Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
James Wallace

County cricket: Joe Root hits 147 but Yorkshire lag Lancs in Roses match

Surrey (Organization)
Yorkshire's Joe Root leaves the field at tea against Lancashire after completing his century.
Yorkshire's Joe Root leaves the field at tea against Lancashire after completing his century. Photograph: Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com/Shutterstock

Roundup

At 27 minutes past three on a sun-soaked and soporific afternoon at Headingley, Matt Parkinson hopped and skipped to the crease to send down another fizzing delivery. Joe Root, on 99, effortlessly clipped the ball away off his pads and scampered the single he needed to bring up his first century of the summer.

With all the comings and goings, firings and hirings of the past few weeks it was a timely reminder from Root, as if anyone really needed one, that he is still around, still in great form and still the best red-ball batter in the country.

Root lifted his helmet to reveal that beaming, mischievous smile and raised his arms to the blue skies. It was a poignant moment for the batter formerly known as the England Men’s Test Captain and an innings that will have pleased the newly formed axis of Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum with the first Test of the summer looming a matter of weeks away. Yorkshire, just like England of late, needed Root’s runs, he fell to Parkinson eventually for 147 and the home side still trail Lancashire by 210 runs with first innings wickets remaining.

The sun was not just shining in God’s own county but up and down the shires. In Beckenham, despite the favourable batting conditions, Kent were put under the pump by Division One leaders Surrey.

Jamie Overton, bowling fast and nasty, hit Ben Compton with a short ball that clonked the opener on the head, dislodging Compton’s helmet which plopped down onto the stumps. Celebrations soon turned to confusion, not for the stricken Compton but the Surrey fielders as the umpires informed them that the batter wasn’t out due to an ECB amendment (introduced in 2020) to Law 29 that deems a batter not out if their helmet is knocked off and breaks the wicket.

Compton looked rattled nevertheless and fell shortly after to Will Jacks’s off-spin. Jacks picked up four wickets as Surrey bowled Kent out for 230 and stuck them in for another go after tea by enforcing the follow-on. Zak Crawley cutting a frustrated figure as he chopped on to Jacks before the close leaving Kent on 82 for one and 359 runs adrift.

Jack Leach twirled his way to eight wickets in the match as Somerset registered their second largest win in 147 years of first-class cricket, thumping Gloucestershire by an innings and 246 runs.

Runs kept on flowing at Edgbaston where Warwickshire trail Northamptonshire by 203 runs, Sam Hain playing an obdurate innings to still be there at stumps on 140 off 337 balls.

Durham’s Matthew Potts became the first bowler to 30 wickets in this year’s Championship. Earlier Glamorgan’s Marnus Labuschagne wheeled away with glee after having Ben Stokes sharply stumped off his bowling but was less happy a few hours later as the shadows crept across Chester-le-Street, Ben Raine pocketing him for 31 to leave the visitors needing 126 more with seven wickets in hand.

Nottinghamshire’s Steven Mullaney launched a blitzkrieg at Lord’s, smearing Middlesex’s bowlers around HQ in a 58-ball hundred which allowed Notts to declare on 295 for five. Luke Fletcher then removed Mark Stoneman and Josh de Caires to leave Middlesex reeling on 2-0, a relative recovery to 69 for three leaves them facing a tough battle on day four.

Not so rosy for fellow Midlanders Leicestershire as they stare down the barrel against Sussex, following on they still trail by 45 runs and only have five second innings wickets in which to eke out a notional lead, 17 year old Archie Lenham picking up 3-47 for the south coast side.

Anuj Dal finished on 114 not out for Derbyshire as they continued to rack up the runs in this campaign. They posted 565-8, Worcestershire on the end of a lower order wagging in Derby. At 59-1 and trailing by 138 runs in their second dig the visitors will be hoping tomorrow yields yet more sunshine and runs.

Updated

That’s it from me for today. Thanks for reading and being kind, informative and funny in your comments and emails. Tanya will be back tomorrow to take the helm and show us how it’s really done/guide you through the final day of play in this round.

I’ll leave the blog open for a while and post any interesting bits and bobs I stumble across.

Goodnight!

Report filed for the paper, what’s been happening?

