Ashes intrigue at Hove and Somerset batters shine
Ollie Robinson squeezed the Ashes klaxon, trapping Marnus Labuschagne for just one at Hove. He was one of four wickets for Robinson as Glamorgan disintegrated for 123. But there were more treats in store for those who’d made the trip to the south coast.
Shortly before half past six, Labuschagne pulled at the cuffs of his shirt sleeves and sent down two overs of his legspin at Steve Smith. His Australia teammate was not tempted, and moved with characteristic twitch and scratch to an unbeaten 68. Smith also watched with interest as Michael Neser, vying for a late baggy green call-up, dismissed Cheteshwar Pujara for his first Sussex duck.
Six Test bowlers were dotted across the scorecards at Lord’s, where Middlesex spent the day chasing the ball. Two early wickets had left Somerset vulnerable, but George Bartlett bounced to his first century of the year, and Tom Abell 77, as they put on a brisk third wicket partnership of 183. Tom Kohler-Cadmore, advertising his best Bazball credentials, got off the mark with a six into the pavilion and added 68 in 60 balls.
Hampshire’s James Vince tucked his napkin in and got stuck into the Northamptonshire bowling, as he had at Wantage Road last month. This time he got within a contented belch of his hundred, before being caught after propping forward to Rob Keogh for 95. Around him, Liam Dawson made an unbeaten 55 and there were forties from Fletcha Middleton and Ben Brown.
On a flat Bristol pitch, Graham Clark made his first hundred for six years as Durham’s batting express steamed onwards against Gloucestershire, knocking up almost 400 runs in a day. There were four wickets for Zafar Gohar.
Twenty-two wickets fell at New Road on a day of swinging balls, unpredictable bounce and nervous batting. First Leicestershire were bowled out for 173; held together only by a late-order 30 by Chris Wright and a fifty from Colin Ackermann. Wright, warmed up, then filleted Worcestershire with five wickets for a sneeze, as they were bowled out for 83.
Kent made Surrey sweat over their last wicket at The Oval, as Joey Evison and Michael Hogan added 82 in 14 overs and even collected a batting point. Unexpected riches from an unpromising 118-7. At Trent Bridge, Alastair Cook knocked up 72 in Essex’s 298, with three wickets for Nottinghamshire’s Stuart Broad.
Three South Asian Cricket Academy graduates made their Championship debuts on Thursday – Zaman Akhter (Gloucestershire), Arafat Bhuiyan (Kent) and Zain Ul-Hassan (Glamorgan).
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Time to call it a day, with Steve Smith unbeaten overnight on 68 and 22 wickets falling at New Road. Thanks for stopping by, see you tomorrow – good night!
