Scores on the doors
DIVISION ONE
Chelmsoford: Essex 107 v Lancashire 131 and 25-6
Bristol: Gloucestershire v Warwickshire 255-8
The Rosebowl: Hampshire 57 v Kent 165 and 20-3
Taunton: Somerset 271-4 v Northants
The Oval: Surrey 292-6 v Yorkshire
DIVISION TWO
The Riverside: Durham 54-1 v Sussex 162
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 380-3 v Derbyshire
Grace Road: Leicestershire v Middlesex 293-8
New Road: Worcestershire 297-7 v Nottinghamshire
Tuesday's round-up
A pinch-yourself 96 wickets fell in a cap-gun day in the County Championship. On a ropey Chelmsford pitch 26 batters came and went, Lancashire finishing the day 25 for six in their second innings – a bold improvement on seven for six, thanks to a nerveless 18 from debutant George Bell, and a lead of 49 over Essex. The only man to pass 24 in the whole bewildering day was Alastair Cook, who scrambled 40 in Essex’s 107.
At the Rose Bowl, where a mere 23 wickets fell, second-placed Hampshire were dismissed for 57, with Matthew Quinn grabbing six for 23. Kent lost three wickets in the eight balls before stumps, to give them a lead of 128 to take into what will surely be the final day.
With Hampshire’s season in danger of being flushed away in a few hours leaders Surrey strode onwards, Ollie Pope making a touch-perfect 136 at the specially renamed Micky Stewart Oval. It was as tactile as the fur of his favourite fox-red Labradors, and he moved through the 90s and on to a hundred with a ramp for six with bent knees and a reverse-sweep for four. He was out, for a 131-ball 136, bowled by Yorkshire’s departing former captain Steven Patterson, who finished with four wickets.
At Sophia Gardens, the Glamorgan captain, David Lloyd, was strolling to his highest first‑class score, 203 not out, and at Bristol Dom Sibley was propping up doom‑ladened Warwickshire with an unbeaten 105, a dug-in affair that hauled the 2021 champions from the doldrums of 138 for six. Gloucestershire’s Zafar Gohar bowled 32 overs to take four for 59.
A century for Tom Abell helped Somerset build a respectable 271 for four against Northamptonshire, on the day James Hildreth opened the new James Hildreth Stand.
Matthew Potts and Paul Coughlin bowled Sussex out for 162 under lights at the Riverside; a sixth‑wicket stand of 169 between Brett D’Oliveira and Gareth Roderick delayed Nottinghamshire’s promotion party at New Road and at Grace Road, promotion-chasing Middlesex stashed 293.
Tanya Aldred's county roundup
A pinch-yourself 96 wickets fell in a cap-gun day in the County Championship. On a ropey Chelmsford pitch 26 batters came and went, Lancashire finishing the day 25 for six in their second innings – a bold improvement on seven for six, thanks to a nerveless 18 from debutant George Bell, and a lead of 49 over Essex. The only man to pass 24 in the whole bewildering day was Alastair Cook, who scrambled 40 in Essex’s 107.
At the Rose Bowl, where a mere 23 wickets fell, second-placed Hampshire were dismissed for 57, with Matthew Quinn grabbing six for 23. Kent lost three wickets in the eight balls before stumps, to give them a lead of 128 to take into what will surely be the final day.
With Hampshire’s season in danger of being flushed away in a few hours leaders Surrey strode onwards, Ollie Pope making a touch-perfect 136 at the specially renamed Micky Stewart Oval. It was as tactile as the fur of his favourite fox-red Labradors, and he moved through the 90s and on to a hundred with a ramp for six with bent knees and a reverse-sweep for four. He was out, for a 131-ball 136, bowled by Yorkshire’s departing former captain Steven Patterson, who finished with four wickets.
At Sophia Gardens, the Glamorgan captain, David Lloyd, was strolling to his highest first‑class score, 203 not out, and at Bristol Dom Sibley was propping up doom‑ladened Warwickshire with an unbeaten 105, a dug-in affair that hauled the 2021 champions from the doldrums of 138 for six. Gloucestershire’s Zafar Gohar bowled 32 overs to take four for 59.
A century for Tom Abell helped Somerset build a respectable 271 for four against Northamptonshire, on the day James Hildreth opened the new James Hildreth Stand.
