Overton shines in Anderson's continued absence
The non-appearance of Lancashire’s Jimmy Anderson, either walking out at No 11 or with the new ball in Somerset’s second innings, confirmed England worries about the seriousness of the suspected groin tweak which took him off the field on Thursday evening.
A tracksuited Anderson was spotted on the field before play, but spent the time in earnest discussion with Keaton Jennings rather than warming up. At the same time, Durham’s Brydon Carse, another in England’s pace-ace-hand, was being sent for a scan for a possible side strain.
It was a good moment then for Craig Overton to hit full fitness, powering in from the James Anderson end, squinting into the bright, bright Manchester sun. Overton has been bothered with tendonitis in the left knee all season and this was the best dedicated Somerset watchers had seen him bowling– all Chesterfield sofa shoulders, sharp bounce and enormous strides. He immediately got rid of Friday’s nightwatchman Will Williams, followed soon afterwards by Steven Croft before cutting off George Balderson (71) and George Bell (38) in their prime.
Overton was also Matt Henry’s dedicated ball polisher at second slip, working up a large cherry stain on his white vest in the process. Henry picked up four including his compatriot Daryl Mitchell, who put together a superb 105 on Lancashire debut, thrashing two huge sixes and weaving an acceptable team total, before becoming last out with Lancashire trailing by 35.
Mitchell was warmly applauded, becoming only the ninth player to make a hundred on first-class debut for Lancashire. With shadows pointing long fingers, Somerset lost three evening wickets but lead by 149 heading into today’s final day.
Glamorgan galloped to a 10-wicket win over Worcestershire at Sophia Gardens to bag their first victory of the season after they rattled through the visitors’ tail in less than an hour. Timm van der Gugten’s third five fer of the season made him the leading wicket-taker in Division Two. Eddie Byrom and David Lloyd rapidly knocked off the required runs.
Warwickshire overtook Surrey at the top of Division One after a three-day win over Essex at Edgbaston.
It has been an unexpectedly fruitful start to the season for
Warwickshire who only hung onto Division One status last year by half a fingernail in a final day thriller.
Chris Rushworth finished with eight wickets in the match as Essex were dismissed for 215, an unbeaten fifty from Simon Harmer at least giving their bowlers something to run in for. And Warwickshire’s victory charge wasn’t without its scares as an easy chase of 100 turned sticky before an unbeaten 23 from Ed Barnard got them over the line to win by four wickets.
Northamptonshire had a day to forget after being thrashed by an innings and 25 runs by Nottinghamshire, their second innings very soon resembling Piglet’s limp balloon, all out for 72. South Africa’s Dane Paterson cut through the top order in ideal bowling conditions, pocketing five for 16. Saif Zaib (26) was the only man to reach double figures. Northants have now lost three of their five games, and promoted Notts polish their buttons in third.
Tom Alsop made a fine unbeaten 182 in Sussex’s 430. Rehan Ahmed swung merrily on his way to 59 but it wasn’t enough to get Leicestershire past the follow-on. Cheteshwar Pujara’s decision to enforce squeezed yet further Steve Smith’s chances of a decent innings for Sussex before the start of the Ashes. Surrey are on top in the London derby, after a wonderful 97 from Jamie Smith and some tail wagging. Middlesex had lost three wickets by stumps and were still 43 in arrears.
A rip-roarer at Chester-le-Street will tip into the fourth day, with Durham needing 33 more runs and Yorkshire two more wickets, one of them the crocked Carse, for their first win of the season. Fifties from Ben Charlesworth and Miles Hammond gave Gloucestershire the best of the day, though Derbyshire opener Harry Came scored a finely-judged maiden first-class century. And Kent have a sniff of a draw with Hampshire after an unbeaten stand of 66 between Zak Crawley and Ben Compton at Canterbury.
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The covers are coming on everywhere, including at The Riverside in a thriller which has swung from Durham to Yorkshire and back again. Join us tomorrow morning for the final day of this round, to see if Durham can scrape 33 runs, or Yorkshire two wickets for their first win of the season. Till then, enjoy your Saturday night.
