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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Emma John

Double centuries for Browne and Jones: county cricket – as it happened

Essex (Organization) Kent (Organization) Lancashire (Organization) Somerset (Organization) Cricket Nick Browne Yorkshire (Organization)
Michael Jones uses his wrists to whip the ball to leg during his masterful double century for Durham at the Riverside.
Michael Jones uses his wrists to whip the ball to leg during his masterful double century for Durham at the Riverside. Photograph: MI News/NurPhoto/Shutterstock

And that’s it for this evening… back tomorrow!

Emma John's county roundup

Two double centurions shone on day two of the latest round of games. Nick Browne’s 234 not out was a 10-and-a-half-hour marathon for Essex, who declared on 505 for nine; their Division One opponents Somerset finished the day 99 for one. Meanwhile, Michael Jones racked up his maiden double-century as Durham posted 421 for seven declared in Division Two against Middlesex, who were 43 without loss at stumps.

Elsewhere in Division One wickets crashed in noisy clumps, no fewer than nine falling in the opening session at Old Trafford. Matt Henry had picked up two by the time he completed his over from the previous evening and finished with five for 45 as Lancashire added a measly 33 for their final six wickets. Kent were then 12 for three before a Joe Denly‑Jack Leaning rescue mission, and a cavalier half-century from Grant Stewart, saw them to 270, a lead of 125.

At Scarborough, Hampshire only gained a footing when Ben Brown and Keith Barker came together at 72 for six; Barker’s run-a-ball 52, and similarly entertaining cameos from the tail, inspired a 59-run lead. Yorkshire finished 23 for one in reply.

The Surrey bowlers Conor McKerr and Jamie Overton contributed valuable runs at The Oval, where a sparkling 65 from Ollie Pope was the top score for the home side. Their 316 gave them a 63-run lead against Warwickshire, who negotiated the final two overs of the day without loss.

Gloucestershire’s bowlers fought back to keep themselves in the game after Northamptonshire’s Ryan Rickelton and Luke Procter put on 111 for the third wicket; Rickleton was out just five short of his century to Zafar Gohar, who took four in the innings. Northants finished 353 for seven, a lead of 36.

In Division Two, Anuj Dal top-scored for Derbyshire for the second time in two days. His 85 not out in a seventh-wicket partnership with Mattie McKiernan helped his side to turn a 55-run deficit into a 231-run lead, after they had bowled Worcestershire out for 185 earlier in the day.

And Ollie Robinson took four for 44 as Nottinghamshire were bowled out for 240 on the first day of their match against Sussex at Trent Bridge, before James Pattinson and Dane Paterson proved equally destructive, leaving the visitors 94 for five at the close.

I’m stepping away now to write up for the paper, but before I go there’s a nice piece here on what else to look out for at the Commonwealth Games, aside from the cricket of course…

Northants have pulled ahead at Cheltenham, where Gloucestershire’s bowlers have worked hard to keep their side in the game after Ryan Rickelton helped the visitors to 245 for 2. Lewis McManus looks like their next problem. He’s 19 from 22 balls at number eight and enjoying himself just a mite too much.

Hampshire’s 200 has come up against Yorkshire courtesy of an excellent partnership from Ben Brown and Keith Barker, followed by the ongoing fizz of a cameo from Kyle Abbott who is currently 22 off 19 balls. This useful lead of 45 continues to grow.

Updated

Well, Pujara is still there. But Ali Orr and Oliver Carter have fallen in the same over at Trent Bridge. So Sussex are now 44 for 4 and I think I’ve done my first official jinx as a CCLive blogger.

A wicket each for Pattinson and Paterson at Trent Bridge, where Sussex are now 36 for 2. But that’s probably a lot less scary a score when you know it’s bringing Cheteshwar Pujara to the crease.

…Derbyshire’s lead against Worcestershire just reached 111, which keeps them in the game in a way that we couldn’t have imagined at lunch yesterday. And Yorkshire have taken an important wicket at Scarborough, just as Hampshire’s lower order looked like they might start making trouble.

Aside from the obvious outliers, like Durham v Middx and Essex v Somerset, the matches in this round are all keeping it nice and tight so far. Kent have just tipped over into a lead against Lancashire, and Surrey have just done the same against Warwickshire…

Want to see Ian Bell carrying the Queens Baton? Of course you do.

Scores level at The Oval, where Surrey are level pegging with Warwickshire at The Oval at 253 for 8. When Ollie Pope was in, it looked like it would be more.

Somerset are finally getting a bat! Essex have made them wait the best part of two days now, and racked up 505 for 9 before declaring. What a colossal effort from Nick Browne, who finished not out on 234. Meanwhile Michael Jones is closing in on his own double hundred at Durham.

