Tanya Aldred's county roundup
A trippy 23 wickets fell at the Oval, as Surrey stuck their big boot into Warwickshire and reached for the title. The visitors’ day had not started badly as they rattled through the Surrey tail, with Ed Barnard collecting five wickets. Then the fun began as they belted up for the relentless Surrey attack.
A first innings of 161, with four wickets to Kemar Roach, seemed riches when, following on, they were reduced to 35 for five. The die is cast.
On day one at Chelmsford, the off-spin of Middlesex’s Josh de Caires blindsided the Championship dreamers Essex. De Caires, the son of Mike Atherton, fizzed out a career-best seven for 105 despite a century opening stand between Sir Alastair Cook and Nick Browne. His 38 overs of toil may never have happened had the British Embassy in Delhi not delayed the paperwork for the Indian off-spinner Jayant Yadav, leaving him stranded.
“It’s nice bowling from the River End,” De Caires said. “There’s a nice, big rough patch for right‑handers.” Simon Harmer quietly licked his lips.
Keith Barker’s first five‑fer of what has been a quiet Championship season scattered Somerset like autumn conkers, all out for 137, a deficit of 171 in their match against Hampshire. Only Andy Umeed passed 30.
Josh Bohannon became the second Division One player to collect a thousand runs, with 175 for Lancashire against a wilting Northamptonshire. This was his third successive hundred against them, and he bustled boundaries with trademark cuts and drives.
Hundreds from Alex Lees – his fifth of the season– and Graham Clark kept Durham’s promotion train on track at the Riverside. Sussex’s Jack Carson grabbed three wickets. At Scarborough Derbyshire’s Wayne Madsen strode to 93 against Yorkshire; Leicestershire are on top in a rollercoaster game against Gloucestershire, and 18 wickets fell at New Road as Worcestershire lead Glamorgan.
And that’s that for the day, with Surrey’s fingers just a hot breath away from the pennant. Thanks for all your messages, good night!
