Roundup
With the first seven-week block of Championship matches over, and the international summer stretching ahead, Australia’s county visitors are nicely warmed up.
Michael Neser topped off his time at Glamorgan, which already included 17 wickets and two fifties, with 123 as Glamorgan amassed 737 against Sussex – their second highest-total in history. He, and Surrey’s Sean Abbott (264 runs at 52, and 16 wickets), both left out of the original Australian 15, have been called into the pre-Ashes training camp and will stroll in bright eyed and bushy tailed.
Glamorgan batted for most of the day as Sussex struggled to maintain any pressure on a well-behaved pitch, hamstrung by the absence of England’s Ollie Robinson who walked off the field on Saturday lunchtime, never to return. He was spotted hobbling around on crutches, and wearing a protective boot, prior to a scan on his dodgy left ankle on Monday. Kiran Carlson was finally out for a brilliant and career-best 192, but Neser ensured that his captain’s innings was not in vain.
He dropped to one knee to pancake Steve Smith for six to reach his century, but Smith, bowling in sunglasses, shirt untucked, got his revenge, deceiving him with a floating pie. There was time for one over in Sussex’s innings before handshakes, bowled by Marnus Labuschagne – who declared himself “pretty happy where his game is”. England have been warned.
At Bristol, Australia’s Marcus Harris carried his bat for a back-against-the-wall 122 – his second of the season – but it wasn’t enough to prevent Gloucestershire falling to a 125-run defeat to Durham. The New Zealand spinner Ajaz Patel, wicketless in his first appearance against Yorkshire, collected five for 96 and 10 wickets in the match.
It was Durham’s fourth win in six games and they survey all below them at the top of the Division Two table, 29 points above Sussex. The Bazball approach, inspired by one of their own sons, has proved inspirational. “Durham cricket on top of a ladder is a pretty good thing to see,” said Ryan Campbell, the head coach, afterwards. “I was brought up at a time when there were great players in Sheffield Shield cricket and the only way you could hope to win was by being positive.”
At Trent Bridge, a bold declaration by Essex, leaving Notts to chase 219 in 39 overs, never quite ignited with Nottinghamshire losing a couple of early wickets and watchful of the circling Simon Harmer, a cluster of close fielders at his beck and call. He had removed both Matthew Montgomery and Lyndon James, and Notts were 97 for four, when the captains agreed to call it a day.
Earlier, there had been a fond standing ovation for Alastair Cook, snaffled behind the stumps for 99, that first hundred at Trent Bridge still eluding him. Tom Westley made 95 and Dan Lawrence 52 to tuck away and take with him into the England squad. Australia’s players, who have enriched this early summer of the Championship, carry their spoils as well.
Updated
And that, my friends, is that! Thank you all for your company over the last seven weeks – I leave you with Surrey riding high at the top of Division One, and Durham surveying all below them at the top of Division Two. We’ll be back on June 11, till then, good bye!
Nottinghamshire draw with Essex
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire 442 and 97-4 DRAW with Essex 298 and362-8dec
A bold declaration by Essex, and nicely pursued by Notts until the wickets became too many. Essex seven points, Notts eleven points.
Updated
Four close fielders breathe down Lyndon James’s neck – and he’s bowled! Dropped the over before, he steps back to force the ball into the offside and is Harmered for 10. Notts: 70-4 with 15 and a bit overs to go. Joe Clarke still there on 26.
Just the one game, keeping us on tenterhooks to the very end. Eyes to Trent Bridge where Simon Harmer has his first, Montgomery lbw for 11. Notts 50-3, need another 169 in 21 overs. I’m going to start to write up, but will be back.
Sussex draw with Glamorgan
Sussex 481 and 1-0 DRAW with Glamorgan 123 and 737!
Marnus Labuschagne bowls the one and only over in Sussex’s second innings and they shake hands. A quiet end to a helluva match: Glamorgan overturning a 358-run first-innings deficit to draw the game. Centuries for boy with a future, James Coles, Marnus Labuschagne, Kiran Carlson and Michael Neser. Sussex hamstrung by an ankle injury to Ollie Robinson which meant he couldn’t bowl after lunch on the third day.
Farewell and thank you, to Michael Neser, Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne. You brightened the early summer. See you in a baggy green sometime soon.
Smith gets Neser, for 123!
