Tanya Aldred's county roundup
If Liam Dawson had wanted to send a message to the England selectors, he could not have done better if he had wrapped himself up in fairy lights and cartwheeled across the ECB car park.
He was instrumental in Hampshire’s thrashing of Middlesex by an innings and 61 runs in three days, with 12 wickets and a century under his belt – the best Championship performance of his life. Middlesex followed on, their second innings not subsiding quite as quickly as their first, but Dawson made hay almost straight away and finished with six for 90.
Another 10-wicket match for Simon Harmer, the 14th of his career, rocketed Essex up the table after they clattered Warwickshire by nine wickets. Some tail-end hitting by Dom Bess, on loan from Yorkshire, and Jake Lintott, together with 61 from Dan Mousley, at least meant Essex had to bat again.
A bewildering collapse by Nottinghamshire – all out for 92 in their second innings – handed Somerset victory by 399 runs. Things got off to a bad start when Haseeb Hameed was run out for nought and didn’t much improve; Josh Davey finishing with four for 17. Earlier, James Rew, just 19, made his fourth hundred of the season as Somerset followed up a first innings 163 with a second innings of 514 for eight declared.
Briefly, it seemed as if tumbling wickets at the other end would ruin Daniel Bell-Drummond’s big moment, but with Kent nine wickets down a tired swipe into the leg side moved him to a magnificent 300no, the third triple in Kent’s history, at Northamptonshire. Kent posted a first innings of 621 all out. Northamptonshire are 214 for five in their second innings, still 170 behind.
At the Oval, Tom Bailey turned around the match against Surrey in a breath, taking four wickets in 16 balls: Dom Sibley, Tom Latham, Jamie Smith and Ben Foakes all back in the pavilion with 23 on the board. Lancashire need five more wickets to inflict Surrey’s first defeat of the season.
The Price brothers, Tom and Ollie, put on 162 to take Gloucestershire past the follow-on against Yorkshire at Headingley. Ollie needs three runs to match Tom with a maiden Championship century in 2023.
Leus du Plooy danced to a maiden double-century for Derbyshire while Sam Northeast’s first hundred of the year put Glamorgan in a promising position against Sussex.
Thanks for all the messages today, lots for all of us to think about. Some great work being done out there, let’s grab onto the good practise and spread it more widely. Hope those who’ve had an awful time in the game feel heard.
Some smashing cricket today too, including huge wins for Hampshire, Essex and Somerset. Will Surrey really lose tomorrow? Tune in here to find out. Good night!
Close of play scores
DIVISION ONE
Chelmsford: Essex 457 and 85-1 BEAT Warwicks 158 and 381 by nine wickets.
The Rose Bowl: Hampshire 419 BEAT Middlesex 150 and 208 by an innings and 61 runs.
County Ground: Northants 237 and 214-5 v Kent 621
Taunton:Somerset 163 and 514-8dec BEAT Notts 186 and 92 by 399 runs
The Oval: Surrey 360 and 57-5 v Lancashire 274 and 293 Surrey need 151 to win
DIVISION TWO
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 242 and 319 v Sussex 203 and 27-1
Grace Road: Leicestershire 422 v Durham 517-6dec and 296-2
New Road: Worcestershire 237 and 70-2 v Derbyshire 578-5dec
Headingley: Yorkshire 550-9dec v Gloucestershire 421-8
They’ve finished for the day at The County Ground, Northants 214-5, still 170 behind Kent’s mammoth 621, and Tom Bailey is pausing between wicket-taking mouthfuls at The Oval. Surrey 43-4. Time for me to write up the round up – sorry this has been such an on and off day on the blog – but do keep chatting BTL.
Somerset beat Nottinghamshire by 399 runs
Taunton: Somerset 163 and 514-8dec BEAT Notts 186 and 92 by 399 runs
Crikey, a second-innings dog’s dinner there: eight single-figure scores; Davey 4-17; Henry 2-19, Aldridge 2-41.
Updated
Surrey are 23-4 chasing another 185 to win!
All four to Tom Bailey – Sibley, Latham, Smith and Foakes gobbled up in 16 balls. Cricket, bloody hell.
Hampshire beat Middlesex by an inning and 61 runs!
The Rose Bowl: Hampshire 419 BEAT Middlesex 150 and 208 by an innings and 61 runs.
Twelve wickets, a century, and a smug smile for Liam Dawson. Back to the drawing board for Middlesex. Hampshire go third in the table, Middlesex eighth, with Kent likely to leapfrog them.
Essex beat Warwickhire by nine wickets!