17 (SEVENTEEN) year old Archie Lenham in the wickets for Sussex.

Somerset thump Gloucestershire by an innings and 246 runs!

Just nipping back on to post this. Well bowled lad. I’d keep June 2-6 free in the diary if I were you...

Righto, I’m going to start writing up for tomorrow’s paper so will be away for a bit. Keep an eye on things for me and don’t trash the gaff whilst I’m not looking. I’m looking at you, yes, you.

I’ll be back intermittently over the next few hours, there’s plenty going on around the grounds as teams jockey for position ahead of the final day tomorrow. Ta-ra for a bit.

Oh, I saw some of this earlier, it looked like Mullaney was well and truly in the mood. 100 off just 58 balls, brutal.

Derbyshire roll onward, well batted Anuj Dal clapclapclapclapclapclap!

Updated

Surrey are inflicting more misery on Kent in Beckenham. They’ve enforced the follow-on after tea after bowling them out for 230. Zak Crawley and Ben Compton are at the crease for the home side, staring down the barrel of a 435, ooh, make that 434 run deficit. Every little helps...

Here’s the moment Marnus snared Ben Stokes... we’re sure he’ll never, ever mention it...

Durham have been rather ponderous and squanderous today.

Division Two

Durham 311 & 228/8 (80) Glamorgan 365

Durham lead by 175 runs with 2 wickets remaining

Nottinghamshire 415 & 295/5 (30) Middlesex 195 & 0-2 (3)

Middlesex require 516 runs with 8 wickets remaining

Leicestershire 210 & 112/4 (43) Sussex 450

Leicestershire trail by 128 runs with 6 wickets remaining

Worcestershire 368 Derbyshire 524-8/6 (144)

Derbyshire lead by 156 runs with 2 wickets remaining

Tea time-ish scores

Division One

Northamptonshire 597/6 dec Warwickshire 294/3 (107)

Warwickshire trail by 302 runs with 7 wickets remaining

Lancashire 566/9 dec Yorkshire 251/5 (87)

Yorkshire trail by 315 runs with 5 wickets remaining

Somerset 591/7 dec Gloucestershire 186 & 78-5 (74)

Gloucestershire trail by 327 runs with 5 wickets remaining

Surrey 671/9 dec Kent 230 & 0-0 (1)

Kent trail by 441 runs with 10 wickets remaining

A sunny, soporific afternoon of Championship cricket. Stay tuned for the tea-time-ish scores on the doors.

Joe Root goes to a hundred! A leg side nurdle off Matt Parkinson sees him scamper a single in the Yorkshire sun. He removes his helmet, lifts his arms in the air and beams. Well batted!

Shhhhhhh... Joe Root is into the nineties at Headingley. Big call I know but reckon he’ll make the Test side this summer...

Will Rhodes and Sam Hain are going nicely for Warks against Northants in Brum, they’ve put on 144 and counting since Sibley fell this morning for 52. They do still trail by 349 on first innings though, after they were Vasconcelos’d (and Young’d and Procter’d) in the first two days.

Durham have lost a quick coupe of wickets, Borthwick didn’t get to three figures, bowled by that man Labuschagne for 90 and David Bedingham was castled by Neser in the next over. Durham are 192-6 and the Captain of England’s (men’s) Test side is at the crease.

At Lord’s Steven Mullaney has just mullered Tim Murtagh into the stands for six. A swish and a flick off a leg side ball from the veteran seamer. Notts are racking up a commanding lead against Middlesex at HQ.

And another six! Mullaney plays a magnificent lofted drive off Holman. Notts’ lead is over 400.

At Chester-le-Street Alex Lees has been prised out by Glamorgan’s Marnus Laboooshayne for 61... but Scott Borthwick is going strong on 87* (unlucky for some/antipodeans).

Mr B Stokes is the next man in should another wicket fall.

Back to the Ben Compton Schrödinger’s cat esque helmet on/off non wicket from 12:22, Romeo has been doing some diligent digging into the detail:

“Hi Jim, on Ben Compton’s helmet being knocked off and it hitting the stumps, he was not out not due to a change in the Laws of Cricket but to an ECB Playing Regulation which was introduced in 2020 for the BWT.

