Tanya's county roundup
A micro-round of Championship games finished with three knuckle gnawers and one that petered quietly into a bad-light induced draw.
At Southampton, Tom Abell guided Somerset to their second win of the season, leaving them top of Division One and flames ablaze in every West Country heart. His calm 101 not out, his second century of the season, defied even an eye-catching bowling performance from Hampshire’s Sonny Baker (five for 62). Run-up almost back to the rope, Baker pistoled in and, with a last-chance new ball, caterwauled Lewis Gregory’s middle stump and had Alfie Ogborne, a former housemate, tickling behind. But Abell, with stoic support from Jack Leach, saw Somerset home by two wickets.
On an Edgbaston pitch more frisky than average, Warwickshire nipped over the line shortly after Somerset, bowling out Essex for 164. Keith Barker, returning to his old club after an eight-year hiatus, made his mark with three wickets in his first over of the day: Dean Elgar lbw offering no shot, Sam Cook squirting to cover and Charlie Allison bowled by a crawler. From there, it was uphill all the way for Essex, who fell short by 41 runs despite the best efforts of Simon Harmer and Zaman Akhter.
Keaton Jennings hit 78 not out to guide Lancashire to victory at Bristol, against a Gloucestershire attack who chipped away energetically, but didn’t quite have enough runs to play with. Lancashire’s win by four wickets takes them top of Division Two. The Lancashire captain, Jimmy Anderson, also the division’s leading wicket taker, was asked if he could cope with a fourth game on the trot. “We will wait and see,” he said.” I struggled to get out of bed this morning.”
Sam Robson’s 162 not out, combined with gloom and light meters, ensured Middlesex’s game with Northamptonshire ended in a draw.
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Goodbye!
So that’s it from this micro-round. Three cracking finishes and one put out of its misery just at the right time. And more James Rew, more Sonny Baker, more Jimmy Anderson for everyone to chew over.
There will be seven games in round four (Middx, Northants, Hants and Somerset miss out), starting on Friday. See you then and have a lovely evening – bye!
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