Sussex end eight-year itch by winning at Durham
Last April, with a championship double-century under his belt, Josh Bohannon was being mentioned alongside Harry Brook as a possible England player. It was Brook who boarded the space rocket to the stratosphere, though, while Bohannon made steady progress in a productive winter with the Lions.
But on Easter Sunday, his 26th birthday, Bohannon’s low-slung street-fighting, with doughty support from Steven Croft, took Lancashire to a draw against Surrey, champions last year. His hundred, off 173 balls, included 14 fours, two particularly memorable shots hammered through the covers.
An astonishing turnaround in Leeds where Leicestershire, wooden spoonists last year, chased down 389 in 87 overs to beat Yorkshire at Headingley for the first time since 1910, clinched with seven balls to spare. Rishi Patel laid the table for the bold pursuit with his maiden first-class hundred, and the dashers danced about him, barely slowing as wickets fell – Dom Bess took five.
Sussex whittled down the 59 they needed to beat Durham in a nervy hour, winning their opening championship match of the season for the first time since 2015.
Despite an obdurate partnership between Ryan Higgins and Luke Hollman, Middlesex could not recover from their disastrous top‑order batting, losing against Essex by 97 runs. Ben Compton proved that last year was no fluke, with an unbeaten 114 to take Kent to a 19-point win against Northamptonshire.
Tom Lammonby (66 not out) had to listen to the familiar thud of wickets falling at the other end, as Warwickshire’s Oliver Hannon-Dalby and Chris Rushworth gave Somerset a scare at Taunton. But together with Lewis Gregory and Craig Overton, the home team hauled themselves to safety. Jake Libby and Azhar Ali’s partnership of 139 sped Worcestershire to victory against Derbyshire at Derby; and Graeme van Buuren’s 110 took Gloucestershire to safety in a topsy-turvy game against Glamorgan at Sophia Gardens.
That’s it from me for this round. Thanks so much to all of you for coming back for more. To Leicestershire, for now, the crown.
Till Thursday, good night!
Astonishing win for Leicestershire!
Chris Wright uppercuts the winning four and he and Peter Handscomb take them over the line! Amazing turnaround by a side that didn’t win a game last year.
Final scores
Division One
The Rose Bowl: Notts 185 and 177 v Hampshire 231 and 132-2. HAMPSHIRE BEAT Notts by eight wickets.
Canterbury: Kent 222 and 227-3 v Northants 117 and 331. KENT WIN BY SEVEN WICKETS
Old Trafford: Surrey 442 and 292-6dec v Lancashire 291 and 247-3. MATCH DRAWN
Lord’s: Essex 266 and 211 v Middlesex 170 and 210. ESSEX WIN BY 97 RUNS
Taunton: Somerset 284 and 180-6 v Warwickshire 392 MATCH DRAWN
Division Two
The County Ground, Derbyshire 321 and 343 v Worcestershire 473 and 193-2 WORCS WIN BY EIGHT WICKETS
Sophia Gardens: Gloucestershire 165 and 569-7dec v Glamorgan 404 and 110-3 MATCH DRAWN
Hove: Sussex 335 and 232-8 v Durham 376 and 189. Sussex WIN by two wickets.
Headingley: Yorkshire 517 and 286-8dec v Leicestershire 415 and 392-7. Leics WIN BY THREE WICKETS
It’s all over everywhere except Headingley, where Leicestershire have gone from something in the water winners to something less enthusiastic – now 7 down, 62 needed, Handscomb still there on 49. Five wickets for Bess. Rehan Ahmed’s dismissal one for late-night corners.
I’ve going to have to leave you to watch events at Sophia Gardens, Taunton and Headingley while I write up for the paper.
Kent beat Northamptonshire by seven-wickets
Canterbury: Kent 222 and 227-3 v Northants 117 and 331. KENT WIN BY SEVEN WICKETS
Ben Compton, 114 not out, showing that last year was not a fluke.
Lancashire draw with Surrey
Old Trafford: Surrey 442 and 292-6dec v Lancashire 291 and 247-3. Match Drawn
Rory Burns lets his hair down, bowls one ball and then goes over to Steven Croft with a big smile and they shake hands. An absorbing game comes to its inevitable conclusion. Very well batted Josh Bohannon and Steven Croft, 56 not out off a zillion balls, in particular.
Alas, poor Lammonby. Has watched a succession of Somerset wickets fall as he put on 57 – now has Craig Overton for company. Somerset 154-6, Hannon-Dalby 3-21, the Somerset lead 46.