Law 29 – The wicket is down

29.1 Law 29 shall apply except that: Law 29.1.1.4 is replaced by:
by the striker’s person or by any part of his/her clothing or equipment being worn, or by any part of the striker’s clothing or equipment becoming detached from his/her person. However, any detached equipment shall not include the striker’s protective helmet, or any part thereof, as defined in Appendix A2.3.

Appendix A2.3 is replaced by:
A protective helmet is headwear made of hard material and designed to protect the head, neck and/or the face. For the purposes of interpreting these Laws of Cricket, such a description will include faceguards, grilles and neck guards.

https://resources.ecb.co.uk/ecb/document/2021/05/18/985f0615-44e0-434b-b4be-ca60e01418cc/Playing-conditions-LV-Insurance-County-Championship-180521.pdf (page 21).

So it wouldn’t apply to a cap but you can’t wear a cap in the CC any more.”

So now we know, ta v much Romeo, I tip my cap/helmet to you.

You can see Compton losing his lid here:

Updated

(Neutral)

Good luck to all who are playing in the Charlotte Edwards Cup, a belting day for it to get underway. You can keep up with all four matches at the link in this tweet.

Smiles all round...

The Derbyshire lower-middle order is wagging in Worcester, a handy partnership between Alex Thomson and Anuj Dal has given them a fifty run lead and counting against Worcs. (I’m NEUTRAL)

Somerset have stuck Gloucs back in to have another go. After skittling them for 186. The cidre lads lead by 400 and some and are well in command at Bristol.

At Headingley, Joe Root has moved serenely to 67* but at 197/5 and a current deficit of 369 runs Yorkshire will need him to bat and bat and bat some more.

Spare a thought for Kent... they’ve just lost Darren Stevens, bowled by Jamie Overton after lunch with sarnies barely digested. They are now six wickets down and trail by a whopping 537 runs. The follow on target of 521 looks a looooooong way away. JOverton is bowling with real venom and Will Jacks looks as if he could get a wicket with every ball, a posse of cream-clad hyenas surrounding the bat.

Men in white coats are starting to appear on my many screens, I’m going to stretch my legs and make a brew, keep an eye on things for me won’t you?

Cheese and pickle sarnie time as I cast my eye around the stream highlights, this has made me chuckle over my cheddar:

Lunchtime Scores

Division Two

Durham 311 & 140/3 (47) Glamorgan 365

Durham lead by 86 runs with 7 wickets remaining

Nottinghamshire 415 & 113/3 (30) Middlesex 195

Nottinghamshire lead by 333 runs with 7 wickets remaining

Leicestershire 210 & 11/0 (6) Sussex 450

Leicestershire trail by 229 runs with 10 wickets remaining

Worcestershire 368 Derbyshire 381/6 (106)

Derbyshire lead by 13 runs with 4 wickets remaining

Updated

Lunchtime Scores

Division One

Northamptonshire 597/6 dec Warwickshire 162/3 (73)

Warwickshire trail by 435 runs with 7 wickets remaining

Lancashire 566/9 dec Yorkshire 171/5 (52)

Yorkshire trail by 395 runs with 5 wickets remaining

Somerset 591/7 dec Gloucestershire 186/8 (74)

Gloucestershire trail by 405 runs with 2 wickets remaining

Surrey 671/9 dec Kent 116/5 (48)

Kent trail by 555 runs with 5 wickets remaining

Updated

Luke Fletcher giving the stattos something to purr over...

There’s fifteen minutes til lunch, I’ll do a sweep of the grounds then. In the meantime, the esteemed Gary Naylor has popped up in my inbox:

“Jim -it’s obvious, just now, that Matt Parkinson spins the ball hardest and Jamie Overton bowls the ball fastest. If neither is picked at Lord’s, it will be a travesty - it’s not like they’re trying to break into a settled, successful team.”

The non-selection of Parkinson has been a particular head-scratcher, I reckon he’ll get a go this summer under the Ben/Brendon axis.

