Lyth and Bean feast on runs for Yorkshire in record stand
During a feast of white‑ball cricket, suddenly a dash of red – two midsummer rounds squeezed in while the nights are short and the sun high.
To Lord’s, where Ed Hawkins’s climate stripes were displayed on the scoreboard on Friday, while on Sunday a real ale festival bubbled away in the Coronation gardens. On the field, the game swung giddily as Middlesex struggled against tight early Derbyshire bowling but then soared as Ryan Higgins reached his fourth century of the summer and Toby Roland-Jones slammed a fifty despite snapping his bat in two.
Yorkshire’s Adam Lyth and Finlay Bean piled on 307, the highest opening partnership in first-class cricket at North Marine Road. Gloucestershire could only watch after winning the toss and inserting. Durham bolted to 445 for five on a friendly Chelmsford pitch, taunting the title contenders Essex and taking 16 off Simon Harmer’s first over. There were centuries for Alex Lees (sedate) and Ollie Robinson (rumbustious).
The England fast bowler Olly Stone rescued Nottinghamshire from 190 for seven with an unbeaten 74 against Somerset. Notts had lost four for 11 when he and Calvin Harrison came together to reconstruct the innings.
Jimmy Anderson travelled to Canterbury with Lancashire but did not play. The crowd got their fill at lunch instead, with hundreds watching as he repeatedly bowled at one stump, and then took five minutes to reach the safety of the pavilion after stopping for selfies. There were three wickets each for Nathan Lyon and George Balderson as Kent were bowled out for 244.
Sussex’s John Simpson rattled to his third century of the season, against Leicestershire, while Ian Carter was bowled for 96. Bliss for Sussex supporters, who also enjoyed free admission at Hove. Dan Lawrence was 91 not out as Surrey made hay at New Road.
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Cheerio from a gloriously sunny Lord’s, after a cracking day around the grounds.
Close of play scores
DIVISION ONE
Chelmsford: Essex v Durham 445-4
Canterbury: Kent 244 v Lancashire 38-1
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire 326-8 v Somerset
Edgbaston: Warwickshire 51-2 v Hampshire 298
New Road: Worcestershire v Surrey 340-5
DIVISION TWO
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 36-0 v Northamptonshire 279
Lord’s: Middlesex 342-7 v Derbyshire
Hove: Sussex 431-7 v Leicestershire
Scarborough: Yorkshire 348-3 v Gloucestershire
There’s been a wicket at Scarbados – young Finlay Bean caught for 164, a huge round of applause guides him back home. Yorks 322-1.
They beat the record of 243 set by Jack Hobbs and Herbert Sutcliffe set in 1931! pic.twitter.com/WoE9HDtbnf
— Vitality County Championship (@CountyChamp) June 23, 2024
Right, time for me to write up for the paper. BTL remains, as ever, open.
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Dan Lawrence overtakes Ben Foakes to pass fifty with consecutive fours, currently 55 not out off 69. Surrey motoring 286-4.
On the Lord’s outfield a good handful of pigeons settle on the outfield to watch Middlesex’s recovery, steered by Higgin’s 55 not out. Middx 227-7. Light cloud cover now, though still warm.
Please do not feed the animals.
Big crowd on the Canterbury outfield at lunch to watch Jimmy Anderson have a bowl. #BBCCricket pic.twitter.com/cvhpnPbLEe
— Benjamin Watts (@BenWattsSport) June 23, 2024
A hundred for t'other Ollie Robinson
A quick-fire thing of beauty from Robinson, with Durham firing along at over six an over. Robinson 100 from 116 balls, ten fours and three sixes. Durham 352-4.
Don’t drop Surrey, Worcs! Ben Foakes put down at square leg on 31. Now 37, Surrey 255-4 and ominously gathering.
And while I wasn’t looking:
Bean 134 and Lyth 114 have now put on 261 inside 69 overs. This is the highest opening partnership on this ground in first-class cricket.#YORvGLO
— Yorkshire CCC (@YorkshireCCC) June 23, 2024
Yorks currently 290-0.
Lord’s fruit cake for tea and now a wicket as Davies nibbles at Chappell for 1. Middx 189-6.
Teatime-ish scores
DIVISION ONE
Chelmsford: Essex v Durham 273-3
Canterbury: Kent 210-6 v Lancashire
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire 220-7 v Somerset
Edgbaston: Warwickshire v Hampshire 238-6
New Road: Worcestershire v Surrey 217-4
DIVISION TWO
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan v Northamptonshire 204-7
Lord’s: Middlesex 189-5 v Derbyshire
Hove: Sussex 277-6 v Leicestershire
Scarborough: Yorkshire 242-0 v Gloucestershire
So James Vince didn’t get his first hundred of the season, in fact he didn’t even make double figures. A second wicket for OHD in Hant’s 238-6. Dawson 40 not out.
