Roundup
The Essex old hands, Simon Harmer and Alastair Cook, made hay against a beaten-down Gloucestershire. Cook’s 73rd first-class hundred came up with a back-foot glide. His 145 made up nearly half of Essex’s total, Zafar Gofar grabbing five for 84.
Gloucestershire’s second innings then sank into an inevitability vortex as Harmer, who had taken five wickets in the first innings at Chelmsford, picked up five more.
Amar Virdi, on loan to Somerset, didn’t find things as much to his liking as Lancashire’s Luke Wells and Keaton Jennings got stuck into the spinners, putting on 164 at Southport. Wells had to chew his evening meal on 99 not out.
There were no easy runs for England’s out-of-sorts Zak Crawley, out dabbing to midwicket for five, but Kent got within a sniff of Northamptonshire thanks to three scores of 63. England’s Alex Lees also fell for single figures in a topsy‑turvy Durham scorecard, where a wagging tail gave them a slim lead against Derbyshire.
It was the Ed Barnard show again at Merchant Taylor’s School as his unbeaten 69 gave Worcestershire a slim lead over Middlesex, who then built a credible second-innings total with bits and pieces.
At Hove, Lewis Kimber and Rishi Patel helped Leicestershire to recover from losing Hassan Azad to the first ball of the innings, after Sussex flogged 589. Ian Holland rediscovered his form with 99 for Hampshire against Warwickshire, while Nottinghamshire suffered an unbecoming collapse against Glamorgan, losing six for 30 after Haseeb Hameed had made a fluent 70.
Another former England opener, Rory Burns, finished unbeaten on 94 for Surrey after Adam Lyth and Jonny Tattersall notched up Yorkshire’s first triple-century stand for the sixth wicket.
That’s it from me - thanks for your company. And a toast, today, to the old hands: Alastair Cook and Simon Harmer. Good night!
Close of play scores
DIVISION ONE
Chelmsford: Essex 310 v Gloucestershire 136 and 140-6
The Rose Bowl: Hampshire 370-9dec v Warwickshire 217 and 11-0
Canterbury: Kent 287-5 v Northants 303 all out
Trafalgar Road: Lancashire 164-0 v Somerset 446
North Marine Road: Yorkshire 521 v Surrey 191-1
DIVISION TWO
Chester-le-Street: Durham 296 v Derbyshire 283 and 19-2
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 318 and 53-0 v Nottinghamshire 285
Merchant Taylors’ School: Middlesex 188 and 180-6 v Worcestershire 191 all out
Hove: Sussex 588-9 v Leicestershire 159-1
And with that, I must write up the day’s business. See you the other side.
Harmer 5-19 and counting.
Essex 2019 are rising...Bracey stumped for six. Gloucs 76-4, Harmer 4-18. No, scrub that: Gloucs 77-5, Dent lbw to that man. Harmer 5-19. Two in the over.
Try playing that! 🤯 https://t.co/8FaUUd3Kym pic.twitter.com/bKZ2nGzYLw
— Essex Cricket (@EssexCricket) July 12, 2022
A third for GBH, Hammond bowled for 20. Gloucs 54-3 and you start to fear for their survival till stumps.
Thank you to our man on the spot in Scarborough: “Rory Burns looking in excellent touch and will be eyeing a hundred before the close at Scarborough. Currently on 71 with 24 overs still to be bowled. Surrey 113-1 in reply to Yorkshire’s 521 all out.”
Have you had a lemon top yet, Simon McMahon?
If you’re in the Bristol area tomorrow, Russell Seymour, ex-MCC sustainability guy and now chair of BASIS (British Association for Sustainable Sport) is doing a talk at Gloucestershire CCC. He’s going to speak mostly on the HIT FOR SIX report, examining the effects of climate change, especially increased heat, on cricket.
Excited! It's Time To Declare- This Wed 13th July 7pm at the Seat Unique Stadium Bristol @Gloscricket. We'll hear from Russell Seymour @BASIS_org on the Hit for Six Report. If you love #cricket be there. Book on https://t.co/20c5yW37jl
— TheNextTest (@TheNextTest) July 11, 2022
Great intro video https://t.co/y5X3odJ6Rw pic.twitter.com/wqyoSS8tlA
Apart from Crawley, contributions all the way down the order for Kent. Leaning 63 not out in 236-4. And at the Rose Bowl, McAndrew picks up a third, Barker for 16 : Hants 291-8.
