365 Sporting Days

I’m starting to write this at the end of Day 2, after a glorious day in the garden. Day 1 saw a raft of wickets falling across the country, 8 innings were completed and a total of 207 wickets fell. Today has also brought news of another sanction for my county, Essex. This time for historic allegations of racism, a £100K fine with £50K suspended. Theirs was the match completed on Day 2, so some good news for my fellow Essex members, unless they’d booked accommodation for the full 4 days! Although there’s a lot to do in the Birmingham area. On to cricket matters – This would be the round that decided who would be Champions in 2024! As an aside it’s noteworthy that Gloucestershire won the T20 Blast Final at Edgbaston, Congratulations to them!

Division 1

Warwickshire v Essex – Edgbaston, Birmingham. Tom Westley won the toss for Essex and put Warwickshire in to bat. Essex won by an innings and 40 runs.

Warwickshire 78 All Out & 114 All Out, Essex 232 All out

Warwickshire were bowled out in 27.4 overs, Will Rhodes with 29 and Keeper Michael Burgess with 17 were the only batters to get into double figures as they were all out for just 78. Shane Snater took 5 for 13 in his 7.4 overs.

Essex fell to 50 for 5 before Matt Critchley and Keeper Michael Pepper put on 55 for th e6th wicket. Shane Snater and Jamie Porter then put in 60 for the 10th wicket, Porter contributing 7 runs, Snater was out for 69 from 72 balls.

Warwickshire’s second innings lasted just 34.1 overs, a partnership of 71 between Danny Briggs and Michael Burgess for the 7th wicket prolonged things. Briggs score 51 from 48 balls prolonged things. Jamie Porter took 6 for 36 in his 12.1 overs. That took him to 55 for the season and 500 First Class wickets for Essex! What a delight it is to be able to watch him in action!

Surrey v Durham – The Oval, London. Rory Burns won the toss for Surrey and put Durham in to bat. Surrey won by 10 Wickets.

Durham 262 All Out & 177 All Out , Surrey 415 All Out & 25 for No Wicket

Durham were bowled out in 81.5 overs, an unusual batting partnership between Colin Ackermann and Bas de Leede of 70 was I saw a post saying it was the first time 2 Dutch cricketers have batted together in the County Championship, although I’d have to check whether Ryan ten Doeschate and Shane Snater batted together (I feel certain they must have!). Ackermann top scored with 78 from 125 balls. Dan Worrall took 4 for 39.

Surrey put on 87 for the first wicket but fell to 169 for 5. A partnership of 63 between Ryan Patel and Tom Curran took then to 232 for 6, Patel then shared 47 with Jordan Clark and 92 with Tom Lawes. Patel is very practiced at supporting an innings, he came in at 3 and scored 134 from 183 balls. Lawes scored 58 from 81 balls. Durham conceded a whopping 51 extras! As a friend of mind said in a Facebook post, a full bonus point of Extras! Surrey scored their 415 in 103.4 overs.

Durham faced 2 overs on Day 2 and go into Day 33 on 1 for 1 having lost Night Watch Callum Parkinson on the first ball of the innings. I have my alerts set for Surrey as well as Essex and my phone was going off a lot on Day 3. Durham were bowled out in 55.4 overs. Emilio Gay, on loan for the last 2 games before his move becomes permanent top scored with 48 from 98 balls. Dan Worrall added another 4 wickets to his tally, 4 for 34 this time. Sam Curran took 4 for 23 in 13.4 overs. The 177 scored left Surrey with a small task to get their 3rd County Championship on the trot won.

Surrey scored the 25 runs they needed in 5 overs and they are COUNTY CHAMPIONS 2025! CONGRATULATIONS SURREY.

Hampshire v Worcestershire – Utlilita Bowl, Southampton. James Vince won the toss for Hampshire and elected to bat. Hampshire won by 235 runs.

Hampshire 462 All Out & 204 All Out, Worcestershire 273 All Out & 158 All Out

Hampshire were 19 for 2 before a 3rd wicket partnership of 129 between James Vince and Nick Gubbins. Vince scored 57 from 102 balls, Gubbins then shared 220 runs for with Liam Dawson for the 5th wicket, Dawson scored 109 from 161 balls. Gubbins had come in at 3 and scored 201* from 317 balls. Hampshire scored 462 in 111.5 overs. Amar Virdi, on loan from Surrey, took 5 for 133 in his 36 overs.

Worcestershire were bowled out in 69.4 overs, but Keeper and Opener Gareth Roderick and Ethan Brookes put on 196 for the 6th wicket. Roderick scored 94 from 168 balls and Brookes scored his maiden century with 132 from 154 balls. Liam Dawson took 5 for 88 in his 24.4 overs. The bonus points won by Worcestershire have secured their place in Division 1 for 2025. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that Essex get drawn to play at New Road!

