Key events
Somerset’s Championship dream alive as Surrey sneak thriller
Somerset’s dreams of a first Championship pennant continue to bubble and squeak, for now sitting pretty at the top of the table with just three rounds to go. The innings victory over Glamorgan, while Nottinghamshire were hamstrung by the weather and a stoical Leicestershire, put the spring in a west country step.
There were three wickets each for the on-song Jack Leach, Craig Overton and Lewis Gregory, the main resistance coming from Asa Tribe and Sean Dickson, who both made forties, but it was all over before tea.
But Warwickshire were close on their tails after mopping up at Southampton. A match that had started grubbily for Hampshire with the signing and unsigning of Scott Kuggeleijn finished with them dismissed for 115 and 154 to lose by an innings, flailing below the pack at the bottom of Division One. Chris Woakes whipped out both openers cheaply in Hampshire’s second innings and Manav Suthar pocketed four.
There was a high-wire finish at the Oval as Surrey snookered Yorkshire by one wicket and with it the spoils of 19 points to leapfrog them and out of the relegation zone. Surrey’s pursuit of 185 was stop-start-stop and when Ollie Pope went for a 12 that contained only two scoring shots and Ben Foakes was done by a Ben Coad chestnut before lunch, Surrey looked shot. But while Josh Blake’s stoical 43 off 183 balls blocked one end, the tail played shots at the other. With Surrey eight wickets down, and eight runs needed, Auqib Nabi trumpeted Coad out of the ground but was out next ball. Ten scoreless deliveries followed until Dan Worrall finally hoiked a boundary to win.
The wretched season at Old Trafford rolled on, as Tom Helm (four for 36) and co bowled Middlesex to victory. After a promising start in pursuit of 297, Lancashire crumpled, losing seven for 39. George Balderson had earlier grabbed five for 54 as Middlesex spiralled in a similar manner, buoyed up by a sing-song 37 from Toby Roland-Jones.
Nottinghamshire’s campaign was held up by the unlikely figure of the Leicestershire fast bowler Josh Hull, who came in as nightwatcher at Trent Bridge on Thursday night, and had only reached double figures three times in 34 innings. He was finally out after more than five hours at the crease for 97.
Pills, thrills and bellyaches at The Oval, Southampton, Merchant Taylors’ and Taunton. Plenty to mull over this Friday night. Have a good one and see you tomorrow!
Close of play scores
Division One
Chelmsford: Essex 177 and 197-7 v Sussex 275 and 230 Essex need 132 to win
Southampton: Warwickshire 398 BEAT Hampshire 115 and 154 by an innings and 129 runs
Trent Bridge: Notts 451-8dec v Leicestershire 250-7
Taunton: Somerset 441 BEAT Glamorgan 194 and 183 by an innings and 64 runs
The Oval: Surrey 83 and 187-9 BEAT Yorkshire 185 and 82 by one wicket
Division Two
Bristol: Gloucestershire 237 and 149-3 v Derbyshire 278
Canterbury: Kent 238 and 358 v Worcestershire 217 and 84-3 Worcs need 296 to win
Merchant Taylors’ School: Middlesex 247 and 200 BEAT Lancashire 151 and 136 by 160 runs
Wantage Road: Northamptonshire 263 v Durham 205 and 246-7
Brutal: Surrey 19pts, Yorkshire 3pts.
Time for me to write up for second edition now. There’s still five games to keep an eye on and BTL is open till late.
Middlesex BEAT Lancashire by 160 runs
Merchant Taylors’ School: Middlesex 247 and 200 BEAT Lancashire 151 and 136 by 160 runs
A wretched season at Old Trafford rolls on. Four more wickets for Tom Helm as Lancs collapsed from 97 for three. At least there is an extra game to regroup. And then the basement battle next week against Gloucestershire.
Surrey beat Yorkshire by one wicket!
Worrall wafts four in Coad’s 26th over and that’s that. Handshakes all round. What a game. Surrey leapfrog Yorkshire in the table.
I thought that was it, Blake plumps for a lusty swing and just misses. The Surrey players n their comfy chairs cover their eyes. A maiden from Hill. Over to you Worrall.
Twenty thousand are watching Surrey’s Youtube channel as Blake pushes Hill’s first ball to point and lets the other pass.
Worrall shimmies inside the line.
Worrall plays and misses.
Worrall leaves well alone.
Dan Worrall has three balls to face. Jonny is grinning.
A wicket! My lord. Augqib blobs a catch to mid-on next ball. Two still needed for the Surrey win.
Huge roars as Auqib Nabi trumpets Ben Coad out of the ground for six. Two needed.
Warwickshire beat Hampshire an innings and 129 runs
Southampton: Warwickshire 398 BEAT Hampshire 115 and 154 by an innings and 129 runs
A match that started grubbily finished in a hurry.
Talk about slow-burn thriller. twelve still needed at The Oval. Fisher out driving George Hill to third slip.
Tea-time-ish scores
Division One
Chelmsford: Essex 177 and 94-3 v Sussex 275 and 230
Southampton: Hampshire 115 and 123-4 v Warwickshire 398
Trent Bridge: Notts 451-8 v Leicestershire 159-3
Taunton: Somerset 441 BEAT Glamorgan 194 and 183 by an innings and 64 runs
The Oval: Surrey 83 and 152-7 v Yorkshire 185 and 82 Surrey need 33 to win
Division Two
Bristol: Gloucestershire 237 and 58-1 v Derbyshire 278
Canterbury: Kent 238 and 358 v Worcestershire 217 and 1-0
Merchant Taylors’ School: Middlesex 247 and 200 v Lancashire 151 and 87-3 Lancs need 210 to win
Wantage Road: Northamptonshire 263 v Durham 205 and 141-4
They’re taking tea around the grounds, apart from The Oval and Bristol, and I need to write up for first edition. Say the last rites for me.
