Tanya Aldred's roundup
As the temperature dropped 10 degrees from the hell-fires of the first day, cricket breathed. Surrey showed just why they lead the First Division in a movie-like comeback led by Will Jacks at the Oval. Down and out at 112 for seven, Surrey could count on a lead of 48 by the time the innings closed as Jacks, unbeaten on 150, lived the dream – from tidy and careful, he let rip after passing his hundred, smashing 50 from 17 balls including six sixes. Browbeaten Essex then lost two wickets before the close.
The advantage continued to dodge this way and that at Edgbaston after Joe Denly (70no) and Jordan Cox (40no) put on an unbeaten 93 for the fifth wicket to inch Kent towards a 150-run lead. Earlier in the day Sam Hain had been last man out for 99 as Warwickshire pocketed a handy lead. Warwickshire’s Navdeep Saini grabbed five for 72 on debut, and Sam Billings seven catches. There was no run bonus for Zak Crawley.
Lancashire collapsed to 132 all out at Wantage Road after Jack White’s five for 14 zipped through the top order. In humid conditions, Northamptonshire’s White got the ball zinging, and Lancashire lost five for 27, halted only by a break for sandwiches.
Somerset found their form against Yorkshire – first reaching 424 – thanks to 77 from Lewis Gregory – before Jack Brooks wriggled out three of his old teammates. The visitors finished on 167 for four.
In Division Two, Sussex’s resident run-machine Cheteshwar Pujara notched up his third double century of the season to set Sussex up nicely at Lord’s.
Nottinghamshire continued to grind Derbyshire into the dry County Ground pitch, declaring at 618 for eight. Haseeb Hameed and Ben Duckett’s stand reached 402 – a club record for the second wicket – before Duckett edged on to his stumps for 241. Hameed got within four runs of his own double century before attempting an ambitious waft to the rope and being caught behind.
Just wanted to pop back to record another day of runs: more big ones from Pujara and an innings to remember from Will Jacks. Congratulations too to Jack White, for his five for 14 , to provoke a Lancs-up, 2022 stylee.
That’s it from me for a while on the county blog - I’ll be back in September for the final run-up to whatever 2023 brings. Daniel and Emma take the wheel from here. Have a wonderful August - bye!
Right I’d better get a move on with writing up for the paper. Do keep chatting BTL.
A hundred for Will Jacks!
Well played! Off just 168 balls. Grinding Essex dreams into the dust. Surrey now have a 20 run lead.
Denly and Cox inching Kent towards a lead of three figures - Kent 137-4, while in Division Two:
Derbyshire have weathered the early storm, with Guest and Madsen taking Derbys towards three figures in the shadow of Notts 618.
Robson and Stoneman digging in at Lord’s, Middx still 486 behind. Leicestershire busying along on the first day at Grace Road - with Mulder 127 not out, in the steps of his double century last week. Leics 346-5.
An early wicket at Northampton, Will Williams ride to the rescue? Northants 15-1 but that’s already a lead of 118.
Kemar Roach is playing a peculiar innings of block and whack at The Oval - 27 runs, 20 of them in fours, 83 balls. Jacks still there on a careful 78. The scores moves to 237-8, those plummy southern softies now just 34 behind Essex.
I’ve got a good feeling about this game for Somerset. I think they’re halfway to sorting their batting out and Yorkshire are now 56-2.
I was looking for this sort of stat, then one just pops up on my timeline. Thank you!
Most Career FC double tons
— James McCaghrey (@McLovinstatto) July 20, 2022
37- Bradman
36- Hammond
22- Hendren
17- Sutcliffe
17- Ramprakash
16- Pujara
16- Fry
16- Hobbs
16- Hick
Incredible for a modern player to be so high up this list.
Never doubt the 2022 Surrey vintage, there’s always someone hanging around to squeeze out a few more runs. From 112-7 to 215-8. Jacks 70.
The first official Lancs-up of the year in the county championship? Lancs all out 132 against Northamptonshire. Rob Keogh 2-8, White 5-14. Good toss to win?
Tea-timeish scores
Cheltenham: Gloucestershire v Hants 353-5
The County Ground: Northants 235 v Lancs 116-8
Taunton: Somerset 424 v Yorkshire 5-0
The Oval: Surrey 185-8 v Essex 271
Edgbaston: Warwickshire 225 v Kent 165 and 90-3
DIVISION TWO
The County Ground: Derbyshire 66-2 v Nottinghamshire 618-8dec
Lords: Middlesex v Sussex 513-9
Grace Road: Leicestershire 250-5 v Glamorgan (day one)
Double century for Cheteshwar Pujara!
In Division Two, Derby have lost both openers in the shade of Nottinghamshire’s 600 plus declared.
And at Lord’s, Pujara HAS passed 200 again, and helped Sussex past 500. Greatest signing ever on the south coast?