Close of play scores
DIVISION ONE
Canterbury: Kent 95 and 66-0 v Hampshire 373
Old Trafford: Lancashire 326 v Somerset 361 and 114-3
The County Ground: Nottinghamshire 255 BEAT Northants 158 and 72 by an innings and 25 runs
The Oval: Surrey 380 v Middlesex 209 and 128-3
Edgbaston: Warwicks 242 and 100-6 BEAT Essex 126 and 215 by four wickets.
DIVISION TWO
The County Ground: Derbyshire 251-9dec v Gloucestershire 195-5
Riverside: Durham 227 and 213-8 v Yorkshire 254 and 218 Durham need 33 more to win
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 258 and 82-0 BEAT Worcestershire 109 and 227 by ten wickets.
Grace Road: Leicestershire 270 and 16-0 v Sussex 430
Time for me to write up for the paper. Somerset have safely negotiated the first three overs. Davies, who had just been dropped, can’t make the most of his life and is bowled by Williams for nine. Somerset 13-1.
Durham have reduced the chase to 103 (3 down). Hampshire are grinding Kent into the dust – a lead of 275, two wickets for Qadri. Middlesex have lost Robson and Stoneman in their second innings and still trail Surrey by 110.
Three wickets for Reece, as Gloucestershire slip to 113-4; and Leicestershire are in a mess against Sussex, 179-7.
Lots of action still to go, BTL is open all hours, do stay with us.
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and nor has he come out to bowl...
Lammonby and Davies take their places.
Durham have lost three, Jones is still there on 46. Durham need another 113.
Mitchell 105, Jimmy Anderson doesn't bat...
Jimmy Anderson will not bat, as Lancashire walk off 329-9, trailing Somerset by 35. Last man out is Mitchell for 105. He raises his bat all round the ground as he walks off. Well played that man.
Take a bow, @dazmitchell47! 🙌
— Lancashire Cricket (@lancscricket) May 13, 2023
He's dismissed by Henry for a superb 105 (177).
That's the end of the innings as Anderson will not bat. We trail by 35 runs.
🌹 #RedRoseTogether pic.twitter.com/yf5IlOot6E
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A hundred for Daryl Mitchell!
A century on Lancashire debut for Daryl Mitchell, and a very good one too. He becomes the ninth player to make a century on first-class debut for Lancashire.
The list – with many thanks to Ken Grime
CENTURY ON FIRST-CLASS DEBUT FOR LANCASHIRE
J. Ricketts 195* v Surrey, The Oval 1867
A.C. MacLaren 108v Sussex, Hove 1890
R. Whitehead 131*v Nottinghamshire, Old Trafford 1908
G. Yates 106 v Nottinghamshire, Trent Bridge 1990
M.B. Loye 126 v Surrey, The Oval 2003
A. Symonds 134 v Essex, Old Trafford 2005
M.F. Maharoof 102 v Somerset, Liverpool, 2011
A.N. Petersen 115 v Derbyshire, Derby 2015
J.P. Faulkner 121 v Surrey, The Oval 2015
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Key event
Went to get a caffeine shot and sat in the sun for ten minutes. It’s glorious at OT, enough to make the concrete where the party stand usually sits hot to the touch. In the meantime, Somerset have dropped two catches, Hartley both times, one Abell misjudging a hook at backward square leg, the other Overton diving but not clutching on at slip. Hartley then got hit on the head and we went through the protocol. Another batting points for Lancs, who are just 99 behind.
Tea time scores
DIVISION ONE
Canterbury: Kent 95 v Hampshire 308-6
Old Trafford: Lancashire 265-7 v Somerset 361
The County Ground: Nottinghamshire 255 BEAT Northants 158 and 72 by an innings and 25 runs
The Oval: Surrey 380 v Middlesex 209 and 30-0
Edgbaston: Warwicks 242 and 100-6 BEAT Essex 126 and 215 by four wickets.
