County cricket: Harris blasts double century as Dukes ball blunted on day two
It was a slow-go day at the pastry-flat Rose Bowl, where the ball repeatedly went out of shape, and Warwickshire were finally dismissed for 455, with Liam Dawson collecting his 10th first-class five-wicket haul. In reply Hampshire’s Fletcha Middleton and Nick Gubbins dawdled to half centuries apiece.
It was another dog day for Harry Brook and Joe Root as Yorkshire wobbled at Lord’s. Brook came in immediately after tea and was out first ball to Middlesex’s Ryan Higgins while Root, who had become becalmed in the 20s, was a third salmon in the net for Toby Roland-Jones. He grinned merrily as Root trudged away and a man in the stands in a woolly hat slowly chewed on his frozen crisps. Yorkshire gave themselves something to bowl at thanks to a half century from George Hill and some late biffing by the tail.
Nottinghamshire’s season continued to get stuck in the machinery of the blocks as Somerset ran up 454, a lead of 261, at Taunton. Tom Banton looked in sparkling form with his 83, helped by a useful forty from nightwatcher Josh Davey. But the final blows came from a blockbuster ninth-wicket partnership between Craig Overton and Migael Pretorius (77). Overton was stranded on 95 when the No 11, Shoaib Bashir, took a meaty and ill-advised slog on nought. Overton was so incensed, he charged off the field without acknowledging the crowd. As the sun started to drop, Notts then lost an early wicket.
A bubblegum century from David Bedingham, five sixes and 11 fours, powered Durham towards their first win of Division One. He and Scott Borthwick dealt runs as if they were buttons in a third-wicket partnership of 195 as Worcestershire’s bowlers searched for a breakthrough. By stumps the Durham lead was already 379, with five wickets remaining. Earlier, a half century from Jake Libby and 33 not out from Nathan Smith ensured Worcestershire avoided ignominy. There were three wickets each for Matthew Potts, Ben Raine and Paul Coughlin.
The Australian opening batter Marcus Harris danced to a double century at Derby, celebrating by splatting six down the ground. With power to add from the late middle order, Leicestershire finally declared on 574 for seven. Needing 425 to avoid the follow on, Derbyshire then collapsed in the early evening, losing four quick wickets. And Northamptonshire’s Ricardo Vasconcelos hit his first century for two years, tucking into Glamorgan’s bowlers with a dazzling 166. Earlier Mason Crane had celebrated his maiden first-class fifty to inch Glamorgan to a batting point.
Cheteshwar Pujara (75 not out) and Tom Alsop (84) ensured that Sussex didn’t falter in the face of Gloucestershire’s 417, on a pudding of a pitch at Hove, where both teams found it tricky to up the scoring rate. Gloucestershire’s last two wickets added 109 in the morning, as Ollie Robinson went wicketless from his 21 overs. And it was a long day for Kent who were bowled out for 244, then had to watch Surrey shimmy to 185 for one, Dom Sibley unbeaten, 13 short of his century.
Lancashire 146 and 10-1
Southampton: Hampshire 140-1 v Warwickshire 455
Canterbury: Kent 244 v Surrey 185-1
Taunton: Somerset 454 v Nottinghamshire 193 and 38-1
Kidderminster: Worcestershire 184 v Durham 244 and 319-5
DIVISION TWO
Derby: Derbyshire 54-4 v Leicestershire 574-5dec
Lord’s: Middlesex 246 v Yorkshire 159 and 216-7
Northampton: Northamptonshire 314-2 v Glamorgan 271
Hove: Sussex 267-7 v Gloucesterhire 417
Somerset lead by 260, with one wicket left.
Fifty for Rory Burns (Surrey 97-0); David Bedingham taking Durham almost out of sight of Worcestershire, 93 off 77 balls, the lead 270 with eight wickets in hand. And at the Rose Bowl, Gubbins and Middleton have taken Hampshire merrily along to 98-1, Orr the man out, for four.
Turned on the Yorkshire stream, there’s a man eating crisps in a woolly hat behind Toby Roland Jones’ left ear who looks so cold he can barely pull the salty snackresls out of the pack. TRJ in shirt sleeves though, ah, and now he has Root to add to his two wickets. Root goes to pull and top edges behind. Looks throughly cheesed off as he trudges off. Roland Jones can’t stop grinning. Yorks 83-5.
Lancashire, Essex continue on merrily. But, as luck would have it, Will Williams strikes with precision as I bring up the scorecard, blowing away Pepper for 30, after a sixth wicket stand of 33. Westley still there, on 68..Somerset lead by 175.Surrey 45-0, chugging along at just under four an over. Essex have picked up their second batting point, 302-5, fifty for Tom Westley. Nathan Lyon has 1-53 off 18 overs.Lancashire 146
Southampton: Hampshire 45-1 v Warwickshire 455
Canterbury: Kent 244 v Surrey 33-0
Taunton: Somerset 347-8 v Nottinghamshire 193
Kidderminster: Worcestershire 184 v Durham 244 and 108-2
DIVISION TWO
Derby: Derbyshire v Leicestershire 452-5
Lord’s: Middlesex 246 v Yorkshire 159 and 59-3
Northampton: Northamptonshire 133-1 v Glamorgan 271
Hove: Sussex 138-2 v Gloucesterhire 417
Somerset 314-7, a lead of 121.here, if you register.Lancashire 146
Southampton: Hampshire v Warwickshire 441-8
Canterbury: Kent 192-5 v Surrey
Taunton: Somerset 194-4 v Nottinghamshire 193
Kidderminster: Worcestershire 181-9 v Durham 244
DIVISION TWO
Derby: Derbyshire v Leicestershire 309-3
Lord’s: Middlesex 212-8 v Yorkshire 159
Northampton: Northamptonshire 32-1 v Glamorgan 271
Hove: Sussex 25-1 v Gloucesterhire 417
And Sam Cook gets another life, slipping through the paws of George Bell just before lunch. Now on 48.