Chelmsford: Essex 457 and 85-1 BEAT Warwicks 158 and 381 by nine wickets.
Ten wickets for Harmer in the match, a fifty and three wickets for the on loan Bess, and Essex leapfrog Warwicks (who have a game in hand) in the Division One table.
Updated
Excuse me briefly, I must just write up something for the paper.
A century for James Rew, and more
Bad light at Headingley after 17 overs, with the brothers Price having put on 54 for the 7th wicket. Glos 300-6.
Elsewhere, Lancashire are seven down at The Oval, with the lead just 174, the promising Balderson edging Abbot to Sibley at slip.
A small victory for Warwickshire in that Essex will have to bat again – thanks to a cavalier 57 not out from one-week-loan-man Dom Bess. Four wickets in Warwicks’ second innings to HArmer, to go with his five in the first.
Simpson and de Caires (second highest scorer in the first innings to go with his 7-144) are keeping Hampshire, or rather Liam Dawson (who now has ten wickets in the match) temporarily at bay. Middx 157-6, still 112 behind.
Northants are three down in their second innings, still 279 behind, while young James Rew has made another century in this astonishing season. Somerset 476-7.
Statement from Yorkshire following their presentation to the CDC
“We are grateful to have had the opportunity in today’s Cricket Discipline Commission hearing to make representations to the panel regarding a reasonable sanction, which is proportionate and reflects the Club’s position today.
“While we have been clear on the importance of taking accountability for the wrongs of the past, we are disappointed and concerned that the ECB’s sanctions recommendation has the potential to hinder the good work that has been enacted at Yorkshire over the past 18 months. In reaching its decision, we hope the panel takes into account our acceptance of the charges, the robust work we have undertaken to build the foundations for a Club which is truly inclusive and welcoming to all, and YCCC’s current financial position. We look forward to receiving the CDC’s final decision in due course.”
Updated
A shocking post-lunch start for Warwicks as Matt Critchley takes two wickets in four balls. Burgess and Bethell out, Warwicks six down in their second innings and still 117 behind Essex’s mammoth 457.
2.15 restart at Headingley
Tea at 4.15, 62 overs remaining. If, and that’s a big if, there’s no more rain. The teams are out on the pitch warming up; football for Yorkshire, volley ball for Glos.
Just going on a little stroll round Headingley for reaction so will be away from the blog for half an hour or so. Apologies.
Lunchtime scores
DIVISION ONE
Chelmsford: Essex 457 v Warwickshire 158 and 156-4
Rose Bowl: Hampshire 419 v Middlesex 150 and 66-4
County Ground: Northants 237 and 30-2 v Kent 621
Taunton: Somerset 163 and 365-5 v Nottinghamshire 186
The Oval: Surrey 360 v Lancashire 274 and 203-5
DIVISION TWO
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 242 and 110-2 v Sussex 203
Grace Road: Leicestershire 418-8 v Durham 517-6dec
New Road: Worcestershire 237 v Derbyshire 406-5
Headingley: Yorkshire 550-9dec v Gloucestershire 232-5 rain no play yet today
Another thoughtful missive drops into my email box. Do keep them coming. Hello Phil Harrison.
“How incredibly fitting that one of the only home-grown black players in county cricket should have scored a triple ton on the day this report drops. Bravo Daniel Bell-Drummond!
“I’m sure this report will be dismissed as another victory for the woke. But every word rings true to me. I played a lot of cricket as a youth and it’s always been a brilliant game surrounded by deeply reactionary, frequently toxic mood music.
“There were two Asian lads at the club I played for - they lasted a couple of seasons and then disappeared. I challenged a few of the things that were said to them. Not enough by far - but I was just a kid really and it isn’t easy when you’re surrounded by grown men (including at times, the club captain) telling you you’re taking ‘banter’ too seriously. But I can absolutely see why they decided to play in a mainly Asian league instead.
“Other side of the coin: I also remember when as a state school with a (incredibly poor) cricket team, we went to play one of the public schools near us. When we got there we overheard one of the posh kids say to his mate: ‘The peasants have arrived’. As the brilliant Ebony Rainford-Brent has said, it’s all about class really - sort out accessibility across society and the racism starts to solve itself.”
So true. And this is where the best cricket clubs, the ones who have put the effort in, who are well managed, well supported, respectful ,can be beacons. Diverse communities, with different backgrounds, coming together to do something they love and learn a little about each other. Glad the report mentions drinking culture too – hugely off-putting to lots of people at all levels of the game.
