365 Sporting Days

This round of matches coincided with the start of the the 4th Ashes Test at Old Trafford, I’m sure many like me were keeping a good eye on proceedings there as well as their own game. We’re in July but the weather looks to be a factor in both the Test and the County calendar, British weather! Annoying! I made all but one session of the match between my team Essex and Kent, one slow session where not too much occurred. I’m starting this on Day 3 and 2 of the last Division matches and 1 in Division 2 have been completed. There has been some Bazball in the County championship this week! As an Essex fan I must offer my congratulations to Somerset on winning the T20 Final, they were the best team throughout the competition.

I’m publishing before the final game in Div 2 has reached its conclusion.

Division 1

Essex v Kent – The Cloud County Ground, Chelmsford. Jack Leaning won the toss for Kent and elected to bat. Essex won by 7 wickets.

Kent 207 All Out & 280 All Out, Essex 458 for 8 dec & 30 for 3

Kent have been light on batting points this summer and this game saw them fall short of 250, they were bowled out in its 59 overs for 207. I arrived a little late and checked as I left my car to see the score on 28 for no wicket. B y the time I’d walked to the ground Kent were 28 for 2 in the 8th over. 2 wickets for Sam Cook. Essex used 6 bowlers and all but Simon Harmer took wickets.Opener Ben Compton top scored with 47.

Essex had a slow start to their innings, opener Nick Browne had faced 117 balls for 31 before he retired injured after being hit on the head, he’d batted on and was sick, ewhcihb is a concern, in chatting to him on Day 3 & 4 he seemed cheerful, hopefully he’ll have no ongoing issues. Robin Das had been included in lieu of Dan Lawrence returning from the England camp. The concussion injury meant Das became the concussion replacement. Both he and Tom Westley were out for 4. Alastair Cook went on to score 87 from 176 balls. Matt Critchley scored 117 from 168 balls and shared a great 7th wicket partnership with Simon Harmer of 118. Harmer faced 32 balls before scoring a run and Essex declared with him on 83 from 91 balls, his in particular was a highly entertaining innings. Essex declared on 458 for 8 after 126 overs. Kent used 7 bowlers and 4 took wickets.

Kent made a much better fist of their second innings, in spite of losing Taweanda Muyeye on the last ball of Day 1 (Essex’s declaration worked out). Harry Finch who’d had to stand in as keeper after Jordan Cox injured himself, came in at 3, as Joe Denly had also injured himself. He played an excellent innings, batting for most of the day, he scored 114 from 228 balls, just 1 short of his previous best. he thoroughly deserved his century! Joey Evison batting at 6 faced 143 balls and scored 58 runs. With the weather predicted to be poor on Day 4 Kent finished the day with a lead of 14 and 3 wickets in hand. Simon Harmer had taken an outstanding catch to despatch Ben Compton and he took another very good catch to see Hamidulla Qadri back to the pavilion. Kent added just 15 runs for the last 3 wickets, leaving Essex in need of 30 runs. There had been a few rain drops as Kent were batting.

Essex opened the battening with Adam Rossington and Dan Lawrence, both went for it, Lawrence faced 3 balls for his 5 and Rossiington 8 for his 14, Qadri took a great catch from his own bowling to see Critchley back to the pavilion for a Golden Duck, somewhat different to his first innings. Tom Westley and Paul Walter saw Essex to the win. (slightly blurry photos of Qadri’s great caught & bowled)

Middlesex v Surrey – Lord’s London. Mark Stoneman won the toss for Middlesex and put Surrey in to bat. Surrey won by 8 wickets.

Surrey 433 All Out, & 78 for 2, Middlesex 238 All Out & 272 All Out

The league leaders lost Dom Sibley early and were 12 for 1, Rory Burns and Tom Latham put on 94 for the 2nd wicket, Burns scored 79 from 159 balls. Jamie Smith in at 4 scored 138 from 198 balls taking him to 625 with the 1 he scored in the 2nd innings. Jordan Clark batting at 7 scored 78 from 140 balls. Surrey made 433 in 127.4 overs. Tom Helm took 6 for 110 in his 27.4 overs.