Matthew Potts and Paul Coughlin bowled Sussex out for 162 under lights at the Riverside; a sixth‑wicket stand of 169 between Brett D’Oliveira and Gareth Roderick delayed Nottinghamshire’s promotion party at New Road and at Grace Road, promotion-chasing Middlesex stashed 293.
What a crazy day – 96 wickets, four centuries and two games nearly over. With dark falling over The Oval, it’s goodbye from me. Thanks for all the chat BTL – see you tomorrow.
I must write-up, leaving Lancashire 25-6 (shout out to debutant George Bell) and Kent 3-0 in their second innings. Nothing to see here.
Three overs left at Chelmsford.
Kent have scored a run and not lost a wicket in their second innings.
Adding Simon Harmer to the mix will calm things down.
Sam Cook seems to be laughing all the way back to the top of his run up.
Updated
Lancashire seven for six – 31 in front, a 26th wicket in the day. Crying emoji, laughing emoji, cold compress.
The Oval ground announcer clears his throat – “Hampshire 57 all out” – a ripple of applause/snorted laughter. At the same time, play at The Oval is abandoned for the day.
Bohannon skittled, caught by Rossington for a 14-ball duck. Lancashire 4 for five in five overs, the lead 28. Three for Snater, two for Cook. Pass the brandy.
Updated
Did I mention Hampshire were 57 for eight? I’m losing my way somewhat.
So just an average day at Chelmsford: Lancashire 2 for four. Snater two in two balls – Wells, Jennings, Croft and Vilas done for the match. 24 wickets and counting.
While Shane Snater salivates over Lancashire, mightly Hampshire have slipped to 41 for six, 124 runs behind paper-thin Kent.
Bohannon survives a ball from Cook.
Carnage continues at Chelmsford
Luke Wells out first ball. Lancashire 0 for 1. 11.5 overs left in the day…
A hundred for Tom Abell
Very very nicely done. Somerset 252 for three.
At Chelmsford, Simon Harmer is sent on his way, a fourth wicket for Tom Bailey and er, that’s it, 107 all out, a fifth for Bailey, a Lancashire lead of 24, twenty wickets in the day.. Fourteen overs left – your bets for stumps?
Division Two news:
Lots more wickets, minimal runs, at The Riverside: Sussex 162 all out (three for Potts, three for Coughlin); Durham 29-0.
A highest first-class score and counting for Glamorgan’s David Lloyd: 161 not out in 295 for three.
Seventy not out for John Simpson in a steady Middlesex 248-7; and half centuries for D’Oliveira and Roderick in Worcestershire’s 268-6 .
And with the skies still darkening, actually they’re off! Umpires send the players in with Surrey 292 for six Clark 55 not out. Ollie Pope a magnificent 136.
Tom Abell holding the newimprovedSomersetTM together, with 80 not out in 212-3 against Northants. While Dom Sibley has quietly gone about his work – just six away from a century and nearly half of Warwickshire’s 229-6.
And as the light fades, the floodlights on, Ollie Pope has been bowled for 136 off 131 balls . A quick march off, a raise of the bat and a standing ovation. Patterson again. Surrey 278 for six.
Essex still trail Lancashire by 49 – 82 for six, Alastair Cook two hours of diligence: 34 not out.
Hampshire are batting – Kent all out 165: Abbott 4-46; Abbas 3-29; Barker 3-30. Dreamboy attack.
England in action in Pakistan, at last
Back on the field in Pakistan after a long, long wait.
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) September 20, 2022
Scorecard: https://t.co/nQzPwVGPsk
🇵🇰#PAKvENG 🏴 pic.twitter.com/UUSCIacee6
Follow it, here:
Tea-time scores
DIVISION ONE
Chelmsoford: Essex 64-4 v Lancashire 131
Bristol: Gloucestershire v Warwickshire 164-6
The Rosebowl: Hampshire v Kent 160-9
Taunton: Somerset 163-2 v Northants
The Oval: Surrey 246-5 v Yorkshire
DIVISION TWO
The Riverside: Durham v Sussex 150-9
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 228-3 v Derbyshire
Grace Road: Leicestershire v Middlesex 196-5
New Road: Worcestershire 187-5 v Nottinghamshire
Illuminated by sunshine, Ollie Pope eyes up Patterson and glides him square for four more golden runs.
Hold onto your hats/hoods: the final version of the men’s High Performance Review will be published on Thursday morning.
Second XI table
For your delectation: Yorkshire could win this week. Better news for Leics. Graded by average points.
