365 Sporting Days

As the 3rd Ashes Test finished a day early at Headingley s full round of County Championship matches started the following day. I was up in Scotland and saw a lot of rain! And that was replicated across the country. This was a second round using the Kookaburra ball and the result was some very high individual scores. Let’s see what happened where! I’m starting this on Day 45 so I’m going to start each division with the games won on Day 3.

Division 1

Kent v Warwickshire – The Spitfire Ground, Canterbury. Jack Leaning won the toss for Kent and elected to bat. Warwickshire won by an innings and 46 runs.

Kent 171 All Out & 332 All Out, Warwicks 549 for 7 dec.

Leaning’s decision at the toss didn’t prove to be of benefit for Kent as they were bowled out in 40.5 overs for just 171 runs. Tawanda Muyeye opening, scored 38 and Grant Stewart batting at 8 made 50 from 45 balls as Kent seemed to be in something of a hurry. Oliver Hannon-Dalby took 4 for 56 in his 14.5 overs.

Warwickshire’s innings was somewhat different, Opener Robert Yates batted for nearly 9 hours, he faced 421 balls and scored 228* that nearly doubled his runs for the season so far and will have boosted his average. A couple of Australians have put their hands up in this round and Glenn Maxwell, playing in his first County Championship game this season shared a 6th wicket partnership of 124 with Yates scoring 81 from 67 balls. Henry Brookes in at 9 scored 52 from 37 balls as Warwicks built to 549 in 133 overs.

Kent put up a much better fight in their 2nd innings, they lost Muyeye on the 5th ball of the innings for a Duck, Before Ben Compton and Joe Denly put on 78 for the 2nd wicket. Jack Leaning and Harry Finch put on 100 for the 4th wicket. Jack Leaning scored 64 from 72 balls and Finch 67 from 167 balls. Oliver Hannon-Dalby took another r 4 wickets for 59 in 22.2 overs as Kent were bowled out in 100.2 overs.

Lancashire v Essex – Stanley Park, Blackpool. Tom Westley won the toss and elected to bat. Essex won by 46 runs.

Essex 282 All Out & 292 for 8 dec, Lancashire 145 All Out & 383 All Out

The Essex captain made sure his decision at the toss was a good one. Essex lost both openers early with Nick Browne going for a 2 ball Duck, Alastair Cook followed hi, back to the pavilion in the 12th over with just 11 runs to his name. Dan Lawrence went in the 13th over for just 1 run then Matt Critchley in the 21st for 13, Essex were 55 for 4. Next to join Westley was Paul Walter and the pair put on 155 for the 5th over. Walter scored 76 from 119 balls. Simon Harmer and Westley put on 65 for the 6th wicket. Westley was out for 135 from 238 balls; that took him to 891 runs at an average of 55.68, making him the 2nd highest scorer in Division 1. Essex made 282 in 92.2 overs. Tom Bailey took 6 for 59 in his 22.2 overs.

Josh Bohannon who’s the closest to Westley on the most runs front, top scored for Lancashire with 44 but they were bowled out in just 44.4 overs for 145. Sam Cook took 4 for 42 in his 16.4 overs.

Essex lost their top 3 for 5 runs between them as both openers went for a Duck. They were 27 for 3 in the 12th over. Dan Lawrence and Matt Critchley put on 95 for the 4th wicket, Critchley scored 4o and Lawrence went on to score 135 from 238 Balls. That took Lawrence to 627 for the season and Critchley 622. With a lot of time taken out of the game through the weather Westley declared after 53.3 overs with Essex on 292 for 8, a lead of 429. As I type Lancashire are chasing well.