DIVISION TWO
The County Ground: Derbyshire 251-9 v Gloucestershire 50-2
Riverside: Durham 227 and 105-2 v Yorkshire 254 and 218
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 258 and 82-0 BEAT Worcestershire 109 and 227 by ten wickets.
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Nottinghamshire beat Northants by an innings and 25 runs!
Nottinghamshire 255 BEAT Northants 158 and 72 by an innings and 25 runs
One to forget for Northants, who have now lost three of their five games. A great team performance by Notts, who go third.
A batting point for Lancs! With many thanks to Darren Mitchell who has just tucked into Casey Aldridge to go to 70.
And Northamptonshire’s second innings is disintegrating into a soggy heap. Now 72-9. Paterson 5-16, one each for James, Mullaney and Hutton and, somehow, a run-out. Saif Zaib the only man in double figures. They still trail Notts by 25.
Warwickshire beat Essex by four wickets!
Warwicks 242 and 100-6 BEAT Essex 126 and 215 by four wickets.
Not without a scare, but Barnard guides them home. A first defeat for Essex and Warwickshire retake the Div One top spot.
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Essex giving this their very best shot, Warwicks 85-4, two wickets to Bracewell and one each to Porter and Cook, but Mousley and Barnard have the win in their sights. Fifteen to win.
Have been absorbed watching Coverton thundering in with the new ball and extracting steep bounce. Also, that he wears a vest where he polishes the ball vigorously at second slip before throwing it to the other new ball bowler, Matt Henry.
The new ball does its work! Bell lasts five balls, then repeats a swish he’d tried without success earlier in the order, gets a thick edge, and is well taken with both hands behind him at second slip by Casey Aldridge.
Somerset huddle and slug water. Lancashire 233-7, 128 behind. Another smart innings by Bell. Enter Tom Hartley.
The new ball taken at OT as we all hit a mid-afternoon lull. Overton revs up at the pavilion end. Lancs 232-6.
Matthew Maynard, Glamorgan’s head coach, has been mulling over speculation Michael Neser will be called up by Australia.
“I don’t read any newspapers in Australia, if Neser is [called up by Australia] I would wish him all the very best. He has been an absolutely brilliant professional for Glamorgan cricket. If that is the way to go and we lose him we wish him all the best. We hope Marnus gets hundreds, Neser gets five fors but also want an England win 5-0.
“It depends on the options, we were thinking initially it was going to be later in the year that we might lose Neser, so we had a couple of contingencies there. That has potentially come forward so just at the moment looking into that.”
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A breakthrough at The Riverside, Lees gone for 38.
Matthew Fisher 🔥
— Yorkshire CCC (@YorkshireCCC) May 13, 2023
Lees gone! He's played on to Fisher, losing two stumps via an inside-edge, 38. 47-1 in the 10th.@DurhamCricket are chasing 246. #DURvYOR pic.twitter.com/YxLITrXoj2
Dawson and Holland have put on a hundred for the sixth wicket for Hampshire, 251-5, lead Kent by 156. A bit of a hit and a declaration at stumps? Tell me if I’m being too harsh but it feels like they will only need a day to bowl out Kent again.
Has been lovely to see this pinned to the back row of the press box.
Great to be back in the press box at @lancscricket - there’s a lovely new addition paying homage to two journalistic greats… pic.twitter.com/ws1TtCB5At
— Jamie Bowman (@JamieBowman77) May 13, 2023
Thank you to everyone who wrote in pointing out I’d got my Shan Masoods muddled up with my Cheteshwar Pujaras. Arghghg. Shan has his work cut out, with Durham 43-0 off eight. Lees 38, Jones 0 off 16 balls.
A first fifty for Daryl Mitchell, and a very fine innings it is too.Holding the Lancs middle order together (get used to it).