1 Yorkshire 18.63
2 Glamorgan 17.5
3 Middlesex 17.11
4 Warwickshire 16.67
5 Northants 16.2
6 Notts 14.45
7 Surrey 14.25
8 Worcestershire 12.8
9 Somerset 12.78
10= Hampshire 12
10= Leicestershire 12
12= Lancashire 11.5
12 =Sussex 11.5
14 Kent 11.2
15 Derbyshire 10.5
16 Durham 9.38
17 Essex 8
18 Gloucestershire 7.55
Pope’s average now 329 against. Yorkshire…
And with a reverse sweep, a tenth century at The Oval for Ollie Pope – 102 balls – and bloody brilliant it is too.
An astonishing shot by Ollie Pope, an graceful sink to the knees and a soft ramp for six to go into the nineties.
Let’s look at our big coats, hesitate, reach for the wooly cardigan and wander round the grounds: Things continuing apace at Chelmsford – where Essex are 34 for four. Cook still there, 34 not out. Another new ball at The Oval, but Surrey are springing along – Pope 77 not out, Surrey 178-5. Well done Zumerset – 136-2, a 72-run partnership between Abell and Bartlett.
Warwickshire wobbly at 157-6, three wickets for Zafar Gohar; and a half-century from Ben Compton, still stapling Kent together, 137-6.
Odd on Ben Compton to finish the season as he started it, propping Kent up for dear life. 49 not out; Kent 112-6.
Ah ok, so it is one of those days. Essex seven for two after Lancashire’s 131 all out. One to Bailey, one to Williams – but Cook not out.
And two balls later – Cameron Steel, head down, strides off, edged into the slip cordon. A third catch for Kohler-Cadmore, a third wicket for Patterson. Surrey 136-5.
Ben Foakes is on his way, frustrated strides up the stairs into the dressing-room – the end of a fluent partnership of 54 with Ollie Pope. That man Patterson again – who hasn’t been picked up by another county yet, no Indian summer for him.
Lancashire, Harmered
All out 131, Harmer 5 for 41. Tom Bailey Lancashire’s highest scorer with 24 not out. Essex on top in this battle for third place.
Have you ever seen a reverse forward defensive played before? 😅#LVCountyChamp pic.twitter.com/1HIBKjEcYe
— LV= Insurance County Championship (@CountyChamp) September 20, 2022
Ollie Pope is now averaging 277 runs against Yorkshire .
And with a dab, that’s a 57-ball fifty for Ollie Pope at The (for one match only) Micky Stewart Oval.
Meanwhile at Taunton, Vic Marks and James Hildreth discuss the new James Hildreth stand.
The Hildy stand is officially open! pic.twitter.com/B4is5b7xnu
— Peter Wanless (@PeterWanless) September 20, 2022
I’m trying to track down John Major so I can ask him on behalf of CCLive! whether he came to The Oval to decompress after the funeral yesterday, in the same way he did after losing the election. But also because I’m very nosy and he’s supposed to be surprisingly charismatic.
This is the wicket-laden day we were waiting for in April. Lancs eight down for 109; Kent 48-5; Sussex 54-5; Worcs 122-5.
Autumn sunshine, and a cheerful concourse at lunchtime around The Oval, which does county cricket so well. Well most cricket, tbh. An uneventful afternoon to date, other than Ed Smith strolling about.
I’m going to stretch my legs in the weak autumn sun – back shortly!
Lunchtime scores
DIVISION ONE
Chelmsoford: Essex v Lancashire 83-6
Bristol: Gloucestershire v Warwickshire 73-3
The Rosebowl: Hampshire v Kent 35-5
Taunton: Somerset 55-1 v Northants
The Oval: Surrey 82-3 v Yorkshire
DIVISION TWO
The Riverside: Durham v Sussex 47-3
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 99-1 v Derbyshire
Grace Road: Leicestershire v Middlesex 91-4
New Road: Worcestershire 99-5 v Nottinghamshire
And another pressie for Yorkshire in the slips – Surrey lose the fluent Patel on the dot of lunch.
Oh and Kent and oh Abbott (3 for 21). Kent 34 for five.
Simon Harmer re-emerges from the wings, takes the ball, and grabs a couple of wickets. Lancs 73 for five.
Graham has spotted John Major, fresh from the funeral, perched high up in the pavilion in a blue tie.
Amla follows the Burns blueprint, and is caught at third slip. A seaming pitch and a good crowd. Surrey 61 for two.
