Roundup: McKerr takes four to help Surrey increase lead at top
Surrey stretched their lead at the top of Division One to 35 points, with four rounds of the Championship left– a third consecutive title tantalisingly in sight. They polished off Lancashire before tea at The Oval, with Conor McKerr collecting four for 27 and Jordan Clark and Dan Worrall adding another three each to their burgeoning collections. Two early wickets – Keaton Jennings and young Rocky Flintoff, for a first-ball duck –made a draw look unlikely, and so it proved – though Matty Hurst again had the pundits purring with a perfectly paced 64.
On a bitterly cold morning at the County Ground, Derbyshire at last grabbed the Championship win at home which had eluded them since August 2019. With rain chasing in the back mirror, they took the last three Glamorgan wickets and then secured the 27 runs needed when Luis Reece swept Sam Northeast into the shivering stands.
Durham’s Daniel Hogg had a magical day, pocketing seven for 66 in the second innings of his debut match to send Nottinghamshire to an innings defeat. After Worcestershire duly beat Kent by eight wickets, both Notts and Lancashire slip into the relegation reckoning. There were rain-affected draws at Edgbaston – where Warwickshire hosted Somerset – and Southampton, where Hampshire’s Toby Albert and Tom Prest both made centuries against Essex.
Yorkshire made things interesting at the top of Division Two by beating Sussex by four wickets, despite a last-gasp collapse which included Jonny Bairstow for a two-ball duck. Sussex’s Jack Carson finished with career-best match figures of nine for 120. At Merchant Taylor’s School, Toby Roland-Jones hauled Middlesex over the line , and into second place, with 11 wickets against Northamptonshire.
Rain drew the curtains on a placid Bristol pitch, where Gloucestershire and Leicestershire shook hands at 4.30pm. Visiting head coach Alfonso Thomas mused afterwards on the England call-up of 20-year-old Josh Hull: “He is by no means the finished article as he very well knows. But he has all the attributes and potential to be a top international bowler.”
Close of play scores
Division One
New Road: Worcestershire 447 and 102-2 beat Kent 171 and 376 by eight wickets
Edgbaston: Warwickshire 337 and 270 v Somerset 239 and 206-4 Match drawn
The Oval: Surrey 444-9 dec beat Lancashire 204 and 177 by an innings and 63 runs
Southampton: Hampshire 424-8 dec v Essex 438-8dec Match drawn
Chester-le-Street: Durham 531-7 dec beat Nottinghamshire 229 and 285 by an innings and 17 runs
Division Two
Merchant Taylor’s School: Middlesex 264 and 114-2 beat Northamptonshire 207 and 167 by eight wickets
North Marine Road: Yorkshire 326 and 103-6 beat Sussex 189 and 239 by four wickets
County Ground: Derbyshire 429 and 27-0 beat Glamorgan 168 and 287 by 10 wickets
Bristol: Gloucestershire 544-4dec v Leicestershire 402 and 304-5 Match drawn
"A fantastic kid and a dream to work with"
A huge thumbs-up for Josh Hull from the straight-talking Leicestershire head coach Alfonso Thomas. “Josh phoned me last night with the news and was given the all-clear to stay with us for the completion of the Gloucestershire game before joining up with the England squad.
“He is by no means the finished article as he very well knows. But he has all the attributes and potential to be a top international bowler.
“He just loves bowling. He is a fantastic kid and an absolute dream to work with. Just being in the England environment is sure to improve him.”
Updated
Somerest DRAW with Warwickshire
Edgbaston: Warwickshire 337 and 270 DRAW WITH Somerset 239 and 206-4
Somerset 11 points, Warwickshire 13 points
And as I put a full stop on that and send, Stoneman is lbw to Sanderson for 13. Middx 27-1.
Right, with Middlesex making good progress (22-0) in the Surrey sun and Hampshire chasing batting bonus points, time for me to write up for the paper.
Thanks for your company this week, as ever. Next Thursday Xaymaca Awoyungbo will be your guide, please pass him a morning coffee and show him where the pencils are!
Bad light stops play at Edgbaston
Time to pull the plug as well?