Another fabulous bit of fielding, Madsen at first slip taking Fernandes with both hands just in front of his face. Middx 187-5.
Alex Lees grabs the first century of the round, with that Ollie Robinson on 52, Durham 267-3. Or actually it could have been John Simpson, now 101 not out in Sussex’s 258-5.
Some stats from the experts in the friendly Lord’s press box – that was Simpson’s third Championship century of the season for Sussex, compared to 10 in 15 years at Lord’s. And Derbyshire have dropped 19 catches this season.
A wicket at Lord’s and it’s the big one. Thomson thrilled to have got du Plooy for 57, who steps back, cuts and is snaffled gratefully by slip.
Derbyshire’s last Championship win was in July 2022 at New Road, and at home, in 2019.
I was sure there would be CCLive readers here yesterday
Was a joyous occasion and so many beautiful props from huge puppets to elaborate costumes. On a similar point, was great to see the Climate Stripes all over Lord’s on Friday:
As part of their country-wide route to shine a light on the effects of climate change, the @Climate_Relay was hosted by MCC at Lord’s.
— Lord's Cricket Ground (@HomeOfCricket) June 21, 2024
The Relay runs 2,436km from Ben Nevis to Big Ben & aims to ‘supercharge awareness, celebrate great climate work & inspire action.’#LoveLords
(shame about JP Morgan etc etc)
Meanwhile, at Canterbury, Kent have recovered from the loss of Compton for 55, now 160-5.
Fifty for Leus du Plooy, bottom out, neat little forcing shot for four – off 94 balls. Middlesex 159-3 with 46 overs till remaining today!
And a wicket for Shoaib Bashir in Worcestershire colours. Surrey 176-3, as Sibley is caught at mid-wicket. Unfortunately for Worcs, Jamie Smith is still there, prowling, on an unbeaten 82.
Notts have one foot on a banana skin, the other on a bar of soap. Now 192-7, Aldridge 4-49.
Should you desire some afternoon white-ball pizazz, you can follow England’s progress against the USA with Jim Wallace:
Sad to read about the death of Lancashire’s former president Howard Bernstein at the age of 71. Bernstein only stepped down last month, handing over to Dame Sarah Storey, after ten years as president.
Lancashire Cricket Chair, Andy Anson said: “I am devastated to hear of Sir Howard’s passing. He has been my mentor, friend and supporter for many years, and I will greatly miss his sage advice, insight and our frequent, fun exchanges. Our differing football allegiances were always a source of entertaining conversation, and I know he would enjoy the fact that he has left us with the blue side of Manchester out in front”
Scott Currie denies Oli Carter a century by catching him off his own bowling for 96. A within-my-grasp top-edge Carter’s downfall. Sussex 194-4 (three wickets for Holland).
Notts slipping up against Somerset, losing two wickets in four runs from the comfort of 179-3. Both the men well set, Clarke (51) and Haynes (55) gone. Two wickets for Aldridge, two for Pretorius
Ali looks up from his rum punch on his Caribbean holiday ordeal to tell CCLive readers that he thinks Sam Cook will play Test cricket this year, the Kookaburra round clinching it for the selectors.
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Sibley and Smith have added nearly 100 since Pope suffered a rush of blood, fifties for both in Surrey’s 129-2.
To Edgbaston where Hampshire are 133-2. James Vince hasn’t made a century this season, could this be the day?
Sussex are recovering well from 34-3 at Hove, with an unbeaten 63 from Oli Carter in only his second Championship game of the year. Simpson a boundary-laden 40. Sussex 127-3.
The B team making waves for Lancashire: two for Balderson, two for Bailey, Kent 109-4. Compton holding things together with an unbeaten 50, just joined by Muyeye.
A brilliant catch and roll at second slip by Donald, Holden gone for 36.
Lunchtime scores
DIVISION ONE
Chelmsford: Essex v Durham 144-2
Canterbury: Kent 102-2 v Lancashire
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire 111-3 v Somerset
Edgbaston: Warwickshire v Hampshire 104-1
New Road: Worcestershire v Surrey 105-2
DIVISION TWO
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan v Northamptonshire 101-2
Lord’s: Middlesex 86-2 v Derbyshire
Hove: Sussex 84-3 v Leicestershire
Scarborough: Yorkshire 106-0 v Gloucestershire
Fifties for Adam Lyth, Fletcha Middleton and Alex Lees. Durham a go-go at Chelmsford, with Simon Harmer’s eight overs costing 49.