Sussex are beginning their reply after Nottinghamshire were all out on the stroke of tea for 240 and captain Steven Mullaney did well to get them up to that total, with his top-scoring 70. There were six single-figure scores on his team’s batting card and Bradley Currie did a good job of wiping up the tail with three wickets in the final five overs. Luke Fletcher and James Pattinson now opening the bowling…

So that’s a roaring return from Lancashire after tea. Tom Bailey had Jordan Cox out with his very first delivery, and followed up with keeper Robinson (Kent’s Covid replacement for Sam Billings) three balls later. Kent now 125 for 6, 20 runs behind Lancashire’s first innings score.

Ollie Robinson out immediately after tea at Old Trafford without scoring!

What do you mean, which Ollie Robinson?

Going to pop the kettle on. Be back shortly…

Teatime-ish scores

DIVISION ONE

Chelmsford: Essex 486-7 v Somerset

Cheltenham: Gloucestershire 317 v Northamptonshire 245-3

Old Trafford: Lancashire 145 v Kent 120-4

The Oval: Warwickshire 253 v Surrey 242-7

Scarborough: Yorkshire 159 v Hampshire 98-6

DIVISION TWO

Chester-le-Street: Durham 333-3 v Middlesex

New Road: Derbyshire 130 & 117-5 v Worcestershire 185

Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire 222-8 v Sussex

Is losing your wicket just before tea worse than losing it just before lunch? Discuss with reference to Kent’s Joe Denly and Gloucestershire’s Ryan Rickelton. For a bonus mark, explain why Ricklelton chased a ball down the legside when he only needed five more for his century.

Joe Denly and Jack Leaning have done a fine job for Kent at Old Trafford. After a morning in which the ball was often unplayable – the top three made contributions of 0, 0 and 5 – these two have settled down and settled in, turning 12 for 3 into a century partnership. There are sunny skies now, but if Denly hadn’t shown some application to weather that torrid spell before lunch, who knows where Kent would be right now.

Northants have their first batting point. But rather more importantly Gloucestershire have dropped Ryan Rickelton at extra cover, 12 shy of his century.

Up, up and away…

Talking of wickets, Dillon Pennington’s back in amongst them. He just can’t get enough of bowling at Derbyshire, can he? He’s taken two for 27 in this afternoon session and the visitors are now five down at New Road, with a slender lead of 43 runs in their second innings. Can anyone say “two-day game”?

Steven Mullaney’s half century is the only thing propping up the bottom half of the Notts innings at Trent Bridge, where they hosts are 171-7 and Aristides Karvelas has 2 for 42 to go with The Other Ollie Robinson’s four-wicket haul.

And more wickets are falling at Scarborough, where Joe Weatherley has high-scored for Hampshire with 23 and captain James Vince has fallen in the teens. His side are five down and still more than 100 runs behind Yorkshire.

Nick Browne has a double century against Somerset at Chelmsford! The 31 year old played a full five dot balls against Lewis Gregory before finally getting the single he needed off the last ball of the over. He’s been out at the crease for over nine hours now.

While we’re on the subject of patient batting, Michael Jones and Scott Borthwick brought up their hundred partnership against Middlesex at Chester-le-Street before Borthwick was caught and bowled by Umesh Yadav. Jones is still there, though, on 141 not out.

Updated

Oof, that’s a glorious ball from Oliver Hannon-Dalby, swinging in and pinning Ben Foakes slap in front of the stumps. He’s gone for 31 and Surrey are 127 for 4, Will Jacks joining Ollie Pope (44 not out) at the crease. It didn’t feel like a particularly scintillating game here at The Oval yesterday but it’s certainly developing into something.

Updated

Wicket at Scarborough! They’d barely got back out there before Ben Coad had Nick Gubbins lbw. Out comes James Vince, a captain in search of a ship-steadying innings. Hampshire are 12 for 3 off 6 overs and this match, like the one at New Road, seems to share at least part of its DNA with the game of dominoes.

The Other Ollie Robinson has a fourth wicket against Nottinghamshire, by the way. That’s 4 for 36 he has now. And Ben Slater, who he dismissed, was really the tentpole of the Notts batting with his 55 off 108. Now he’s gone, will the canvas just fall down round their ears?

We haven’t talked about Surrey much today, have we? They’re rallying nicely against Warwickshire since losing Rory Burns and Hashim Amla early. 25 for 2 has now become 118 for 3 thanks to a restorative partnership between Ollie Pope and Ben Foakes.

Oh Derbyshire. They’ve just lost their second wicket while still two runs behind, Joe Leach knocking over Brooke Guest’s leg stump.

