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!
