Roundup: Somerset stall as wickets fly at Old Trafford
Twenty-one wickets fell on the first day at Old Trafford in a match crucial to fortunes at the top and bottom of the Division One table. Somerset, starting the penultimate round just eight points short of leaders Surrey, were cock-a-hoop at dismissing Lancashire for 140 by mid-afternoon. There were four wickets each for a steaming Craig Overton and Lewis Gregory on a hybrid pitch that tipped the bowlers a wink. A weary Keaton Jennings was the only man to get above 16, moving past 1,000 runs for the season during his patient 56.
Somerset didn’t look so happy just 40 overs later, bundled out with a lead of just six. George Balderson was the baby-faced destroyer with four wickets, alongside Tom Bailey, whose magical slower ball left Overton cartoonishly bemused. There was just time for Jennings to fall for the second time in the day, as the shadows stretched like backgammon points across the field. It was a high-pressure test for teenagers Rocky Flintoff and Archie Vaughan, who both batted with admirable composure.
At The Oval, a carefree Rory Burns ensured that Surrey rattled along to 52 without loss by stumps after winkling Durham out for 262. Colin Ackermann was criminally stranded on 78 while Emilio Gay’s debut for the visitors started with a 12-ball duck. Liam Dawson and Nick Gubbins both sashayed to centuries for Hampshire against Worcestershire. Essex trio Shane Snater (who took five for 13), Jamie Porter and Sam Cook whistled Warwickshire out for 78 at Edgbaston, while Nottinghamshire took a giant stride towards safety by swatting Kent all around Canterbury, led by Ben Slater’s 160.
In Division Two, leaders Sussex rolled over Gloucestershire for 109 while Toby Roland-Jones helped Middlesex keep the pressure on Yorkshire in the promotion chase with five for 34, before Mark Stoneman led the Derbyshire bowlers a merry dance. In Cardiff, George Hill’s 90 took Yorkshire to a useful 361 all out against Glamorgan.
Already dusk is falling here at OT, but not yet, surely, on Somerset’s title hopes. Belt up for tomorrow, things could be spicy on this friendly hybrid pitch. Thanks for your company as always, and have a lovely evening.
Close of play scores
Division One
The Rose Bowl Hampshire 373-4 (Gubbins 153 no; LA Dawson 102 no; JM Vince 57) v Worcestershire
Canterbury Nottinghamshire 393-6 (BT Slater 160; JA Haynes 62; Haseeb Hameed 56) v Kent
Old Trafford Lancashire 140 (KK Jennings 56) and 16-1; Somerset 146
The Oval Durham 262 (CN Ackermann 78 no); Surrey 52-0
Edgbaston Warwickshire 78 v Essex 189-9
Division Two
Derby Derbyshire 173 (HRC Came 66); Middlesex 125-1 (MD Stoneman 79 no)
Cardiff Yorkshire 361 (GCH Hill 90; JH Wharton 63; DM Bess 50); Glamorgan 12-0
Bristol Gloucestershire 109; Sussex 149-4
Northampton Leicestershire 203 (S Budinger 56); Northamptonshire 134-3
Time for me to start writing up for the paper, with the third innings underway at Old Trafford, but Surrey looking at ease at The Oval, already 51-0, 40 of them to Rory Burns. Title odds sliding further towards south London.
Please do chat on BTL – still ten overs left, at least at sunny OT.
Everyone is ready at Old Trafford, but the roller is not. It slowly potters off the pitch. And here we go. Coverton with the new ball from the James Anderson end. Bright sunshine. Long shadows.
Somerset 146 all out - lead Lancashire by six runs!
Phillip with the wicket, Leach for 13. Jennings runs off the pitch, Lancs have a much chirpier spring to their step. Out comes the heavy roller. There will be 12 further overs for Lancs to bat today. Maxiumum bowling points but no batting points for either side.
Parity at OT!
At the end of his run up, Philip is joined by Tom Bailey. They chat earnestly. Gregory 30, Leach 9.
No bang-crash for Coverton. Done by a magic Bailey slower-ball and left as bemused as that fairytale giant who believed a boy was squeezing water out of a rock -(it was cheese) Somerset 121-8, trail by 19. Actually, make that Somerset 123-9 , trail by 17, as Bailey takes two in three, and now has four for 29.
Updated
Durham are all out for 262 with Ackermann, criminally, stranded on 78 . Worrall 4-39. Can Durham’s fledgling bowlers help Somerset out here?
A third batting point for Nottinghamshire
Shovethem all in the safety compartment. Slater gone for 160, but Haynes (52) and James (25) continuing the good work. Kent toil on, Notts 357-4.