I tried to keep track of what was happening on Day 4 but Nanny duty meant I had to move away from my phone. Lancashire really dd make a good fist of things with the run chase. Opener Luke Wells scored 75 from 110 balls batting for just over 2 hours. he and Josh Bohannon put on 97 for the 2nd wicket. Bohannon scored 68 taking him to 634 for the season so fat at an average of 48.76. Rob Jones in at 5 frustrated the Essex bowlers, he batted for 4 hours, scoring 111 from 170 Balls. The game was drawing to a close with Essxe needing a single wicket at Lancashire around 50 runs when I had to join a meeting, I got a notification through to let me know that wicket had been taken, Lancashire had made 383 in 94.2 overs and were all out with just 10 balls remaining. Essex used 6 bowlers, the only one not to take a wicket was Simon Harmer.

Middlesex v Northamptonshire – Merchant Taylor’s School, Northwood. Luke Proctor won the toss for Northants and elected to bat. Match Drawn.

Northants 219 all Out & 380 All Out, Middlesex 277 All Out & 322 for 6

Saif Zaib top scored for Northants batting at 7, he scored 49 from 83 balls as Northants were bowled out in 88.4 overs. The 5 bowlers used shared the wickets.

Ryan Higgins has been a great signing of Middlesex this summer and he top scored with 64* from 105 balls as Middlesex were all out in 73.2 overs. 4 of the 5 bowlers shared the wickets.

Northants 2nd innings was a different prospect, Emilio Gay and Luke Proctor put on 174 for the 3rd wicket. Northants had been 44 for 2. Gay was run out for 89 from 173 Balls and Proctor made 63 from 166 balls and Gay was the last wicket to fall as he was run out for 89 from 173 Balls. Sam Whiteman top scored with 114 from 238 Balls. Rob Keogh, who was also run out scored 48 as Gay held the innings firm. 4 of the 6 bowlers shared the wickets.

Middlesex batted for 92 overs to save the draw, having lost both openers early, Steve Eskinazi with an injury, then Mark Stoneman and Pieter Malan on consecutive balls, they were 21 for 2 (in effect 3). Sam Robson, in at 3, batted for 6 hours, finishing the day on 126*, he’d faced 252 balls. He and John Simpson put on 150 for the 4th wicket, Simpson made 75 from 158 balls.

Somerset v Hampshire – The Cooper Associates Ground, Taunton. Tom Abell won the toss for Somerset and elected to bat. Match Drawn

Somerset 500 All Out, Hampshire 330 All Out & 215 for 7

A special talent has made himself known at Somerset this summer and after falling to 80 for 5 in the 31st over, KeeperJames Rew saved the day, he and Kasey Aldridge in fact. They put on 188 for the 6th wicket, Aldridge scored 88 from 133 balls before Dom Bess, back to Somerset on loan from Yorkshire shared a 94 runs with Rew. Bess was out for 54 from 68 Balls. Rew’s was the last wicket to fall, he’d scored 221 from 310 Balls. That made him Somerset’s youngest double centurion in the 148 year history of the county. He batted for nearly 8 hours. Rew had already scored 4 centuries this Summer and now has 952 runs at an average of 73.23. This lad is 19 years old!

Knowing when to declare has been key this season, and while what James Rew did was highly impressive takin 120.1 overs out of the game wasn’t helpful for Somerset. Hampshire’s 1st inn innings saw Felix Organ in at 8 fall just 3 short of his century, Hants had fallen to 88 for 6. Organ and Kyle Abbot in at 10 put on 177 for the 9th wicket. Hants 330 came in 102.2 overs. All 5 bowlers used took wickets.

Hants batted for 97 overs to save the draw, Nick Gubbins was 50* from 241 balls, a strike rate of 20.75, Liam Dawson was 68* from 141 balls and the draw was secured.

Surrey v Nottinghamshire – The Oval, London. Haseeb Hameed as captain for Notts won the toss and put Surrey in to bat. Match Drawn.

Surrey 355 All Out & 340 All Out, Notts 399 All Out & 118 for 1.