A batting masterclass at Lord's. 🌟
— Sussex Cricket (@SussexCCC) July 20, 2022
Superb, @cheteshwar1. 👏
2⃣0⃣0⃣ pic.twitter.com/IQ0e3G25WD
Round the grounds...
Will Jacks putting up a good fight at The Oval - 48 not out. Surrey 177-8, 94 behind Essex.
Daniel Bell-Drummond and Joe Denly have nearly knocked off the deficit at Edgbaston, Kent 74-2.
Northants’ Jack White has picked up five against struggling Lancs, doldrum bound 102-6.
Bad light at Cheltenham, again. Hants 353-5, on a day in slow-motion.
And Somerset all out on the stroke of tea -424. Four for Bess, three for Waite. Runs coming at the end thanks to 77 from Lewis Gregory and 41 from Kasey Aldridge.
Leach smashes a SIX, before being stumped for 16 in Somerset’s 406-9. They’ll be pleased with that, I reckon. Bess 4-82.
SIX!! Jack Leach skips down and smashes Dom Bess into the stand! #SOMvYOR#WeAreSomerset pic.twitter.com/EgELREK5K8
— Somerset Cricket 🏏 (@SomersetCCC) July 20, 2022
Both Kent openers gone in the space of five overs. Both caught by Mousley. Crawley marches off at top speed after a clip off the toes, handsome, but fatal. 48-2.
An update from Andrew Strauss on the high-performance review. A quick summary.
Do we still need the review what with Bazball and everything? Yes
Aims? “The high performance review is about building sustained success. We don’t just want to succeed in one series, for one year, or in one format at a time. We want to be best in the world across all three Men’s formats – Test, 50-over and T20 internationals. By this we mean that in five years we are number one ranked team in at least one format and at least number three in all of them – and to be able to sustain this for years at a time” [Is this just me or does that sound a bit greedy? Do we have to be the best for that long? ]
The set of principles established after the first part of the review. [A mixture of common-sense and, er, management gibberish]
A game-wide commitment to high performance, underpinned by extraordinary leadership at all levels.” Executing a strategy -being ruthless in allocating resources.
Updated
Can Sussex’s tail wag for long enough for Pujara to reach another double century? It would be his third of the season - which smells like some kind of record...
I don’t think it is good news for Surrey that Simon Harmer has got his first wicket, the last two games have proved he him still greedy for more. The league leaders looking very wobbly - 126-7, 145 behind. Top score at the moment, Ollie Pope with 26.
What is going on at Derby? Notts hoping to get all the runs they will need for the rest of the season? Currently 617-7 - hang on, they’ve declared! 618-8. Patterson-White and Pattinson in a run-a-ball hoopla.
I feel like Chris Old would be a good CCLive companion.
@tjaldred Chris Old at the checkout in Sainsbury's in Truro, ten years ago. He only stopped work there two years ago, aged 71. pic.twitter.com/vZmdKfawNK
— Romeo Romeo Tango Ψιτιζεν οφ Νοςηερε (@RomeoCCLive) July 20, 2022
I think this counts as an official Lancs wobble -Croft joins Jennings and Wells back in the pavilion. 55-3.
Gosh, straight-talking from Heather Knight. Professionalism bites.
Crawley and Compton back at the crease at Edgbaston. An interesting combination of Championship runs and international caps. Kent 4-0, 56 behind Warwicks.
Just popping back to report - as I’m sure you already know - that Sam Hain didn’t make his hundred - caught by Billings off hearbreaker Milnes for 99. Warwicks 225 all out, a lead of 60. Sandwich time.
Lunchtime-ish scores
Cheltenham: Gloucestershire v Hants 235-2 Rain stopped play, restart due 1.25pm
The County Ground: Northants 235 v Lancs 50-2
Taunton: Somerset 321-6 v Yorkshire
The Oval: Surrey 93-4 v Essex 271
Edgbaston: Warwickshire 222-9 v Kent 165
DIVISION TWO
The County Ground: Derbyshire v Nottinghamshire 523-7
Lords: Middlesex v Sussex 412-6
Grace Road: Leicestershire 128-1 v Glamorgan (day one)
Sam Hain, 96 not out, chasing his century before lunch/last man OHD falls...
At Grace Road, Louis Kimber has gathered an unbeaten fifty, Lewis Hill hot on his heels, 45 not out. Leics 120-1.
And Sussex’s Pujara making his fifth Championship century of the year a big un -142 and counting. Sussex 402-6. Middlesex’s Tom Helm has picked up 4-87.
All sorts happening at Edgbaston, where this match is progressing at indecent haste. Warwick 203-9, a lead of 38. Hain 84 not out and in need of a quick heave-ho - unless OHD is going to perform magic with the bat as well.
Five wickets for new Kent signing Navdeep Saini - after a wayward start.
41 years....
