Key events
Roundup: Surrey’s wait goes on
And so the wait to crown the season’s county champions goes on, as the excellence of Hampshire’s Liam Dawson kept a firm lid on Surrey.
To tie down the title yesterday, Surrey needed to make 300 runs, thereby collecting two batting points – in fact they were bowled out for 207, with not a single batting point. Dawson, with five for 44, made the ball spit and fizz, while Mohammad Abbas finished with three.
Surrey’s batting faltered as it did against Northamptonshire at the Oval last week, with only Sai Sudharsan and Jordan Clark making more than 25. Sudharsan moved to his first half-century for Surrey, patient and stylish in just his second match.
It was possible for Surrey to have won if second-placed Essex had fallen in a heap against Northamptonshire, but Tom Westley and Paul Walter ensured that the dream of maximum batting points remained at least a theoretical achievement. But theoretical it looked, after Ben Sanderson removed Alastair Cook, Nick Browne and Dan Lawrence in nine miserly overs.
Six years to the day that they were last promoted, Worcestershire secured second spot and will join Durham in Division One next season. A team that regularly travels between the two divisions, Worcestershire’s golden moment came when Josh Baker dabbed Matt Milnes through the covers for two, to sporting applause from Yorkshire. Joe Denly’s first century of the year kept Kent’s hopes of avoiding relegation alive against Lancashire; Ryan Higgins did the same for Middlesex against Nottinghamshire, knitting the innings together with 107.
The floodlights are shining on the covers here at the Rose Bowl, as a lone figure jogs around the boundary. A rain-ruined day, but certainty at least for Worcestershire – who will ioin Durham in Division One next season. Just the Champions – and the second relegation spot to sort out in Division One. See you tomorrow, for possible clarity. Thanks for all the messages, good night!
Close of play scores
Southampton: Hampshire 219 and 1-0 v Surrey 207
Canterbury: Kent 345-4 v Lancashire 327
County Ground: Northamptonshire 369 v Essex 125-4
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire 92-2 v Middlesex 366
Edgbaston: Warwickshire 112-3 v Somerset 215
DIVISION TWO
Chester-le-Street: Durham 457-8dec v Leicestershire 96-6
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 22-0 v Derbyshire 450-8dec
Hove: Sussex 202 and 256-3 v Gloucestershire 195
Headingley: Yorkshire 24-0 v Worcestershire 398
Just popping back to answer this from Dean Kinsella: “Hey Tanya, could you give me a clue about how things stand between Kent and Middlesex pointswise at the moment? I never was any good at simultaneous quadratic equations or whatever it is you need to work out points allocation. Thankyou from an exiled Kentishman.”
So Kent have two batting points and have 110 overs to push for as many as they can (currently 304-4). They had already collected three bowling points.
Middlesex collected three batting points, and so far no bowling points, but power to add within the 110 overs.
Kent began this round with a one-point lead over Middlesex – and then it might come down to who wins (16 points) and who draws (five). So currently Kent have a three point lead.Does that make sense? (BTL-ers please let me know if this is wrong!)
I’d better write up, with the roller chugging up and down and Surrey’s bowler’s warming up in the middle. The skies are getting darker again. Please do chat on BTL.
Five wickets for Liam Dawson
as Surrey are bowled out for 207, collecting not a single batting point. Dawson leads Hampshire off the field to warm applause, which means that Surrey can only win the Championship today if Essex (currently 108-4) lose the rest of their wickets in the next hour.
Jordan Clark having fun in the sun to bring up the 200 – and four more as he slaps Abbas down the ground to bring up his fifty.
Elsewhere, no play in Division Two, or at Edgbaston. Joe Denly ushering Kent towards a second batting point at Canterbury, Kent 293-4. At Trent Bridge, Notts have restarted at 38-2 against Middlesex.
And now he’s caught him! Two balls later. Surrey 192-9.
And Roach is dropped by Dawson at first slip off Abbas.