Ben Coad pistons in once more. 24 needed. Arms are folded in the crowd.
Well played Leicestershire! They’ve gone to tea against the Champs 159 for three, after starting the day 23-2. Giant Josh Hull 59 not out, a maiden first-class fifty, Hamza Shaikh, who recently joined from Warwickshire, 19 not out.
Ben Coad leans into over 21 at The Oval. 26 needed.
Hey diddle diddle, Lancs have lost three for seven. KJ for 38 then young Sharma grabbed two in two, leaving him on a hattrick at the start of his next over. A duck for Harris. Lancs 70-3.
A lovely flick through covers by Blake off Hill, Surrey gathering these runs at a canter now, just 31 needed.
Overton: ‘The schedule is a bit manic at the moment’
Craig Overton after Somerset’s win over Glamorgan:
We knew going into the game that we wanted a big performance to get some sort of payback for what happened to us in the away match with Glamorgan this season.
It was massive to take wickets early today. It could have been a long day for us if they had got off to a good start on what we considered a pretty decent surface.
Now we have three days instead of two to prepare for our next game, which is important because the schedule is a bit manic at the moment.
The plan is for me to play in all three remaining matches. It’s not often you get into a position to win a Championship and I am excited to be involved.
A big booted blow to Essex as Elgar falls, and now Westley, as Crocombe and Carson get into their work. Essex 79-3.
And suddenly batting is looking easy at The Oval. Fisher and Blake have reduced the target to 47.
Essex need 329 to beat Sussex
It would be the highest score of the match by some distance. Paul Walter was caught in the fourth over off James Coles for 1, but Elgar and Westley have nailed in their boots. Essex 69-1.
Lancs are sailing along at MTS, a brief squall as Matty Hurst hit the ball to third slip but Geddes couldn’t get his paws around it. Lancs 55-0.
A concussion check at The Oval as Fisher gets pinged on the helmet and felled by a bouncer from Hill. He seems ok and there is a friendly exchange of back pats and smiles.
Yorkshire continue to press and the big-hitting Tom Lawes has gone for 17, a third wicket for man-of-the-moment George Hill. Fisher, who can whack it a bit, joins Blake. Surrey still need 69, three wickets left.
Somerset beat Glamorgan by an innings and 64 runs
Done and dusted in 59 overs. Don’t look over your shoulder Notts.
Taunton: Somerset 441 BEAT v Glamorgan 194 and 183 by an innings and 64 runs
Somerset 23pts, Glamorgan 3pts
Overton, Gregory and Leach have hastened things along at Taunton, Glamorgan 177-9. Just Dickson (47) and Tribe (49) made it past 20.
A third, and huge, wicket for Dillon Pennington at Trent Bridge, Rehan Ahmed caught at head-high at second slip for a boundary-laden 54. Leics 118-3. Nightwatch Josh Hull still tapping away for a two-and-a-half hour 34.
In Division Two: Jennings and Hurst have safely negotiated the first eight overs, Lancs 22-0; Ollie Price (6-45) has kept Gloucestershire in the match after keeping Derby’s first-innings advantage to 41; Alex Lees has collected fifty in Durham’s 77-1 and Kent have lost 4-23, including Northeast for 132. But the lead over Worcs is already 313.
George Hill pulls off a dive grab and hold in his follow through, Thomas gone!! Hill grins modestly. Surrey 95-6.
That was a long morning session. Time for a sandwich and a leg stretch, back soon. Incidentally, a lovely chat between Dan Norcross and John Major at lunch on Surrey TV. Major described the 1950s Oval crowd like spectators in the Coloseum when they saw the groundsman brush the pitch and clouds of dust rise, licking their lips for Laker and Lock.
Lunchtime scores
Division One
Chelmsford: Essex 177 v Sussex 275 and 190-8
Southampton: Hampshire 115 and 40-2 v Warwickshire 398
Trent Bridge: Notts 451-8 v Leicestershire 73-2
Taunton: Somerset 441 v Glamorgan 194 and 111-5
The Oval: Surrey 83 and 81-5 v Yorkshire 185 and 82 Surrey need 104 to win
Division Two
Bristol: Gloucestershire 237 v Derbyshire 253-5
Canterbury: Kent 238 and 271-4 v Worcestershire 217
Merchant Taylors’ School: Middlesex 247 and 200 v Lancashire 151 and 7-0 Lancs need 290 to win
Wantage Road: Northamptonshire 263 v Durham 205 and 54-1
A big one, the big one? Ben Foakes loses his off stump as Coad send down the sweetest chestnut. Surrey lunch at 81-5, needing another 104.
Northants managed a not-to-be-sniffed-at lead of 58 against Durham, but Lees and McKinney have almost wiped it out already. Durham 36-0. Another four wickets for the immaculate Potts.
It’s lunch almost everywhere except The Oval, Wantage Road and maybe Northwood.
Lancashire need 297 to beat Middlesex
After a slap-happy 37, Toby Roland-Jones edges behind. Gold-dust those runs.
“I’ve just watched the replay of Woakes bowling Orr,” writes Mike Danies, “and it would have cleaned up anyone. It was fantastic.”
See it here.
Pope slopes off for that two-shot 12, a nipbacker arrowing into his pads, Surrey 75-4.