In the dying embers of the match, Neser swipes and loses his bails. Sussex must face on over before handshakes. Glamorgan, finally, 737 all out.
Steve Smith claims the wicket of his fellow Australian Michael Neser. ☝ pic.twitter.com/6ZbgZTBh1e
— Sussex Cricket (@SussexCCC) May 21, 2023
Three fours to Joe Clarke – he and Montgomery a dangerous partnership. Notts 29-2 from 12.
Harmer-time!
Here we go…
Ooof! Sam Cook has another, Slater almost cut in half as the ball zips in and removes the off bail! Notts 12-2.
Notts not taking any chances against Jamie Porter, who has bowled three overs for two runs. Notts 12 for one from eight overs.
They’ve taken tea at Hove, with Glamorgan a mere 730-9 – their second highest total in history. Only the 795-5 declared against Leicester last year – the Sam Northeast game - lies ahead.
Updated
Right, so,… Notts one down already, and it is Has, for seven. One four, I assume gentle yet commanding. Notts 11-1, Sam Cook the wicket taker. How long till Harmer-time?
Just going to grab a quick cup of tea for five minutes.
Odds on the nighthawk hitting the winning runs?
Essex declare and Notts need 219 to win from 39 overs!
Some rocket fuel with my tea and digestives please.
Michael Neser smashes Steve Smith for six to reach his hundred!
Take that vice captain! On one knee, over mid-off, out of the ground, lost ball, as Smith applauds with (I think) a smile. 14 from the over, the total ticks over 700 – Glamorgan’s third highest score in history.
Tea-time-ish scores
DIVISION ONE
The Rose Bowl: Hampshire 367 BEAT Northamptonshire 56 and 176
Lord’s: Somerset 404 BEAT Middlesex 175 and 216 by an innings and 13 runs.
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire 442 v Essex 298 and362-8 Essex lead by 218
The Oval: Surrey 362 and 58-0 BEAT Kent 278 and 141 by ten wickets.
DIVISION TWO
Bristol: Gloucestershire 292 and 300 v Durham 445 and 272-4dec DURHAM WIN BY 125 RUNS
Hove: Sussex 481 v Glamorgan 123 and 689-9 Glamorgan lead by 331 * playing the extra half hour as nine wickets down.
New Road: Worcestershire 83 and 274-7 BEAT Leicestershire 173 and 180 by three wickets
Updated
Snater is bowled for 18 – a third wicket for Harrison - and they take tea at Trent Bridge.
Thanks to BBC radio for doing the maths and confirming that if Glamorgan’s last wicket was to fall now at Hove, Sussex would have to score 11 an over to win. Steve Smith, bowling in sunglasses, shirt untucked, delivers a series of floating pies. Glamorgan 688-9.
Updated
Shane Snater has the final day why-nots, and thwacks two sixes from his first two balls. Bracewell out for four. Essex 352-7, lead by 208.
Steve Smith has a wicket!
to make Glamorgan nine down. Sussex in touching distance of batting again. James Harris pulls the ball high and just in touching distance of Sean Hunt, substitute fielder on the boundary. Glamorgan 671-9, with a session and a squeeze to go. The lead, 313. But presumably Pujara can’t bat….
So perhaps the Trent Bridge match is going to be the nail-biter. Lawrence gone, just after passing fifty, lbw to Mullaney. A crucial wicket – up to Harmer and Doug Bracewell to bat it out now. Shane Snater, Sam Cook and Jamie Porter to come. Essex 323-6, the lead just 179.
Ryan Campbell, Durham’s head coach, is happy:
“I impressed on Marcus North (Director of Cricket) the importance of adding a quality spinner to our ranks and Ajaz Patel has been brilliant for us.
“Durham cricket on top of a ladder is a pretty good thing to see. I was brought up a time when there were great players in Sheffield Shield cricket and the only way you could hope to win was by being positive.
“Our batters have embraced that attitude and even Alex Lees, who hasn’t yet made the mountain of runs we expect from him, has picked up the baton over how we want to play.
“There are some massive tests to come, with some injuries and Matthew Potts having been picked by England, but that will serve to give others a chance.”