The Middlesex top order have struggled this season and this match was no exception, they fell to 53 for 4 before Max Holden and keeper John Simpson put on 116 for the 5th wicket. Holden scored 55 from 117 balls and Simpson 60 from 133 balls. Middlesex were bowled out in 85.1 overs. 4 of the 6 bowlers used shared the wickets.

Middlesex followed on and to was captain and opener Mark Stoneman who top scored with 72 from 78 balls, Ethan Bamber in at 10 was not out 46. With the weather threatening Middlesex were bowled out in 71.3 overs for 272. Kyle Abbot took 4 for 60.

Surrey took 11.1 overs to reach the 78 runs required for the win, Will Jacks contributed 45 from 35 balls.

Northamptonshire v Somerset – The County Ground, Northampton. Luke Procter won the toss for Northants and put Somerset in to bat. Somerset won by 9 wickets

Somerset 351 All Out & 56 for 1, Northants 180 All Out & 224 All Out

Somerset lost opener Tom Lammonby for 3, Sean Dicksopm and Tom Abell put on 102 for the 2nd wicket, Dickson went on to score 70 from 108 balls. George Bartlett in at 4 scored 55 from 129 balls. Somerset were bowled out in 94 overs Jack White took 5 for 77 in his 24 overs.

Northants had 1 batting point before this match and they were bowled out for 180 in 48.5 overs. Said Zaib top scored with 38. Craig Overton took 4 for 50.

A higher scored for Northants in their 2nd innings, in spite of being bowled out in 50.1 overs. Captain Luke Proctor top scored with 87 from 128 balls. Matt Henry took 5 for 73 in his 17 overs.

Somerset took 10.4 overs to win the match with the loss of 1 wicket. Lammonby scored 30 of the 56 runs scored.

Nottinghamshire v Hampshire – Haseeb Hameed won the toss for Notts and put Hants in to bat. Hampshire won by 116 runs.

Hampshire 166 All Out & 344 for 5 dec, Notts 100 All Out & 294 All Out.

2 very low 1st innings scores! Hants were bowled out for just 166 in 48.2 overs. Nick Gubbins top scored with 497 batter scored 4 and under. 4 of the 5 bowlers took wickets.

Notts lasted just 37.5 overs as they were skittled for 100, 8 batters scored 8 and under. B en Slater opener top scored with 31. Ian Holland took 4 for 19 in his 8 overs.

Ian Holland took his 4 wickets then opened the batting for Hanyts scoring 138 from 251 balls. He and Liam Dawson put on 150 for the 5th wicket. Dawson scored 82 from 111 balls. James Vince declared after 85 overs.

Notts innings lasted 85.3 overs and Joe Clarke scored 67 from 125 balls, keeper Tom Moores scored 81 from 109 balls. James Fuller took 4 for 59 in his 15 overs

Warwickshire v Lancashire – Edgbaston, Birmingham. Will Rhodes won the toss for Warwicks and put Lancs in to bat. Match Drawn.

Lancashire 327 All Out & 182 for 6 , Warwicks 212 All Out

Lancs lost regular wickets before George Balderson in at 7 shared an 8th wicket partnership of 150 with Tom Bailey, Bailey scored 75 from 136 balls and Balderson 116 from 235 balls. Warwicks used 7 bowlers, 5 of them took wickets.

Warwicks lost both openers for 14 and were bowled out in 83.2 overs. Will Rhodes scored 82 from 168 balls of the 212 scored. A other 7 bowlers used, 5 took wickets.

Lancs were 0 for 1 in the first over, they then fell to 83 for 5 before Keaton Jennings and George Balderson put on 92 for the 6th wicket. Jennings batted through the innings for 64 from 174 balls. 65 overs were bowled and the draw was set.