In Division One, Lancs have lost Mitchell but Williams and Salt making a good fist of giving their bowlers something to go at: 183-5, a lead of 97.
Warwickshire wobbling, 132-4, still trail by 167. Two (more) for Harmer.
In the face of DBD’s triple ton, Northants have squelched to 25-1.
That talented young man Rew has 58 in Somerset’s perky 355-5. Bartlett out for 134.
And Middlesex, following on, are 51-3, still 218 behind Hampshire. All over bar the sandwiches.
A statement from ACE, the Lord’s Taverners and Chance to Shine.
— Lord's Taverners (@LordsTaverners) June 27, 2023
“Hello Tanya,” Geoff Wignall, hello!
“I know it isn’t the most vital of today’s news topics, but are we allowed to be worried by the hints of contrarian tendencies in the current England setup?
“Specifically: an all seam attack that excludes in Woakes a bowler with a consistently good home tests record and an all-time great record at Lord’s as well as a healthy batting average, yet includes a promising but unproven bowler who basically can’t bat. For an Ashes test when already one down. Bonkers.”
I’m surprised too. But telling myself that Baz n Ben usually get it right. Tongue offers more pace so something of a “point of difference” as they like to say.
Updated
Barney’s interview with DBD in 2018:
A triple hundred for Daniel Bell-Drummond!
And with a slightly tired swipe into the leg side, a triple hundred for Daniel Bell-Drummond!
The moment that Daniel Bell-Drummond reached 300
— LV= Insurance County Championship (@CountyChamp) June 27, 2023
He's just the third @KentCricket player to reach the milestone#LVCountyChamp pic.twitter.com/vbH1OBFhJN
Astonishing! Just the third Kent player to make a triple ton: 530 minutes, 439 balls, one six and 26 fours. Well played that man. Left unbeaten on 300 after Arshdeep is caught off Russell for 10, and Russell collects his sixth wicket.
“I am Ben Stokes, born in New Zealand, a state educated pupil who dropped out of school at 16 with one GCSE in PE"
Stokes on the ICEC report:
“To the people involved within the game who have been made to feel unwelcome, I am deeply sorry to hear of your experiences,” Stokes said.
“Cricket needs to celebrate diversity on all fronts, as without diversity it would not be the game it is today.
“We must go further and be more inclusive and diverse because the game I love and millions worldwide love should be enjoyed without fear of discrimination or judgement whether due to upbringing, race or gender.
“Everyone has a different story to tell.
“I am Ben Stokes, born in New Zealand, a state educated pupil who dropped out of school at 16 with one GCSE in PE”
“I needed help with the spelling and grammar in this speech and am currently sitting here as the England men’s Test captain.
“It is clear there is so much more the game has to do and as players we really want to be a part of that to ensure this is truly a sport for everyone.”
Updated
Round the Div 2 grounds:
Rain at Headingley, rain at New Road.
Leicestershire have lost Mulder, for 56, but Ackermann presses on, 118 under his belt against the club he will be joining next year. Sussex have winkled out two of Glamorgan’s lineup – Salter for 22 and Bevan for 15, 75-2 , a lead of 114.
Updated
Matthew Potts, released from the Test squad, has zipped back to Grace Road, and into the Durham XI to replace Stanley McAlindon. He’s already been in action, sending down five overs, on a pitch that might yet haunt these bowlers’ nightmares. Leics 373-5, trail Durham by 144.
No play before lunch here at Headingley, with lunch to be taken at 12.40. Looks soggy.
Sorry, otherwise distracted briefly, will have a quick dance round the grounds after this email from Em Jackson.
“Good Morning Tanya, Good Morning All.” Hello!
”Well someone in Bristol has angered The Rain Gods yet again this summer it would seem thus making “Don’t Rain on My Run Chase Parade” seem apt.
”Speaking as someone who went to a State Comprehensive in North Tyneside that was very much a non-cricketing school apart from 2 days a year worth of decidedly low-skill inter-class cricket, part of the issue is this: Schools are told get kids fit, cricket involves an awful lot of standing around thus basically, doesn’t get kids fit (also the one kid that can play can hit everyone all over the field, score quite literally 95% of the runs in a 10-over game before running out of partners all out LBW or behind off edges because everyone else wants to hit 6s - or - the one kid that can play gets all 10 wickets and without proper gear, every military-medium-for-a-13-year-old-with-no-pads is a - from back in my day - Rawlpindi Express seeming effort which one best gets out of the way of).
Oddly these issues never seemed an issue for rounders, but did for tennis.