And just as Somerset look to be nosing in front, Lancashire see off Tom Abell as Tom Bailey seams one away. Somerset 117-7, 23 behind, and there are still 19 overs left today….
Essex have inched to a 43 run lead at Edgbaston, thanks to thirties from Westley, Critchley and Pepper.
Down in Division Two, George Hill (64 not out) and Dom Bess (just lbw to Crane for 50) added 102 after a mid-innings wobble for Yorkshire, now 305-6.
At Bristol, Sussex have lost their top three, but are already only 17 short of Gloucestershire’s first innings.
A duck for Robson at the County Ground, but fifty for Stoneman and spadework by Holden have taken Middx to 80-1.
And after Chahal and Keogh dismissed Leicestershire for 203, Northants are 80-2 in reply.
George Balderson starting to ruin Somerset’s day here at OT, with a fourth wicket, as Aldridge loses his off stump pushing forward to a peach. Somerset 84-6 and in need of a hefty heave-ho from Craig Overton for parity.
150 and onwards for Ben Slater
Ben Slater has over half Nottinghamshire’s runs, 159 and counting, against a weary Kent bowling attack. It’s his fourth innings of 150 plus, and today was a very opportune time to do it.
At OT, a fifth – Rew for four, a third for Balderson. From the empty seats of the party stand, a blank stare, from the scattering of people in the other seats, enjoying the sun during their last home game of the season, sudden and unexpected enthusiasm. Somerset 82-5, still 58 behind.
At The Oval, Durham need another 27 to squeeze a batting point out of Surrey. Those Curran brothers are only playing their second Championship games of the summer, but chipping into the Surrey pot with three wickets between them.
Saqib Mahmood mystery over – he’s been added to England’s ODI squad.
Tea-timeish scores
Division One
The Oval: Surrey v Durham 207-6
Southampton: Hampshire 251-4 v Worcestershire
Canterbury: Kent v Notts 271-3
Old Trafford: Lancashire 140 v Somerset 65-4
Edgbaston: Warwickshire 78 v Essex 104-5
Division Two
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan v Yorkshire 254-5
Bristol: Gloucs 109 v Sussex 56-2
County Ground: Northants 33-0 v Leicestershire 203
Derby: Derbyshire 173 v Middlesex 20-1
Oh Somerset. Oh Lancashire! Three west country wickets have tumbled for five runs in 13 balls. They take tea, as TKC trudges off looking accusingly at his bat. Somerset 65-4.
Here at the Oval, the Surrey fans are fretting about how fast Somerset are racing ahead against Lancashire. Their own side are finding it slower going against Durham this afternoon. They did have the visitors 134 for five at one point, when David Bedingham was caught behind for 37 off Tom Lawes, but then Bas de Leede and Colin Ackerman put on 70 together for the sixth wicket. De Leede’s just out, but Ackerman is still going and closing in on his 50. It’s an odd sort of side Surrey have put out, with six quicks in the eleven. They had 26-year-old South African Conor McKerr on as fourth change. He was given all of two overs, which went for 22, and then yanked back out of the attack again. It does make you wonder exactly why they sent their off-spinner Amar Virdi away on loan for the end of the season. Virdi’s already bowled 22 overs for Worcestershire today, and taken two for 64. It would be a dereliction of duty, too, if I didn’t also report that the press lunch here was a ballotine of guinea fowl, maybe they should take some of the resources out of the catering department and put them into their spin coaching programme.
Is that the air already escaping the balloons? Two quick wickets here at OT. Both Lammonby and Vaughan gone, after doing the hard graft. Somerset 60-3, still 80 behind.
Derbyshire are bowled out for 173, and TRJ finishes with 5-34. Now with 47 wickets, he just pips Jack Carson (45) as Div Two’s leading wicket-taker.
Updated
As tea floats on the horizon, steady as she goes here at OT, unobtrusive compilation by Vaughan and Lammonby. After three maidens on the bounce, Somerset have moved on to 47-1.
In the other big Div One game at The Oval, De Leede and Ackermann have scratched Durham up past 200 – but Tom Curran has winkled de Leede out for 36. Durham 204-5 including 19 extras, which seems a little flamboyant.
Have just clocked that Amar Virdi is bowling for Worcestershire (2-58) – a loan deal for the last four games of the season. He last played for Surrey in the Championship back in 2021, feels like time he tried pastures new.
At Edgbaston, 15 wickets have now fallen for 136 runs. Essex 58-5, still trail by 20. Can Critchley and Pepper haul them up to three figures?