A stat for Lancs fans – Sam Cook has just made his highest first-class score.
Essex and Middlesex have taken the lead. Someset are just three behind Notts, with Banton and Davey at the crease. Kent have just lost Joe Denly, while Worcestershire Wobble, 162-9, 82 behind.
Gloucestershire have collected the extra batting point that Warwicks missed out on, thanks to a rollicking 45 not out from Zaman Akhter. GLos 409-9, three wickets for Danny Lamb.
And the second hundred of the round is duly collected by Marcus Harris, with a classy ondrive for four. Leics 233-3, and life a struggle for the Derbyshire bowlers.
Middlesex haven’t had the morning of their dreams, losing five wickets, but they are only six runs behind Yorkshire. Three wickets each for Coad and Thompson.
And Jack Carson takes the final, and his third, wicket at Hove , as Singh Dale is caught and bowled for 15. Gloucestershire 417 all out.
The canniest signing of the winter?
At Taunton, Davey and Lammonby have taken Somerset within 35 runs of Nott’s first innings 193 all out. A similar tale at Cheltenham, where the floodlights have come on but Essex are in sniffing distance of Lancashire’s 146 all out.
And at the Rose Bowl, a third wicket for Liam Dawson, Briggs for 24. Warwicks 391-5 at 110 overs, just failed to pick up a fourth batting point.
Jake Libby has collected fifty at Kidderminster, but the stabilisers are otherwise looking wobbly on the Worcestershire bike. Raine has pocketed both Holder and Waite. Worcs six down and still trail Durham by 120.
Gloucestershire levels of luck with the weather so far this season. Kent 144-4.Leicestershire have lost Lewis Hill, so near, yet so far, for 47; Harris in sight of his hundred – Leics 190-3. While Middlesex are enjoying the Lord’s conditiions about as much as Yorkshire’s batters did yesterday. Currently 115-5, Higgins and Eskinazi gone cheaply this morning. Du Plooy resolute on 41 not out.Somerset collapse as yet, 127-2.
Starts today with all eight sides playing:
Birmingham: Central Sparks v The Blaze
Chester le Street: Northern Diamonds v Thunder
Beckenham: South East Stars v Vipers
Cardiff: Western Storm v Sunrisers
A reminder that the 2023 Champions were Southern Vipers, who lifted the trophy for the third time.
An early wicket at Canterbury, where Kemar Roach removes Jack Leaning for 30; meanwhile Lancashire’s day starts in downbeat fashion when George Bell drops nightwatch Sam Cook.
Sorry about the slow start this morning, gremlins in the system. But the weather is behaving and we’re about to start on time at all nine games.
Sunshine!
and the Met office is positive: a mostly dry day with variable cloud and sunny intervals…average temperatures, but feeling warm in the sun.
A lovely obit of a fascinating figure.
Though the rain continued to fall around the country, the Dukes ball returned with a sparkle – taking 72 wickets in the day.
Nottinghamshire (193), Durham (244) and Yorkshire (159) were all bowled out by shortly after tea, Lancashire (146) following soon afterwards.
Harry Brook and Joe Root were two of five single-figure Yorkshire scores, both giving catching practice to the slip fielders against Middlesex at Lord’s. At Kidderminster, Durham’s Ollie Robinson did his England credentials no harm at all with a counter-attacking 55 against Worcestershire; while Sean Dickson and Matt Renshaw reduced Somerset’s deficit to 77 against Nottinghamshire.
It was only at Hampshire that batting really flourished, with Alex Davies, hot on the heels of his 256 last week, the sole centurion of the day. Davies was helped by half centuries from Will Rhodes and Rob Yates – Warwickshire one of only two sides to pick up a batting point. The other was Gloucestershire, who skipped along against Sussex, with half centuries for Miles Hammond, Ben Charlesworth and James Bracey.
In the other games, Lancashire lost their first eight wickets for 92 against Essex, courtesy of four quick wickets for Shane Snater and a first wicket for 19-year-old Noah Thain on his Championship debut. Feroze Khushi then hit a rapid 53 in reply. Glamorgan rebuilt from a dreadful start against Northamptonshire, thanks to an unbeaten 69 from Colin Ingram; while Derbyshire’s butterfingers alongside 77 from Marcus Harris helped Leicestershire along.
At Canterbury, Zac Crawley was dismissed for five before Daniel Bell-Drummond continued his excellent start to the season for Kent with 70 against Surrey. There, and at Wantage Road, the players stood for a minute’s silence in memory of Derek Underwood and England, Northants and Surrey cricketer and administrator Raman Subba Row, who died this week aged 92.
Lancashire 146
Southampton: Hampshire v Warwickshire 340-4
Canterbury: Kent 111-3 v Surrey rain
Taunton: Somerset 116-1 v Nottinghamshire 193
Kidderminster: Worcestershire 78-4 v Durham 244
DIVISION TWO
Derby: Derbyshire v Leicestershire 168-2
Lord’s: Middlesex 84-2 v Yorkshire 159
Northampton: Northamptonshire v Glamorgan 203-7
Hove: Sussex v Gloucesterhire 319-8
Good morning and welcome to day two of this third round of matches! Come on in, the water’s lovely.
Source: theguardian.com