Hoping the photographer has managed to capture some CCLive readers here:
A perfect day for cricket in Sunny Scarborough! ❤️☀️ @ScarboroCricket #YorkshireFamily pic.twitter.com/P9dR0GXvEa
— Yorkshire CCC (@YorkshireCCC) June 23, 2024
Yorkshire, who haven’t won a game yet this season, and sit just above Gloucestershire at the bottom of Division Two, are currently 98-0 against the visiting wooden spoon holders.
Eathan Bosch’s arrival at Essex coincides with Ben Allison’s loan to Worcestershire for two Championship fixtures, and Sam Cook’s hamstring injury alongside the possibility that he will be tried as a replacement for Anderson in the Test team.
Anderson, whose final Test is pinned in for Lord’s in mid-July, has a last chance for some four-day cricket next week, at Southport against Nottinghamshire. He travelled down to Canterbury with Lancashire yesterday, but isn’t playing. Kent are currently 76-2.
And Stoneman chases a wide-one at Lord’s, super catch by Guest at slip.
An email! Hello Geoff Wignall: “Good to have some red ball action, now the nights are drawing in” [Wash your mouth our right now.]
Re, “Kent, shorn of Zak Crawley, have made a better start than usual ...”: are these two things connected?” I couldn’t possibly comment.
Lancashire fighting back though, with a wicket each for Balderson and Bailey. Kent 64-2.
A good scattering of people sunning themselves in the crowd today, with the promise of beer to come. Middlesex 63-1, as Derbyshire labour through their overs.
Ollie Pope muddles his Pom Bears with his Mignons Morceaux, charges down the wicket and is caught at slip, Surrey 42-2.
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In Division Two, a couple of early wickets for James Harris at Sophia Gardens, including the dangerous Prithvi Shaw. Marnus is playing for Glamorgan. Northants 40-2.
Stoneman and Holden are growing in confidence on a pitch in touching distance of the Tavern stand. Middx 38-1.
Ian Holland racing through Sussex, 34-3, Haines, Alsop and Coles all back in the pavilion.
And Lyth and Bean moving through the gears at Scarborough against Gloucestershire, Yorks 45-0.
Gary Naylor with the latest what’s what and who’s who in the Blast.
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A sun-dappled walk around Division One after half an hour:
Durham are 30-0 at Chelmsford after winning the toss.
Kent, shorn of Zak Crawley, have made a better start than usual at 32-1 against Lancashire.
Craig Overton has just bowled HH for 15, Notts 26-1.
Olly Hannon-Dalby grabs an early Hampshire wicket, Albert for five.
And Rory Burns falls to the third ball of the day at New Road, but Ollie Pope and Dom Sibley have already hit a couple of boundaries each in their own distinctive ways. Surrey 29-1.
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Middlesex found themselves in further hot water when they were charged by the The Cricket Regulator on Friday with a “breach of ECB Directive 3.3” The allegations, against CFO Illa Sharma, include an incident when the club mascot Pinky The Panther was groped at a Blast game in 2022.
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Reminded from BTL that Durham’s Brydon Carse is currently serving a three month ban from cricket for betting on games.
While Zak Chapple is terrifying the Middx batters, a beer festival buzzes for the duration of this game in the Coronation Gardens: “real ale in casks to craft beer on tap from breweries around London.”
Oh dear, Sam Robson goes for 0.
Made it just in time to the Lord’s press box where there is cucumber in the iced water and the coffee is strong. Middlesex won the toss and chose to bat, as, around the grounds, did Northants, Hampshire, Notts and Durham.
Some rotten news from Gloucestershire last week:
Afghanistan beat Australia!
Just pips USA beating Pakistan as the surprise of the World Cup:
Fixtures
DIVISION ONE
Chelmsford: Essex v Durham
Canterbury: Kent v Lancashire
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire v Somerset
Edgbaston: Warwickshire v Hampshire
New Road: Worcestershire v Surrey
DIVISION TWO
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan v Northamptonshire
Lord’s: Middlesex v Derbyshire
Hove: Sussex v Leicestershire
Scarborough: Yorkshire v Gloucestershire
Preamble
Good midsummer morning! I should be at Lord’s with a coffee in one hand and a scorecard in the other, but Sunday service on South West trains means I’m currently chugging towards Waterloo. Should be there for the toss…
But enough of that, welcome to this two round trifle of county cricket when the sun is high and the nights short. Enough to top up your red ball temperature during a continuous diet of the T20 World Cup and Vitality Blast.
Lots to look forward to – Yorkshire take on Gloucestershire at sunny Scarborough, table-toppers Surrey visit New Road where Shoaib Bashir is on loan to Worcestershire, Jimmy Anderson doesn’t make his return at Canterbury where Lancashire are hoping to reboot their red-ball season and Surrey-chasers Essex entertain Durham.
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