A hundred for Rishi Patel
Sealed with a six, off Dom Bess. His first, in first-class cricket. Leicestershire need another 123 – but they’ll have to get a move on if they fancy it.
A wicket at OT, and it’s a big one, as Bohannon leaves a ball from Worral and it bolders into the bails! Off stump crushed. Lancs 238-3.
Worcestershire beat Derbyshire by eight wickets!
The County Ground, Derbyshire 321 and 343 v Worcestershire 473 and 193-2 Worcs win by eight wickets
An eighth first-class hundred for Jake Libby, before hitting the winning runs.
A hundred for Josh Bohannon
An excellent solid hundred from Bohannon, patient but never let himself get bogged down. 173 balls, 14 fours and he held himself together through a mixed bag of Ollie Pope legspin (his first in f-c cricket) to reach his hundred with a steer through the offside.
A new ball due, in one over with Bohannon on 99. And here comes Ollie Pope to turn his arm over.
Right, with just one session of this first round to go – all eyes on Headingley, and Sophia Gardens. Kent and Worcestershire well on their way to victory.
Tea-time scores
Division One
The Rose Bowl: Notts 185 and 177 v Hampshire 231 and 132-2. HAMPSHIRE BEAT Notts by eight wickets.
Canterbury: Kent 222 and 158-3 v Northants 117 and 331. Kent need 69 to win.
Old Trafford: Surrey 442 and 292-6dec v Lancashire 291 and 196-2. Lancs need 248 to win.
Lord’s: Essex 266 and 211 v Middlesex 170 and 210. ESSEX WIN BY 97 RUNS
Taunton: Somerset 284 and 112-5 v Warwickshire 392
Division Two
The County Ground, Derbyshire 321 and 343 v Worcestershire 473 and 156-2 Worcs need 36 to win.
Sophia Gardens: Gloucestershire 165 and 569-7dec v Glamorgan 404 and 38-3
Hove: Sussex 335 and 232-8 v Durham 376 and 189. Sussex WIN by two wickets.
Headingley: Yorkshire 517 and 286-8dec v Leicestershire 415 and 203-3. Leics need 186 to win.
A Minstrels Easter egg has just arrived for everyone in the OT press box courtesy of Lancs which temporarily distracts everyone from the fact the teams are coming off and Lancs have pretty much batted themselves to a draw. Super innings by the bandied legged bandit Bohannon (85); and great stonewalling from Wells (34). Lancs 196-2, 248 theoretically required. Tea-time score round the ground to follow.
Rory Burns off-spin. Surrey may have given up. Lancs 192-2, with five minutes till tea.
A memorable wicket for Tremain, who has seven wickets, and counting, in the match. Kent 123-3 need another 104.
1.5 | Knocked him over! 🤸
— Northamptonshire CCC (@NorthantsCCC) April 9, 2023
Tremain with an absolute seed to send Crawley's off stump flying!
Kent 3/1. pic.twitter.com/ZJTNnPvzI2
Division Two looking quite tasty: Ackermann 52 not out at quicker than a run a ball as Leicester keep the run chase theoretically alive, currently 169-2, 220 needed at Headingley.
More likely, Worcestershire need only 75, currently 117 for one – Jack Libby playing the totem pole. Oh and Glamorgan have alreday lost David Lloyd for 6 to Tom Price , who is having quite the game: unbeaten in the first innings, an unbeaten fifty in the second and five wickets (to date) in the match.
Gloucestershire declare on 569-7, setting Glamorgan 331 in 46 overs -nice n easy, seven an over.
A hundred partnership off 220 balls between Croft and Bohannon at OT. Meanwhile in the IPL… cakes and ale.
That's one way to win a game! #IPL2023 #GTvKKR pic.twitter.com/5Ar6y8iGkH
— Andrew McGlashan (@andymcg_cricket) April 9, 2023
Updated
Essex beat Middlesex by 97 runs!
Middlesex 170 and 210 v Essex 266 and 211.
Essex 20 points, Middlesex 3.
Porter picks up the last wicket of Murtagh to finish with 3-34, Cook 3-31. Harmer 1-72. A bloody nose for the both the teams promoted last season.
Updated
The news from Old Trafford is that there will be cheesecake at tea. The news from Sophia Gardens is that Gloucestershire are batting on… – Glamorgan’s target now 302… van Buuren 103 not out, Tom Price 34 not out, three wickets in hand.