Lees tucking in at The Riverside, all 31 runs scored off his bat in 3.4 overs. While in the naughty corner, Northants are folding more quickly that you can say origami: Now 12-4, all four wickets to Dane Paterson.
An afternoon email drifts into my inbox. Hello Tom VDG.
“Worrying to see Carse now go down injured... Stokes’ plan of putting together a stable of 8 bowlers for the Ashes is looking more and more perilous with each round of fixtures.
With Archer, Stone, Carse, Wood, Anderson, Joverton and Robinson either injured or fragile we’re pretty thin on the ground.
Who’s going to make the squad now?
Potts, Fisher, Coverton, Broad, Mahmood, Roland-Jones, Woakes, Gregory have all got international experience. Perhaps some county stalwarts like Porter, S Cook, Barker etc having a sniff of a chance as the last men standing
It’s a fascinating one, isn’t it. Mahmood, I would say is still finding his way back, Coverton has been troubled by tendonitus in the left knee but Anthony Gibson at lunch was saying this was the best he’d bowled this season. I haven’t seen Potts but he’s picking up plenty of wickets. Ollie Robinson has been rested for this game for Sussex, and got cramp at the end of the last, but he’d be a sho0-in .
Overton hits wee George Bell on the helmet. He seems ok under the usual interrogation. Overton hands on hips, stares.
Glamorgan beat Worcestershire by ten wickets
Glamorgan 258 and 82-0 BEAT Worcestershire 109 and 227 by ten wickets.
Seven wickets in the match for Timm VDG, a third five-fer of the season, and a three-day win for Glamorgan. TVDG now the leading wicket-taker in Division Two, with 28.
Temporarily at least, Glamorgan go second after their first win of the season, and Worcestershire, whose season has gone downhill since the first-round win, drop to fifth.
Durham need 246 to win
Four for Raine, four for Potts (eight in the match), as Yorks are dismissed for 218. A steady middle order but a damp squib of a tail. A cracking afternoon for a northern face off and a big test for Shan Masood in his first game as captain.
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Warwicks need 100 to win
If this was Essex of a few years ago, I’d say this was possible. Warwicks too good for them today. I think. Jamie Porter has the new ball.
Not the greatest start for Northants. Their one half-century maker from the first innings, Vasconcelos, is caught off the second over of the afternoon for one. Northants 2-1, 95 runs behind.
While I was digesting my melon, Matt Henry strikes, Dane Vilas who’d hit two fours off the first two balls of the over, is lbw for 15. Lancs slipping on the Somerset banana skin – 176-6.
Lunchtime scores
DIVISION ONE
Canterbury: Kent 95 v Hampshire 189-5
Old Trafford: Lancashire 167-5 v Somerset 361
The County Ground: Northamptonshire 158 v Nottinghamshire 255
The Oval: Surrey 291-7 v Middlesex 209
Edgbaston: Warwicks 242 v Essex 126 and 215
DIVISION TWO
The County Ground: Derbyshire 224-7 v Gloucestershire
Riverside: Durham 227 v Yorkshire 254 and 198-8
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 258 and 34-0 v Worcestershire 109 and 227
A century for Harry Came!
A maiden first-class ton for Harry Came, whose name I think I typed for the first time yesterday. Released by Hampshire and joined Derbyshire in 2021. Now 24, he’s the great -grandson of former England captain and chairman of selectors Walter Robins. Congratulations!
Building up to a thriller at The Riverside.Potts, also in pick-me mode, gets his second, Bess lbw for 0, and Yorks are 198-7, the lead 225.
POTTSY pins Bess. Yorkshire 7 down leading by 224.#ForTheNorth pic.twitter.com/GpZ6xNOGxu
— Durham Cricket (@DurhamCricket) May 13, 2023
And a pre-lunch wicket at OT! Overton replaces Leach at the pavilion end and immediately strikes. The ball after an lbw shout, Balderson wafts dangerously and is snaffled by Davies, for 71. The century still eludes him. Lancs 159-6.
