Bell-Drummond and Muyeye hit 318 partnership
Daniel Bell-Drummond and Tawanda Muyeye batted Kent to total domination at the County Ground. Muyeye, 22, who arrived in the UK as an asylum seeker, rocked to his maiden Championship century – a six taking him to 99, a pulled four to his hundred, whereupon he pulled off his helmet grinned and buried his face in Bell‑Drummond’s broad shoulders. The pair had put on 318 when Muyeye was caught for 179, but Bell-Drummond pressed on, and on, 271 not out at stumps, grinding Northamptonshire into the dust.
A last-wicket stand of 130 between Sean Abbott and Dan Worrall popped Lancashire’s balloon, who before the pair came together had looked like getting a first-innings advantage. By the time they were separated, Surrey had a lead of 86. Lancashire’s top four were all out by stumps.
It was Harmer-time at Chelmsford, Warwickshire collapsing to 158 against Essex and forced to follow on after Simon Harmer grabbed six wickets.
Somerset giddily slipped into a sparkly dress, throwing expectation out of the window, after Matt Henry zipped through the Nottinghamshire batting lineup with a spell of four for 26, limiting the Notts lead to just 23. George Bartlett then hurried to his second Championship hundred of the year.
Liam Dawson is having the match of his life at the Rose Bowl: a first-innings century followed by six wickets as Middlesex imploded. Josh de Caires, Michael Atherton’s son, had collected a career-best seven for 144 in Hampshire’s 419.
Matt Parkinson, on loan to Durham, took two wickets in Leicestershire’s plucky response to Durham’s 517-6 declared; while Daniel Moriarty, Yorkshire’s loanee, pocketed three wickets against Gloucestershire. Matthew Revis was the third Yorkshire centurion of the match.
A crazy day’s cricket, with an unbeaten daddy ton for Daniel Bell-Drummond, a maiden century for Tawanda Muyeye, seven wickets for Josh De Caires, six for Liam Dawson and Simon Harmer, Lancs lancsing up a great position against Surrey and more. We’ll be back tomorrow for more of the same, plus reporting on the CDC report and Yorkshire’s possible sanctions. Till then, good night!
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Close of play scores
DIVISION ONE
Chelmsford: Essex 457 v Warwickshire 158 and 74-1
Rose Bowl: Hampshire 419 v Middlesex 142-8
County Ground: Northants 237 v Kent 550-5
Taunton: Somerset 163 and 268-4 v Nottinghamshire 186
The Oval: Surrey 360 v Lancashire 274 and 113-4
DIVISION TWO
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 242 and 46-0 v Sussex 203
Grace Road: Leicestershire 335-4 v Durham 517-6dec
New Road: Worcestershire 237 v Derbyshire 374-5
Headingley: Yorkshire 550-9dec v Gloucestershire 232-5
Right, I better write this baby up. Do stay chatting BTL as Lancashire fence off Surrey, George Bartlett approaches three figures for Somerset and DBD 250.
Hundreds for Wayne Madsen and Leus du Plooy!
Apologies Derbyshire, I have neglected you. Madsen (143) and du Plooy(124) no out have been busy grinding Worcestershire’s bowlers into the New Road dust. Derbys 316-4.
Three wickets to Dan Moriarty
Yorkshire’s new loan player has picked up three at Headingley in his first bowl – Gloucestershire 148-4.
A dally round Division Two:
Sussex did well to inch to within 39 off Glamorgan, thanks to a very handy 59 from Hudson-Prentice and 21 to Jack Carson. Sussex 203, Glamorgan 13-0 in reply.
Leicestershire’s Ackermann and Handscomb have put on 114 for the fourth wicket to keep Leicester in the game. 239-3, 278 behind Durham.
Some post-work reading:
Three wickets for (the forgotten) Liam Dawson at the Rose Bowl. The bad news, one of them is Sam Robson, for 38. Middx 80-4.
Essex enforce the follow-on
Warwickshire get to have another go, the deficit 299. Harmer 5-65.
200 for Daniel Bell-Drummond!
His first Championship double-ton for Kent who have built a lead of more than 200 over Northants. Gorgeous stuff. Kent 439-4.
Somerset have lost Lammonby for 73, bowled Carter. Bartlett, 65 and TKC 10. Somerset 183-3, the lead 160.
Ed Barnard doing what Ed Barnard does best and mopping up after the top order. But he’s in danger of running out of partners, Warwicks 151-9, 306 behind Essex. Harmer 4-60.