Crock watch
This doesn’t sound overwhelmingly good:
Ollie Robinson is on crutches and wearing a protective boot at Hove - he's due to go for a scan on his ankle injury tomorrow
— Alan Gardner (@alanroderick) May 21, 2023
Glamorgan bat on and on and on. Neser 64, Harris 13: Glamorgan 651-8 – the lead 293. Cheteshwar Pujara hasn’t taken the field today, with a stiff neck.
Oh. Another, as Rossington goes cheaply, a brain-freeze, chipping Calvin Harrison back into his belly. Essex 309-5, the lead 165.
Wake up, wake up! A wicket! Matt Critchley bowled for 20, off stump ahoy, a third wicket for Lyndon James. Essex 308-4, lead Notts by 164.
Dan Lawrence is 32 not out at Trent Bridge, in a game drifting to early handshakes, this a chance for him to shine after being named in the Test squad against Ireland. In his 11 Tests to date, he’s gathered 551 runs, averaging 29. In 2017 he was named Young Cricketer of the Year by the Cricket Writers’ Club and made his Lions debut. He made a duck in his last Test innings, in Grenada, at the fag end of Joe Root’s reign as captain, but had made his highest score of 91 in the previous Test at Barbados. Then he fell through the cracks. Somewhere is a great interview with him by Wisden’s Phil Walker , but unhelpfully I can’t locate it right now. You may have more luck.
Updated
The game at Hove is creeping towards the action part. Timm van der Gugten has just become Karvelas’s second wicket, and Michael Neser (56) is joined by James Harris. Glamorgan now a ridiculous 624-8, the lead 266.
Thank you to Paul Bolton for tipping me off that today is National Counties T20 finals day at Tring Park.
Staffordshire opener Nils Priestley, who was released by Derbyshire at end of last season, has just bashed 147 not out from 66 balls with ten sixes and 12 fours in first semi- final against v Berkshire. His century came from just 41 balls.
It is the highest individual score in the competition, and Staff’s final score, 252-2, is the second highest total in the competition.
Staffs won by 68 runs and now face either Cornwall or Hertfordshire in the final later today.
Stuart Broad is opening the bowling at Trent Bridge after lunch, to keep the interest of England fans right to the end of this block of games. White headband, elbows pumping, he runs in. A bee buzzes round the kitchen and out of the back door on a perfect still May afternoon.
Durham beat Gloucestershire by 125 runs!
Bristol: Gloucestershire 292 and 300 v Durham 445 and 272-4dec DURHAM WIN BY 125 RUNS
That all happened quite quickly in the end. Ajaz Patel 5-96 and ten wickets in the match. Marcus Harris finished 132 not out - the first GLos batsman to carry his bat since Cameron Bancroft made an unbeaten 206 against Kent in 2017. Durham hip-hip-horraying it at the top of Division Two.
Lunchtime scores
DIVISION ONE
The Rose Bowl: Hampshire 367 BEAT Northamptonshire 56 and 176
Lord’s: Somerset 404 BEAT Middlesex 175 and 216 by an innings and 13 runs.
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire 442 v Essex 298 and 258-3
The Oval: Surrey 362 and 58-0 BEAT Kent 278 and 141 by ten wickets.
DIVISION TWO
Bristol: Gloucestershire 292 and 300 v Durham 445 and 272-4dec DURHAM WIN BY 125 RUNS
Hove: Sussex 481 v Glamorgan 123 and 603-7
New Road: Worcestershire 83 and 274-7 BEAT Leicestershire 173 and 180 by three wickets
Updated
A wicket at Hove… and it is Chris Cooke, for 45 to Tom Haines. But Glamorgan stretch on, the total now their record for a second innings – beating the previous record of 577-4 vs Gloucestershire at Newport in 1939. Glam:582-7, the lead 224 over Sussex.
Just catching up on the Blast-off and another SACA debut, this time Jafer Chohan, who boldly bished 37 off 20 balls at No. 10 and bowled two overs, as Yorkshire hit another road-block, this time in white ball cricket. Birmingham Bears win by 34 runs. Jonny Bairstow made seven.
🚨Debut for Jafer Chohan!! Jaf becomes the 4th SACA graduate this week to make his First XI debut! @YorkshireCCC vs @WarwickshireCCC
— SACA (@SACAUK) May 20, 2023
All 7 SACA graduates have now made their First XI debuts.
