Stokes shines with ball but toils with bat
After bowling 38 overs at Blackpool last week, Ben Stokes stormed in for 15.1 more at Chester-le-Street, grabbing four for 54 as Somerset were whistled out for 171. The highest scorer, Migael Pretorius, last man out to Stokes for 53, was hit on the head during his innings and subsequently replaced by Jake Ball as a concussion substitute. Durham and Stokes did not fare that much better: the England captain was out for a duck while Craig Overton took two wickets as well as running out Alex Lees after getting a fingertip to a straight drive.
Surrey suffered a rare malfunction after being skittled for 127 at Southampton. The first five batters inched into double figures, but only Rory Burns (33) got out of the teens. Liam Dawson, bowling first change, pocketed the top three; Kyle Abbott (five for 25) rattled through most of the rest. In reply, Hampshire had reached 102 for one at stumps.
Clouds hung over Old Trafford but Warwickshire chose to bat first faced with the threat of Nathan Lyon on a fourth-day turner. Progress was lethargic – just 40 scoring shots in a truncated day – with three wickets for Lancashire’s previously off-kilter Tom Bailey. Alex Davies was stranded on 47 when bad light stopped play.
Kent chipped away at Essex on a sunny day at Canterbury, despite losing Wes Agar to a shoulder injury. Dean Elgar top scored with 77, while Jordan Cox got an unbeaten half-century against his old club.
In Division Two, Derbyshire raced towards maximum batting points against Gloucestershire with a first century for Matt Lamb since his move to Derby. Glamorgan survived Marnus Labuschagne being bowled for eight, thanks to half centuries for Eddie Byrom, Kiran Carlson and Sam Northeast against Leicestershire.
Sussex’s Cheteshwar Pujar collected an unbeaten 91 against Middlesex at Lord’s, while Adam Lyth’s third hundred of the season propped up Yorkshire against Northamptonshire. There was no play possible at New Road, as Worcestershire returned to the ground for the first time since eight floods ran amok during the winter.
Updated
An entertaining day around the grounds, with David Bedingham becoming, just before stumps, the first Durham player to make centuries in four consecutive innings. From a grey Old Trafford, good night!
Close of play scores
DIVISION ONE
Chester-le-Street: Durham 177-6 v Somerset 171
Southampton: Hampshire 102-1 v Surrey 127
Canterbury: Kent v Essex 287-4
Old Trafford: Lancashire v Warwickshire 89-3
New Road: Worcestershire v Nottinghamshire no play today
DIVISION TWO
Bristol: Gloucestershire v Derbyshire 434-5
Grace Road: Leicestershire v Glamorgan 352-8
Lord’s: Middlesex v Sussex 295-4
County Ground: Northamptonshire v Yorkshire 312-7
Time for me to write up for the paper – with Durham still three down, Hampshire 60-1, trail Surrey by just 67; Essex 224-3 against Kent; and Warwicks 87-3 in the gloom.
In Division Two: 145 for Matt Lamb in Derbyshire’s 346-4; Glamorgan 284-7, Currie 3-50; Sussex 247-4, Pujara 76 not out; and Yorkshire 231-3.
And the rain starts to fall at OT.
At CLS, Bedingham and t’other Ollie Robinson rebuilding brick by brick. Durham 49-3. At OT, Davies sweeps Nathan Lyon for four. A slow but testing kind of day here.
The boundary rope at OT on the party stand side is about 20 metres in from the edge. I mention this to Ken Grime. “It’s been like that since they raised the bonus point stakes to 450,” he says. “They’ve done it at lots of grounds.” Something I have managed not to notice for a season and a bit.
And a third for Bailey! Ed Barnard, rescuer of innings, caught behind for 2. Warwicks 82-3.
Ali with the latest on England’s World Cup prep – Moeen ready to step in with Jos Buttler’s baby due at the start of the tournament.
Oh! From nowhere, Tom Bailey with a post-prandial breakthrough. Rhodes trudges off for 14. Lancs 74-2. A tinkly edge behind.
A chunk of orange cake and a cup of tea at OT; at CLS, Alex Lees has been run out for 3 by Coverton, Ackermann caught by Coverton for 1, oh and now Borthwick joins the club, lbw Coverton for 9. Durham 19-3.