@tjaldred https://t.co/VCMGdk76po
— Romeo Romeo Tango Ψιτιζεν οφ Νοςηερε (@RomeoCCLive) July 20, 2022
Have I missed Hameed’s double ton? Don’t worry, he’s safely marooned on 187 - though all about him Notts batters are scattering - Clarke for 5, James for 14, Mullaney for 2. A couple of wickets for Dickens character Scrimshaw. Notts 469-5.
An early lunch to be taken at Cheltenham - restart 1.25pm, weather permitting.
Joe Root on the temporarily mis-functioning white-ball side:
Raining at Taunton too - Tom Abell the only wicket to fall today, for 116. This could be a tight fix at Taunton over the next three days. Somerset 298-6.
A hundred for Felix Organ!
Fantastically well played throughout the heat of yesterday, collecting his reward today. Now, the rain falls at Cheltenham, Hampshire adding another 32 runs this morning.
I clean forgot that Leicestershire v Glamorgan was starting today. Leicestershire won the toss and chose to bat - Kimber and Patel running along smoothly so far 43-0.
Who wants to see the cutest picture of Adam Rossington’s nephew watching him score a hundred yesterday? Go on then:
Watching his uncle score a 💯 @Rossington17 pic.twitter.com/DwkfGh8QwZ
— Chris Rossington (@Rossington99) July 19, 2022
From Hasan Ali to Washington Sundar! Lancashire have done pretty well with their overseas signings this year - Sundar duly picks up a fifth wicket on debut - McManus for 61. Northants nearly done, 226-9.
A flurry of early wickets. Simon Kerrigan goes for a duck against his old team, Lancs: Northants 220-8 . Sam Cook winkles out Rory Burns at The Oval - both openers gone, Surrey 31-2. Down in Division 2 - the Duckett-Hameed partnership has been broken after 402 runs. Duckett gone for 241, with barely time to digest his breakfast.
And we’re off!
Just to remind you that there will be slightly longer sessions over the next three days at Northampton and Cheltenham to make up for the reduced playing hours yesterday.
Here is Paul Edwards on events at Cheltenham yesterday.
Start of play scores
Cheltenham: Gloucestershire v Hants 203-2
The County Ground: Northants 218-7 v Lancs
Taunton: Somerset 262-5 v Yorkshire
The Oval: Surrey 24-1 v Essex 271
Edgbaston: Warwickshire 155-6 v Kent 165
DIVISION TWO
The County Ground: Derbyshire v Nottinghamshire 439-1
Lords: Middlesex v Sussex 329-4
Grace Road: Leicestershire v Glamorgan (day one)
Updated
Tuesday's round-up
On the UK’s hottest day in history, the County Championship entered a new era. All around the grounds – except at Taunton, where rain brought afternoon refreshment – the mercury hovered around 39C.
Four teams took up the offer from the England and Wales Cricket Board of amended playing hours, with Gloucestershire and Hampshire (at Cheltenham) and Northamptonshire and Lancashire (at Northampton) playing three sessions of 90 minutes, ending at 4.30pm.
“It sort of reminds me a bit of playing in Dubai or Abu Dhabi or something like that,” said Northamptonshire’s new captain, Will Young, after his team notched up 210 for seven, led by Rob Keogh. “Like a really dry heat with that hot wind coming across the ground.” Washington Sundar took four Northants wickets on his Lancashire debut.
At the 150th Cheltenham cricket festival, Felix Organ batted all day for 93 not out as Gloucestershire toiled in the field against Hampshire, with bowling duties split eight ways. Meanwhile events at the Oval swung one way then another, as Essex were reduced to 91 for six and then fought back magnificently against Surrey. That was thanks to a thrilling hundred from Adam Rossington, who jiffied Kemar Roach for three legside sixes, while Daniel Worrall gathered a superb six for 56.
It was a day for batting at the County Ground in Derby, where Ben Duckett danced to 237 and Haseeb Hameed a career-best 165 as weary Derbyshire went through their paces against Nottinghamshire, dropping a couple of chances on the way. Middlesex’s puzzling decision to bowl first against Sussex did not pay dividends at Lord’s where MCC members, allowed to remove their jackets – but not their ties – watched Tom Alsop and Cheteshwar Pujara make hundreds.
Elsewhere, Tom Abell skipped to his third Championship century of the season for Somerset at Taunton against Yorkshire, while at Edgbaston, Kent crumbled to 165 all out as Oliver Hannon-Dalby went on the rampage before Sam Hain propped up Warwickshire’s similarly fragile lineup.
Preamble
Good morning! Hope you survived yesterday’s nightmare heat and fires and have a cooling breeze rolling around your ankles this morning. Unfortunately I haven’t made it to Cheltenham again, so if anyone is around the grounds, please do write and give us some local colour.
Time for a quick coffee, back in five.
Updated