Anyways, let’s hope things very much improve. Glos are doing great work to bring in members of the various diaspora communities around Bristol for sure (as well as further afield in the County).
I’ve arrived at Headingley to find, fittingly, steady rain.
Some reading on the ICEC findings
Here
and
and
England XI for Lord's - Josh Tongue replaces Moeen Ali
1. Ben Duckett
2. Zak Crawley
3. Ollie Pope
4. Joe Root
5. Harry Brook
6. Ben Stokes *
7. Jonathan Bairstow +
8. Stuart Broad
9. Ollie Robinson
10. Josh Tongue
11. James Anderson
Yorkshire's CDC hearing - ECB sanctioning recommendations
Sean Ingle is at the International Arbitration Centre, 190 Fleet Street, listening to the ECB’s sanctioning recommendations for Yorkshire and, later, Yorkshire’s arguments in mitigation.
“It would be wholly unproductive to put Yorkshire out of business and ECB is not trying to do such a thing. We are looking for a reasonable approach and are trying to strike a balance.” Jane Mulcahy, KC for the ECB.
They have recommended
Reprimand, a fine of £500,000
£100,000 charge one - mishandling racism report
£100,000 - wholesale deletion of data, very serious matter
£150,000 – for failing to adequately address racism allegations — including with Headingley crowd. “We say the failure to investigate amounts to Y condoning the language.”
£150,000 systemic use of racist and discriminatory language by multiple players at the club
£350k of the fine be suspended for 3 years - £150k be payable in instalments from 1st January 2024 to 31 June. The suspended fine wouldn’t be paid so long as conditions continued to improve.
Also sporting sanctions:
48-72pt deduction in 2023 County Championships
4-6pt deduction in the one-day cup
4-6pt deduction in T20 Blast
Updated
Monday's round-up
Daniel Bell-Drummond and Tawanda Muyeye batted Kent to total domination at the County Ground. Muyeye, 22, who arrived in the UK as an asylum seeker, rocked to his maiden Championship century – a six taking him to 99, a pulled four to his hundred, whereupon he pulled off his helmet grinned and buried his face in Bell‑Drummond’s broad shoulders. The pair had put on 318 when Muyeye was caught for 179, but Bell-Drummond pressed on, and on, 271 not out at stumps, grinding Northamptonshire into the dust.
A last-wicket stand of 130 between Sean Abbott and Dan Worrall popped Lancashire’s balloon, who before the pair came together had looked like getting a first-innings advantage. By the time they were separated, Surrey had a lead of 86. Lancashire’s top four were all out by stumps.
It was Harmer-time at Chelmsford, Warwickshire collapsing to 158 against Essex and forced to follow on after Simon Harmer grabbed six wickets.
Somerset giddily slipped into a sparkly dress, throwing expectation out of the window, after Matt Henry zipped through the Nottinghamshire batting lineup with a spell of four for 26, limiting the Notts lead to just 23. George Bartlett then hurried to his second Championship hundred of the year.
Liam Dawson is having the match of his life at the Rose Bowl: a first-innings century followed by six wickets as Middlesex imploded. Josh de Caires, Michael Atherton’s son, had collected a career-best seven for 144 in Hampshire’s 419.
Matt Parkinson, on loan to Durham, took two wickets in Leicestershire’s plucky response to Durham’s 517-6 declared; while Daniel Moriarty, Yorkshire’s loanee, pocketed three wickets against Gloucestershire. Matthew Revis was the third Yorkshire centurion of the match.
Scores on the doors
DIVISION ONE
Chelmsford: Essex 457 v Warwickshire 158 and 74-1
Rose Bowl: Hampshire 419 v Middlesex 142-8
County Ground: Northants 237 v Kent 550-5
Taunton: Somerset 163 and 268-4 v Nottinghamshire 186
The Oval: Surrey 360 v Lancashire 274 and 113-4
DIVISION TWO
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 242 and 46-0 v Sussex 203
Grace Road: Leicestershire 335-4 v Durham 517-6dec
New Road: Worcestershire 237 v Derbyshire 374-5
Headingley: Yorkshire 550-9dec v Gloucestershire 232-5
Preamble
Good morning on what will hopefully, in time, be seen as a good day. The Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket(ICEC) report has landed and it is as brutal and collar-grabbing and horrendous as expected, with the report finding that “racism, sexism, elitism and classism is “widespread” in cricket in England and Wales. If this isn’t a turning point for our game then we give up now.
We’ll be bring you reaction, as well as coverage of Yorkshire’s hearing in London, alongside CCLive.
Updated