Tea-time ish scores
DIVISION ONE
Chester-le-Street: Durham v Somerset 171
Southampton: Hampshire 28-0 v Surrey 127
Canterbury: Kent v Essex 185-2
Old Trafford: Lancashire v Warwickshire 73-1
New Road: Worcestershire v Nottinghamshire no play today
DIVISION TWO
Bristol: Gloucestershire v Derbyshire 276-3
Grace Road: Leicestershire v Glamorgan 254-6
Lord’s: Middlesex v Sussex 212-4
County Ground: Northamptonshire v Yorkshire 204-2
Updated
Hundreds for Adam Lyth and Matt Lamb
A super century by Lamb, off just 143 balls, his first for Derbyshire. Derbyshire the top-scorers in the country this afternoon, 276-3 at tea, with Brooke Guest not far behind on 96.
Lyth just out for 109 out of 204-2 at The County Ground. His third hundred of a sparkling season.
Enjoying how involved Lyon is in proceedings, ball polishing, ear whispering, field nudging. Warwicks 66-1, tea on the horizon.
Four wickets for Stokes as Somerset are all out 171
Four-fer for Stokes and his new bionic knee. Bowled more overs than anyone else, of course: 15.1. I wonder if Scott Borthwick would dare tell him to have a rest. Three for Raine and Siddle. Pretorius top scorer and last man out: 53.
Aspinwall hunches and digs a short one into Davies, who lets it pass safely by.
At Canterbury, Kent have pinched a second wicket – Browne losing his stumps for 65.
A seed from Joey🦘
— Kent Cricket (@KentCricket) May 24, 2024
📲 LIVE Match Centre: https://t.co/WsbByAAJn9 pic.twitter.com/N072a265Al
The first seven overs going better for Hampshire than I expected – 12-0.
Pretorius playing the usual Lewis Gregory/Coverton role of milking emergency late-order runs for Somerset – now, 154-9.
Aspinwall with the ball, only a few days after his successful stint at Blackpool. I do enjoy his walk back to his bowling mark, each stride is one and a half strides long – stretched by enthusiasm.
Lyon jig-jogs in from the James Anderson end. Into his second over. Redirects his field with those long, articulate arms. Getting darker at OT. Warwicks 50-1.
Marcus Harris with the scene-stealing cameo, though. https://t.co/bXp48qcyjs pic.twitter.com/W1zJklgH18
— Adam Collins (@collinsadam) May 24, 2024
In Division Two: At Lord’s, Sussex 178-4, Pujara 44 not out. Fizzing catch by Higgins to dismiss Alsop before lunch.
🎥 | WICKET WATCH
— Middlesex Cricket (@Middlesex_CCC) May 24, 2024
What a screamer by Ryan Higgins in the slips 😱#OneMiddlesex pic.twitter.com/d8qHOWyDIS
Lamb and Guest (82) have put on 147 at The County Ground – Derby 217-3. Unrewarded toil for Gloucestershire.
Carlson nearing fifty at Grace Road; Matt Salisbury has just bowled Byrom for 86. Glamorgan 207-3.
Lyth (87) and Masood a fairly formidable double-act for Northants to bowl at. Yorks 155-1.
And Surrey all out for 127. Neser (2-39) bowling Cameron Steel for the final wicket. Shut the windows, seal the doors, Hampshire.
Floodlights doing a lot of the work here at OT. Nearly as much as reliable old master Tom Bailey, into his sixth over. And with that, Yates decides to leave a ball and his off stump is blow away! Warwicks 38-1.
Updated
Five for Abbott now, Surrey 125-9. We all know this is a winnable total.
A beautifully co-ordinated lbw appeal in the slips against ex-Lancs favourite Alex Davies – but the ump not impressed. A tricky maiden from Bailey.
And now Surrey are eight down, S Abbott, Abbotted.
Apologies all, the anointed are only seven down,not eight. Dawson 3-18; Kyle Abbott 3-9. Cameron Steel and Sean Abbott with the rebuild.
No play today at New Road
Rotten luck for Worcestershire, the outfield too soggy for play today even after a large infra -ed heater was placed across the problem area on the outfield and groundstaff dug out blocks of turf which were cooked on a diesel heater in the groundsman’s shed to dry them out.
Dirty clouds hanging over OT like Saturday morning’s washing – but they’re on. Tom Bailey has the ball – three slips, a gully. Lots of soggy school children queuing up for the coaches home having watched no cricket at all, but looking very happy all the same.
And no flowers for the internationals – Labuschagne gone for 8 at Grace Road, Dan Lawrence for an itchy 4 at Southampton. Surrey 104-8; Glamorgan 113-2.