Merchant Taylor’s school looks rather gorgeous on the live stream. Huge grounds. Mark Stoneman has just driven Broad for four and into the Surrey countryside. And another, this time Robson, steaming through point. Middx 14-0, need another 97 in 23 overs.
11 for TRJ - Middlesex need 111 to win
TRJ single-handedly hauling Middlesex towards the promotion fight. Eleven in the match, 6-58 as Northants were bowled out for 167 in their second innings. A back slap to Justin Broad for a 74-ball 30 in an hour and a half.
Gloucestershire DRAW with Leicestershire
Bad light, rain, handshakes.
Bristol: Gloucestershire 544-4dec DRAW WITH Leicestershire 402 and 304-5
Glos 16 points, Leics 13 points.
Updated
And now Banton…. a second for Rae. Perhaps shut the door now Somerset, while you can, quickly, don’t forget the bolts. Somerset 148-4, need 221, Warwicks need six wickets
Bad light at Bristol looks as if it will usher Leicestershire towards the draw. The umpires shoo everyone off just before Gloucestershire take the second new ball. Leics 304-5.
Tom Lammonby won’t be today’s hero. Caught off Rae for 35, Somerset 128-3.
Just four games left standing in the final session:
Somerset need another 260 from 35 overs, if the mood takes them. With Surrey winning, probably worth the gamble.
Hampshire and Essex heading for a draw, hundreds from Prest and Albert ensuring no final-day dramas for Hants.
TRJ bowling his boots off at Merchant Taylor’s – Middlesex need another three Northants wickets, the lead just 85.
While at Bristol, Handscomb and Kimber have just about done enough to keep off the Gloucestershire tigers – the lead now 144.
Tea time scores
DIVISION ONE
New Road: Worcestershire 447 and 102-2 BEAT Kent 171 and 376 BY EIGHT WICKETS
Edgbaston: Warwickshire 337 and 270 and v Somerset 239 and 109-2 Somerset need 260 to win
The Oval: Surrey 444-9 BEAT Lancashire 204 and 177 BY AN INNINGS AND 63 RUNS
Southampton: Hampshire 297-3 v Essex 438-8dec
Chester-le-Street: Durham 531-7 dec BEAT Nottinghamshire 229 and 285 BY AN INNINGS AND 17 RUNS
DIVISION TWO
Merchant Taylor’s School: Middlesex 264 V Northamptonshire 207 and 142-7
North Marine Road: Yorkshire 326 and 103-6 BEAT Sussex 189 and 239 BY FOUR WICKETS
County Ground: Derbyshire 429 and 27-0 BEAT Glamorgan 168 and 287 BY 10 WICKETS
Bristol: Gloucestershire 544-4dec v Leicestershire 402 and 286-5
Updated
Worcestershire BEAT Kent by eight wickets!
A vital win for Worcestershire in the bottom-of-the-table clash, Kashif Ali (52) and Rob Jones (23) taking them over the line.
Kent’s sixth defeat in ten games.
New Road: Worcestershire 447 and 102-2 BEAT Kent 171 and 376 BY EIGHT WICKETS
Surrey beat Lancashire by an innings and 63 runs!
A saucy catch by Ryan Patel, salmon diving to his right at short leg, finishes off Lancashire. McKerr pockets 4-27, three wickets for Worrall and Clark, as Rory Burns pulls at his idiosyncratic sun-hat and leads Surrey off the pitch and up the stairs.
The Oval: Surrey 444-9 BEAT Lancashire 204 and 177 BY AN INNINGS AND 63 RUNS
Answer the door, and Lancashire have lost two more wickets. Surrey need one more for their seventh victory of the season.
A hundred for Toby Albert!
A polka around Division One:
A stoical hundred for Toby Albert in the demonstration match at Southampton, Hampshire 218-2. Nicely done, his second Championship century of the summer.
Worcestershire in victory’s sights now, just 26 needed, eight wickets in hand. But Muyeye will always have his 211.
Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Andy Umeed moving along nicely in Somerset’s run chase, 38-0. Hannon-Dalby and Rushworth with the new ball.
And Hartley and Aspinwall are attempting to nail down the hatches at The Oval. Lancs 164-7, still trail Surrey by 76.
