We’ll have half an eye on proceedings today,but also chewing over the first month of the season. Have you been studying fast bowlers with a Baz ‘n’ Ben eye? Is your heart with one of the Joshes, or Sonny Baker, Gus Atkinson? What about the young spinners, like Jack Carson or Farhan Ahmed? Should Crawley keep his place or do you fancy a change? Perhaps Tom Hain, Ben McKinney or even Rehan Ahmed? Or is it time to bring back a Dom Sibley or HH-shaped barnacle?
Was Fergus O’Neill the pick of the overseas crop?
What about new look Kent? Or on-the-up Leicestershire?
Will Surrey trip up again?
All this and more, but, first, time to put the kettle on.
“A stockily belligerent counterpointto Lawry’s reed-thin caution,” – what a a brilliant line in a nice obituary of an interesting and talented cricketer.
On a London day of high spirits as the marathon threaded its way round the streets,Surreycranked through the gears. They completed a comprehensive eight-wicket victory, their first of the season, just after tea – a game turned upside down whenSomersetsuffered a half-hour of horror.
After restrictingSurreyto a lead of 84, Somerset lost two early wickets. But it was as people were finishing their post-prandial pints that the game was lost, the visitors at one stage losing five for four in 34 balls. Tom Abell shouldered arms, Josh Davey played on, Tom Banton was brilliantly caught, Kasey Aldridge edged onto his stumps, and an airborne Dan Lawrence plucked James Rew out of the spring air.
From 38 for seven, a total of 119 was actually something of an achievement, especially with Sean Dickson unable to bat. Rory Burns’ busy 20 quickly guided Surrey to 36 for victory, though Dom Sibley and Ollie Pope fell along the way. Pope was out for one for the second time in the game as Jordan Clark went home with eight wickets in his wallet.
Nottinghamshiremarched to a nine-wicket win overSussex, buoyed by another four wickets from 17-year old Farhan Ahmed, and fifties from Haseeb Hameed and Ben Duckett – one a Penguin classic, the other an airport thriller. Fergus O’Neill leaves Trent Bridge, after 21 wickets in four games, to be replaced by Mohammad Abbas, who lands just in time for their next match – against his old club Hampshire. It was a second victory of the season for Notts, who sit pretty at the top of Division One.
In Division Two, a zig-zagging game on a Bristol pitch with unusual energy ended with a two-wicket victory forLeicestershirein the evening sunlight.Gloucestershirecouldn’t regain enough ground after their batting suffered an attack of the vapours, at one stage losing five for 16, with four wickets for Ian Holland – the second tier’s leading wicket-taker.
Leicestershire were set 143 and it looked unlikely as Dom Goodman (four for 33) zipped through the top order, but Ben Cox and the tail hauled them over the line. In the only game to reach a fourth day,Middlesexare following on againstDerbyshire, still trailing by 97 runs in their second innings.
DIVISION ONE
Trent Bridge:Nottinghamshire300 and 148-1 BEAT Sussex 169 and 278 BY NINE WICKETS
The Oval:Surrey 367 and 36-2 BEATSomerset283 and 119 BY EIGHT WICKETS
New Road: Durham 136 and 108-4 BEATWorcestershire162 and 81 BY SIX WICKETS
DIVISION TWO
Derby:Derbyshire472 v Middlesex 315 and 60-1
Bristol:Leicestershire 262 and 146-8 BEATGloucestershire252 and 152 BY TWO WICKETS
Hello! It’s a relaxed Mondayat CC Live!, the air gorgeous with hawthorn and cow parsley, and with just one game in town. All eyes to Derby, whereMiddlesexare following on.
We’ll be here all day, draw up a chair and join us between spreadsheets.