Roundup: Watchful Stokes lets fly under floodlights
In the mould of his new England head coach Brendon McCullum, Ben Stokes purred to 82 at The Riverside for Durham. The first 50 came with relative restraint but two huge sixes followed, swept on one knee as the floodlights came on. Before, though, he could quite reach for the accelerator, he was done by the new ball. There was time before stumps for Matty Potts to take two Glamorgan wickets in what is becoming a fruitful season.
Keaton Jennings’s third consecutive Roses century, and another from Steven Croft, helped Lancashire dominate the first day at Headingley. With a good fistful of members dotted around the ground, be-fleeced and glad to see old friends, Jennings continued where he’d left off at Old Trafford last week. So precise in his movements, he bats like a man who not only irons the guest bed-linen but leaves fresh cut flowers on the side-table.
After being marooned on 99 for 13 balls, Jennings reached his century with a tuck for two, before carefully taking off his helmet and beaming. Croft also toyed hungrily with a tired looking Yorkshire attack, on a flattish pitch, where the fielders let four catches slip through their fingers. A chilly morning wind had left Joe Root fielding with a hand-warmer tucked into the back of his trousers, and Josh Bohannon missed out a chance to impress watching England selector James Taylor.
Jennings’s old Lancashire opening partner, Haseeb Hameed, was given a warm reception at Lord’s after scoring his first century of the season for Nottinghamshire at one of his happiest hunting grounds. Hameed and Steven Mullaney (92 not out) rattled along to 117 for the fifth wicket. Middlesex had to do without Shaheen Shah Afridi, who is returning to Pakistan early to prepare for the white-ball series against West Indies.
Warwickshire were carted round the park by Northamptonshire’s openers Ricardo Vasconcelos and Will Young, who scored 290 between them at Edgbaston. A depleted Warwickshire attack, missing Chris Woakes, Ollie Stone and Liam Norwell, could do nothing much but keep plugging away until Vasconcelos was lbw for 156 after tea, and Young followed for 134.
Runs, runs and more runs for Division One leaders Surrey against Kent, with 96 from Ollie Pope, a quickfire 76 from Ryan Patel and an unbeaten 86 by Ben Foakes. It was hard to know who was more unimpressed, Darren Stevens, after being pummelled repeatedly for four, or Surrey’s players with the quality of the flat whites they purchased from the coffee outlet.
Tom Lammonby and Matt Renshaw put on a lively 172 together in the West Country derby. James Hildreth and Tom Abell followed up with fifties of their own, to put Somerset in a sprightly position against Gloucestershire after being put in. Zak Chappell, on loan from Nottinghamshire, pocketed two for 49.
Elsewhere, Jack Haynes made a second consecutive hundred for Worcestershire at Derbyshire, while Leicestershire bucked the trend by being dismissed for 210 by Sussex, despite Ollie Robinson only bowling one over before succumbing to food poisoning.
Updated
Time to pack up here at Headingley. It was a downbeat Steven Patterson who spoke after play: “It was a disappointing day in the end. It started off brightly and then a bit of a case of deja vu from there really.
“We got two early wickets and put two soft chances down after that. Realistically, they should have been 22-4 at that point. Then we drive hard from there to dominate the day.
“It didn’t happen....we’ve let them off the hook today. We had the chance to grab it with both hands. They are a good side, as we know, and they’ve made us pay.”
On another day of centuries - for Jennings, for Croft, for Hameed, for Haynes, for Vasconcelos, for Young - and Leicestershire, thanks for all your contributions and see you tomorrow! Good evening!
Hello Robert Wilson!
“I’m watching Ben Stokes batting on French Youtube which is charitably translating as much as possible into French (worth it if you ever get the chance - like Ezra Pound going mental).
“I just had en epiphany about our Ben, a moment of almost magical clarity. Of course, he’s a world-class athlete but the fact remains that he bats almost exactly like the enormously fat guy in a village team who somehow manages to score 80% of their runs. He’s a slender enough wand but yet he is nonetheless, deep down, a true Billy Ten-Bellies, a veritable Harry the Hulk. When he gives it the long handle, he plants the front foot like its never gonna move again. When he hooks or pulls, the wrists clear a completely imaginary mega-gut. Even his trotted singles have an invisible wobble to them. The bowling plan for him needs to include actual pies.”