The rain has eased and they’re on again at New Road and Edgbaston, where Somerset need 345 to win…
Oh dear. At The Oval, Hurst, who has batted really well, has just toe ended McKerr straight to the fielder at midwicket. He’s bewildered himself, bends over in disgust, before standing with hand on hip and eventually trudging off.
Lancashire 158-7, still 82 behind
It's been a thousand days...
In post-match bliss, Derbyshire captain David Lloyd said: “It’s been over a thousand days since our last four day win so it’s very pleasing for the lads who have been here during that time and the fans who follow us home and away and everyone is very happy to get that first win for a while.
“I think you get in situations in a game where you maybe try too hard to try and force a result and that creeps into your game so for us to get that win is very important going forward for the rest of this season and also looking to next year as well.
“It looked pretty flat and at one point I thought it was going to be a long old day but the way our bowlers have gone about their work has been very impressive. Going back to the first morning where Zak (Chappell) got all those wickets and the rest of the guys chipped in so credit to our lads, they stuck at it and deserved the win.”
At The Oval, Lancashire lost Iyer after lunch. The barricades now being manned by Matty Hurst (45) and Hartley (2).
While Albert and Prest play for points at Southampton. Essex’s hopes of playing catch up with Surrey thwarted by the weather and Hampshire’s refusal to collapse. Hants 164-2.
Weather watch
Rain at New Road, rain at Edgbaston.
Tension slowly bubbling at Bristol, where Leicestershire have lost three for 29. Ajinkya Rahane has just been caught at long leg for six. Leicestershire have seven wickets in hand but are only 31 ahead of Gloucestershire.
On Ollie and Jonny
Sussex coach Paul Farbrace is always good for a quote or two. With thanks to the Reporters Network:
On Jonny Bairstow: “A bit frenetic with the innings he played. But it was typical Jonny. He came out, punched his chest out and showed the crowd how much he loves playing at Scarborough.
“He’s a quality player, and I thought his keeping was excellent. He’s kept wicket really, really well. He kept well in both innings, but first in particular he looked very tidy and moved nicely. Look, he’s an outstanding cricketer isn’t he.
“I’m not a selector, but Jonny Bairstow is a fantastic player who I don’t think we’ve seen the last of in international cricket by any means.”
On Ollie Robinson: “Oliver, who knows (whether he gets back in England team).
“He hasn’t bowled brilliantly in this game because he hasn’t played for a few weeks. He’s the sort of bloke, a typical big-frame bowler who needs overs to find his rhythm. That’s what he’s been short of. There were a couple of overs at the start of their chase when he looked like he’d found his rhythm. He got that natural carry and bounce.
“There’s a lot talked about with pace of bowlers, but he’s one who can operate in the high seventies because he’s so metronomic with the lines and lengths he bowls. It’s a bit like Coady. He’s the sort of bowler who never misses his length. That’s something Oliver has done really well. But it’s up to them whether they want him back in the (England) team or not.”
Daniel Hogg takes 7-66 on debut to bowl Durham to victory
Hogg polishes off Notts with the wicket of Hutton and takes an amazing 7-66 and eight in the match on his debut.
The winning moment!!! 🥳#ForTheNorth pic.twitter.com/s0ZJhwjH5d
— Durham Cricket (@DurhamCricket) August 25, 2024
Chester-le-Street: Durham 531-7 dec BEAT Nottinghamshire 229 and 285 BY AN INNINGS AND 17 RUNS
Lunchtime scores
DIVISION ONE
New Road: Worcestershire 447 and 55-2 v Kent 171 and 376 Worcs need 46 to win
Edgbaston: Warwickshire 337 and 270 and v Somerset 239 and 13-0
The Oval: Surrey 444-9 v Lancashire 204 and 118-5
Southampton: Hampshire 146-2 v Essex 438-8dec
Chester-le-Street: Durham 531-7 dec BEAT Nottinghamshire 229 and 285 BY AN INNINGS AND 17 RUNS
DIVISION TWO
Merchant Taylor’s School: Middlesex 264 V Northamptonshire 207 and 55-2
North Marine Road: Yorkshire 326 and 103-6 BEAT Sussex 189 and 239 BY FOUR WICKETS
County Ground: Derbyshire 429 and 27-0 BEAT Glamorgan 168 and 287 BY 10 WICKETS
Bristol: Gloucestershire 544-4dec v Leicestershire 402 and 169-2
At CLS Daniel Hogg picks up his sixth Notts wicket, winkling out Olly Stone lbw. Just one wicket needed…
Derbyshire beat Glamorgan by ten wickets!