England, btw, have been thrashed by ten wickets at The Oval. Feeling a bit for Jos Buttler, it is quite the jump from bashing the Netherlands all over the park to facing India.
Updated
Loving listening to Scott Read, Phoebe Graham and Roland Butcher on Radio Lancs.
At Chelmsford, Harmer has a second. Higgins for a four-ball duck.
Alarmed by something moving by the back door. Crept along the floor behind the cupboard. It was a balloon.
Lancs and Surrey well on the way at Southport and Scarborough. Fifty for Luke Wells in Lancs’ 69-0; 60 off 69 for Rory Burns in Surrey’s 100-0. That’s Sibley and Burns in consecutive days stepping on the accelerator.
Harmer by name, Harmer by nature.
The inevitable strikes, Harris b Harmer for 17. Gloucestershire 26-1, 148 behind.
Tea-time-ish scores
DIVISION ONE
Chelmsford: Essex 310 v Gloucestershire 136 all out
The Rose Bowl: Hampshire 249-6v Warwickshire 217 all out
Canterbury: Kent 181-4 v Northants 303 all out
Trafalgar Road: Lancashire 47-0 v Somerset 446
North Marine Road: Yorkshire 521 v Surrey 51-0
DIVISION TWO
Chester-le-Street: Durham 213-8 v Derbyshire 283 all out
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 318 v Nottinghamshire 250-4
Merchant Taylors’ School: Middlesex 188 and 88-3 v Worcestershire 191 all out
Hove: Sussex 588-9 v Leicestershire 28-1
Bored of Baz-ball? I have you covered:
📺 Enjoy highlights of a vintage Alastair Cook century 😍 pic.twitter.com/FiZokTtDoT
— Essex Cricket (@EssexCricket) July 12, 2022
Well played the Durham middle and late order. Scores of 30 plus from Nos 6, 7, 8 and 9 have put them in binocular vision of Derbyshire’s 283. Three wickets for Pettman, two for Thompson and Aitchison.
Liam Dawson’s 86 not out, alongside Ian Holland’s 99, giving Hampshire a lead at the Rose Bowl. Warwickshire’s season seems to have settled into one of middling anonymity, with just one game won out of eight, though they have stonewalled their way to five draws. Hampshire have lost the same number of games (2) but won five. They’ll be on Surrey’s tail if Scarborough ends in a draw and they beat the Bears.
SirAlastair falls for 145, a second catch for Bracey, who also has a stumping. Feeling nervous for Gloucestershire - a nasty post-tea Harmmeration awaits.
Poor Leicestershire, Hasan Azad gone to the first ball of the innings. Leicestershire 6-1, facing a deficit of 582.
First ball wicket. 🌟@finnysteve 👏 pic.twitter.com/YGD0miZcDi
— Sussex Cricket (@SussexCCC) July 12, 2022
Tricky to know whether to tune into events at North Marine Road or Trafalgar Road - both could be either gripping or a dutiful run collection.
Somerset turn to Virdi after nine overs... (Lancs 15-0). Pretty pennies for Keaton Jennings?
Essex are experiencing a Tuesday crumble - from 203-1, they are now 286-6. Three for Tom Price, three for Zafar Gohar. Cook, though, remains. Serene on 141 not out.
Turns out Yorkshire couldn’t hang around - all out 521, with Tattersall stranded on 180. Somerset are also out for the count, 446 runs, thanks very much. Wells and Jennings have put on five in the Lancs reply.
A glance BTL informs me that England are playing and that the news might not be good.
If you want to know whether Willey and Carse can pull a bunch of flowers from the dung heap, click here:
“Afternoon Tanya.” Simon McMahon hello! “Lunch just being taken now here at Scarborough after an early rain delay, with Yorkshire on 489-7, Tattersall unbeaten on 161. Still some rain in the air and lots of cloud cover, so a good day to be bowling I reckon, maybe a declaration to follow shortly after lunch? Pitch still looks good, mind, but with 500 on the board Yorkshire have got to fancy their chances…”
Since that email, the Yorkies have moved on to 521-8, the big question: can Patterson, Wharton and Shannon Gabriel hang around for long enough to give Tattersall the 20 runs he needs to pass 200.
Middlesex are making a much better fist of their second knock - 40-0 - while it looks as if Sussex are dreaming of 600. Losing wickets quickly now though, four wickets for captain Callum Parkinson.
Brooks falls, and it’s nearly time for Lancashire to show waht they can do with the heavy roller.