Suddenly much lighter here, light enough for Mohammad Abbas to take the new ball, whereupon Surrey started scoring a bit more freely. Perhaps Roach and Clark can reach the blessed 400 tonight.
And while I was writing that, the umpires inspect and play will start again in two minutes at the Ageas.
Ivo Tennant and I are chewing the fat in the press box, with the floodlights on at the Rose Bowl, and a young groundsman sitting on the hover cover, which is plonked on the grass. There is currently no play anywhere except Hove – where Sussex are 181-3, a lead of 188.
Down memory lane we go, to 2003 and Kent v Notts at Maidstone, in July 2003, when Ed Smith got two hundreds in the match and Mohammad Sami picked up 15 wickets. Sami was so impressive in that match – but he never quite made it work for him in international cricket.
Subsequently Smith was picked for England and came up to the press box to do a press conference to talk about it, and after ten minutes of talking about nothing, Kate Laven of the Telegraph said to him in desperation – “Come on Ed, tell us something interesting about yourself.’” Reader, he didn’t!*
*That’s a little unfair as he is an interesting bloke.
And off they wander at the Rose Bowl, and on come the covers. Damp squib alert.
Rain at Northampton
Looks as if this will drag into tomorrow. Rain falls blackly with Essex 95-4. A long way from 400, but while it is is a possibility, nothing can come to a conclusion.
Here at the Rose Bowl, the umpires pull out their light metres and consult but the teams stay on, it look as if Essex have been told that only spin will be allowed. Tom Prest takes the ball. Surrey 176-8.
Rain has stopped the Middlesex charge – and it looks pretty terminal. Notts have lost Hameed, whose form has dipped with the coming of the equinox, and Mullaney, both for four. Notts 38-2.
Play abandoned for the day at Durham
A blessed relief for Leicestershire, stranded at 96-6.
And, curiouser and curiouser, another Surrey wicket, as Overton is bowled going for an agricultural heave. He bangs his bat on the steel steps as he returns. Surrey 160-8, miles away from a batting point, and hitting turbulence.
Back on at the Ageas – and a fourth wicket for Liam Dawson, Cameron Steel lbw, and Surrey’s batting limping along, 159-7.
Tea-time-ish scores
Southampton: Hampshire 219 v Surrey 158-6
Canterbury: Kent 227-3 v Lancashire 327
County Ground: Northamptonshire369 v Essex 95-4
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire 36-2 v Middlesex 366
Edgbaston: Warwickshire 101-2 v Somerset 215
DIVISION TWO
Chester-le-Street: Durham 457-8dec v Leicestershire 96-6
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 0-0 v Derbyshire 450-8dec
Hove: Sussex 202 and 161-21 v Gloucestershire 195
Headingley: Yorkshire 24-0 v Worcestershire 398 play abandoned for the day
Going to stretch. my legs, with Essex still four down and the clouds creeping towards Northampton too. Notts have lost an early wicket; Kent are still three down.
While the umpires wait for the light to lift, we will take tea here at The Ageas.
Play abandoned at Headingley
With Worcestershire promoted, and the clouds pouring in, they call it a day.
Elsewhere in Division One
With the fag-end of Agnes at the Rose Bowl, all eyes to The County Ground, where the newly, and belatedly, potent Northants attack, have Essex 79-4. Westley (24) has lost Critchley for 17, and has Walter for company. Max batting points looks a long way away.
Middlesex have been bowled out for 366 at Trent Bridge, giving them three precious batting points, with Ryan Higgins the penultimate wicket, run-out for 137. Fifties too for Yadav and Eskinazi. Hutton five for 94. Notts 4-0 in reply.
And rain at Edgbaston, where Somerset were bowled out for 215 and now have Warwicks 101-2 – with Rhodes unbeaten on 42.
Zak Crawley is unwell
and will not play for Kent, which is rather bad luck. Mind you, they’re having a pretty buoyant day against Lancashire – 181-3, with Compton a rock-like 62 not out.