And, as Reece sweeps a full toss from Northeast, Derbyshire tick off their first win at home for 1803 days – and a first win in the Championship since July 2022 against Worcestershire at New Road! Hugs and handshakes all round, applause from the stoical crowd watching in the freezing cold, and a huge sigh of relief.
Looks chilly out there at the County Ground but Sheat is bowling in shirt sleeves. Amazed to see that Coca-Cola have paid for a sponsorship board round the boundary. All calm and collected, Derbys 12-0, 15 to win.
Derbyshire need 27 to win!
On the live stream people stroll around in training gear as if there is nothing for Scotty to get excited about.
At The Oval, Lancashire have lost their double sided stickytape, Bohannon the third man to be bowled in the innings. Lancs 80-4, still 161 behind.
Olly Stone and Lyndon James are postponing the inevitable at CLS, Notts 260-8, trail by 42; and Warwickshire are still batting at Edgbaston, the lead now 353 and just half an hour till lunch. Can Somerset survive two sessions?
Andlooks a nailed on draw at Southampton, Hampshire 116-2.
Elsewhere, Kent are all out, leaving Worcestershire 101 to win. And they’ve already lost Roderick to new signing (and five-wicket first-innings man) Jordan. 80 required … nine wickets left…
Yorkshire beat Sussex by four wickets!
Can’t take my eyes off Scarborough. Carson drops Tattersall with two needed! But there’s the win – Carson finishes with nine, his best match figures, the teams shake hands and Yorkshire have won three in a row for the first time since 2021.
Updated
And Jonny is caught for 0 at midwicket off a golf shot. Yorks 101-6.
Luxton spoils things and does it himself, sweeping six into the slatted seats. A good turn out at North Marine Road for a hour of play.
A second wicket for Carson roughs things up a little… Bairstow to win the match with a six?
Yorkshire have wobbled, but they’ve not fallen down.Wharton and Luxton have taken them to in touching distance of victory – just eight needed.
No hattrick for Worrall but Lancashire in trouble at 36-3, still 204 behind. A hard morning for poor old Rocky Flintoff but, Ali reminds me, his dad dropped a handful of catches off Wasim Akram on debut - so he’s in good company.
“Me debut was a disaster,” Flintoff said. “Played against Hampshire, down at Portsmouth on the army ground. Wasim [Akram] was playing, and Bumble [David Lloyd, then Lancashire coach], he said I was the best slip catcher he’s ever seen, I think, and I catch pigeons. I do, but in kids’ cricket!
“So I got put in the slips, in me first game, which is unheard of. Second slip to Wasim Akram, I dropped three catches before lunch. And Wasim shouted, ‘Get him out there!’. He was like, ‘Come on man.’ It was awful.”
“Can you imagine how it felt, Heggy? I’m there, I’m in pain because I’ve got three marks on me body where the ball’s hit me, so I’ve got a hand on it. I’m 17 years old, I’m surrounded by all me heroes, dropping catches, one of the world’s greatest ever cricketers Wasim Akram is shouting, ‘get him out of the slips!’.”
Worrall on a hat-trick
Lancashire’s defence looking a little iffy just now as Keaton Jennings and then Rocky Flintoff are bowled by Dan Worrall. Worrall on a hat-trick…
Bangladesh beat Pakistan by ten wickets!
“Spare a thought for Pakistan wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan,” writes Tim Maitland, “who scored 171 not out and 51 and ended up on the losing side against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi.”
Indeed! Amazing scenes though. Well played Bangladesh, in particular player of the match Mushfiqur Rahim. Here are the bare bones of the matter.
And here we go! Play all around the grounds.