This was another innings where a bowler made hay; Surrey were 207 for 6, Jordan Clark scored 107 from 142 Balls he and Sean Abbot put on 77 for the 6th wicket, Abbot has enjoyed batting for Surrey this Summer, he made 48 from 77 Balls. Surrey were bowled out for 355 in 99.2 overs. Lyndon James took 6 for 74 in his 24.4 overs.

The Black Cap Will Young has joined Notts for a few games and in his first at Surrey he scored 145 from 277 Balls; he as Haseeb Hameed put on 134 for the 2nd wicket. Hameed scored 67 from 149 Balls. Lyndon James showed some All Rounder credentials as he scored 50 from 95 Balls. Notts scored their 399 in 118.4 overs, 5 of the 6 bowlers used shared the wickets.

Rory Burns who’d been out for a Duck in the 1st innings went for a Duck in the 2nd. Dom Sibley and Tom Latham, Surrey’s Kiwi signing put on 141 for the 2nd wicket. Latham scored 60 from 109 Balls and Sibley went on to score 83 from 157 Balls. Will Jacks and Tom Lawes built another partnership for the 6th wicket, putting on 79, Jacks made 60 from 102 Balls and Lawes 55 from 118 Balls. Surrey reached 340 in 102.1 overs. Brett Hutton took 5 for 91 in his 29.1 overs.

Notts batted for 33.1 overs losing their opener Ben Slater, the draw was secured with 9 wickets standing.

Division 2

Durham v Gloucestershire – Emirates Riverside, Chester-le-Street. James Bracey won the toss for Gloucs and elected to bat. Durham won by 9 w

Gloucs 316 All Out & 188 All Out, Durham 453 All Out & 52 for 1

Gloucs opener Chris Dent and Miles Hammond batting at 4 put on 80 for the 3rd wicket, Dent scored 85 from 164 Balls and Hammond 52 from 46 Balls. Glucs made a swift 316 in just 80.3 overs. 5 of the 6 bowlers shared the wickets.

Durham have been quite amazing this season! And this weeks century maker was Alex Lees who scored 195 from 229 Ball. He finished thsi match with 916 for the season so far at an average of 61.06. Runs can come from anywhere in this Durham line up and Graham Clark in at 6 scored 82 from 147 Balls, Brydon Carse in one below him scored 63 from 68 Balls. 453 in 100.5 overs so maximum batting points, again. Gloucs used 8 bowlers, teh best of them was Dominic Goodman with 4 for 73 in his 15.5 overs.

The Durham bowlers made short work of Gloucs, bowling them out in just 55.3 overs in their 2nd innings. Miles Hammond held them up, scoring 86 from 125 Balls. Matty Potts led the charge with the ball taking 4 for 55 in his 13 overs.

Durham needed just 11.4 overs to get the game won, they did lose Lee, but sit where they have been all season at the Top of Division 2 with 155 points, 47 points ahead of Leicestershire who finished rock bottom in 2022.

Glamorgan v Leicestershire – The SSE SWALEC, Cardiff, Lewis Hill won the toss for Leics and put Glamorgan in to bat. Match Drawn.

Glamorgan 403 for 9, Leics 451 for 6 dec

Cardiff is where we find the 2nd Australian looking to impress. Glamorgan fell to 93 for 7 before Michael Neser stepped up, he and James Harris put on 128 for the 8th wicket. Harris scored 47 and Mitchell Swepson in at 10 scored 69 from 70 Balls. Neser was 176* from 202 Balls. Glamorgan made their 403 in 98 overs.

I confess to being thrilled by this next century maker, Ex Essex man Rishi Patel opening for Leics has really found his feet this season and this match was no exception, he batted for nearly 5.5 hours scoring 179 from 237 Balls. That took Patel to 882 runs for the season at 58.80, he and Lewis Hill put on 168 for the 2nd wicket, Hill made 78 from 124 Balls. Louis Kimber in at 7 scored 61 from 35 Balls. Leics made their 452 in 92.3 overs. There wasn’t much cricket at Cardiff, but what there was must have been highly entertaining .

