County Championship roundup
If Durham couldn’t quite keep pace with England at Old Trafford, they gave it their best shot, tucking into Derbyshire’s attack with lip-smacking gusto. Alex Lees, one of Zac Crawley’s ex-opening partners, now discarded, became the first player to pass a 1,000 Championship runs this summer during his 171, and shared a record third-wicket stand of 305 with David Bedingham (138). Earlier Derbyshire’s Brooke Guest had been last man out for 197.
Nineteen wickets fell on day two at Oakham school, one more than on an eventful Wednesday, batters carefully picking their way through the minefield to get to the crease. Leicestershire were set an unlikely 238 to win mid-afternoon, but had deflated to 114 for seven at stumps, Dillon Pennington and England’s Josh Tongue doing the damage. Their one hope is that Rehan Ahmed remains, unbeaten on 33. Sandwiched between Leicestershire innings, Worcestershire stumped up 169, largely set up by Jake Libby. Chris Wright took four for 44.
Somerset zipped up the pressure at Wantage Road, enforcing the follow on as 16 wickets tumbled. Northamptonshire’s first innings 180, propped up by 78 from Ricardo Vasconcelos, was followed by more quick wickets in the second. Matt Henry and Craig Overton proved a particular menace.
Essex rattled to 458-8 before declaring, giving Sam Cook and Simon Harmer five overs to bowl at Kent, with due result. Matt Critchley had earlier danced to 117. While at Lord’s John Simpson and Max Holden gave Middlesex a chance of saving the follow-on.
At Cheltenham, rain and bad light restricted play to 40 overs. David Lloyd put together a fluent 81 despite being hit hard on the helmet by a rampaging Paul van Meekeren and being dropped on 44. An Adam Lyth century put Yorkshire in the driving seat at Headingley; while an unbeaten century from Ian Holland on a crazy paving pitch Trent Bridge did the same for Hampshire.
A wet day at Cheltenham but lots to see elsewhere: hundreds for Lees, Bedingham, Lyth, Critchley; wickets galore at Oakham and Wantage Road, declarations from Hampshire and Essex. That’s all from me as I wring out my socks, good night!