Updated

I’ve got eyes on Joe vs Jimmy but also on Beckenham where Jamie Overton is bowling with some real gusto, with ‘gas’ as the kids might say. There’s drama as he clocks Ben Compton on the helmet and the Kent batters’ lid comes clean off and plops onto the stumps. Surrey celebrarte the wicket (and show some cursory concern for Compton) but Compton is given NOT OUT. Something to do with the helmet not being on his person as it broke the stumps which I think is a recent rule change?

As I type this up from a few moments ago, Compton has been snared by Will Jacks for 47, the off spinner has picked up a brace this morning. Kent in strife at 97/4.

RUN OUT KLAXON

James Taylor (not this one) was spotted by Tanya at Headingley yesterday. I’m sure there will be a few keen eyes on young Jacob Bethell too:

I’m enjoying Ramps’ punchy columns. Here’s his latest:

Pope plucks a beauty in Beckenham! Daniel Bell-Drummond departs in Jamie Overton’s first over, a thick edge to second slip that the young Pope swoops and scoops off his toes. Kent are two down and the small matter of SIX HUNDRED runs behind. Gulp.

This will be fun!

Wonder if Jimmy might give Joe the odd sledge? “Told you I could still do the business” type of thing...

Hello to everyone below the line, you MUST do as Tanya says and be gentle with me, this is only my second stint stepping into the Aldred brogues/sneakers/stilettos.

I have spotted a question posed from ‘Rooto’ (Joe? Billy?):

“As double tons seem to be all the rage at the moment. Which is your favourite?”

Let’s open this up to all cricket, one of my faves is definitely the Astle blitzkrieg in Christchurch, which is 20 years old now would you believe?

Updated

The sun is beating down at every ground that I can see on the live streams. I’m of course COMPLETELY NEUTRAL when it comes to having a preferred side but as a son of the Peak District I am thoroughly enjoying (in a neutral way) Shan Masood racking up the runs for Derbyshire.

He’s surely up there as the signing of the season already?

Have a purr over this:

The clock ticks around to 11...PLAY!

And catch up on yesterday’s happenings thanks to the peerless Tanya here:

Here’s some pre-play reading from Mr B Ronay:

Double centurion speaks!

I see KP’s at it again...

Preamble

Runs glorious runs, tired bowlers and scorers!

That’s the main story from this round of the County Champo, and indeed the previous rounds too, largely dry weather and true pitches have seen the scoreboard’s up and down the land a’clattering. There have been hundreds, double hundreds and even records tumbling in this round alone, heck there’s even a few batters in with a whiff of a chance of notching up 1000 runs before the end of May, something of a run-scoring grail for the willow wielders.

Jim here on this sunny Saturday, stepping in for Tanya as she has a well deserved day off. I’ll be popping up with updates and interesting tid-bits from around the grounds throughout the day. As ever I’ll be reliant on your eyes and ears so please do keep me company and get in touch below the line, on email or the twitters.

Updated

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Netflix sets release schedule for Squid Game, Cobra Kai and more – but The Witcher has been cancelled
Netflix has announced the streaming dates for two of its tentpole shows, but The Witcher won't continue after its fifth and now final season.
TechRadar
TechRadar
Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones' simple kitchen cabinet color is a masterclass in balance and contrast
A classic cabinet color shines in the actors' kitchen. The actors space proves why this traditional look is always in style
Homes & Gardens
Homes & Gardens
“The Dive Has Me Crying”: Fans Troll Kim Kardashian Over Photo Of Her Diving In Shallow Water
Kim Kardashian posted a series of snaps from her beach vacation in Turks and Caicos that had people warning her about a potential spinal injury. The post “The Dive Has Me Crying”: Fans Troll Kim Kardashian Over Photo Of Her Diving In Shallow Water first appeared on Bored Panda.
Bored Panda
Bored Panda
The US scientists bringing back the Woolly Mammoth - Tech & Science Daily podcast
Colossal Biosciences explain the complex science behind ‘de-extinction’ and reveal their target date for the first woolly mammoth calf.
Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Tequilas and mezcals you will want to savour, not slam
They’re both made of agave, but is that where the similarity ends?
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
"The bear probably had a pretty traumatic experience" – disturbing video shows people hauling cub out of tree for selfies
One of the cubs is recovering in rehab and is expected to be released into the wild
Advnture
Advnture
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.
Download on the AppStore Get it on Google Play