Here, in the OT sunshine, Lammonby and young Vaughan are slowly pressing away the daemons. Somerset 40-1, trail by 100.
In Division Two, the top two are swinging along happily. Sussex have dismissed morning-after-the-Saturday-before Gloucestershire for 109. Four for Unadkat, three each for Robinson and Clark.
Yorkshire are 183-3 against Glamorgan, actually make that four, YJB a third wicket for Gorvin. Wharton 60 not out.
Northants plugging away against Leics, who are 182-7. A lone fifty for Sol Budinger. And Middlesex’s TRJ in the wickets again, 5-34, Derbys 143-8.
And Umeed lasts just the one ball. Bailey the bowler, Jennings the hands. Somerset 0-1.
In Division One, Surrey are pawing the Oval ground. They’ve just dismissed Bedingham and Robinson – Durham 134-5.
Gubbins is still batting at Southampton, 63 not out – Hants 158-3; while Lancs have just been dismissed for 140- four each for Coverton and Gregory.
Notts are havinga ball at Canterbury, Slater has already pocketed the first hundred of the round, 107 at a rapid fox trot, HH 55 not out. Notts 189-0 and accumulating swiftly. At the other end of the scale, Warwickshire have been dismissed for 78 -Snater 5-13, and Essex are already 41-2.
This is a nice, if sad, interview with George Scrimshaw.
Oh and Lancs have lost a ninth, a third for Gregory. Philip trudges back. This is a bit like watching an excruciating comedy where no-one is laughing at any of the lines. Lancs 123-9. We do of course still have to see what Somerset’s batters make of the pitch.
Paul Edwards pipes up: “Lancashire last collected a batting bonus point on July 1.”
Anyway, time to shimmy around the rest of the grounds.
Walk around the ground to get a coffee and decide to sit in the (very pleasant) sun for a slurp or five. Sadly, it does nothing for Lancashire’s fortunes, who lose Hust and Wells in a couple of overs– and Singh follows shortly afterwards. It’s a quiet day and the clank of the departing batsmen’s studs on the metal stairs ,to be greeted by an empty balcony is a monochrone contrast to the joyful, chattering Somerset fielders – four slips still in position (thanks for noticing Ken) in the 33rd over. Oh, and there goes another – Balderson gobbled up b Coverton in the slips. Lancs 115-8.
Lunchtime scores
Division One
The Oval: Surrey v Durham 84-3
Southampton: Hampshire 105-2 v Worcestershire
Canterbury: Kent v Notts 134-0
Old Trafford: Lancashire 107-4 v Somerset
Edgbaston: Warwickshire 73-7 v Essex
Division Two
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan v Yorkshire 100-2
Bristol: Gloucs 68-6 v Sussex
County Ground: Northants v Leicestershire 96-3
Derby: Derbyshire 99-2 v Middlesex
At OT, time for some quorn chilli. Lunchtime scores on the way.
Updated
Elsewhere in Division One: Kent aren’t doing Lancashire any favours – Nottinghamshire 126-0 at generously over four an over; Gay’s Durham debut was a damp squib at The Oval – a 12-ball duck. Beddingham and Robinson rebuilding, Durham 84-3.
After a couple of early wickets for Tom Taylor, Hampshire are looking comfortable at 105-2 v Worcs. Vince and Gubbins with the trowel and mortar.
And what a pickle at Edgbaston – Warwickshire in a September pit at 73-7 v Essex, three for Snater, two each for Cook and Porter.
Updated
An enthusiastic round of applause for Keaton Jennings, a bottom edge, for a plucky 56 and a thousand runs in his pocket. Lancs 85-4, a second for Aldridge.
Flintoff gets an inside edge and his stumps explode like a stamped on packet of cheese and onion. Lancs 72-3.
Asks Gary Naylor:
“This is a pretty crucial match at both ends of the table, so it’s disappointing that Lancashire are missing 16 of their 26 players listed in the First XI squad on the website. Is this the record for this round? I feel that accusations of the competition becoming a Second XI tournament are not supported by the evidence, but my arguments are weakening with every passing week.”
I just had a flick through the yearbook – Anderson, Livingstone, Salt with England. Buttler injured. Lyon gone home. Luke Wood at the Zim T10 (thank you lancashireexpat) Others out of form. Saqib Mahmood? Things do seem a bit awry on the good ship Lancashire.
Time to go around the grounds.