It’s come down to a super over in the ODI World Cup qualifier betweenWest Indies and the Netherlands. Cracking over for the Netherlands leaves West Indies to chase 31 to win.
Key event
Wells and Jennings try to shove the Surrey monkey back in the cage: 24-0. (watch out, it bites!)
Teatime-ish scores
DIVISION ONE
Chelmsford: Essex 457 v Warwickshire 138-8
Rose Bowl: Hampshire 419 v Middlesex 53-3
County Ground: Northants 237 v Kent 401-4
Taunton: Somerset 163 and 155-2 v Nottinghamshire 186
The Oval: Surrey 360 v Lancashire 274
DIVISION TWO
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 242 v Sussex 195-7
Grace Road: Leicestershire 183-3 v Durham 517-6dec
New Road: Worcestershire 237 v Derbyshire 277-3
Headingley: Yorkshire 550-9dec v Gloucestershire 80-2
A third wicket for Harmer, and a seventh for Essex – Warwicks 138-7
Middlesex are falling foul of Hampshire’s opening attack – 51 for three. Robson contributing 31 not out, Extras 9. One wicket for Abbas, two for Dawson.
Lancashire have survived the first two overs of their second innings, 3-0.
Kent pile runs on runs, 401-4, DBD 180 not out.
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A second wicket for Matt Parkinson at Grace Road…he’ll be licking his fingers for a five-fer here. Leics 148-3.
And, whoops, Surrey-chasing Warwickshire have fallen in a large and rather desolate hole in Chelmsford, praying Dom Bess can bring something with the bat in his one match loan. 126-6.
A run out brings the last painful Surrey wicket to a close. Dan Worrall run out for 51, Sean Abbott stranded on 87. Lancashire limp off, Surrey 360 all out, the lead 86, the mental lead 586. They take tea at The Oval.
Warwicks lose a fourth, Mousley to Porter, 104-4. Robson and Stoneman making a good fist of the first few overs at the Rose Bowl, Middlesex 23-0.
Somerset too, holding firm, 116-2 against Notts, the lead 63.
Seven wickets for Josh de Caires!
Belatedly clocked an astonishing seven wicket haul for de Caires, who said yesterday that he wouldn’t have been picked without the Kookaburra ball.
A wonderfully childish celebration from Josh de Caires after getting James Vince LBW. Genuine joy/disbelief. pic.twitter.com/3zMlL2ssCo
— Cameron Ponsonby (@cameronponsonby) June 25, 2023
Oh dear, Lancashire’s soapy fingers have just dropped a second catch since lunch. Surrey 331-9, the lead now 57, the last-wicket partnership over 100 off just 84 balls
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150 for Daniel Bell-Drummond!
He presses on after losing his partner Muyeye for 179 and Joe Denly for a classic long-wait-during-a-long-partnership 14-ball six. Kent 349-3.
Warwicks have just lost Bethell for 37 to Simon Harmer, 94-3 Essex trail by 363.
Fifty for Sean Abbott!
Daryl Mitchell’s post-lunch arm-over gets wellied: Surrey’s lead now 30, a last-wicket partnership of 75 and counting.
🎬 Every ball of the 56th over as Abbott and Worrall share 22 runs off the bowling of Daryl Mitchell.
— Surrey Cricket (@surreycricket) June 26, 2023
🤎 | #SurreyCricket https://t.co/gT3hCuBcoa pic.twitter.com/It0spSff3S
A wicket for Parkinson M at The Riverside, as Leicestershire’s sparky start malfunctions. Budinger caught for 51 and Patel snaffelled off Raine for 31, Leics 87-2.
Ah brilliant. Gary Naylor’s six balls on the Blast:
Surrey now have a ten-run lead over Lancashire, of course they do. Abbot and Worrall throwing the bat merrily.
Lammonby and Bartlett have rescued Somerset from potential collapse-city to 99-2, a lead of 76 over Notts.
Will Rhodes and Jacob Bethell are pulling Warwicks out of the mire against Essex, moving from 18-2 to 72-2; and Hampshire are all out for 419. Road of a pitch or excellent batting? Middlesex will soon find out.
150 for Tawanda Muyeye!