Somerset, Somerset. All a bit dizzying from that lofty second place. Siddle in command against his old county, takes two in two balls. 91-7.
A 2.10 start at Old Trafford
So I’d better get a move on.
And with the last ball before lunch, Michael Neser, who’d a little earlier been flayed unceremoniously for three successive fours by Smith, bowls him! Time for a sandwich, back shortly.
Lunchtime scores
DIVISION ONE
Chester-le-Street: Durham v Somerset 84-5
Southampton: Hampshire v Surrey 89-4
Canterbury: Kent v Essex 102-0
Old Trafford: Lancashire v Warwickshire no play before lunch, inspection at 1.30
New Road: Worcestershire v Nottinghamshire no play before lunch
DIVISION TWO
Bristol: Gloucestershire v Derbyshire 126-3
Grace Road: Leicestershire v Glamorgan 96-1
Lord’s: Middlesex v Sussex 92-3
County Ground: Northamptonshire v Yorkshire 90-1
A third Tom at the crease at Chester le Street. Banton has been joined by James Rew, after Siddle had Umeed caught for 9. And a hundred up at Essex, with fifty for Dean Elgar, off 84 balls.
Inspection at 1.30 at Old Trafford. But I just went outside and it is drizzling damply.
Updated
In Division Two: Derbyshire got off to a flier, but have been pegged back by Gloucestershire, with two wickets to Beau Webster. Derby 93-3, Guest and Lamb the men in.
Byrom and Billy Root making Leicestershire pay for inserting them, Glamorgan 85-0 with a handy 13 extras. Marnus next man in.
A wicket for the beleagured Bamber at Lord’s, Tom Haines bowled for 40. Alsop has dropped anchor, Pujara joins the party. Sussex 87-2.
And Yorkshire skipping along against Northants, Yorks 78-0, fifty for Adam Lyth. No Joe Root or Harry Brook.
AND SURREY THIRD WICKET SHOCK – Burns gone for 33.
And Pope falls cheaply again, in what has been a tricky early summer, for 15 – a second wicket for Dawson. Hants 64-2.
News from Old Trafford where there will be an inspection at 1.10, and expectations are a bit more hopeful. No updates from New Road – but, and I should have clicked this earlier, this is their first game back since last year – 244 days to be precise.
In Division One: Somerset have lost both their openers, Ben Stokes accounting for Matt Renshaw. Oh, and now he has Lammonby too, also caught Ollie Robinson. Somerset 44-3.
Surrey are 53 for one at Southampton, Burns expansive, Pope less so. Dawson the wicket taker, a missed stumping too.
Tough work for Kent at Canterbury, Essex 61-0.
And for some light relief, Pat Cummins as renaissance man:
An hour gone, coffee topped up, let’s move smoothly round the grounds:
A chance fluffed at Southampton – Burns (22) survives a missed stumping. Surrey 39-1.
Browne and Elgar moving along with fair ease at Canterbury – their respective positions in the table suggest this should be easy pickings for Essex. Essex 33-0.
Tom Lammonby sparkling at Chester-le-Street, four boundaries in his 18 not out. Somerset 29-1.
Liam Dawson makes the breakthrough at Southampton – called into action early, and in his second over of the day! Sibley caught and bowled, done by the flight.
Sussex away at Lord’s in the top of Div 2 table clash, where Clark and Haines are fair zipping along – 45-0 off eight overs. Bamber having a toothpaste down your jumper day – his three overs have cost 29.
This looks rather wonderful at The Oval on June 30:
Festival of Red Ball Cricket at The Kia Oval 🏏
— Surrey Cricket (@surreycricket) May 23, 2024
Surrey are calling on Members and supporters to pack out The Kia Oval for the HUGE CLASH between Surrey & @EssexCricket on Sun 30 June! 🏟️
Great cricket ✅
Beer festival 🍻
Range of discounts 🙌
🤎 | MORE INFO ⤵️
News from the Grace Road scorebox. Hello Mike Daniels! “Decidedly cool here at Grace Road, at least there’s a heater in here.
“Lewis Hill, after deciding to bowl in the last game here and conceding 706 has won the toss again and decided to ..... Bowl!
“New loanee Holland straight into the line up and opening the bowling to Byron and Root.”
Tune into Surrey v Hants and discover, courtesy of Kevin Hand, that Hampshire’s opening partnership for the first wicket this year is 15. But, forget that for now, the ball is in the hands of Keith Barker and Michael Neser. Hants giving Surrey a bit of a working over with the new ball.
