Key events
Roundup: Glamorgan boost promotion push with Old Trafford win
Tanya Aldred
Wins for Glamorgan at the top end of Division Two, and Yorkshire at the bottom end of Division One, spruces things up nicely as the County Championship slips into the wings for August.
Glamorgan’s first Championship victory at Old Trafford since 1993 left them sitting pretty in the second promotion spot behind Leicestershire. Rain had wiped out most of the morning’s cricket but the visiting bowlers stuck to their task against Lancashire, Asitha Fernando producing a juicy inswinging yorker to get rid of Tom Bailey and Ben Kellaway persuading Chris Green, the saviour of Cheltenham, to top-edge a sweep. Glamorgan cemented their victory when Jimmy Anderson was bowled by Mason Crane – who hopped on the team coach with nine for 126 in the match.
A Scarborough, a 22-point hoopla lifted Yorkshire clear of the immediate relegation zone. After Sussex lost three wickets in the first 20 minutes, Fynn Hudson-Prentice (52 not out) and Jack Carson dropped anchor for 34 overs, until Carson was caught by a grasshopper-legged Adam Lyth off Dom Bess. Matt Milnes polished off the rest to finish with five for 31.
Every other game finished as a draw, some with jeopardy – like at New Road, where a second century of the match from Jake Libby wasn’t quite enough to help Division One bottom side Worcestershire over the line in their run chase against Hampshire. There were a few early nerves at Trent Bridge too, until a steadfast partnership between Toms Abell and Banton steadied the good ship Somerset against Nottinghamshire.
Elsewhere, rain and sparky sixties from Brooke Guest and Luis Reece saved Derbyshire against Northamptonshire at Wantage Road, while Leicestershire’s Ben Compton celebrated a career-best 221 at Kent. Joe Phillips’ maiden first-class hundred enlivened the final day between Gloucestershire and Middlesex, and there was just time for Warwickshire’s Ed Barnard to bag a century and Essex captain Tom Westley 50 before the Chelmsford rain arrived.
A slow-burn, early-August last afternoon thriller at New Road to finish thing off. Thanks for your company as always. We’ll be back on September 8, have a wonderful summer!
Final scores
DIVISION ONE
Chester-le-Street: Surrey 322 and 176-5 BEAT Durham 153 and 344 by five wickets.
Chelmsford: Essex 602-6 dec and 96-1 DRAW with Warwickshire 485
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire 544 DRAW with Somerset 438 and 200-5
New Road: Worcestershire 249 and 303-8 DRAW with Hampshire 293 and 313-7dec
Scarborough: Yorkshire 545-9dec BEAT Sussex 222 and 195 by an innings and 128 runs
DIVISION TWO
Cheltenham: Gloucestershire 404-9 DRAW with Middlesex 445
Canterbury: Kent 445-8 DRAW with Leicestershire 471
Old Trafford: Glamorgan 261 and 348-7dec BEAT Lancashire 137 and 318 by 154 runs.
Northamptonshire: Northants 550-9dec DRAW with Derbyshire 377 and 184-5
Division One Table
1 Surrey 175
2 Nottinghamshire 166
3 Somerset 149
4 Warwickshire 148
5 Hampshire 129
6 Sussex 127
7 Yorkshire 126
7 Essex 126
9 Durham 114
10 Worcestershire 89
Worcestershire DRAW with Hampshire
Close, so close, but no cigar.
New Road: Worcestershire 249 and 303-8 DRAW with Hampshire 293 and 313-7dec
Hang on – Tom Taylor is suddenly walking back to the pavilion after Sonny Baker removes his middle stump . Seven balls left, Hampshire need two wickets.
Eighteen deliveries left at New Road, quarter to seven, the cathedral looks impassively on. Three wickets left.
Division Two Table (11 games played)
1 Leicestershire 193
2 Glamorgan 165
3 Derbyshire 141
4 Middlesex 138
5 Gloucestershire 131
6 Lancashire 127
7 Northants 123
8 Kent 97
The Worcestershire run-chase has petered out, and with 30 balls left, three wickets left, Kyle Abbott comes back for once last blast
Gloucestershire DRAW with Middlesex
A rain-ruined game drifts to an end, as Gloucestershire collect their fourth batting point, alongside maximum bowling points for Middlesex.
Cheltenham: Gloucestershire 404-9 DRAW with Middlesex 445
Gloucestershire 15 points, Middlesex 15.
Baker gets the big one, Dolly done by inswing – 286 for seven. 72 needed, three wickets and 35 balls left.
A boundary from Baker’s last ball leaves Worcestershire an unlikely but not yet buried 82 to win from seven overs.
Sonny Baker gets the call and I’ve never seen his idiosyncratic stop-start run-up before. Straight out of the coaching manual back garden. Taylor unable, as yet, to go big.
And, damn it, Waite is caught at long on.