3 wickets for Craig Overton this morning now 🙌#WeAreSomerset #LANvSOM https://t.co/QPkOQ7UWb9 pic.twitter.com/EB7XO3PaYh
— Somerset Cricket 🏏 (@SomersetCCC) May 13, 2023
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Here at OT, it is not only sunny but also, hold your hat, warm. Shirt sleeves in the stands, a good handful of United fans have popped in before wandering down the road to watch the match against Wolves later. Mitchell pings Davey for six over mid-on, another crisp lofted drive. The four-slip cordon has disappeared. Jack Leach, long sleeves, shaved head, prepares for his 16th over (1-30). Mitchell attempts a reverse sweep but no cigar. He directs his field and fizzes the ball from hand to hand.
Jamie Smith magnificently 93 not out at The Oval, but Surrey losing wickets regularly this morning. Abbot Smith’s new batting partner. Now 269-6, a lead of 60 over Middlesex.
Sussex tick over to 400, with only a day and two-thirds left they might let Tom Alsop collect his double century(currently 172) and then declare. Sussex 405-8. No Robinson though, or McAndrew.
Hampshire’s batters suffering a not unusual attack of the wickets – and even James Vince is out now, the fifth wicket of the morning, lbw to Michael Hogan. Hants 159-5, the lead only 54 over Kent’s disastrous first innings.
A cracking piece by Andy Bull on Eton v Harrow at Lord’s yesterday:
I secretly quite like the red and purple blazers, though they wouldn’t do anything for my complexion.
Sussex lose three in three overs, Coles for 70, then Carter and Hudson-Prentice for songs. Sussex 385-7. Scriven 3-57.
YJB gone for 36. He’s running out of time to leave an un-ignorable calling card for England. Unless they are picking on his form of last year – which was out of this world.
Glamorgan need 79 to win
Worcestershire all out 227, TVDG 5-48, the top scorer Matthew Waite with 45. Worcester hoist by their disastrous first morning.
Malan no longer in fluent partnership with Bairstow, he’s a second catch for Robinson and a second catch for Raine. Hill joines Bairstow (36 not out). The lead 166 over Durham. Tight this. Yorks 139-4.
Essex meanwhile are having a disappointing morning at Edgbaston – have lost three wickets – one to Hasan, two more to Rushworth (4-51) . The lead over Warwickshire is only a small snack of 27 – can Harmer and Snater massage it to three figures?
Key event
Malan and Bairstow are making light hay against Carse-less Durham. The partnership 91, Yorks 131-3; while elsewhere in division two, Worcestershire lead by 59 but have only one wicket left – five for Timm VDG. And Tom Alsop, whose century yesterday was criminally left out of the Guardian’s round-up, has moved towards 150. Sussex 367-4.
Fifty for George Balderson
The ball flies just wide of fourth slip, and to the rope. A super century for Balderson in a wobbly Lancashire start. Now 46 runs short of a maiden first-class century. Overton, irritated, sends down a innocuous bouncer. Lancs 105-4.
Another for Craig Overton, who is waving his availability card vigorously in the direction of the England selectors. He might be working his way back from injury, but he’s not currently being sent for a scan – which is something. Croft strangled for seven, Lancs 82-4. Overton 2-20.
Three more early wickets, and they’re big ones: Ben Foakes Murtaghed for 22 (Surrey 192-4); and both Middleton and Gubbins at Canterbury, both to Wes Agar. Hants, 112-2.
Off trots the nightwatchman Williams to the first ball of the day, propping forward, caught behind. Lancs 72-3.
Crock watch: Brydon Carse sent for scan
Durham’s 90mph man has gone for a scan on a side injury. He went off last night and will play no further part in the match. Durham have described it as a “trunk injury.”
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Anderson has been spotted, on the field during the warm-up, but no physical jerks, just standing and chatting in sunglasses and with folded arms. Just walked off looking happy enough.