The cover starts up and inches sideways to completely cover the pitch. And here comes the rain. You have to say that Durham won the title with more style.
We’re off at the Rose Bowl for bad light, with the hover cover grinding into place and a bank of black cloud coming over from the Solent. Surrey 158-6.
Division Two
Rain at Durham, where Leicestershire, 96-6, are going to end on a whimper – after starting the season with that amazing run chase over Yorkshire. Raine 4-44.
Rain at Headingley, with Yorkshire 24-0, following Worcestershire’s 389. Bess 3-53.
At Sophia Gardens, Derbyshire are pressing on, Wagstaff 51 not out in 385-6. And Sussex having a good day at Hove in the low-scoring tight game against Gloucestershire. An unbeaten 60 for Ali Orr and 45 for Tom Clark, in Sussex’s 115-1, lead by 122.
Apologies, if this has already appeared BTL – I suspect it has – but a curio for the notebook:
Nepal have become the first side to make more than 300 in a men’s T20, as they powered through the record books when beating Mongolia, who were playing in their first international match.
Kushal Malla smashed the fastest T20 international hundred, off just 34 balls, while Dipendra Singh Airee got to fifty off just nine deliveries – another record – as Nepal reached 314 for three.
Mongolia, who became an International Cricket Council associate member two years ago, were then all out for 41. Nepal won by a men’s record margin of 273 runs.
The rain seems to have passed, the spectators have stayed in their seats, the Waitrose bags protecting what was left of lunch. As Dawson wheels on, and Westley and Critchley battle on at Northampton, let’s go round the grounds.
As Surrey struggle towards 150, the rain starts to fall at The Ageas… but they stay on, for now. Surrey may go up by dint of Essex being bowled out for less than 400 – currently 62-3.
Sorry about the delay, I just bumped into an old and dear friend, which I hope we can agree is one of the loveliest things about a day at the cricket. In the mean time, Jacks has been lbw to Fuller – Surrey 136-6.
And I have a fantastic stat for you: half of Middlesex’s batting points have come since midday today.
Lunchtime scores
Southampton: Hampshire 219 v Surrey 114-4
Canterbury: Kent 91-2 v Lancashire 327
County Ground: Northamptonshire369 v Essex 31-2
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire v Middlesex 274-6
Edgbaston: Warwickshire 58-2 v Somerset 215
DIVISION TWO
Chester-le-Street: Durham 457-8dec v Leicestershire 49-4
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan v Derbyshire 331-4
Hove: Sussex 202 and 29-1 v Gloucestershire 195
Headingley: Yorkshire 24-0 v Worcestershire 398
Jacks again, with a disdainful crack, six over midwicket. He glances at the ball flying over the rope – and nods in its direction. Surrey 111-4.
Jacks has had enough of this fannying around. In after the dawdling Foakes -six off 53 balls – was lbw, he pulls Holland for six to bring the Surrey hundred up.
And, as if in perfect union, Sanderson spoils the Essex parade – two in two overs – Browne and SAC. Essex 23-2.
Quick sticks look at Division One: Essex 13-0, SAC 0 not out, Browne three fours.
Surrey, slow and steady wins the Championship, 88-3. Fifty off 145 balls for SUDHARSAN.
Kent 72-1, Muyeye superbly caught by Jennings for a speedy 46.
Higgins nearing another milestone at Trent Bridge, 92 not out – one of the PCA players of the year along with Harry Brook, Liam Dawson and Alex Lees. Middlesex 241-6.
And Warwicks 39-1, Somerset all out 215. Rushworth 5-47.
Alastair Cook accepts the catch to dismiss Northants for 369. And now Essex get to bat. SAC possibly in his penultimate innings. They need to go big – quickly.
Surrey scoring at under two an over. Kent eggs-easy-over at over three. Middlesex have hit a bump with the loss of Eskinazi (for his first fifty of the season – average of 18). But Higgins(88) still there – 225-5 with batting bonus points still a collapse away.