Fifty for Bohannon, who sprays the ball towards the third man boundary and picks up four. There have been nine fours in his half century, two particularly memorable ones through the covers. Lancs 150-2 and the vibes are that this is now settling to a draw.
Two in two balls at Lords! Higgins lbw to Snater after a stoical 41, Roland Jones caught first ball and Middlesex on the brink: 185-9, 123 to win.
Bell-Drummond and Denly join Crawley back in the pavilion as Kent’s chase of another 160 continues to falter. And Somerset lose another, this time Kohler-Cadmore, Rushworth’s first of the innings: 27-3.
Look up from being totally distracted by reading this
to see Josh Bohannon twice thrash Cameron Steel through the covers. Lancs 133-2.
Somerset, don’t do this, not again, not another year. Now 15 for two, both to Hannon-Dalby. Still trail by 93.
Paul Farbrace [on the Paul Farbrace effect]: “It was a bit nervy today but great to get over the line. The way our four seamers bowled on the third day, when they backed each other up, was outstanding and set the game up for us.
“If there was a man of the match I’d give it to Ollie Carter. The way he kept wicket in both innings and the way be batted in the first innings, when he were 91 for 4 and he put together a partnership with [Cheteshwar] Pujara, and then again today was outstanding. In both innings he played really calmly and particularly this morning showed a lot of composure. He deserved to be the bloke who got us over the line.
“It’s a great lesson for our team because it was shown they can beat good opponents. Bowling-wise, Durham’s attack is first division quality. They got a lot of good batters and are very experienced and will win a lot of games. They will win a lot of matches this year.
“So hopefully the confidence this result gives our players, to have played in a really tough game on a fantastic cricket pitch, gives us something to really build on going forward.”
Lunchtime scores
Division One
The Rose Bowl: Notts 185 and 177 v Hampshire 231 and 132-2. Hampshire BEAT Notts by eight wickets.
Canterbury: Kent 222 and 56-2 v Northants 117 and 331. Kent need 171 to win.
Old Trafford: Surrey 442 and 292-6dec v Lancashire 291 and 114-2. Lancs need 330 to win.
Lord’s: Essex 266 and 211 v Middlesex 170 and 162-7. Middx need 146 to win
Taunton: Somerset 284 and 1-1 v Warwickshire 392
Division Two
The County Ground, Derbyshire 321 and 343 v Worcestershire 473 and 17-1. Worcs need 175 to win.
Sophia Gardens: Gloucestershire 165 and 481-7 v Glamorgan 404
Hove: Sussex 335 and 232-8 v Durham 376 and 189. Sussex WIN by two wickets.
Headingley: Yorkshire 517 and 286-8dec v Leicestershire 415 and 78-0. Leics need 311 to win.
Somerset 0 for one, ho hum.
My little brother used to get a Playfair cricket annual for every birthday. So glad it still exists.
Really enjoyed talking to the #BBCStumped team about the Playfair Cricket Annual, its history and why it remains just as important and relevant in the internet era. Do have a listen to the podcast to find out more about this and much else besides. https://t.co/tvWicCs6i4
— Ian Marshall (@IanPlayfair) April 9, 2023
Graeme van Buureen just 23 away from his century as Gloucestershire continue to put the horrors of day one behind them – currently 481-7, a lead of 242 over Glamorgan.
All hail Leicestershire, ratlling along against the Yorkies, 70-0 off 14 overs. Still 319 need to win mind, but this isn’t great news for the Yorkie attack.
Lancashire have announced their boys’ cricket academy for 2023, which includes Corey and Rocky Flintoff (pace bowler and allrounder) and Joe Chapple (allrounder). Congratulations to them and the other boys – a cracking achievement.
Sussex beat Durham by two wickets!
A bristling four by Carter reduces the Sussex target to three. Magnificent 0 not out off 11 balls by Carson. And another four! Carter and Carson have a huge hug and are immediately congratulated by the Durham players.
Hove: Sussex 335 and 232-8 v Durham 376 and 189. Sussex WIN by two wickets.
Updated
A very catchable chance goes to ground, Pope [insert Easter joke here] drops Bohannon at slip on two, next ball Bohannon square drives Abbott for four.
A fascinating lunch-time read on Hansie Cronje.
Two decades have passed since Hansie Cronje's demise, but there isn't a day that passes without his mention at the Parsons household.