Updated
Ben Stokes 80 not out....poor Glamorgan.
News from Beckenham, where Andy Bull is watching Surrey and contemplating things. On the one hand, Darren Stevens is unhappy, chuntering and kicking the grass as he leaks four an over. On the other , nor are Surrey’s players, who were unimpressed with the ‘flat whites’ they ordered at the coffee stall. Especially, reports Andy, when they were told they had to add the milk themselves from the jug on the trestle table on the left. Surrey 249-3:runs for the young guns -Pope 75, Foakes 50.
Yorkshire have taken the new ball and, with a drive through extra cover, Croft has his century too. Well played! Lancs 236-2.
Updated
Stokes duly moves past fifty, and now has Ben Raine for company. Durham 228-6. And that’s the 200 partnership up between Croft and Jennings. I better leave you now to write up, with this Roses game already looking destined for four days.
And a hundred for his one-time opening partner Haseeb Hameed
as he knocks his first ball after tea for four. His first of the year. Notts 234-4.
Updated
A hundred for Keaton Jennings
And with a couple darted into the onside, that’s Jenning’s hundred! He carefully removes his helmet, and beams. A third consecutive Roses century.
Updated
Keaton a bit subdued on 99....
At the Riverside, Stokes is paused on 49; and Hameed on 97 at Lord’s.
Whoops, I forgot to press the enter button there on tea scores. Apologies.
Teatime scores
Division One
Headingley: Yorkshire v Lancashire 187-2
Bristol: Gloucestershire v Somerset 229-3
Beckenham: Kent v Surrey 206-3
Edgbaston: Warwickshire v Northamptonshire 287-0
Division Two
Derby: Derbyshire v Worcestershire 209-2
The Riverside: Durham 224-5 v Glamorgan
Grace Road: Leicestershire 161-8 v Sussex
Lord’s: Middlesex v Notts 227-4
Warm applause from the crowd and the Yorks players as Jennings (helmet off, 87) and Croft (helmet on, 81) stroll off at tea. Lancs 187-2. Scores to follow.
Were... I’m not saying when.... Keaton Jennings to get to his hundred, it would be his third in three Roses games. The last and only other, Lancashire player to do it was Geoff Pullar in 1959-60. Jennings made 114 at Old Trafford and 132 at Headingley last year. Currently 86 not out in Lancs 185-2.
Polite Yorkshire applause for a Lancashire third-wicket partnership of 150. Not a bad crowd in, lots of old friends greeting each other at lunch, meandering up the road for some fish and chips.
A bit of humpty from Ben Stokes, takes him to 16 off 31 balls. Durham 170-4, Petersen 77 not out.
Whither Leicestershire? 138-7 against the might of Sussex’s babes in arms.
Binoculars focussed on Bess’s grown-out mohawk/mullet combo as he runs in to bowl, while at the other end Lyth puts down Jennings on 70 at slip - a tricky two-handed number, and the third catch to slither past Yorkshire fingers today.
The Bristol pitch being kind to batters again. Somerset’s rediscovered mojo bubbling along at 193-2. A couple of post-lunch wickets for Zak Chappell, on loan from Notts. Renshaw for 94, Lammonby for 76.
And at Headingley, Joe Root is turning his arm over. Lancs 150-2.
A century for Vasconcelos
First ton of the round for Ricky Vasconcelos as reigning champs Warwickshire are carted round the park. Northants 210 without loss. Will Young 79 not out.
Oh Captain! My Captain! 💯
— Northamptonshire CCC (@NorthantsCCC) May 12, 2022
A superb century for Ricardo Vasconcelos! 👏👏 pic.twitter.com/YwfEYyRnnj
Ben Stokes bristles to the crease
What now? Durham on the brink, 139-4.
Lancs happy-clappy since lunch - they’ve picked up 68 runs in less than an hour, bug-eyed kids with a bag full of bulls-eyes.
