Tanya's county roundup
On a day when rumours of a Saudi prince refinancing Yorkshire perforated through Headingley’s walls, it was a hat-trick by Michael Neser, Ashes bowler in waiting, which lifted the spirits.
Neser ripped through Yorkshire’s batting card, finishing with seven for 32, zipping up three in three with an exhibition of superb bowling in conditions perfect for swing. First Dawid Malan was caught on the crease, then George Hill and Dom Bess chose to watch and leave balls which ducked in a wingspan to remove their stumps. Jonny Bairstow could only watch from the other end, bristling.
In his last Championship game for Yorkshire, back in 2018, Bairstow was also at the crease for a hat-trick, though then the third player in Jordan Clark’s trio that also included Joe Root and Kane Williamson.
Neser, who did not make the cut for Australia’s tour party for the first two Ashes Tests, was named the Sheffield Shield 2022-23 player of the season after taking a career-best 40 wickets for Queensland.
“It would be a special moment if I was selected for the Ashes squad in the back half,” he said, shortly before a sponsors sign unattached itself from a stand, nearly falling on his head. “I’m ready to go. Having matches under my belt is far more important than bowling overs in the nets and not playing any games. From a squad point of view, it’s probably best I’m playing games and being ready to go if the opportunity arises.”
Yorkshire were all out for 106 just before lunch. Heavy rain shortened the rest of the day but Glamorgan had built a lead of 196 by stumps.
At Trent Bridge, Haseeb Hameed was out three short of his first century of the season, Lancashire’s Will Williams the spoilsport, but he had guided Nottinghamshire to a first-innings lead. Both Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad went wicketless, as Lancashire finished the day on top.
Leus du Plooy was also sent back to the pavilion in the nineties, but not before he had batted Derbyshire in to a dominant position at the County Ground alongside Wayne Madsen – who kept up his absurd 60-plus average against Leicestershire. There were five wickets for Wiaan Mulder.
Northamptonshire tucked away their first batting point of the season, before a bludgeoning 95 not out from Tom Kohler Cadmore, off just 71 balls, took Somerset in sight of their total.
There were more runs for the in-form Sam Hain as Warwickshire built a hearty lead over Hampshire. He was backed up by half centuries from Al Davies and Michael Burgess, while Ed Barnard needs nine runs to become the round’s first Division One centurion.
It is proving a knuckle-gnawer of a game at Chelmsford, where Jamie Porter kept the powerful Surrey batting lineup cowed with four for 51, giving Essex a 74-run first innings lead.
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With the tunes blasting out from the other Headingley, where the Rhinos face the Salford Red Devils at 8pm, time for me to pack up. We’ll be back tomorrow, do join us if not distracted with crown-related activities in London. Good night!