In Division Two: a wobbling Sussex (25-2, one each to Potts and Raine); a flying Glamorgan (70-1); and a conflicted Middlesex (70-3 – Robson, Stoneman and Malan gone); and Haynes has joined the massed ranks of Worcestershire’s top order in the pavilion: Worcs 70-4. Barnard to the rescue.
Yorkies asking for a ball-change in the sun – and winning.
An hour and a half in: Run machine Keaton Jennings joins the rest of the top three in the pavilion at Chelmsford – Lancs 49 for three; Warwicks 51 for two, Sibley and Hain pushing towards lunch; Compton and Leaning plucking threads from the mess of one for two – Kent now 23 for two. Lammonby and Imam easing along at Taunton, Somerset 39 for 0 against Northants; and Amla and Patel easing through the gears at The Oval: Surrey 51-1.
Is there a stage between an amble and a walk? That’s what Steve Patterson is doing at The Oval.
Three England players have rejoined Surrey for this match – Foakes. Pope and Overton J, elbowing first-first-class century Tom Curran onto the subs bench.
Now Lancashire’s batters join the timber-crisis – last week’s hero of Headingley, Shane Snater, bowling Luke Wells for 15; Bohannon bowled by wicket-muncher Sam Cook. Lancs 32 for two.
Just spotted that debutant Tom Bevan, batting at three for Glamorgan, is in after the fall of Byrom. Good luck over there, from us over here. Currently a four-ball nought not out.
Early wickets everywhere: Rob Yates gone for a quick-fire 19, Davies follows quickly (Warwicks 24 for 2); Surrey five for one (Burns); Kent – oh dear – four for two. Stoneman has gone early at Grace Road (Middx 19-21); as has Pollock for a 12 ball duck at New Road – Worcs 19 for one.
Rain at The Riverside.
Burns dangles and is caught by Kohler-Cadmore in the slips for a duck. Surrey 4 for one.
Made it across London, to emerge at Vauxhall, which stunk of rotting vegetables. But the sun is out at The Oval, Surrey are batting after losing the toss, and four slips are waiting.
Division Two table
1 Nottinghamshire 215
2 Middlesex 188
3 Glamorgan 176
4 Derbyshire 169
5 Worcestershire 160
6 Durham 158
7 Sussex 115
8 Leicestershire 79
Division One Table
1 Surrey 225
2 Hampshire 217
3 Lancashire 182
4 Essex 178
5 Northamptonshire 147
6 Yorkshire 132
7 Somerset 123
8 Kent 115
9 Warwickshire 115
10 Gloucestershire 74
Fixtures
DIVISION ONE
Chelmsoford: Essex v Lancashire
Bristol: Gloucestershire v Warwickshire
The Rosebowl: Hampshire v Kent
Taunton: Somerset v Northants
The Oval: Surrey v Yorkshire
DIVISION TWO
The Riverside: Durham v Sussex
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan v Derbyshire
Grace Road: Leicestershire v Middlesex
New Road: Worcestershire v Nottinghamshire
Preamble
Good morning! Speeding down to London, horses grazing under turning trees, a day late for the Queen’s funeral but just in time for the penultimate match of the County Championship which, yet again, is screaming to a tight finish
Surrey and Hampshire are locked in battle for the title – Surrey eight points ahead but with tougher opponents ahead in Yorkshire and Lancashire – and a tussle for relegation and promotion brewing at both ends of the tables.
Leaders Surrey, frustrated by Northamptonshire last week, entertain Yorkshire – who couldn’t hold out against Essex in a thriller at Headingley. Essex have Simon Harmer back for their final game of the season at Chelmsford, where they take on Lancashire, their rival for the bronze medal spot and the runner’s up in the weekend’s Royal London Cup.
Coming up on the outside Hampshire, who have won their last four matches, host eighth placed and just outside the relegation zone Kent; while Craig Overton (but not Jack Leach) returns to help out Somerset against Northants. Precariously-placed Warwickshire, boosted by Mohammed Siraj, need to notch up a victory against bottom and seemingly doomed Gloucestershire.
In Division Two: promotion certainties Notts are taking on mid-table-with-pretensions Worcestershire; winless Leicestershire will have their work cut out against second placed Middlesex; Durham retain the services of Matthew Potts to play Sussex, one spot below them in the table; and Glamorgan and Derbyshire lock-horns for a last-gasp run for a promotion spot.
Updated