This looks fun:
A brand new experience at Lord's: Sight Screen Cinema 🍿
— Lord's Cricket Ground (@HomeOfCricket) May 13, 2023
📺 Watch the critically acclaimed film '83 on the outfield this summer.
🎟 Buy your tickets ⤵️#LoveLords
Friday's round-up: Jimmy Anderson watch et al
Nineteen-year-old James Rew’s second Championship century in three games was overshadowed by Jimmy Anderson’s no-show for Lancashire on Friday, a “minor issue” believed to be a groin twinge and a red alert for England’s Ashes hopes with the first Test less than five weeks away.
The Guardian understands the 40-year-old will not bowl again in the match, having slipped unnoticed off the field about 15 minutes before stumps on Thursday evening. He remained off the field all day on Friday, with Lancashire tight-lipped about his progress. “A minor issue is being assessed,” was all they would say, with Anderson under the close eye of the Lancashire physio, Sam Byrne.
England’s band of walking wounded fast bowlers is filling up rapidly: Jofra Archer flew home early from the IPL after feeling discomfort from recent elbow surgery and Olly Stone has been ruled out for five to six weeks with a hamstring injury. Jamie Overton is recovering from a stress fracture and “unlikely” to have recovered in time for the Ashes, five Tests squeezed into a six-week window, and coming up rapidly on the rails. Meanwhile Saqib Mahmood is still working up to full match fitness, and Ben Stokes has been out of sorts at the Indian Premier League with a sore toe, and a chronic left knee problem.
Without Anderson Lancashire were unable to pin Somerset down, as the visitors first crawled, then skipped to 361. They got there thanks to a classy innings from Rew, who soaked up pressure at a cold and cloudy Old Trafford, and some late-afternoon larruping from Craig Overton and Matt Henry.
There were contrasting fortunes for Australia’s Championship players. Michael Neser, hovering in the Ashes wings, clunked 86 to give Glamorgan a sizeable lead over Worcestershire. But Sussex’s Steve Smith, who spent Thursday watching Grace Road’s groundstaff mop and squeeze, managed only three before meandering into a ball from Leicestershire’s Wiaan Mulder. Cheteshwar Pujara ruined his 100% conversion rate of 50s to 100s, when he was caught for 77.
Surrey finished the day on top in the London derby against Middlesex, led by 88 from Rory Burns and 55 not out from Jamie Smith, while at Chester-le-Street Jonny Bairstow made a circumspect 16 not out for Yorkshire against Durham.
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Scores on the doors
DIVISION ONE
Canterbury: Kent 95 v Hampshire 103-0
Old Trafford: Lancashire 72-2 v Somerset 361
The County Ground: Northamptonshire 158 v Nottinghamshire 157-4
The Oval: Surrey 190-3 v Middlesex 209
Edgbaston: Warwicks 242 v Essex 126 and 86-4
DIVISION TWO
The County Ground: Derbyshire 130-5 v Gloucestershire
Riverside: Durham 227 v Yorkshire 254 and 91-3
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 258 v Worcestershire 109 and 195-7
Preamble
Good morning! Breathe in today and hold it somewhere, so it is in the bank in January when everything is barren. The sun is out and should be all day, bar an isolated shower possibly developing in south wales and drifting south in the afternoon.
Round the grounds, lots to watch out for – and not just whether or not Jimmy Anderson is hobbling around clutching his groin. You’d expect Hampshire to skip away from Kent. where the players are already warming up and it looks as if they will start on time. At Old Trafford, we wait to see if Jack Leach can send down another wonder ball like the one that bowled Josh Bohannon yesterday evening.
CLOSE: And that is the end of the day here in Manchester. Lancashire end 72/2, trailing by 289 runs#LANvSOM #WeAreSomerset https://t.co/IQ3ov5GYFo
— Somerset Cricket 🏏 (@SomersetCCC) May 12, 2023
Notts and Surrey are well on top in their respective matches, Worcestershire’s resistance will surely end, it is a thriller at Edgbaston and YJB will walk out for Yorkshire.