— Sa. Gomesh | ச. கோமேஷ் (@SaGomesh) April 9, 2023
Hester opens up about coping with grief, and healing over time, her brother's legacy & more
Full story 👇 #CricketTwitterhttps://t.co/Ltncn05ZCC
In a nailbiter, try not to bowl five wides…
An eye round the grounds: In Div one, Lancs have lost two big ones in their attempt to bat out the day – Jenings and Wells, 72-2; Keogh was left stranded on 116 in Northants 331 but Kent, set 227 to win, have already lost Crawley for three. Middlesex need another 184, but with only three wickets left in the bag, and Warwickshire bat on at Taunton, a hundred for Sam Hain to go alongside yesterday’s ton for Al Davies, in the hunt for another batting point if they can get a wriggle on – 361-7. Handshakes early in this one.
And another one down at Hove – three wickets left, 26 still needed.
Wells reprises the hunched position, and an even slower walk off, bat held by the blade, after hooking a Roach bouncer straight to Worrall at fine leg. Lancs 65-2.
Updated
Aw no, Jennings hunches over his bat for five seconds, slowly removes his gloves as if after a difficult medical procedure , and trudges off after playing late and onto his stumps for 16. Much muttering about the keeper being up to the stumps – that it made a difference because he felt more cramped. Lancs 65 for one and the one player capable of batting through the day back in the pavilion.
Yorkies eight down under cloudy skies, Middlesex seven down under something more brooding.
Day 4 is a beanie day 🥶 #YorkshireFamily pic.twitter.com/UNJ5Fv9Skc
— Yorkshire CCC (@YorkshireCCC) April 9, 2023
Sussex wobble, Hunt a third wicket for Carse, but the target drops to 33. Four wickets left.
Gareth Berg is out, shortly after reaching his half century, stumps a go-go. Northants 318-8, a lead of 213. And a couple of wickets at Headingley, where Yorkshire must have been so wowed by Leicestershire’s first-innings efforts, they are batting on.
Is it a good idea for Luke Wells to flick Dan Worrall for six, flamingo style? Lancs 49-0.
At Hove, the Sussex target drops below fifty; and Middlesex lose their sixth wicket – Tom Helm Cooked.
If you missed it, here is Simon’s piece on Middlesex from earlier this week. Let’s hope this is a blip.
“Morning,” Hello Tom vd Gucht!
“Thanks for all the great coverage over the last few days.” Aw, thanks, a pleasure.
“I quite enjoy reading as much of the dwindling online cricket coverage available and appreciate the Guardian and Daily Mail providing quality reports that aren’t behind a paywall. However, I felt a bit sorry for Finlay Bean of Yorkshire when reading this today.
Imagine being interviewed for the sports pages of a national daily newspaper only to grab a copy and read this headline they’d written about you - The Bargain Basement Batsman. It’s the last thing he deserved after his tight-fisted old man lived up to Boycott stereotypes and only paid his own kith-and-kin a measly 2 quid an hour!”
The Durham live stream
For neutrals everywhere, this might be worth the first hour or so of your morning.
The rest of the available streams can be picked up from the ECB website.
At Old Trafford the sun is out (though clouds hover) Lancashire are catching and Surrey warming up. A scattering of Easter spectators hunch their shoulders in the point.
It’s a busy day at Headingley where as well as the cricket, there is a double header of Super League this afternoon, the first game of the women’s season between Leeds and York followed by the last game of the men’s Super League Easter programme between the Rhinos and Huddersfield.
Saturday's round-up
How to get Jonny Bairstow back into the Test team? Speculators have run their finger down the current XI, paused by the name of Ben Foakes and scuffed a large pencil asterisk next to his name. This one, he doesn’t rip apart phone directories, or haul up trees, in fact he doesn’t really do Bazball.
But with Bairstow still recuperating from his broken leg, able only to run in straight lines, Foakes has started the County Championship season in the brightest possible hue. His 76 in the first innings against Lancashire was followed by a superb unbeaten hundred yesterday that enabled Rory Burns to declare with a lead of 443.
In a Surrey lineup full of stars, Foakes’s innings stood out. There was fifty from Burns, a curtain of dark hair hanging loose from his helmet like a cavalier though batting like a roundhead, and a lovely cameo from Ollie Pope which came to an end in a hasty flurry of top edges, one caught by a diving Colin de Grandhomme, who lost his trousers in the process.
