval today and he reaches his half-century off 76 balls, with nine fours. He is the first person since Surrey’s openers to spend so long at the crease.

Leicestershire aren’t just in a bit of a hole at the Ageas Bowl, they’re pretty much potholing. Harry Swindells is out for eight, and Leics are 35-6. On the plus side, Swindells is only the second Leicestershire player to get halfway to double figures (only Rishi Patel, currently 14*, has got all the way there.

Kyle Abbott celebrates having Harry Swindells caught in the slips.
Kyle Abbott celebrates having Harry Swindells caught in the slips. Photograph: John Mallett/ProSports/Shutterstock

Updated

They’re off again at Trent Bridge, still only 42.4 overs into the match.

That’s an excellent catch in the slips from Rikki Clarke, the old silver fox leaping high to his right to pluck the ball out of the air, and Martin Andersson has gone. Middlesex are 98-6.

Before play restarts, a quick update:

Group One

Derby: Derbyshire 151-3 v Durham.
Chelmsford: Essex 65-2 v Warwickshire 166; Essex trail by 101 runs
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire 150-3 v Worcestershire.

Group Two

Bristol: Gloucestershire v Somerset 114-2.
Southampton: Hampshire 233 v Leicestershire 28-5; Leics trail by 205 runs (no play so far today).
The Oval: Surrey 190 v Middlesex 90-5, trail by 100.

Group Three

Canterbury: Kent 307 v Glamorgan 55-2. Glamorgan trail by 252 runs, with no play so far today.
Northampton: Northamptonshire v Lancashire 59-0 (no play since Thursday, and not a lot even then).

The bell is rung at the Oval. I must admit to being a bit distracted by Brentford v Bournemouth in ye Championship play-offs, which is excellent madcap fun.

Good news from Northampton, where there has been no play yet today but there should be some in an hour or so.

Lunch also at Derby, where Derbyshire are 149-3 against Durham.

It is also now lunch at the Oval, where Middlesex have recovered to 90-5 against Surrey.

Lunch is being taken at Bristol, where Somerset are 105-2 and Tom Abell has the interval to think about how close his is to a half-century.

I have been asked to mention the Guardian Sport Instagram account. It really is most excellent and I recommend it to all humans. You can find it here.

Now Robbie White misses a full toss from Jordan Clark, his bat was nowhere near it, it thwacks him at shin height and he’s gone for nine. Middlesex are 60-5.

Things have settled down a bit here at the Oval, with John Simpson on 23 having already scored five fours (though Jordan Clark just had Robbie White lbw, only for the umpire to wrongly decide it hit bat first). Middlesex are 57-4. At one stage, since Surrey reached 135-0 in their first innings, 14 wickets had fallen for 82 runs.

At Trent Bridge, Nottinghamshire’s Ben Duckett has 51 runs from 51 balls, and Notts are now 113-3. I think this achievement is probably enough to excuse the use of this photo of Duckett in action from earlier this season:

Ben Duckett of Nottinghamshire
Ben Duckett of Nottinghamshire checks himself after being hit by the ball whilst batting against Derbyshire. Photograph: Robbie Stephenson/JMP/REX/Shutterstock

“I’m following Gloucs vs Somerset,” writes Andrew Benton. “These two are separated by four points at the top of Group Two, and unless a batting miracle/disaster happens from one side or the other, presumably it’ll be a draw. But how many points are on offer and how are they calculated? Could Somerset go top of the table even if it is a draw?”

In short, yes. In detail, here’s the ECB’s full guide to the scoring of points this season:

16.2 Scoring of Points

16.2.1 For a win, 16 points, plus any points scored in the first innings.

16.2.2 In a tie, each side to score 8 points, plus any points scored in the first innings.

16.2.3 In a drawn match, each side to score 8 points, plus any points scored in the first innings (see also paragraph 16.2.5).

16.2.4 First Innings Points (awarded only for performances in the first 110 overs of each first innings and retained whatever the result of the match)

16.2.4.1 A maximum of five batting points to be available as below:

200 to 249 runs 1 point
250 to 299 runs 2 points
300 to 349 runs 3 points
350 to 399 runs 4 points
400 runs or over 5 points

16.2.4.2 A maximum of three bowling points to be available as below:

3 to 5 wickets taken 1 point
6 to 8 wickets taken 2 points
9 to 10 wickets taken 3 points

For the avoidance of doubt, “wickets taken” shall relate exclusively to batsmen dismissed under Laws 32 to 40 inclusive and to batsmen retired out.

This is Kemar Roach’s last game for Surrey, and he’s bowling as if determined to leave maximum memories. Another beauty sees Peter Hanscomb lose his off stump, and Roach has three wickets for seven runs in 4.1 overs.

Gubbins? Bobbins, more like. Middlesex are 19-3, Nick Gubbins topples over to Toppley and is lbw. The batsman’s body shape there was an absolute mess.

Cowabunga! Kemar Roach has taken two wickets in no time at all here, with an absolute beauty to get rid of Sam Robson, who had (briefly) looked in good touch. Middlesex are 19-2, and wobbling (again).

Finally, at 11.28am on day three, the first wicket in the game between Derbyshire and Durham. Brooke Guest goes, trapped lbw by Chris Rushworth.

And another! Tom Helm finds the edge of Kemar Roach’s bat, it’s a regulation catch at first slip, Surrey are all out for 190 and now it’s time for Middlesex’s batting line-up to show us what they’re made of.

An early wicket at the Oval, and if Reece Topley ever has a leg more before wicket than that it’ll be an achievement. Surrey are 190-9, and for the first time in his short career Blake Cullen has a three-fer.

And also at Trent Bridge:

Rain is getting in the way at Chelmsford:

BONG! The clock strikes 11, time for action. Here at the Oval, Blake Cullen has the ball in his hand. And play!

And another one:

And so it begins.

Hello world!

A new day dawns at the Oval, and it is a gentler one than those we have recently become accustomed to. For a start, the flag atop the pavilion is flapping gently, rather than rendered rigid by a roaring gale as on days one and two. That’s the good news. Less promisingly it rained on me on my way from Vauxhall Station, and the clouds are so threatening they may as well be waving a knife. My view this morning:

Players prepare for the third day of Surrey v Middlesex in the County Championship at the Oval.
The scene at the Oval as players prepare for the third day of Surrey v Middlesex in the County Championship. Photograph: Simon Burnton/The Guardian

Here are the scores on the doors this morning:

Group One

Derby: Derbyshire 48-0 v Durham (no play on Friday due to rain).
Chelmsford: Essex 16-1 v Warwickshire 166; Essex trail by 150 runs
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire 51-3 v Worcestershire (no play on Friday)

Group Two

Bristol: Gloucestershire v Somerset 45-1 (no play on Friday)
Southampton: Hampshire 233 v Leicestershire 28-5; Leics trail by 205 runs
The Oval: Surrey 185-8 v Middlesex

Group Three

Canterbury: Kent 307 v Glamorgan 55-2. Glamorgan trail by 252 runs
Northampton: Northamptonshire v Lancashire 59-0 (no play on Friday)

Welcome all! Please do send me interesting tittle-tattle from whatever game you are monitoring, and/or join in the discussion below the line.

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