Essex have passed 400 at Chelmsford, meanwhile poor Derbyshire still trail Worcestershire by 7 runs in their second innings. But they’re creeping up there, inch by inch.

Joe Denly’s just hit a lovely straight drive off Will Williams and the Old Trafford outfield’s so slow the ball has held up well short of the long-on boundary. The batters have run three. Denly’s now 16 off 53 balls which is really the only way to approach things when the ball’s doing as much as it has been. Nine wickets went down in Manchester this morning. Nine!

Essex look ready to put their foot to the accelerator at Chelmsford... Nick Browne now has 27 boundaries in his 184 not out.

There have been 33 overs lost at Scarborough so far and they’re hoping to resume there at 2.15pm. It was a funny old morning there, twice a wicket fell only for the skies to darken immediately and force the new batter do a U-turn back to the pavilion…

“Hi Emma,” says Gary Naylor. Hi Gary! “Looking at that montage of Kashif Ali below, he has something of the young Hashim Amla about him. Raw, but there’s a fluidity in the strokes, an easy balance at the crease and that thousandth of a beat of extra time to play the ball. No pressure, but a fine start!”

Ok we’re back! Hope everyone else has eaten as well as me. Pasta, since you ask.

Here’s your lunchtime reading from yesterday’s final T20 between England and South Africa, while I head off to grab a bag of crisps and a can of Coke something nutritious.

Lunchtime scores

DIVISION ONE

Chelmsford: Essex 364-5 v Somerset

Cheltenham: Gloucestershire 317 v Northamptonshire 135-2

Old Trafford: Lancashire 145 v Kent 22-3

The Oval: Warwickshire 253 v Surrey 79-3

Scarborough: Yorkshire 159 v Hampshire 5-2

DIVISION TWO

Chester-le-Street: Durham 200-1 v Middlesex

New Road: Derbyshire 130 & 37-1 v Worcestershire 185

Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire 87-4 v Sussex

Honestly, the score at Chester-le-Street is pretty boring compared to what’s been happening everywhere else. I mean it’s not boring if you’re Michael Jones, who has gone to a fine hundred, but I still think stand-in captain Toby Roland-Jones is regretting putting Durham in, don’t you? He’s taken Middlesex’s only wicket this morning and the home side are currently 186 for 1.

Leicestershire are throwing their first “Ladies Day” at their Royal London Cup match against Notts on 20 August, which they’re planning will become an annual event. Marvin Humes is going to DJ, or present, or both, it’s not quite clear.

Anyway, I’m all for engaging with the community and bringing in new fans so I don’t want to be a grouchypuss… are Ladies Days still a thing, then? Apparently this event is going to include a prize for “Best Dressed Lady”, and I don’t know how I feel about that. Has there ever been a sporting tournament that gave an award to the Best Dressed Dude In The Crowd? Maybe there has. Maybe I’m taking this too seriously.

Northants have picked themselves back up after that early wicket at Cheltenham. They’re now 108 for 1 with a captain’s innings being played by Will Young, who’s approaching his half-century.

The Other Ollie Robinson’s made it three against Notts, Joe Clarke caught behind in the 11th over and the home side now 66 for 3. That’s some sticky goo they’ve found themselves in.

Kent’s reply to Lancashire’s 145 hasn’t started well – Ben Compton was out to Tom Bailey second ball, the score still on nought, and Daniel Bell-Drummond has just been trapped lbw by Will Williams, making it 5 for 2. It’s a seamers’ block party up there.

Still, they say a quick game’s a good game, don’t they. Talking of which, Worcestershire’s innings has come to an end at New Road, they’ve managed 185. Could a lead of 55 against Derbyshire’s first-inning score be a decisive one? I suspect it could be.

Hampshire are hoping to resume their innings against Yorkshire at 12.30pm, if there’s no more rain at Scarborough. They’re currently 3 for 1.

Another wicket for The Other Ollie Robinson at Trent Bridge – looks like conditions are ripe for him there. Meanwhile Essex continue to bat on at Chelmsford, they’ve passed 300 for the loss of just three wickets – Nick Browne just four away from his 150, and Paul Walter on 69.

Matt Henry is at it again! Kent are having a fantastic half-hour at Old Trafford, and the Kiwi seamer is proving irresistible, he’s now removed Lancashire captain Steven Croft for 31 and bowled Tom Bailey for 0. In his three and half overs this morning Henry has picked up 4 for 14. Lancashire have gone from 112 for 4 overnight to 142 for 8.