Successive fifties for Keaton Jennings - another tried and discarded by England. The hundred up for Lancs: 111-2, as they’ve zipped along after lunch. Sun out, wind up, roses in bloom.
A better quote from Rob Key: “I believe in Brendon and Ben Stokes - a formidable coach and captain partnership. Time for us all to buckle up and get ready for the ride.”
A round of applause for Leicestershire, and their great ticket giveaway, where the kids have seen Azad run out for 30 and a wicket apiece for Crocombe and Beard. Leics: 103-3.
Great to see children from @kestrelmead enjoying their day and creating a brilliant atmosphere at Grace Road. 🦊👏
— Leicestershire CCC 🏏 (@leicsccc) May 12, 2022
🦊 #CountyTogether https://t.co/jboPbEihm3
Updated
Brendon McCullum announced as the England Men''s Test Head coach
So the badly-kept secret is true. Brendon McCullum is the new England Men’s Test coach, signing a four year deal
McCullum, 40, will arrive in the UK at the end of the current IPL campaign, where he is coach with KKR. He will then give that job up. He will be in place for the start of the Test series against New Zealand next month.
“We are delighted to confirm Brendon as England Men’s Test Head Coach,” said Rob Key. It has been a real privilege to get to know him and understand his views and vision for the game. I believe his appointment will be good for England’s Test team.
“He has a recent history of changing cricket culture and environments for the better, and I believe he is the person to do that for England’s red-ball cricket. “
As Patterson bowls to Croft, Graham Hardcastle, northern freelancer, mulls to the room: “there are no two players in county cricket I’d rather watch.”
The new regime:
Things have changed at Headingley. pic.twitter.com/SXH8vv1AbR
— tanya aldred (@tjaldred) May 12, 2022
Lunchtime scores
Division One
Headingley: Yorkshire 53-2 v Lancashire
Bristol: Gloucestershire v Somerset 114-0
Beckenham: Kent v Surrey 105-0
Edgbaston: Warwickshire v Northamptonshire 119-0
Division Two
Derby: Derbyshire v Worcestershire 89-2
The Riverside: Durham 94-2 v Glamorgan
Grace Road: Leicestershire 71-2 v Sussex
Lord’s: Middlesex v Notts 104-1
...and it is a maiden. Jennings still there, Lancs 53-2. Time for a root around the scores.
Dom Bess to bowl the last over before lunch...
Updated
Root and Duke chewing the cud together behind the stumps. Lancs 52-2 and easing the early troubles away.
Steady starts in Division Two as well.
Hameed and Duckett have rustled along to 30-odd apiece: Notts 77-1.
Henry Crocombe has made a breakthrough for Sussex, Evans gone for 10, Azad still there. Leicester 49-1.
Lees and Peterson don’t seem to be concerned unduly by the early loss of run-machine Sean Dickson. Durham 71-1. Ben Stokes, incidentally, is down to bat at No. 6.
And Worcestershire are a couple of openers down, 65-2.
Would it be unfair to say it that watching Yorks bowl and Lancs bat is less salivating than the other way round. (with apologies to Haris Rauf)
After an hour or so round the grounds, who is on the prowl in Division One?
Renshaw and Lammonby polka-ing along at Bristol - Somerset 65-0.
Burns and Patel too, at Beckenham. Surrey 64-0, Patel on the brink of fifty, seven boundaries.
And, to complete the batting-made-easy morning, Northants’ Vasconcelos and Young have hurried along to 62-0 at Edgbaston.
So just the Lancashire batters struggling: 27-2.
Except I’m getting my Lees mixed up with my Lyth. Ignore that previous comment. I don’t think Lyth is in the England mix.
The Yorkshire slip cordon: Root (first), Lyth (second), Brook (third) might just be rolled out internationally later this year. It took me ages to work out that Root doesn’t in fact have his trousers on back to front but is wearing a handwarmer tucked into the back of his trews.
Hass is still in at Notts, one of the England possibles, like Crawley, like Lawrence, like, to a lesser extent Burns, yet to make an impact this Championship season.