Such joy
You 𝒂𝒃𝒔𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒚 love to see it 🤩
— Kent Spitfires (@KentCricket) June 26, 2023
Tawanda Muyeye 🤝 Daniel Bell-Drummond pic.twitter.com/nkj5NTr7If
and some shots to savour:
What a moment for Tawanda Muyeye
— LV= Insurance County Championship (@CountyChamp) June 26, 2023
The @KentCricket opener brings up a classy maiden #LVCountyChamp century pic.twitter.com/pCsF1vvo6K
Meanwhile Daniel Bell-Drummond has carried his Blast form into the Championship - 142 not out in a partnership of 198 with Muyeye. Kent cruising into fantasy land, 315-1.
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Statement from Yorkshire ahead of the CDC sanctions hearing on Tuesday
The Board of Yorkshire County Cricket Club said:
“Tomorrow’s Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC) sanctions hearing marks the near culmination of a chapter that has weighed heavily on Yorkshire County Cricket Club for close to two years. It also coincides with the publication of the long-awaited Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC) report into the wider state of the game.
“Racism and discrimination in any form is unacceptable and, as a Board, we have been clear on the need to take accountability for the historical cultural issues that allowed racist and discriminatory behaviour to go unchallenged at the Club. The acceptance of four amended charges brought by the CDC was part of a continued effort to acknowledge what happened in the past so we can learn and move forward.
“In making representations to the CDC panel, we hope to achieve a reasonable sanction which takes into account our acceptance of the charges, YCCC’s current financial position and the robust work we have undertaken to build the foundations for a Club which is truly inclusive and welcoming to all.
“Over the past year and a half, the reputational and financial impact of the racism crisis included the loss of sponsors and the removal of the privilege of hosting international cricket at Headingley, which was reinstated following the Club demonstrating adherence to a stringent ten-point plan outlined by the ECB.
“The Club has made significant investments to put in place best practice processes and procedures, as well as driving equality, diversity and inclusion through a new framework and taking important steps to improve the matchday experience to encourage greater inclusivity and tackle discrimination. This is in addition to the positive work we have done to transform our Performance Pathway and ensure young cricketers from all backgrounds can take part regardless of their economic circumstances.
“We hope that any sanctions are reflective of the circumstances the Club is in today and do not serve to hinder our ongoing commitment to create a brighter future for all associated with Yorkshire.”
Updated
In Division Two: Sussex’s 121 for six is smelling distinctly under-par at Sophia Gardens, two wickets each for McIlroy, VDG and James Harris.
Durham declared before lunch, 517-6, The Other Ollie Robinson a magnificent 167 not out, Graham Clark – a name out of the 1970s parenting handbook – run out for 92. Leicestershire lamping along in reply, 64-0 off 13 overs.
Madsen and du Plooy have put on 149 for the fourth wicket to get Derbyshire in touching distance of parity at New Road, just 50 behind.
And a long second day for Gloucestershire in the field – Yorks a huge 541-9, Revis 99 not out….
Everyone back out post lunch, with Surrey continuing their unexpected slide. Sam Curran, nailed on for a whack-a-day century, caught for 52. This is going to turn into a one-innings battle, Surrey 226-8, 48 behind
Lunchtime scores
DIVISION ONE
Chelmsford: Essex 457 v Warwickshire 28-2
Rose Bowl: Hampshire 383-7 v Middlesex
County Ground: Northants 237 v Kent 264-1
Taunton: Somerset 163 and 43-2 v Nottinghamshire 186
The Oval: Surrey 215-7 v Lancashire 274
DIVISION TWO
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 242 v Sussex 120-5
Grace Road: Leicestershire 41-0 v Durham 517-6dec
New Road: Worcestershire 237 v Derbyshire 164-3
Headingley: Yorkshire 531-8 v Gloucestershire
Key event
Daryl Mitchell on a hat-trick! First, Will Jacks, then Jordan Clark send the ball straight to Vilas! And things are suddenly looking more chirpy for Lancashire, Surrey 210-7.
Essex 457 all out
And now Warwickshire are in deep trouble, 24-2, a wicket each for Cook S and Porter (of course)
Hundreds for Lawrence and Westley yesterday was backed up by plucky batting from the tail this morning. Three wickets for Lintott, two each for Bess, Rushworth and Hassan.
Meanwhile, Surrey are playing hard-ball cricket with a soft Kookaburra, 210-5. The hundred partnership between Jacks and Sam Curran off 97 balls.
Surrey making it look rather easy to skip along and score off the Lancastrian attack. Sam Curran 35 off 39 balls, as carefree as a young cow in a midsummer meadow. Surrey 175-5, 99 behind Lancs.