Division 2

Derbyshire v Durham – The Incur County Ground, Derby. Scott Borthwick won the toss for Durham and put Derbyshire in to bat. Match Drawn.

Derbyshire 443 All Out & 89 for 0, Durham 575 All Out

Keeper Brooke Guest in at 3 scored 197 from 319 balls, sharing a 3rd wicket partnership go 118 with Wayne Madsen. Madsen scored 62 from 96. balls. Derbys scored 443 in 120.1 overs. Scott Borthwick took 4 for 25 in his 6.1 overs.

Durham scored 575 runs in 118.1 overs! Alex Lees opening scored 171 from 210 balls, he and David Bedingham put own 305 for the 3rd wicket. Bedingham scored 138 from 159 balls. Matty Potts in at 6 scored 64 from 139 balls and Brydon Carse made 80 from 79 balls. Lees is the first batter to 100 runs this season, he has 1087 at an average of 67.93.Sam Conners took 5 for 115 in his 29.1 overs.

The game was drawn, Derbys batted for another 27 overs and made 89.

Leicestershire v Worcestershire – Oakham School, Oakham. Lewis Hill won the toss for Leics and put Worcs in to bat. Worcestershire won by 100 runs.

Worcestershire 178 All Out & 168 All Out, Leicestershire 110 All Out & 137 All Out

Worcs were bowled out in 62.3 overs, Azhar Ali top scored with 34, 4 of the 5 bowlers shared the wickets

Leics have had a much better season, but this wasn’t great, they were bolwled out in just 39.1 over

Yorkshire v Sussex, Headingley, Leeds. Tom Alsop won the toss for Sussex and elected to bat. Match Drawn.

Sussex 216 All Out & 236 for 7, Yorkshire 364 for 8

Sussex fell to 76 for 6 before Fynn Hudson-Prentice and Nathan McAndrew put on 94 for the 7th wicket. Hudson-Prentice scored 73 from 105 balls. Sussex were bowled out in 69.5 overs. Matthew Fisher took 4 for 69.

Adam Lyth, opening for Yorks scored 115 from 175 balls, sharing 3 good parnerships, Dawin Malan in at 4 fell just short of his own century scoring 92 from 109 balls. Yorkshire scored 384 in 83.2 overs, before declaring. Ari Karvelas took 4 for 76.

Sussex batted out the 84 overs left in the game. Opener Tom Clark and keeper Oli Carter in at 5 both scored 58. Yorkshire used 8 bowlers.

Gloucestershire v Glamorgan – College Ground, Cheltenham. David Lloyd won the toss and elected to bat.

Glamorgan 450 for 6, 134 for 1

This game started a day later than the others, Glamorgan declared after 92.5 overs with 450 on the board. They had 4 batters with over 70. captain David Lloyd, opening scored 81 from 102 balls, Kiran Carlson 76 from 70 balls, Billy Root 98 from 123 balls and keeper Chris Cooke 86 from 93 balls. Some going! Maximum batting pints with 17.5 overs to spare!

Century Makers and 5 Wicket Takers

• Matt Critchley – Essex – 117 from 168 Balls
• Harry Finch – Kent – 114 from 228 Balls
• Jamie Smith – Surrey – 138 from 198 Balls
• Ian Holland – Hampshire – 138 from 251 Balls
• George Balderson – Lancs – 116 from 235 Balls
• Brooke Guest – Derbyshire – 197 from 319 Balls
• Alex Lees – Durham – 171 from 210 Balls
• David Bedingham – Durham – 138 from 159 Balls
• Adam Lyth – Yorkshire – 115 from 175 Balls
• Brooke Guest – Derby – 197 from 319 Balls

• Tom Helm – Middlesex – 6 for 110 in 27.4 Overs
• jack White – Northants – 5 for 77 in 24 Overs
• Matt Henry – Somerset – 5 for 73 in 17 Overs
• Sam Conners – Derbyshire – 5 for 115 in 29.1 Overs
• Josh Tongue – Worcs – 5 for 29 in 12 Overs