It could be worse for Lancs, Keaton Jennings has already been dropped, by young Harry Duke, who has had a mixed time behind the stumps this season.
So, if we’re on England watch: who should ... hang on - thats Bohannon gone, no hesitation from the umpire who points his finger with a flourish. Lancs 12-2.
An early exit for Luke Wells, means an entrance for Josh Bohannon. I saw the coat-tails of James Taylor as I nipped to the loo - so eyes are upon him.
I’m happy to report that swifts have been spotted in south Manchester. Soon to be swooping over the Old Trafford car park.
Those tosses in full
Div One
Gloucester: to bowl. Somerset 22-0
Surrey: to bat. Surrey 27-0
Warwicks: to field. Northants 9-0.
Yorks: to field. Lancs 10-0.
Div 2
Derby: to field. Worcs 19-1 (Pollock c Guest b Lakmal 7)
Glamorgan: to field. Durham 15-0
Leicestershire: to bat. Leicester 17-0
Middx: to field. Notts 38-1 (Slater c Simpson b Murtagh 6)
Ryan Patel eases into gear at Beckenham, as the fear hits Kent fans. Darren Stevens’ first two balls have gone for six. Surrey 14-0.
@tjaldred Morning! As a Kent fan, I share your fear. We've yet to bowl anyone out for less than 500 this season. Yikes!
— Andrew Harrison (@andyhamamatsu) May 12, 2022
Bad news for Middlesex, Shaheen Shah Afridi will fly back to Pakistan, ahead of the white-ball series against the West Indies in June, returning for the latter stages of the Blast.
There’s quite a nice Roses burble down in the north-east corner, with more fleeces than sunhats.
Thoughts today with Graeme Thorpe and his family.
Updated
And more on McCullum, who looks likely to be announced as England coach today, almost out of nowhere.
A nice read on the Championship, Brendon McCullum and more from Andy Bull.
Yorks won the toss, and are having a bowl. No Saqib for Lancs, and no Hassan Ali, who is being rested. That, as Ali pointed out, doesn’t reflect too well on how crammed in this early set of fixtures has been.
Tis overcast at Headingley, huge clouds billowing up over the Rugby Stand like dirty laundry. A morning to bowl.
Division Two table
Middx (4) 82
Glamorgan (5) 74
Notts (4) 73
Derby (4) 65
Durham (5) 58
Worcs (4) 52
Sussex (5) 38
Leicestershire (5) 34
Updated
Division One table
Surrey (5) 89
Hants (5) 81
Lancs (4) 72
Yorks (4) 64
Essex (5) 54
Warwicks (4) 50
Northants (4) 40
Gloucs (5) 34
Kent (4) 33
Round six games
Division One
Headingley: Yorkshire v Lancashire
Bristol: Gloucestershire v Somerset
Beckenham: Kent v Surrey
Edgbaston: Warwickshire v Northamptonshire
Division Two
Derby: Derbyshire v Worcestershire
The Riverside: Durham v Glamorgan
Grace Road: Leicestershire v Sussex
Lord’s: Middlesex v Notts
Preamble
Good morning! As the trans-pennine express chugs into Yorkshire, with the odd puce rhododendron spotting the spring green, welcome to round six - the penultimate set of games in this opening foray. And, to add spice to the mix, England are choosing a Test squad next week - so this is a last chance to shine.
It’s derby day (kind of) in Division One. I’m at Headingley for Snow White (?!) v Rose Red, where it’ll be the battle of the young pretenders as two twinkles in Rob Key’s eye, Harry Brook and Josh Bohannon, flex their muscles. Lancs have sent a strong squad, including Anderson, Parky and Saqib Mahmood - all also in the mix for selection, and Joe Root steps out for the Yorkies.
Elsewhere, the West country battle things out at Bristol, I fear for Kent at Beckenham against the division leaders, and Northants and Warwickshire, unexpectedly bedfellows in the table, play at Edgbaston.
In Div 2, the big hitters face each other at Lord’s as Notts travel south, Matty Potts has another chance to impress as Glamorgan arrive at to the Riverside, Leicester and Sussex root around for the wooden spoon and Worcestershire take on Shan Masood.