Australia beat England by 89 runs - Gardner 8-66!
And go four points up in the multi-format series. Wyatt last woman out for 54. No big innings for Ecclestone (10). Astonishing performance by Gardner!
A hundred for Tawanda Muyeye!
He gets to 99 with a six, and three figures with a four! A first Championship hundred for Muyeye, off just 133 balls.
Let’s dance across to Headingley, where another young Yorkshireman (Matt Revis, 21), is showing Shan Masood quite how astonishing his duck was yesterday. Revis 61, debutant Steketee 4, Yorks 471-8.
Updated
Notts all out 186
A sensational morning collapse of six for 41. The lead 23, Matt Henry 6-59. This is ye olde Somerset of a few years ago.
A sixth wicket for Matt Henry!
As Notts melt into the Taunton turf – from 152-4 to 177-9. Only Ball and Paterson left to improve the current lead of 17.
Notts eight down! Surrey five down! Blatherwick, who got Foakes last night, snaffles soon-to-be-international Jamie Smith for 49. What can Sam Curran in whites do? Surrey still trail Lancs by 149.
Updated
Ah, England have slipped to seven down in the Test. I know Sophie Ecclestone fancies herself as an allrounder and coach Jon Lewis has praised her concentration skills as well as her big hitting. So, all hope is not lost. England 160-7, need 108.
2023 is the year of the Durham fan:
450 & max batting points ✅#ForTheNorth pic.twitter.com/tYE37vSCuq
— Durham Cricket (@DurhamCricket) June 26, 2023
Somerset doing their best to attach their teeth to Nottinghamshire’s trouser hems and haul themselves back into the game. Mullaney and Slater both out quickly this morning, Slater for 70 and Mullaney for 29. Craig Overton involved with both, a bucket hands catch at second slip and catching Mullaney’s edge. Hold that thought, Hutton has now joined Mullaney and Slater in the pavilion, bowled Henry for four. Notts 162-7, two runs behind.
Some fantastic photographs here posted by Mes, who spent yesterday umpiring in a cricket tournament in Caen, organised by France terre d’asile - a non-profit organisation which works for asylum seekers. Nine matches of six-a-side cricket using a tennis ball on a chipboard wicket.
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A hundred for Nick Gubbins!
His slowest first-class century, against his old county that he left in search of England recognition. A hug and a bat raise. Hampshire 297-4.
5o for Daniel Bell Drummond!
Bell Drummond at The County Ground beats Nick Gubbins (98) at The Rose Bowl to the first milestone of the day.
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Kookaburra chat
Surrey’s Sean Abbott: “The Kookaburra ball is more consistent when it is brand new but the Dukes tend to swing more through an innings and, today, when that Kookaburra got older, it did feel a bit flat and slow out there.”
Leicestershire’s Ed Barnes: ““Ultimately it is a great wicket and the Kookaburra adds to that, but all we can do is pick up the last six wickets as soon as possible and get batting ourselves. You never know about a pitch until both sides have batted but we’ll be confident of getting runs on it as well.”
Sussex’s Nathan McAndrew: “They are completely different balls, behave really differently, the normal Dukes swing a lot more and the Kookaburra doesn’t stay as hard. I was surprised how the ball lost its hardness after 16 to 17 overs so luckily we had them three or four down at that point.”
Kent’s Wes Agar: “At times with the Kookaburra ball the game goes a bit slower and it gets a bit flatter. For Hami [Qadri] to come in and break those partnerships by bowling spin on a day one wicket, I think that’s a big tick for his game moving forward.
“Luckily enough we got the ball moving a bit in the air, which was nice and I was able to get some wickets. It’s always nice to have a ball in your hand when it is reversing.”
Derbyshire’s Anuj Dal: “I felt the ball (Kookaburra) was very different. In your hand it feels very different and the outcome on the pitch is also very different.
“What this ball is test your patience and to try and be as disciplined as you can. That is the biggest thing. If you look after a Dukes ball properly, it can still be swinging in the 79th over. With this one, not quite the same but it is nice to have that opportunity to play with it.”
Hampshire’s Liam Dawson: ““[The Kookaburra ball] went very soft in that middle period. It wasn’t easy to score with the ring fields and then when they took the new ball I took a conscious effort to score a bit quicker as it seemed easier to score with the harder ball. If anything it is softer than the Dukes but it is what it is.”