Congratulations Jaf and good luck!! https://t.co/DxTVURDUVO pic.twitter.com/0NBN2sZaut
In the other game, Lancs finally added a win to their string of early season Championship draws, beating Derbyshire by four wickets.
Michael Neser also taking the opportunity to remind Smith of his batting prowess, has hit five fours in his 25. Glam 568-6, lead of 211. Don’t think there are any real daemons for Sussex to fear if they have to run-chase later.
Neser takes the lead to 2⃣0⃣0⃣ 💪
— Glamorgan Cricket 🏏 (@GlamCricket) May 21, 2023
Glamorgan 558/6
𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲 👉 https://t.co/reHOBfyiM3#OhGlammyGlammy | #SUSvGLAM pic.twitter.com/lZEihLWxHT
A hundred for Marcus Harris!
Vice captain Steve Smith scribbles approvingly in his notebook – that’s backs-against-the-wall hundreds for both Labuschagne and Harris in the pre-Ashes summer. Harris’s hundred came from 163 balls and was his second of the season. Gloucestershire 257-7 – can I mention that victory is only 169 runs away? Time to channel your inner Worcestershire.
Updated
Alastair Cook out for 99!
Alas, still no Trent Bridge century for Cook. Snaffled behind the stumps by Joe Clarke, for 99. Note Tom Westley turning away at the non-striker’s end in that feeling of sympathy/loss for words/embarrassment.
Alastair Cook is dismissed on 99!
— LV= Insurance County Championship (@CountyChamp) May 21, 2023
He falls one run short of scoring his first century at Trent Bridge #LVCountyChamp pic.twitter.com/m1iJagle7V
Slow going at Trent Bridge, but Alastair Cook is in the no-sweat zone. Essex 209-1, Cook and Westley 91 and 76 respectively.
Carlson out for 192!
That, my friends, is curtains for Glammy I fear. A crestfallen Carlson caught and bowled Aristides Karvelas for a career-best and fabulous 192. Glamorgan: 510-6, lead by 152.
Heartbreak for Kiran Carlson.
— LV= Insurance County Championship (@CountyChamp) May 21, 2023
The Glamorgan skipper achieves his career-best first-class score but falls eight runs short of a maiden double hundred. #LVCountyChamp pic.twitter.com/Bcpn3PbWlG
Updated
Marcus Harris, the forgotten Australian playing county cricket, is 83 not out at Bristol, and very much Gloucestershire’s last chance of surviving. Glos 202-7 (Taylor just lbw to Ajaz Patel) and needs to bat at both ends all day.
That Test squad in full for the WTC final and the first two Ashes Tests: Pat Cummins (captain), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Todd Murphy, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith (vice-captain), Mitchell Starc, David Warner.
Loving the fact that Marnus was “underwhelmed” by his 138 yesterday.
𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 🗣️
— Glamorgan Cricket 🏏 (@GlamCricket) May 20, 2023
'We really invested in that partnership'
Marnus Labuschagne speaks after scoring 138 as part of a record fourth-wicket stand with Kiran Caslson on day three of our @CountyChamp match against @SussexCCC #OhGlammyGlammy #SUSvGLAM pic.twitter.com/CFwOQMbKbC
Sussex desperately missed Ollie Robinson (ankle scan, pain when walking) yesterday. Thinking they will continue to desperately miss him during the rest of the summer too – though he is one who likes to keep bowling so they might get him back in September. At Hove, Carlson moves on to 190 and Chris Cooke to 14. Glamorgan 504-5, a lead of 146.
Will Sir Alastair make his first century at Trent Bridge? I’m feeling yes in my bones, though admittedly they have been wrong before. Stuart Broad gets a last chance to grove his moves before the international summer starts. Essex 202-1, a lead of 58, and Notts in need of one of Broad’s magic spells to break the deadlock.
Rest in peace Brian Booth – Australian cricket captain and Olympic hockey player . “If a prize were offered for fair play among Australia’s post-war cricketers, Brian Booth would win hands down.”
Confused, out of touch with the IPL 2023? Don’t worry, Tim de Lisle is here with an excellent idiot’s guide:
Saturday's round-up and Ollie Robinson watch
Glorious centuries by Marnus Labuschagne and Kiran Carlson at Hove were overshadowed by worries over the fitness of Ollie Robinson. The England player bowled an eight-over spell during the morning session but didn’t return after lunch. Paul Farbrace, Sussex’s head coach, confirmed after play that Robinson has a sore ankle, is going for a precautionary scan on Monday and is unlikely to bowl again in the match against Glamorgan.