Hampshire faced 6 overs and were 3 for no wicket at the end of Day 2, a lead of 192 runs. Liam top scored again with 51 from 67 balls as Hants were bowled out in 57 overs for 204. Amar Virdi took another 4 wickets for 108, a good game or him.

Worcestershire opener Jake Libby scored 57 from 154 balls his was the 7th wicket to fall. Kyle Abbot took 5 for 36 in his 15.2 overs as Worcs were bowled out in 58.2 overs.

Kent v Nottinghamshire – The Spitfire Ground, Canterbury. Daniel Bell-Drummonf won the toss for Kent and put Notts in to bat. Notts won by 10 Wickets.

Nottinghamshire 433 All Out & 28 for No Wicket, Kent 225 All Out & 230 All Out

Nottinghamshire put on 196 for the first wicket, Haseeb Hameed scored 56 from 142 balls and Ben Slater went on to score 160 from 217 balls. He and jack Haynes put on 60 for the 5th wicket, Haynes scored 62 from 108 balls. Kent gave away 40 extras, bowling 15 No Balls.

Kent faced 20 overs on Day 2 and were 85 for No Wicket, trailing by 123 runs. Kent were bowled out in a total of 4.1 overs. Opener Tawanda Muyeye top scored with 60 from 59 balls as Kent put on 91 for the first wicket. Jacob Duffy, A new Zealand blower, took 4 for 60.

Notts needed just 3.3 overs to score the required runs and gain an important win.

Lancashire v Somerset – Old Trafford, Manchester. Lewis Gregory won the toss for Somerset and put Lancashire in to bat. Lancashire won by 168 runs.

Lancashire 140 All Out & 398 All Out, Somerset 146 All Out & 224 All Out

Lancashire were bowled out in 40 overs, in spite of opener Keaton Jennings scoring 56 from 68 balls. Craig Overton took 4 for 50.

Somerset’s innings last4d for 39.5 overs a ball short of the Lancs innings, they scored 6 more runs. Tom Lammoinby top scored with 36. Tom Bailey and George Balderson took 4 apiece.

Lancashire had faced 108 overs by the end of Day 2 and were 298 for 7. Josh Bohannon scored 60 from 76 balls and Luke Wells was 78* from 156 at the end of the day. Wells went on to score 130 from 231 balls, he and George Balderson put on 135 for the 8th wicket as Lancs fought for their place in Division 1 and Somerset watched their title hopes slipping away. Lancs batted for 140.3 overs scoring 398. Somerset used 7 bowlers, 5 of them shared the wickets.

Archie Vaughan opening scored 68 from 121 balls as Somerset were bowled out in 69.3 overs for 224. Tom Lammonby and Vaughan put on 105 for the 2nd wicket but their fellow batters failed to impress. Luke Wells took 4 for 36 in his 13 overs.

Division 2

Glamorgan v Yorkshire – Sophia Gardens, Cardiff. Sam Northeast won the toss for Glamorgan and put Yorkshire in to bat. Yorkshire won by 186 runs.

Yorkshire 361 All Out & 273 All Out , Glamorgan 239 All Out & 209 All Out

Vying for promotion Yorkshire started well putting 67 on of the first wicket. James Wharton and captain Jonathan Tattersall put on 93 for the 3rd wicket, Wharton scored 63 from 118 balls. George Hill and Dom Bess put on 102 for the 6th wicket. Bess scored 50 from 69 balls and Hill went on to score 90 from 115 balls. Yorkshire scored their 361 in 91.1 overs. Andy Gorvin took 4 for 67.

Glamorgan were bowled out in 68. 5 overs. Colin Ingram scored 82 from 117 balls as his partners fell around him. Ben Coad and Matthew Fisher took 4 each.

Yorkshire faced 27 overs on Day 2 and were 116 for 1. Adam Lyth had been the 1st wicket to fall, he scored 55 from 72, Finlay Bean his fellow opener scored 57 from 93 balls. Jonathan Tattersall added another 40 and Dom Bess 47 as Yorkshire scored 273 in 65.5 overs.

Glamorgan lost Sam Northeast in the first ever for a Duck, his fellow opener Asa Tribe scored 58 from 155 balls, Kiran Carlson scored 41 and James Harris 49. Glamorgan were bowled out in 67.5 overs and Yorkshire pushed further towards promotion to Division 1.

Gloucestershire v Sussex – Seat Unique Stadium, Bristol. Graeme van Buuren won the toss for Gloucestershire and elected to bat. Sussex won by an innings and 7 runs.

Gloucestershire 109 All Out & 195 All Out &, Sussex 311 All Out

Sussex sat at the top of Division 2 going into this game, they bowled Gloucs out in 43.4 overs for just 109. Tom Price top scored with 25, Jatdev Unadkat took 4 for32.