A great read on Kamindu Mendis:
Saturday's round-up
Tawanda Muyeye tailored a maiden double century of sparkling quality to lift Kent from the depths of the doldrums to a lead of 77 and a hair’s breadth of a chance going into the final day. Muyeye, who came to England as a refugee from Zimbabwe, was in sparkling form, threading the innings together with stout support from Harry Finch, and jigging with joy as he reached 200. He was finally caught for 211 off 279 balls in the final over of the day. “Some of the boys have never seen me that happy because I’m usually quite reserved and quite quiet,” he said afterwards. “I struggled a lot [this season] and I just never ever saw any light at the end of the tunnel…for me to play like that over the last two days has made me so happy.”
Nineteen-year-old Daniel Hogg grabbed four wickets on his first-class debut to help Durham stride towards victory at Chester-le-Street. Hogg was given the new ball in the absence of Neil Wagner with a shoulder injury, and chipped away as Notts were asked to follow on. A doughty partnership of 96 between Matthew Montgomery and Jack Haynes frustrated Durham in the afternoon, but an evening wobble left Notts still 90 runs adrift with only four wickets remaining.
Runs a-go-go at Bristol where both Ben Charlesworth and James Bracey made delightful career-best double centuries. The pair enjoyed Leicestershire’s bowling on a pancake pitch during a stand of 290. It was Bracey’s fourth century of a prolific summer.
On-loan spinner Jack Morley gave Derbyshire real hope of a red-ball win at home for the first time since August 2019. Morley grabbed three for 35 to leave Glamorgan seven wickets down and still 25 runs behind. Meanwhile Yorkshire could smell salty victory at Scarborough, though Sussex fought valiantly. They need another 75 to win, eight wickets left.
Alex Davies smashed an unbeaten 109 at a damp Edgbaston to give Warwickshire a lead of 277 going into the final day, though thoughts of a declaration might be muddied by the memory of Somerset chasing down 410 at their previous meeting. Rain continued to thwart Essex’s hopes down in Southampton. Tom Westley declared at 438 for eight but Toby Albert and Nick Gubbins then drew the shutters for Hampshire. Only 10.2 overs were possible at The Oval where leaders Surrey winkled out Luke Wells.
Updated
"There's no need to panic"
On loan Jack Morley on the prospects of a long-awaited Derybshire victory.
“It got to one point where they were about 70 behind with four down and I thought this could get a little bit difficult.
“Then the skipper came on and bowled one of the best off-spin deliveries I’ve ever seen and changed the game completely.
“I’m not sure how many days it is but Derbyshire haven’t had a win at home for a while so that would be one to tick off, especially being part of it. There’s one over to the new ball and hopefully that does a little bit in the morning and we can wrap it up pretty quickly but if not there’s no need to panic, just keep doing what we’ve done all game and stay patient.”
England call up Josh Hull as Mark Wood is ruled out for the series
Mark Wood’s thigh injury has ruled him out for the rest of the England v Sri Lanka series, meaning England have sprung a surprise by calling up Leicestershire’s Josh Hull.
(As the team morphs into an XI of six foot something giants, a quiet thank you to Ben Duckett for flying the flag for us shorter humans)
Scores on the doors
DIVISION ONE
New Road: Worcestershire 447 v Kent 171 and 353-8
Edgbaston: Warwickshire 337 and 179-5 v Somerset 239
The Oval: Surrey 444-9 v Lancashire 204 and 26-1
Southampton: Hampshire 40-1 v Essex 438-8dec
Chester-le-Street: Durham 531-7 dec v Nottinghamshire 229 and 212-6
DIVISION TWO
Merchant Taylor’s School: Middlesex 250-7 v Northamptonshire 207 no play on Saturday.
North Marine Road: Yorkshire 326 and 28-2 v Sussex 189 and 239
County Ground: Derbyshire 429 v Glamorgan 168 and 236-7
Bristol: Gloucestershire 544-4dec v Leicestershire 402 and 41-0
Preamble
Hello from a crisp late summer morning in Manchester, the dew heavy, some leaves just starting to turn. All nine games are still in action on this final day of the round – with Derbyshire tantalisingly close to their first home win since August 2019 and Lancashire with a job on their hands at The Oval. Plenty more too but, first, a coffee.
