County cricket roundup
At a sun-dappled Lord’s, cherry tree blossom dangling over the ground, stacks of Panama hats in the MCC shop, Middlesex had one of their better days. They passed 200 for the second time in 2023, avoided the follow-on and picked up their first batting point of the season thanks to Ryan Higgins’s 53 plus support from the tail. Stuart Broad finished with four for 68 for Nottinghamshire.
Zak Crawley hit the accelerator at Canterbury, screeching to his first century for Kent since the 2020 Bob Willis Trophy. After playing out a cautious few overs before lunch, Crawley let loose, cutting ferociously, depositing Simon Harmer back over his head to reach 50, pulling him through midwicket to tick over to three figures, off 96 balls. He fell to Jamie Porter for 170, his highest first-class score for Kent. Harmer reeled his way through 31 overs in just over two sessions, pocketing four for 141 for Essex.
Northamptonshire collapsed to the eighth-heaviest defeat in their history, in two and a half days, losing to Hampshire by an innings and 270 runs. Their batsmen dropped like tired Christmas tree needles, 14 wickets falling in three hours as they were first dismissed for 149, then, following-on, 63. James Fuller finished Northants off in the first innings, with six for 37, Mohammad Abbas and Kyle Abbott gave them no chance in the second.
A delighted James Vince, whose Hampshire had fallen to a nine-wicket loss to Surrey, was buzzing: “A bounce back with a performance like that after defeat last week at the Oval, we did all we can. We’ve got a week off now, which will be good, and then another batch of three matches so if we can make sure we’re bang on it for those, and get some more good results, it takes us near enough halfway through the season where the table will take a bit more shape.”
A freak hamstring injury cut Lancashire’s Keaton Jennings off in his prime as he attempted to stuff another double-century into his daddy ton bag. He had to limp off with 189 chalked against his name, having tried and failed to carry on playing with a runner at a chilly Taunton.
Within nine balls Dane Vilas and Colin de Grandhomme followed and Lancashire’s runaway train first innings came to a halt with a lead of 113. There were three wickets each for a disciplined Lewis Gregory and Peter Siddle, and six catches for James Rew behind the stumps to go with his first-innings century. Somerset’s openers batted through till stumps, seeing off six overs from Jimmy Anderson in the gloom. “You have to pinch yourself when you’re playing guys you are used to seeing on TV,” said Tom Lammonby, “but it’s good to test yourself against the best.”
Heaters were rolled on to the pitch at New Road to dry the bowler’s run-ups after Friday’s deluge, but it did not distract Ajeet Dale who nipped out the final three Worcestershire wickets to finish with six for 41 – his first first-class five-wicket return. Chris Dent and James Bracey made half-centuries as Gloucestershire stretched their lead to 246, Josh Tongue taking all three wickets.
It was a promising day for Durham, but a mixed day for Marnus Labuschagne. He snaffled four for 81, career-best bowling figures, by bowling off-spin for the first time in a professional game; but was out for 17 as Glamorgan lost five wickets on a rainy day at Sophia Gardens. Earlier, Brydon Carse had hacked his way to a career-best 91 before Durham declared on 471 for nine.
Sprightly half-centuries for Adam Lyth and Shai Hope put a first victory of the season in touching distance for Yorkshire after Sussex had reduced them to 39 for three chasing 201 for victory. Sussex squandered a first-innings lead of 63 by being bowled out for 137, three wickets to Dom Bess.
With the skies slowly darkening and the hover cover in place, that’s it from me for today. The weather forecast tomorrow is awful, but hope springs eternal. We’ll be here to keep an eye on Yorkshire’s victory canter and the other matches round the grounds. Till then, good night!