…where Worcestershire are batting as if their Division One position depends on it… ah, it does. A second fabulous century by Libby, 65 from Kashif Ali, and cameos from the rest. Worcestershire, 261-5 need 97 to win from nine overs – D’Oliveira and Waite the men with the job.
Gloucestershire and Middlesex are enjoying actually playing cricket and picking up first-innings bowling/batting points but the real action is at New Road…
Northants DRAW with Derbyshire
Northants thwarted by Luis Reece (61), Brooke Guest (60) and the rain.
Northamptonshire: Northants 550-9dec v Derbyshire 377 and 184-5
Northamptonshire 13 points, Derbyshire 13 points.
Nottinghamshire DRAW with Somerset
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire 544 DRAW with Somerset 438 and 200-5
Nottinghamshire 13 points, Somerset 12
Leicestershire DRAW with Kent
Canterbury: Kent 445-8 DRAW with Leicestershire 471
Leicestershire 14 points, Kent 13 points
Hmmm, Somerset actually have lost a wicket, the not-so=steadfast=after-all Tom Abell. But I’m going to have to leave things there as I write up for Friday deadlines. Back in a bit.
Ashes unlikely for injured Woakes
A miserable prognosis for poor Chris Woakes.
Tom Abell has the sort of steadfast fifty that is very pleasing to Anthony Gibson, Tom Banton is 31 not out. This partnership, over 35 overs, has realistically put the game to sleep.
A hundred for Joe Phillips!
A flash of inspiration at soggy Cheltenham – which is officially young Joe Phillips’ happy place. He pocketed 56 and 64 against Lancs last week, and now a unbeaten hundred against Middlesex.
Ben Kellaway chews the fat after Glamorgan’s first win at OT for 32 years.
“It was an interesting pitch – it spun from day one which you don’t see that often so credit to our openers as I think our opening stand was the reason we got into a winning position.
“It flattened out towards the end and day three and four was easier to bat on but I think we still bowled really nicely and came out of it with the win.
“I am enjoying my role and the battles I’m getting into and I’m getting some nice rewards and bowling in tandem with Mason (Crane), who bowled brilliantly in this game, has been really nice.”
It smells like four draws and a Northants win. Let’s see what the next two hours hold.
Tea-time scores
DIVISION ONE
Chester-le-Street: Surrey 322 and 176-5 BEAT Durham 153 and 344 by five wickets.
Chelmsford: Essex 602-6 dec and 96-1 DRAW with Warwickshire 485
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire 544 v Somerset 438 and 168-4
New Road: Worcestershire 249 and 61-1 v Hampshire 293 and 313-7dec Worcs need 297 to win
Scarborough: Yorkshire 545-9dec BEAT Sussex 222 and 195 by an innings and 128 runs
DIVISION TWO
Cheltenham: Gloucestershire 209-2 v Middlesex 445
Canterbury: Kent 429-8 v Leicestershire 471
Old Trafford: Glamorgan 261 and 348-7dec BEAT Lancashire 137 and 318 by 154 runs.
Northamptonshire: Northants 550-9dec v Derbyshire 377 and 74-5
So, as tea approaches, five games are still going. Two certain draws at Cheltenham and Canterbury. An afternoon for the bowlers at soggy Wantage Road, where Northants need six quick Derbyshire wickets for the win. Worcestershire need 309 for an unlikely win at New Road, or have a session to survive; while at Trent Bridge, Abell and Banton have steadied the Somerset ship. Their lead 54 – with six wickets up their sleeve.
Essex DRAW with Warwickshire
They’ve called it a day amongst the puddles at Chelmsford.
Chelmsford: Essex 602-6 dec and 96-1 DRAW with Warwickshire 485
Essex 14 points, Warwickshire 12.
Yorkshire BEAT Sussex by an innings and 128 runs
When you turn your head for a minute…two wickets fall in two runs and Yorkshire wrap this up before tea.
Scarborough: Yorkshire 545-9dec BEAT Sussex 222 and 195 by an innings and 128 runs
A vital win for Yorkshire, who – I think – leap both Durham and Essex. Sussex’s mid-table position is less perky than it was.
And a breakthrough at Scarborough! The video shows Adam Lyth have a good scratch at slip before a scampering dive to collect an edge off Carson, the bowler, Bess. The commentators note an irate Carson marching back to the pavilion. Yorkshire need two for victory.
Much like yesterday’s brain fade at Scarborough, Gareth Roderick has a sudden desire to run a quick single, and meets a man with a golden arm. In this case Felix Organ. Worcestershire 33 for one.
Looks quite chilly at Scarborough today, whites whistling in the breeze. Bess strolls in, five men close enough to whisper sweet nothings into Carson’s ear. And 50 for Hudson-Prentice – applause from the crowd, indifference from the seagulls. Sussex 188-7.
I’ve got a bad feeling about this Worcestershire innings.
And they’re still twiddling their thumbs at Wantage Road. Northants just need six more Derbyshire wickets.