As Surrey stutter, let’s go round the grounds. Essex need another bowling point against Northants, where Keogh fell this morning to Yadav for 172, but relegated Northants showing admirable spirit.
In the bare-knuckle fight against relegation: Zak Crawley is not batting for Kent – still tbc if he will join in time for the second innings – but Compton and Muyeye are holding up well: 24-0 against Lancashire. While at Trent Bridge, Eskinazi (recovered enough to bat) and the ever-handy Higgins are sailing along – 215-4.
A wicket after a period of sleepy calm! Ryan Patel pulls Liam Dawson to Albert for 19 – the end of a sow’s ear of a season for Patel.
A thousand runs and 150 for David Bedingham
A bumper season for Bedingham, who joins Alex Lees with five centuries.
Worcestershire promoted to Division One!
Well done the Pears! Here’s to the yo-yo-ers of CCLive – promoted in 2003, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2014, 2017 and now 2023. Captain D’Oliveira falls, lbw for 103 going for the promotion medal, so the moment falls to Josh Baker – 6 years to the day since Worcestershire were last promoted. A sporting round of applause from the Yorkshire players.
Grey and heavily overcast here, floodlights on, Abbas with the ball. More substitution news – Jamie Smith will come in for Ryan Patel when Hampshire next bat (as long as he has two full days to play).
Jacks for Lawes
In accordance ECB regulation one point something, Surrey are replacing Tom Lawes (5-27) with Will Jacks – which is quite the call. Lawes has 39 wickets at 19.70. For reference, all substitutions are named and agreed on before play.
And it ends as it begins, with a woolly hat spotted on the pitch.
Storm watch
After a dry and perky start, the much-anticipated Storm Agnes is due to arrive from the west after lunch, bringing heavy rain and strong winds, with disruption likely – though I think Hove, Southampton and Canterbury will be ok.
Scores on the doors
Southampton: Hampshire 219 v Surrey 47-2
Canterbury: Kent v Lancashire 327
County Ground: Northamptonshire 279-6 v Essex
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire v Middlesex 162-3
Edgbaston: Warwickshire v Somerset 180-8
DIVISION TWO
Chester-le-Street: Durham 409-5 v Leicestershire
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan v Derbyshire 308-2
Hove: Sussex 202 v Gloucestershire 136-6
Headingley: Yorkshire v Worcestershire 280-5
Tuesday’s round-up
Surrey are in kissing distance of the Championship trophy, after pocketing three bowling points at the Rose Bowl. The excellent Tom Lawes squirrelled through Hampshire with his third five-wicket haul of the season, Ben Brown’s boisterous 78 the only backbone to the innings. Surrey lost Rory Burns and Dom Sibley cheaply, but need just two more points to be sure the pennant flies above The Oval again.
A hoola-hooping century from Rob Keogh gave Northamptonshire fans something to smile about against second-placed Essex; while Somerset recovered from 37 for six against Warwickshire.
In the scrap to escape the drop to Division Two, Kent – who started the day one point above fellow laggers Middlesex – safely collected three bowling points. But their day wasn’t without frustration as Lancashire recovered from 18 for three to 327 all out – with a fourth first-class century of the season for Josh Bohannon and second consecutive fifty for young Matty Hurst. There will be international reinforcement for that fragile Kent batting card with Zak Crawley’s arrival as super sub. Middlesex had to wait until after lunch to get on the pitch against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge but finished respectably, 162 for three.
Durham filled their run sandwich yet again – mayonnaise, chips, extra relish – as they easily passed 400 and collected 50 batting points for the season – a new club record. There was a fifth century for David Bedingham, a third for Graham Clark, leaving a bereft Leicestershire welcoming the bad light.
Luis Reece (139) made Glamorgan suffer again as Worcestershire neared promotion certainty.
Preamble
Good morning from the Rose Bowl where, on the dawn of their likely glory, Surrey are bright eyed and bushy tailed.
Here is yesterday’s successful cog in the relentlessness of their bowling attack: Tom Lawes.