Middlesex’s Josh de Caires: “I wasn’t expecting to bowl as many overs but the pitch is taking a bit of spin, especially when the ball is a little harder. It was nice to get through a few overs but a shame I couldn’t get a few more wickets. I probably wouldn’t be playing if it wasn’t a Kookaburra.
“I felt in the game before lunch but afterwards it stopped spinning for me. I’m not experienced enough to know whether that is me or the ball.
“It definitely went a bit softer and slightly less happening which meant we had to hang in there. I think by the end of 80 overs they [Kookaburra and Dukes balls] would be similar. I was more around the 40-50 over mark where the Dukes still offers a little bit. It is still a cricket ball and you have got to find a way.”
Yorkshire’s Fin Bean: “With these Kookaburra balls, there’s not much off the seam, but there was a bit in the air early on. That’s the biggest thing we spoke about - just getting through the swing and pile them on like we did. Onto tomorrow now and see what we can do.”
Warwickshire’s bowling coach Stuart Barnes: “The Kookaburra ball is an interesting one. We practised with it, but not a lot. Hassan gave us some real good insights into the way that the Kookaburra ball in Pakistan conditions behaves. But there is nothing like learning on the job. The first new-ball this morning I thought we bowled really well, two quick wickets – it would have been nice to get a third before the ball stopped doing anything. It went soft quite early and then it was just a case of just digging in and bowling lots of good balls.
“The second new-ball didn’t really do too much. It actually reacted similar to a white Kookaburra where it might swing for a couple of balls, and that’s what happened with the second one. But it didn’t really do too much and I know our boys would much prefer the Duke’s.
Scores on the doors
DIVISION ONE
Chelmsford: Essex 391-7 v Warwickshire
Rose Bowl: Hampshire 284-4 v Middlesex
County Ground: Northants 237 v Kent 110-1
Taunton: Somerset 163 v Nottinghamshire 145-4
The Oval: Surrey 70-4 v Lancashire 274
DIVISION TWO
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 242 v Sussex 65-1
Grace Road: Leicestershire v Durham 422-4
New Road: Worcestershire 237 v Derbyshire 32-2
Headingley: Yorkshire 393-6 v Gloucestershire
Sunday's round up
This round of Championship cricket, squeezed between the T20 Blast, has the novelty of being the first of two this summer which will use the Kookaburra ball. They were prescribed by the Strauss report, in an attempt to reduce reliance on the swing and seam of the Dukes and encourage fast and spin bowling.
One day in, with seven centuries on the board but five teams bowled out in less than a day, it seems too early to make a call. Finlay Bean and George Hill made the most of a good Headingley pitch, a swift outfield, and some wayward Gloucestershire bowling, to rock to sparkling centuries and put Yorkshire in a dominant position.
At Chelmsford, Dan Lawrence made his second hundred of the season for Essex, in a partnership of 227 with Tom Westley, who was finally out for a sparkling 114. Dom Bess grabbed two consolation wickets for Warwickshire.
A humdinger of a game is developing at The Oval, where Lancashire were dismissed for 274 only to have Surrey 70 for four at stumps. A Brett Hutton five‑fer took the shine off Somerset’s day against Nottinghamshire, dismissed for 163.
Hampshire finished the day on 284 for four against Middlesex. Spinner Liam Dawson, overlooked by England, was 111 not out overnight and, along with Nick Gubbins, shimmied Hampshire into a dominant position. At the County Ground, Rob Keogh’s 97 propped up Northamptonshire in the Division One basement battle against Kent.
Durham raced along at now familiar lick, with centuries from Alex Lees and Ollie Robinson putting pressure on a Leicestershire side already reeling from the news that Paul Nixon had been put on gardening leave. Nathan McAndrew and Jack Carson kept Glamorgan firmly tethered at Sophia Gardens against Sussex, while Anuj Dal’s five wickets ensured the bottom club Derbyshire had some skin in the game at New Road, Worcestershire all out for 237 after a stonking opening stand.
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Preamble
Good morning! A fresher day has dawned with showers swirling, especially in the north and east. While England’s women buckle down for an unlikely chase in the Test, and English cricket prepares for the ICEC report on equity in cricket to land, eight Championship games are in progress – part of a small Kookaburra ball experiment.
Centuries for Lawrence, Westley, Dawson, Bean, Hill, Lees and Robinson (the other one) have set up some cracking games, but it is at Taunton and The Oval, where 28 wickets fell yesterday, where you might first want to glance.