Updated

Northants have lost their first wicket at Cheltenham, Emilio Gay lbw to David Payne, the score 46 for 1. And there’s some kind of mayor arriving at Scarborough, where he’s being escorted round the boundary by security. I wonder how heavy those ceremonial chains of office are? Oh, and now George Coad has got Ian Holland edging to slip and Hampshire are 3 for 1! And… there’s no chance for new batter Joe Weatherley to even make it to the middle, because the umbrellas are going up, and it’s looking too dark to take guard anyway.

Updated

The Other Ollie Robinson has just taken the first wicket of the game at Trent Bridge, bowling Haseeb Hameed for 5, Notts now 15 for 1 against Sussex.

Yorkshire are all out for 159, and all you can really say about that is that it’s 29 more than Derbyshire managed yesterday. Kyle Abbott picks up the last wicket without conceding another run, so he’s just walked off the field with 6 for 36 which is a pretty good way to start your Tuesday.

Matt Henry is having an even better start to the day than Kyle Abbott. He’s taken two wickets in three balls in the first over of the day! Washington Sunday bowled for six, George Lavelle caught at slip for 0, Lancashire 112-6.

And we’re off… with a wicket already at Scarborough! Captain Steven Patterson falls to the third ball of the day, edging behind, and Kyle Abbott has a five-fer. 5-36, to be precise, which are not bad figures at all. Yorkshire 158-9

Here’s a little taster of Kashif Ali’s debut for Worcestershire yesterday. The 24-year-old is one of the first “graduates” of the South Asian Cricket Academy, established by Birmingham City University, and he’s already looking like their first big success in finding professional contracts for overlooked talent, having been signed last month until the end of the season.

An 11.15am start time for Durham v Middlesex at Chester-le-Street, and we may be looking at a delayed start at Scarborough, too, where the covers are still on…

Covid alert: Sam Billings has tested positive and will take no more part in Kent’s game against Lancashire. I’m not sure about this ‘like-for-like’ replacement though. I mean, Ollie Robinson’s seven inches taller than him for a start.

Start of play scores

DIVISION ONE

Chelmsford: Essex 281-3 v Somerset

Cheltenham: Gloucestershire 317 v Northamptonshire 30-0

Old Trafford: Lancashire 112-4 v Kent

The Oval: Warwickshire 240-8 v Surrey

Scarborough: Yorkshire 158-8 v Hampshire

DIVISION TWO

Chester-le-Street: Durham 132-0 v Middlesex

New Road: Derbyshire 130 v Worcestershire 141-5

Monday's round up

Rain brought an early close at Scarborough where Yorkshire took on Hampshire in Division One, but it didn’t dampen the efforts of either Mohammad Abbas or Kyle Abbott as they set the home side’s batting card alight. Yorkshire were 33 for six before a rescue effort from Will Fraine and Dom Bess – the only batters to reach double figures – put on 116 runs. Both men fell before close of play, and Yorkshire resume today on 158 for eight.

Seven of Warwickshire’s top eight made it into the 20s, but only Dom Sibley and Nathan McAndrew made it out of the 30s against Surrey at the Oval. There were three wickets for Conor McKerr, and Jamie Overton and Tom Lawes took two apiece as they restricted the visitors to 240 for eight.

The beachy Costa-del-wicket at Chelmsford told you what Essex were planning if they won the toss. Sure enough, they batted first against Somerset and Jack Leach was bowling before lunch. Alastair Cook and Nick Browne put on a hundred for the opening partnership, and Browne spread his first century since April across a patient five hours, helping his team to 281 for three at stumps.

Half-centuries from James Bracey and Ryan Higgins helped Gloucestershire to recover from 167 for five to 317 against Northamptonshire at Cheltenham. Higgin brought up his punchy 50 off 79 balls with a boundary off Rob Keogh, although the off-spinner had the last word, trapping him lbw next ball. Northants were 30 without loss at the close.

Thirty-five overs at Old Trafford were just enough for Navdeep Saini to prove why he was a brilliant signing for Kent, nipping out Luke Wells and Rob Jones in successive deliveries on his way to three for 45. Lancashire finished 112 for four.

Fifteen Division Two wickets fell at New Road, where Dillon Pennington’s opening spell left Derbyshire 14 for five, and only Anuj Dal’s dogged half-century could get them to 130, before Worcestershire had troubles of their own against the seamer Sam Conners, ending on 141 for five.

At the Riverside Alex Lees and Michael Jones put on an unbroken opening stand of 132 for Durham in the 44.5 overs they managed between rain delays against Middlesex.

Preamble

Morning everyone! There’s still cool cloud cover here in London today, much like yesterday, and the weather forecast looks better across the country today. Only occasional showers showing on the rain radar – so we can hope for plenty of play everywhere. We’ll be following eight games today, as Nottinghamshire and Sussex join battle in Division Two at Trent Bridge.

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