“It was precautionary. There was no point in making it worse.” Farbrace said. “It’s the walking more than the running in. He was all right running in down the slope. He did OK. It’s a joint decision between the Sussex medical team and the England medical team. Much as we want him out there bowling and taking wickets it’s not fair on him to make the injury worse.”
Robinson’s warm up for the international summer had been going nicely, with 20 wickets in two and a bit Championship games, though he had to spend the last few overs of the match against Worcestershire in early May off the field suffering from cramp.
Any injury to Robinson would be particularly worrying for England, whose fast-bowling stocks are increasingly crocked: Jofra Archer (elbow and out for the summer), Olly Stone (hamstring and out until at least the second Ashes Test), Brydon Carse (trunk strain) Jimmy Anderson (twinge to groin) and Ben Stokes (chronic left knee injury).
Without Robinson, Sussex struggled to make headway against an increasingly confident Glamorgan. Labuschagne, buttons polished, hair brushed and Ashes ready, finished his Welsh mini-break with 502 runs in eight innings at an average of 71.71, including two hundreds and two fifties. It was a watchful innings at Hove, with occasional flourishes of brilliance, and he reached his century with two consecutive fours, a gorgeous cover drive and a pull.
He was congratulated with a bear hug by Carlson; and applause by the slips, his teammates on the balcony and all round the ground. When he finally fell, for 138, it was to teenage century maker James Coles, who is having a match to remember. Carlson, the Glamorgan captain, came in on a hat-trick, but was 187 runs richer at stumps. He and Labuschagne had turned the game around.
Surrey thrashed Kent by 10 wickets before lunch, going into the T20 Blast break on top of Division One, with four wins and a 25-point lead over second-placed Warwickshire (who have played a game less). Sam Billings collected a pair and Zak Crawley could only add three runs to his overnight score, as 20-year-old Tom Lawes pocketed his first five-wicket haul in first-class cricket. There was a warning to the chasing pack from a delighted Lawes. That’s how we want to play our cricket,” he said, “and we reckon there is still more to come from us as a team.” It was Kent’s third defeat of the summer.
Liam Dawson was Northamptonshire’s bogey man as they slumped to their third consecutive defeat. It was always going to be difficult to escape from a first-innings score of 56 all out, and so it proved, with Dawson’s six for 61 ensuring Hampshire’s win by an innings. Northants have only secured one batting bonus point all season, but there was one bright spark in Saif Zaib, who finished unbeaten with 57, as well as being top scorer in the first-innings debacle.
Five wickets for Craig Overton hurried Somerset over the line against Middlesex at Lord’s, only their second Championship win away from home in over two years. While at New Road, Adam Hose and Gareth Roderick hauled Worcestershire to a most unexpected three-wicket win over Leicestershire, after being bowled out for 83 in their first innings. Alastair Cook can sleep with dreams of a hundred, 87 not out at stumps, as he and Tom Westley soaked up the deficit for Essex against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge.
Scores on the doors
DIVISION ONE
The Rose Bowl:Hampshire 367 BEAT Northamptonshire 56 and 176
Lord’s: Somerset 404 BEAT Middlesex 175 and 216 by an innings and 13 runs.
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire 442 v Essex 298 and 199-1
The Oval: Surrey 362 and 58-0 BEAT Kent 278 and 141 by ten wickets.
DIVISION TWO
Bristol: Gloucestershire 292 and 181-6 v Durham 445 and 272-4dec Gloucs need 245 to win
Hove: Sussex 481 v Glamorgan 123 and 499-5
New Road: Worcestershire 83 and 274-7 BEAT Leicestershire 173 and 180 by three wickets
Preamble
Good morning! After yesterday’s avalanche of results, just three games in play today: at Hove, Bristol and Trent Bridge. Worcestershire’s upside-down victory yesterday should give Glamorgan hopes of holding on against Sussex – especially if captain Carlson can stay in, while Gloucestershire look in big trouble and an intriguing match is unfolding in Nottingham. This is the last day of Championship cricket until June 11, so even if your team are already jubilant/despondent, do brew a coffee and come chew the fat BTL.