I’m going to briefly leave you to your sandwiches/butties/barms, while I cycle to the phone repair shop. Cross everything for me.
Happy lunching!
4️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ on the board for Somerset!
— Somerset Cricket 🏏 (@SomersetCCC) July 12, 2022
LIVE STREAM ➡️ https://t.co/dF6GhNA901 #LANvSOM#WeAreSomerset pic.twitter.com/8Qppj9HYbx
Lunchtime scores
DIVISION ONE
Chelmsford: Essex 222-3 v Gloucestershire 136 all out
The Rose Bowl: Hampshire 134-4 v Warwickshire 217 all out
Canterbury: Kent 74-2 v Northants 303 all out
Trafalgar Road: Lancashire v Somerset 400-8
North Marine Road: Yorkshire 442-6 v Surrey
DIVISION TWO
Chester-le-Street: Durham 87-4 v Derbyshire 283 all out
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 318 v Nottinghamshire 130-1
Merchant Taylors’ School: Middlesex 188 and 6-0 v Worcestershire 191 all out
Hove: Sussex 513-5 v Leicestershire
A hundred for Alastair Cook!
And with a four off Ryan Higgins, Cook picks up his 73rd first-class hundred! More than five hours of graft, to put Essex in the driving seat. Essex 219-3, a lead of 83. I’m not going to say that’s enough, but it might be. Tom Price has just scuttled out Tom Westley for 90 and Dan Lawrence for 4. The forgotten Dan Lawrence.
In Division Two: things racing along.
Ed Barnard doing Ed Barnard things - his undefeated 69 has given Worcestershire a three-run lead. Worcs 191 all out.
Sussex aiming for the full 500 at Hove, currently 496-5, a half century for Rawlins.
Fifty for Haseeb Hameed, in Notts’ 113-1, trailing Glamorgan by 205. And Durham’s Maddinson and Bedingham threading together a recovery - from the despair of 38-4, the relative riches of 78-4.
Maxiumum batting points collected by the Yorkies, 407-5. The only question is whether Lyth will reach 200 or Tattersall 150 first. A firm test for Surrey, who haven’t lost a Championship game yet.
Updated
An eighth wicket falls at Trafalgar Road, and the first of the match for the energetic Luke Wood. Peter Siddle snaffled by Jack Morely on the run.
In Division One:
Somerset have three batting points in the bag - have lost Lewis Gregory for 42 but van der Merwe is motoring along, smashing a six towards the railway tracks. Somerset 359-6. Actually make that 7 - as Lewis Goldsworthy feathers an edge off Balderson for a super 130.
At Chelmsford, Alastair Cook is 84 not out, Tom Westley 79 not out, prepping the match for Simon Harmer, say tomorrow after lunch. Essex 179-1, a lead of 43 over Gloucs already.
Ian Holland is copydexing Hampshire together, currently 47 not out from 96-4. McAndrew picked up a second wicket, removing nightwatchman Kyle Abbott for 19. They trail Warwicks by 121.
Lyth and Tattersall continue to make hay - the partnership now 270 in Yorkshire’s 395-5.
And Kent, 36-2, trail Northants by 267 - Crawley and Bell-Drummond the men to go.
Time for a whip round the grounds, as drinks are taken and the dog creeps behind the sofa for a cold bit of floorboard.
The rain has cleared at Scarborough, where Lyth, 154, and Tattersall, 109, pick up where they left off. A long day ahead for Surrey who used eight bowlers yesterday but are without Virdi (on loan to Somerset) and Moriarty.
And sad news from Headingley:
The Yorkshire County Cricket Club is saddened to learn that former player Mike Cowan has passed away, aged 89 #OneRose
— Yorkshire CCC (@YorkshireCCC) July 12, 2022
An email! Lovely to hear from you Em Jackson.
“Good Morning Tanya, good morning all.
Seeing Lees out for single Division 2 figures but Sir Alistair Cook scoring over half the Glos total for Essex (so far), makes me wonder: Should D2 players get picked for England?
“Harsh on Lees perhaps I know, but being knocked over for under-10 at the Riverside doesn’t bode well for matches at say Newlands, Sabina Park or the MCG.”
It’s an interesting one - ideally, I think, the ECB would like all the best players in Division One so they can play off against each other. But Div 2 this year has had some incredible bowlers from Shaheen Afridi at Middx to Matthew Potts at Durham - who, of course, has done well since being picked for England. But I suspect that’s why Ed Barnard - attempting to rescue Worcestershire once again on 49 not out - is hotfooting it from New Road to Edgbaston.
