Kent leave Anderson wicketless on landmark day as fans wait to see Archer and Bethell
With the longest day behind us, the County Championship slipped into its summer sandals once more. Those waiting for Jofra Archer to bowl in his first red-ball match for four years, or Jacob Bethell to audition for the next England batting slot, had to bide their time. But there was plenty more to see.
At Blackpool, the Division Two wooden spoonists gathered. Jimmy Anderson was presented with champagne before play to celebrate his 300th first-class match – but he went wicketless in his first day as interim Lancashire captain, as Kent motored along thanks to an unbeaten 86 from Ben Compton and an easy‑on‑the‑eye half‑century from Tawanda Muyeye. Damp squalls washed out much of the evening session.
At Bristol, the players lined up for a minute’s silence in memory of Gloucestershire’s president, the former fast bowler David Lawrence, who died just a year after announcing his motor neurone disease. Derbyshire had the best of the day as the left-arm spinner Jack Morley winkled through Gloucestershire, finishing with six for 55. Derbyshire then raced to 116 for two.
Jersey’s young batter Asa Tribe hit a maiden first-class century to help Glamorgan to reach a healthy 305 for five against the early‑season table-toppers Leicestershire. Logan van Beek pondered the Kookaburra ball: “In Australia and New Zealand [it] is a good ball – here it feels very different, because the wickets are a touch slower and it just seems to get soft more quickly.”
There was also a maiden first‑class century for Joe Cracknell, as Middlesex fought back from 33 for three – happily for their new first-team coach Dane Vilas – against Northamptonshire at the County Ground.
It was an uncharacteristically smooth day for Somerset’s batters against Warwickshire at Edgbaston, after the openers Tom Kohler Cadmore (104) and Josh Davey put on 186 for the first wicket. Bethell was clonked for 23 in his first two overs.
Sussex’s James Coles was happy to let England wait a little longer for Archer, making his first Division One century, against Durham on a damp day at the Riverside. Archer smacked a quick‑fire 31 at No 10.
Ben Slater fell four runs short of his century for Nottinghamshire against Yorkshire on an absorbing day at Trent Bridge, while the 20-year-old Charlie Allison hit his second consecutive Championship hundred for Essex, this time against Hampshire. Surrey’s Matt Fisher and Jordan Clark grabbed three wickets each as Worcestershire crumbled to 209 all out.
Updated
Close of play scores
DIVISION ONE
Chester le Street: Durham v Sussex 322-9
Chelmsford: Essex 292-8 v Hants
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire 298-6 v Yorkshire
Edgbaston: Warwickshire v Somerset 327-3
New Road: Worcestershire 209 v Surrey 47-0
DIVISION TWO
Bristol: Gloucestershire 187 v Derbyshire 116-2
Blackpool: Lancashire v Kent 213-3
Grace Road: Leicestershire v Glamorgan 305-5
Wantage Road: Northamptonshire v Middlesex 397-8