Sussex v Derbyshire – The 1st Central County Ground, Hove. Leus du Plooy won the toss for Derbys and put Sussex in to bat. Match Drawn.

Sussex 402 All Out & 384 for 9 dec, Derbys 407 All Out & 361 for 8

There are a large number of Toms in County Cricket and 2 of Sussex’s 3 in this team put on 150 for the 1st wicket. Tom Haines scored 86 from 96 Balls, and Tom Clark went on to scored 96 from 168 Balls. Keeper Oli Carter in at 5 scored 56 from 127 Balls, Fynn Hudson-Prentice in at 7 scored 63 from 62 Balls. Sussex scored their 402 in 101.2 overs. George Scrimshaw took 5 for 49 in his 16.2 overs .

Derbys Keeper Brooke Guest in at 3 scored 105 from 236 Balls Wayne Madsen contributed 51 from 57 Balls and Leus du Plooy 53 from 88 Balls. 407 in overs was good going for Derbys too. Henry Shipley and Ari Karvelas both took 4 wickets.

All 3 of Sussex’s Toms, including Tom Alsop made only 23 between them. James Coles in at 4 went big, he scored 180 from 264 Balls, his was the last wicket to fall before the declaration came. Alex Thomson took 5 for 110 in his 31.1 overs.

Derbys captain Leus du Plooy was the big scorer in their 2nd innings, he scored 128 from 117 Balls helping his team bat through the 57.5 overs before a draw was declared.

Worcestershire v Yorkshire – New Road, Worcester. Jake Libby won the toss for Worcs and put Yorkshire in to bat. Match Drawn.

Yorks 407 All Out, Worcs 242 All Out & 142 for 2

Another growing star is making his name at Yorkshire, Finlay Bean opening joined with Adam Lyth to make 177 for the 1st wicket. Lyth scored 79 from 127 Balls, Bean went on to score 135 from 180 Balls. George Hill scored 53 from 57 Balls as Yorkshire made 407 in 92.1 overs. Adam Finch took 5 for 100 in his 17.1 overs.

Worcs were bowled out in 89.3 overs, Ben Gibbon in at 11 top scored with 41 and Ben Coad took 5 for 33 in his 21 overs.

Worcs batted the 48 overs before a draw was declared, Jake Libby scored 61 from 107 Balls.

Century Makers and 5 Wickets Takers

• Robert Yates – Warwicks – 228 from 421 Balls
• Tom Westley – Essex – 135 runs from 238 Balls
• Dan Lawrence – Essex – 135 from 125 Balls
• Sam Whiteman – Northants – 114 from 238 Balls
• Rob Jones – Lancashire – 111 from 170 Balls
• Sam Robson -Middlesex – 126* from 252 Balls
• James Rew – Somerset – 221 from 310 Balls
• Will Young – Notts – 145 from 277 Balls
• Jordan Clark – Surrey – 107 from 142 Balls
• Alex Lees – Durham – 195 from 229 Balls
• Michael Neser – Glamorgan – 176* from 202 Balls
• Rishi Patel – Leics – 179 from 237 Balls
• James Coles – Sussex – 180 from 264 Balls
• Brooke Guest – Sussex – 105 from 236 Balls
• Leus du Plooy – Derbys – 128 from 117 Balls
• Finlay Bean – Yorkshire – 135 from 180 Balls

• Tom Bailey – Lancashire – 6 for 59 in 22.2 Overs
• Lyndon James – Notts – 6 for 74 in 24.4 Overs
• Brett Hutton – 5 for 91 in 29.1 Overs
• George Scrimshaw – 5 for 49 in 16.2 Overs
• Alex Thomson – Derbys – 5 for 110 in 31.1 Overs
• Adam Finch – Worcs – 5 for 100 in 17.1 Overs
• Ben Coad – Yorkshire – 5 for 33 in 21 Overs