At Chelmsford, Alastair Cook and Tom Westley are also playing the long game - both 70 not out, Essex 156-1, already 20 ahead of Gloucestershire. They will lock yesterday firmly in the bottom drawer of the old dresser in the garage.
All looking good for Somerset this morning -317-5 - careful accumulation by Lewises 1 and 2. And can’t wait to see what Amar Virdi can do in Lancashire’s innings.
Two England openers gone in the slurp of a iced frappe: Lees for 7 (Durham 10-1); and Crawley caught at midwicket after a so-so waft. Kent (10-1).
It is raining in Manchester, delight for the parched plants, and also at Scarborough where play has been delayed after that magnificent partnership between Lyth and Tattersall.
Coffee on, suncream at the ready? Here we go: day 2.
Some life-affirming quotes from Lewis Goldsworthy, who scored his first Championship century yesterday at Trafalgar Road.
“It’s a lovely place to play - I’ve never been here before. The crowd were brilliant and the sun was out - it was a beautiful day and I’m really proud.”
Free tickets if you’re in south London!
FREE ENTRY for Thursday's London Cup clash at the Oval! 6pm start. #YourCounty https://t.co/KsdVQD7yAd
— Women's County Cricket Day (@WomensCricDay) July 12, 2022
Start of play scores
DIVISION ONE
Chelmsford: Essex 127-1 v Gloucestershire 136 all out
The Rose Bowl: Hampshire 42-3 v Warwickshire 217 all out
Canterbury: Kent v Northants 303 all out
Trafalgar Road: Lancashire v Somerset 297-5
North Marine Road: Yorkshire 364-5 v Surrey
DIVISION TWO
Chester-le-Street: Durham 2-0 v Derbyshire 283 all out
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 318 v Nottinghamshire 19-0
Merchant Taylors’ School: Middlesex 188 v Worcestershire 100-5
Hove: Sussex 407-4 v Leicestershire
Monday's round-up
The County Championship returned, the heat padding round the boundary of Southport’s Trafalgar Road ground like a cat. It was the beginning of three July rounds of Championship cricket, stretching into the first week of the school holidays, with outgrounds given their chance to unroll the bunting and white canvas.
At Southport, a somnolent crowd watched Somerset settle in for the long game against Lancashire, fighting back after an early double strike from Tom Bailey. Lewis Goldworthy, 21, stroked his way to an unbeaten 103, his first century for Somerset, and the 18-year-old James Rew made a promising 70 on his Championship debut.
Adam Lyth reached his hundred with a six for Yorkshire at his home ground, on his way to 152 in an unbeaten sixth‑wicket stand of 239 alongside Jonny Tattersall (104) at a scorching Scarborough. Surrey ploughed through eight bowlers.
The wickets tumbled at Merchant Taylors’ School with Middlesex rescued from 68 for six by half-centuries from No 7 Luke Hollman and No 9 Tom Helm. Worcestershire fared little better in reply, 100 for five at stumps after Tim Murtagh plucked out the openers, and Umesh Yadav, on debut, followed up. Yet another rescue job for Ed Barnard awaits.
The Canterbury festival proved fluctuating for Northamptionshire’s opening pair against Kent: Ricky Vasconcelos caught off the first ball of the day, Emilio Gay making 112. At Chelmsford, Simon Harmer’s five for 44 strangled Gloucestershire after they won the toss. Alastair Cook and Tom Westley both made fifties in Essex’s reply.
Chris Rushworth scrambled seven for 44 at the Riverside, despite a century from Derbyshire’s Leus Du Plooy against Durham. Leicestershire bore a long day in the field after Sussex knocked up 407 for four, with 150 for Tom Alsop. There was bad news for the captain, Tom Haines, whose sustained a broken hand while batting, out for six weeks.
Nottinghamshire’s Brett Hutton took four wickets to restrict Glamorgan to 318, and Warwickshire recovered from 104 for seven to reach 217 against Hampshire, despite Kyle Abbott’s five for 45.
Preamble
Hello! It’s day two of this round of matches and the forecast is for a little relief all round. In Manchester at least ,it is overcast and muggy but not so hot as to burn your paws on an asphalt pavement.
Some great games in progress - Monday was mostly a time for batting rather than bowling - unless your name was Chris Rushworth or Simon Harmer.