Tom Abell is back at the top of the order for Somerset, after picking up a hamstring tear during a pre-season game. But not for long as it turns out, bowled for four off the last ball of the first over. Ben Raine the man. Somerset 4-1. Not Potts for Durham today.
Weather watch
No play till at least lunch at Old Trafford or New Road, play everywhere else, with Somerset, Surrey, Essex, Derbyshire, Glamorgan, Sussex and Yorkshire having a bat.
Worcestershire return to play at New Road today for the first time since the terrible news of Josh Baker’s death. Here, Kevin Howells talks to Ashley Giles about Josh, climate challenges and the future of the club (which has a new ground sponsor – New Road becoming Visit Worcestershire New Road).
A story of climate challenge, tragic personal loss but overarching how @WorcsCCC has come together & will further forge their place in the game.
— Kevin Howells (@kevinhowells100) May 23, 2024
Good things happening & Ashley Giles talks us through what extra money in the club would mean to them. https://t.co/oYTG3xG4gv
And hello Tim Maitland!
”Once again I find myself mulling in the hour before plays starts - here in the subtropics it’s the lull after cooking food for the dogs and before preparing salads for humans - this time it’s the issue of how to fill the Jimmy-Anderson-and Stuart Broad-sized hole in England’s bowling line-up.
”No doubt the Bazball approach will be to find a brash tyro, fill him to the brim with confidence and then back him to the hilt. Lord knows that will probably work a million times better than the carousel of rejection that each new pretender to Alistair Cook’s crown stepped onto... but I can’t help wondering whether temporarily filling the immediate need with a seasoned pro like Surrey’s Dan Worrall who presumably won’t be crushed by the expectations might buy time to develop the next front line quick.
"Unless of course my instinct that the answer doesn’t lie in a combination of Woods, Woakes, a miraculously durable Joffra Archer and an even more remarkably dependable and responsible Ollie Robinson is wrong.”
I don’t think this England team do temporary fillings … it was quite fun when they did – Darren Pattinson anyone?
“Good morning Tanya.” Hello Finbar Anslow! “Just arrived horribly early at Bergamo airport so will be following the cricket from here for the next few hours, before travelling to Brum and then Sheffield.What kind of a week’s weather can I expect and was I right to bring a hot water bottle?”
I can’t speak for Birmingham and Sheffield, but it was 12 degrees at Derby last night for the women’s ODI and they had hot water bottles in the dugout. Damp as an early autumn paddling pool here in the north west. Hope that, unlike Rishi, you remembered your umbrella.
Early news from Old Trafford, where there will be no play till lunch, which is being taken at 12.30. Not the world’s greatest surprise.
Rumours were that Lancs were planning a dry turner – and duly recalled left-arm spinner Jack Morley from his loan spell at Derbyshire. But that would be miracle of Stokesian proportions considering the amount of rain we’ve had in the last two days. Reports from OT say the groundstaff have just started mopping up but it is “squelchy” underfoot.
DIVISION TWO TABLE - all teams have played six games
1 Sussex 96
2 Middlesex 89
3 Leicestershire 79
4 Gloucestershire 76
5 Northamptonshire 70
6 Glamorgan 69
7 Yorkshire 63
8 Derbyshire 55
DIVISION ONE TABLE- all teams have played six games
1 Surrey 114
2 Somerset 96
3 Essex 92
4 Nottinghamshire 68
5 Warwickshire 65
6 Hampshire 64
7 Durham 64
8 Worcestershire 61
9 Kent 58
10 Lancashire 53
Updated
Fixtures
DIVISION ONE
Chester-le-Street: Durham v Somerset
Southampton: Hampshire v Surrey
Canterbury: Kent v Essex
Old Trafford: Lancashire v Warwickshire
New Road: Worcestershire v Nottinghamshire
DIVISION TWO
Bristol: Gloucestershire v Derbyshire
Grace Road: Leicestershire v Glamorgan
Lord’s: Middlesex v Sussex
County Ground: Northamptonshire v Yorkshrie
Updated
Preamble
Good morning from a soggy, soggy, soggy, Manchester.
Welcome to round eight of the Championship, where things are simmering along nicely. At the completion of this round, counties will have played seven of their 14 games. Pyjamas and white ball then predominates for the next three weeks, until everyone returns for the ninth Championship round on Sunday June 23.
So – enjoy this while you can!