But Foakes, long sleeves pulled up just so, played an innings of delight, full of no-fuss drives, cuts and sweeps, played with total control to bisect and thoroughly irritate fielders who then had to chase the ball to the boundary. The hundred came with a delicate sweep off Parkinson and was warmly applauded both on the field and on the Surrey balcony, where everyone wore their new regulation royal blue leisure wear.
There was just time for Jordan Clark to ram a six before the declaration came. Matt Parkinson finished with five for 120 – not bad for a leg-spinner in early April. In the evening sunshine, Lancashire set off in search of what would be their second-highest fourth innings total, Foakes now immaculate behind the stumps.
One of the early-season favourites, Hampshire, duly thrashed promoted Nottinghamshire by eight wickets, steaming gleefully to the top of the table, 19 points in their pocket. Fletcha Middleton, 21, son of the former cricketer Tony, made his second fifty of the game, putting on 101 with Nick Gubbins as Hampshire charged to their target of 132.
Earlier, Mohammad Abbas had picked effectively away at the Notts tail, completing a haul of nine wickets in the game. The biggest surprise of the day was when, with scores level, the umpires took the players off for a 20-minute tea interval, to a chorus of boos.
After the ignominy of being four for four in their first innings, Middlesex’s suffered another top‑order malfunction in their second after being set 308 to win by Essex. This time it was 15 for three as Jamie Porter and Sam Cook resumed their deadly double act.
The 18-year-old Rehan Ahmed, whose first over on Thursday was pancaked for 22, made a superb 85 in a determined rearguard sixth-wicket stand of 141 with the Australian Peter Handscomb, who danced to 112, as Leicestershire boldly chased Yorkshire’s 517.
Alex Davies hit his seventh first-class century as Warwickshire eased past Somerset in a game that lost its first day to a soggy outfield and looks likely to peter out into a draw. Jack Leach picked up three for 93.
Marcus Harris waved prettily at the Australia selectors with a brilliant 148 that raised Gloucestershire from the dead at Sophia Gardens. Starting their second innings 239 runs behind Glamorgan, Harris and Chris Dent rattled along in a first‑wicket partnership of 161 at nearly five an over.
A robust 101 not out from Rob Keogh gave Northamptonshire a whisker of a chance against Kent at Canterbury, backed up by fifty from Hassan Azad, who was released by Leicestershire during the winter.
An unbeaten maiden hundred by Matthew Waite put Worcestershire in a dominant position against Derbyshire and Sussex were on the verge of turning the match against Durham on its head, needing 59 to win with wickets in hand.
Start of play scores
Division One
The Rose Bowl: Notts 185 and 177 v Hampshire 231 and 132-2. Hampshire BEAT Notts by eight wickets.
Canterbury: Kent 222 v Northants 117 and 300-7
Old Trafford: Surrey 442 and 292-6dec v Lancashire 291 and 37-0.
Lord’s: Essex 266 and 211 v Middlesex 170 and 77-5
Taunton: Somerset 284 v Warwickshire 307-5
Division Two
The County Ground, Derbyshire 321 and 269-6 v Worcestershire 473
Sophia Gardens: Gloucestershire 165 and 373-5 v Glamorgan 404
Hove: Sussex 335 and 172-5 v Durham 376 and 189. Sussex need 59 to win.
Headingley: Yorkshire 517 and 220-4 v Leicestershire 415
Preamble
Hello and happy Easter! May your eggs be many and chocolately. Round the grounds, eight games are still in motion – with Hampshire putting their feet up after a three-day victory over Nottinghamshire yesterday. Plenty to keep an eye on, with Lancashire challenged to bat the day out against Kemar Roach and co; Northants unexpectedly giving Kent a run for their money and Middlesex in all sorts of trouble against Essex. Taunton looks likely to drift to a draw.
In Division Two it’s all a-bubbling: a thriller in store at Hove, everything up in the air at Derby and Sophia Gardens and Leicestershire battling stoically for a draw against Yorkshire
It is strange to think that three years ago on Easter Sunday, in theory the start of the Championship season, people celebrated by filming themselves at home during the first Covid lockdown. Many sympathies to anyone reading who lost loved ones during the pandemic.
An Oscar-worthy performance from the @Middlesex_CCC openers 🤣🏆
— LV= Insurance County Championship (@CountyChamp) April 10, 2020
How will you face the first ball of the season on Sunday?#CountyChampAtHome #StayHomeSaveLives pic.twitter.com/OMtQqsGlYx