Updated
Morning from The Oval, Tanya, it’s a lovely late summer day here and Durham, put into bat, are fifty without loss. Alex Lees, who has taken over the captaincy, just scored his 5,000th first class run for the club, and earned some warm applause for it. He was out a moment or so later, clean bowled leaving a delivery from Sam Curran, only it turned out to be a no ball. Durham have managed to get Northamptonshire’s Emilio Gay into the team, too. He wasn’t supposed to join them till next season, but has started early. Which gives them a pretty formidable looking batting line up. Their bowling is awfully raw though, with a 16-year-old kid called James Minto making his debut, alongside 19-year-old Daniel Hogg. Oh, Dan Worral’s just had Ben McKinney caught behind, so here comes Gay for his debut now …
Updated
It turns out that we have a correspondent at The Oval – hello there Andy Bull!
And in case anyone missed the last round, here is Tom Davies’ cracking coverage of the denouement
County cricket: Somerset pull off dramatic win over Surr
Jennings and Flintoff holding up Somerset here as we head into the second hour. Jennings sends Gregory for two successive fours. Flintoff, cutting the paperclip figure you’d expect of a 16 year old, a patient 0 from 15 balls. And make that a third four of the over. Now a fourth. Lancs 59-2.
This was probably covered in the last round but, if you want to read up on the big bat controversy, this is your website – The Cricket Regulator - complete with diagrams of bat gauges and more.
And Bohannon must walk off, John Wayne style, a second for Overton. Enter young Flintoff. Lancs 41-2.
And Warwickshire are also flailing around, Yates, Davies and Hain back in the pavilion with just 27 on the board. Porter and Cook the ammunition men.
And Overton strikes, Singh pushes forwards and is caught by Lammonby in the bread basket. Lancs 21-1.
Lancs have survived the first 10 minutes from Craig Overton and Randell, and their teammates all clad in regulation cap and cable-knit jumper.
Elsewhere, Warwickshire have lost an early wicket, Yates for five to the inevitable Porter; and Glos have been brought back to earth sharply, 1-1, Joe PHillips gone to the ninth ball of the day.
Updated
Regulations, regulations, regulations
Thanks to Ken Grime for this regulatory nugget:
Reg 16.2.7.
The side which has the highest aggregate of points gained at the end of the season shall be the Champion County of their respective Division.
Should any sides in the Championship table be equal on points, the following tie-breakers will be applied in the order stated: most wins, fewest losses, team achieving most points in contests between teams level on points (over-rate penalties shall be included in this calculation), most wickets taken, most runs scored.
And lo, Jennings is dropped first ball at second slip by Kasey Aldridge.
Updated
Lancs watch
Somerset have won the toss and will have a bowl. Not great omens for Lancs – this is the first time they have lost three matches in a row by an innings since 1907 and the first season that they have lost four Championship matches by an innings in their history.
Old Trafford looking altogether more cheerful than the bleak scenes on Sunday for the T20. Albeit play hasn’t started yet.
How they stand
Division One
1 Surrey P12 Pts 198
2 Somerset P12 Pts 190
3 Hampshire P23 Pts 171
4 Essex P12 Pts 160
5 Durham P12 Pts 154
6 Worcestershire P12 Pts 147
7 Warwickshire P12 Pts 143
8 Nottinghamshire P12 Pts 118
9 Lancashire P12 Pts 107
10 Kent P12 Pts 82
Division Two
1 Sussex P12 Pts 200
2 Yorkshire P12 Pts 179
3 Middlesex P12 Pts 164
4 Leicestershire P12 Pts 142
5 Gloucestershire P12 Pts 148
6 Northants P12 Pts 130
7 Glamorgan P12 Pts 126
8 Derbyshire P12 Pts 107
Division Two fixtures
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan v Yorkshire
Bristol: Gloucs v Sussex
County Ground: Northants v Leicestershire
Derby: Derbyshire v Middlesex
Division One Fixtures
The Oval: Surrey v Durham
Southampton: Hampshire v Worcestershire
Canterbury: Kent v Notts
Old Trafford: Lancashire v Somerset
Edgbaston: Warwickshire v Essex
Preamble
Good morning! It’s all leggy hedgerows and faded blackberries, misty, bright and HOW ARE WE HERE ALREADY? Just two rounds to go in this Championship race and suddenly everything to play for. Runaway Surrey are all at once just eight points ahead of Somerset – and they have the much tougher game against Durham than Somerset do against relegation-bound Lancashire – of whom more later.
In the Division Two promotion race, Sussex (who play Blast victors Gloucestershire) look a sure thing, while Yorkshire are in a good position, nestling 21 points below them, but 15 points ahead of next best Middlesex. Middlesex, though, play basement dwellers Derbyshire.
Play starts at 10.30am. Fire up your kettles and ioin us!