Sussex made their 311 in 92.5 overs, a Jack Carson and Keeper/ Captain John Simpson put on 112 for the 7th wicket, Carson scored 71 from 94 balls and Simpson 61 from 105 balls. Zafar Gohar took 6 for 76 in his 26.5 overs.

Gloucestershire faced 51 overs and were 140 for 3 at the end of Day 2, trailing Sussex by 62 runs. Glucs lost their remaining wickets for 55 runs as they were bowled out in a total of 72.1 overs.

This win for Sussex means they can’t be overtaken for the TOP 2 in Division 1 – they’ll play their cricket in Division 1 in 2025 – CONGRATULATIONS SUSSEX!

Northamptonshire v Leicestershire – County Ground, Northampton. Lewis Hill won the toss for Leicestershire and elected to bat. Northants won by 9 Wickets.

Leicestershire 203 All Out & 316 All Out , Northamptonshire 383 All Out & 137 for 1

Leicestershire were bowled out in 62.3 overs, Sol Budinger top scored with 56 from 94 balls. Yuzvendra Chahal took 4 for 82.

Northamptonshire were 92 for 3 before Rob Keogh and James Sales put in 117 for the 4th wicket. Keogh scored 49 and Sales went on to share 131 with Saif Zaib, Zaib scored 71 from 79 balls and Sales made 135 from 197 balls. Leics used 8 bowlers and Ian Holland took 4 for 53.

Leicestershire faced 40 overs and were 69 for 4 at the end of Day 2. Tom Scriven and Scott Currie put in 101 for the 8th wicket, Currie and Sam Wood then put on 110 for the 9th wicket. Currie scored 120 from 192 balls and Wood made 57 from 91 balls. Chahal took 5 for 134 in his 43 overs.

Derbyshire v Middlesex – County Ground, Derby. David Lloyd won the toss for Derbyshire and elected to bat. Middlesex won by an Innings and 66 runs

Derbyshire 173 All Out & , Middlesex 358 All Out

Derbyshire were bowled out in 61.2 overs, Opener Harry Came top scored with 66 from 132 balls. Middlesex are pressing for promotion and sat in 3rd spot before this round, Toby Roland-Jones took 5 for 34 in his 17 overs.

Middlesex wer 0 for 1 after the 2nd ball of their innings, Max Holden and Mark Stoneman then put on 161 for the 2nd wicket. Holden scored 68 from 154 balls and Stoneman went on to score 115 from 223 balls. Th impressive Josh de Caires in at 7 scored 80 from 101 balls as Middlesex scored 358 in 107.3 overs.

Derbyshire faced 19.2 overs on Day 2 and were 74 for 3, trailing by 111 runs. Toby Roland-Jones bagged another 5 wickets for 38 runs in his 14 overs as Derbyshire were bowled out in a total of 38.4 overs.

THE FINAL ROUND

As far as Division 1 is concerned the Champions have been decided Surrey can’t be reached. But 2nd place is up for grabs, Somerset have 193 points and Hampshire 195 points. They face each other in Taunton in the final round. Surrey travel to Essex who will be hoping to dampen the Champions party and stealing into 3rd place. At the bottom Notts are on 141 points and Lancashire on 126, Kent are can’t escape relegation to Division 2. Lancashire play Worcestershire at New Road and Notts face Warwickshire at Trent Bridge.

In Division 2 Sussex’s promotion has been confirmed; they play Middlesex at home who sit in 3rd with 186 points. Yorkshire who are second with 201 points play a rejuvenated Northants at Headingley. It’s going to be an interesting 4 days, let’s hope the weather behaves!

Century Makers and 5 Wicket Takers

• Ryan Patel – Surrey – 134 from 183 Balls
• Liam Dawson – Hampshire – 109 from 161 Balls
• Nick Gubbins – Hampshire – 201* from 317 Balls
• Ethan Brookes – Worcestershire – 132 from 154 Balls
• Ben Slater – Nottinghamshire – 160 from 217 Balls
• James Sales – Northamptonshire – 135 from 197 Balls
• Mark Stoneman – Middlesex – 115 from 223 Balls
• Scott Currie – Leicestershire – 120 from 192 Balls

• Shane Snater – Essex – 5 for 12 in 7.4 Overs
• Jamie Porter – Essex – 6 for 36 in 12.1 Overs
• Amar Virdi – Worcestershire – 5 for 133 in 36 Overs
• Zafar Gohar – Sussex – 6 for 76 in 26.5 Overs
• Toby Roland-Jones – Middlesex – 5 for 34 in 17 Overs
• Toby Roland-Jones – Middlesex – 5 for 38 in 14 Overs
• Yuzvendra Chahal – Northants – 5 for 134 in 43 Overs