Key events
And the second Yorkshire centurion goes, flicking his bat in annoyance, caught at first slip for 141.
“Now then Tanya!” Hello Tim Maitland
”With Surrey having unwillingly allowed the relatively out-of-form Adam Lyth and YJB to play themselves into their first centuries of the season and, if they don’t deal with them quickly this morning, facing being clarted into all four corners of LS6, I found myself wondering if Surrey’s championship challenge might be foundering on their bowling.
”Before the start of this round of matches Surrey had conceded 3,410 runs. That’s more than any other team in the first division, almost 800 runs more than leaders Nottinghamshire and puts them in an unwanted club of three to have already leaked 3,000 more together with strugglers Yorkshire and Leicestershire (one win and five defeats between them).
”They’re only third best in runs scored with 3,116, but that differential can be partly explained by their batting only once in draws against both Essex and Nottinghamshire.
”This table provides some answers. All five of Surrey’s games feature in the top ten highest match aggregates in the first division this year. In other words, their bowlers haven’t had much of a chance.
”If Nottinghamshire (4th in the list with a combined 1,278 runs with Surrey) and Warwickshire (3rd with 1,319 runs) both decided that producing batters’ paradises offered themselves the best chance to neuter Surrey’s challenge, the acid question is whether it’s been in Surrey’s best interests to produce such roads as they have at the Oval (1st and 1,474 runs v Leicestershire; 6th and 1,272 v Sussex; 9th and 1,183 v Essex).
”Worryingly for Surrey bowlers, second on the list is the Headingley surface that produced 1,337 runs against Sussex, which might suggest they’re in for another flogging this weekend. Even with the massive gap in championship fixtures, do Surrey have the strength in depth to be ridden like rented mules week after week?”
Arrive at Headingley to see a stocky figures stalking off.
Christian Ryan messages from Melbourne: “Let’s go YJB. 300 by tea.”
Ali Martin
Morning from Edgbaston (he says, sheepishly, after getting diverted yesterday). An intriguing day ahead if the rain stays away. The last two pitches here have thrown up plently of wickets early on but from none for two, Glamorgan pushed against that notion yesterday and have a very handy first innings total on the board (341-8) with a bit more to add, potentially. Kudos to centurion Ben Kellaway, and OHD for being so magnanimous: “[BK] made it look easy. He stands still, and he plays straight. He played brilliantly.”
As an aside, one of the more incongruous sights this week has been Jonathan Trott walking around Edgbaston with a daffodil on his chest, having done a bit of coaching work with Glammy these past couple of seasons.
Apologies for tardiness, I was inputting in yesterday’s blog and couldn’t work out why it wasn’t loading…hotfooting it to ground now.
The biscuit I was given with my coffee this morning in a lovely Hyde Park cafe was a Bourbon. Is the Lotus finger now dead?
Yesterday’s round-up
Jonny Bairstow gave the crowd who clicked through the chilly Headingley turnstiles a treat, with his first century as Yorkshire captain.
There was a buzz of anticipation at the first chance to watch Joe Root, Harry Brook and Bairstow bat together this year. Applause as warm as a cinnamon bun greeted Root after Matt Revis elaborately left a ball that arrowed into his stumps. Root was just warming up with back-to-back boundaries when he was lbw for 44 to Matthew Fisher, now in Surrey colours but bowling well at his old stomping ground.
Fisher also sent back Brook, who twinkle toed down the pitch and flurried a cheap catch behind. A Headingley tut hung in the air. But Bairstow didn’t disappoint, with an old-time six into the Western Terrace, adding an unbeaten 241 with fellow centurion Adam Lyth.
James Rew, fresh from England selection, was back in the middle order for Somerset, and back to form with 86 against Sussex, accompanied by 70s from Toms Lammonby and Abell; while Ben Kellaway, a surprise omission from the Lions squad, lodged a languid 139 for Glamorgan, rescuing them from nought for two against Warwickshire.
Nineteen-year-old Ben Dawkins shimmied to 181 not out against Durham, a maiden first-class century, as, together with Sam Northeast (141) Kent made the most of a generous Beckenham pitch.
At Southampton, Nottinghamshire’s Josh Tongue purred towards the first Test, always threatening, once knocking Nick Gubbins to the dirt. But it was Fergus O’Neill who had Hampshire in deep trouble, removing the top four.
Northamptonshire’s Ben Sanderson (five for 47) didn’t help Gloucestershire’s struggles; Daniel Lategan and Matthew Waite rebuilt after a Worcestershire middle-order collapse at Southport and Derbyshire’s Ben Aitchison pocketed a five-fer against fragile Middlesex. Leicestershire’s Jake Weatherald and Sol Budinger ate Essex for brunch before the bowlers fought back.
Score on the doors
Chelmsford: Essex 10-1 v Leicestershire 333
Southampton: Hampshire 152-6 v Nottinghamshire
Taunton: Somerset 335-5 v Sussex
Edgbaston: Warwickshire v Glamorgan 341-8
Headingley: Yorkshire 362-4 v Surrey
Division Two
Bristol: Gloucestershire 154 v Northamptonshire 37-3
Beckenham: Kent 385-4 v Durham
Southport: Lancashire 28-0 v Worcestershire 270
Lord’s: Middlesex 177 v Derbyshire 106-4
Preamble
Hello and happy Saturday morning. It’s a patchwork sunny and cloudy morning in Leeds, where Jonny Bairstow thrilled the crowd with his first hundred as captain. He, and Adam Lyth, can go bigger and better this morning, unless Surrey find something piquant from the pitch.
Play starts at 11am here, and around the grounds. We’d love your company.