Tanya Aldred's roundup
As the temperature dropped 10 degrees from the hell-fires of the first day, cricket breathed. Surrey showed just why they lead the First Division in a movie-like comeback led by Will Jacks at the Oval. Down and out at 112 for seven, Surrey could count on a lead of 48 by the time the innings closed as Jacks, unbeaten on 150, lived the dream – from tidy and careful, he let rip after passing his hundred, smashing 50 from 17 balls including six sixes. Browbeaten Essex then lost two wickets before the close.
The advantage continued to dodge this way and that at Edgbaston after Joe Denly (70no) and Jordan Cox (40no) put on an unbeaten 93 for the fifth wicket to inch Kent towards a 150-run lead. Earlier in the day Sam Hain had been last man out for 99 as Warwickshire pocketed a handy lead. Warwickshire’s Navdeep Saini grabbed five for 72 on debut, and Sam Billings seven catches. There was no run bonus for Zak Crawley.
Lancashire collapsed to 132 all out at Wantage Road after Jack White’s five for 14 zipped through the top order. In humid conditions, Northamptonshire’s White got the ball zinging, and Lancashire lost five for 27, halted only by a break for sandwiches.
Somerset found their form against Yorkshire – first reaching 424 – thanks to 77 from Lewis Gregory – before Jack Brooks wriggled out three of his old teammates. The visitors finished on 167 for four.
In Division Two, Sussex’s resident run-machine Cheteshwar Pujara notched up his third double century of the season to set Sussex up nicely at Lord’s.
Nottinghamshire continued to grind Derbyshire into the dry County Ground pitch, declaring at 618 for eight. Haseeb Hameed and Ben Duckett’s stand reached 402 – a club record for the second wicket – before Duckett edged on to his stumps for 241. Hameed got within four runs of his own double century before attempting an ambitious waft to the rope and being caught behind.
Just wanted to pop back to record another day of runs: more big ones from Pujara and an innings to remember from Will Jacks. Congratulations too to Jack White, for his five for 14 , to provoke a Lancs-up, 2022 stylee.
That’s it from me for a while on the county blog - I’ll be back in September for the final run-up to whatever 2023 brings. Daniel and Emma take the wheel from here. Have a wonderful August - bye!
