Around the grounds,just one game has inched into its third innings – at Chesterfield, whereLancashirelook like they really might get their first win of the season.
A blissful 22 degrees here in Manchester.And a north-south divide across the country. The Met office says:Hot, sunny and humid in the southeast today. Cloudier and fresher elsewhere with showery outbreaks of rain. Heavy showers and thunderstorms possible across parts of Scotland and northern England later in the afternoon.
On and on went big bad Dom. Past 200, past his highest previous score, past 250 and, with a sprinted single that left him spreadeagled in the Oval dust, to 300.
Sibley clambered to his feet, raised his bat and soaked up the warm applause for a mammoth effort of concentration: 28 fours, two sixes and 472 balls of toil as the mercury rose. He joins an elite club of triple-centurions forSurreyat the Oval, in Mark Ramprakash, Kevin Pietersen, Bobby Abel, Jack Hobbs and Tom Hayward. At the other end, Dan Lawrence shimmied 174 and Will Jacks 119 as Surrey set their record first-class score, finally puttingDurhamout of their misery at 820 for nine.
Alex Lees, who had won the toss on Sunday morning and chosen to field, then had to pad up. He was unbeaten on 33 at stumps, though lost his opening partner Emilio Gay early, bowled behind his pads. The Durham off-spinner George Drissell found himself in the firing line – his 45 overs cost 247, the most runs conceded by a bowler in the championship.
Elsewhere, first-innings runs flowed in brutal temperatures; in fact the 4,508 runs scored across the first innings of the nine games is the most in a round of matches ever.Kentfinally declared on 566 for eight, bolstered by hundreds for Daniel Bell-Drummond and Harry Finch againstNorthamptonshire.
Jake Libby’s undefeated 228, the second double century of his career, carriedWorcestershireto 679 for seven declared, whereuponHampshiresuddenly collapsed to 68 for three. But that was nothing onLeicestershire’s wobble. After finally dismissingMiddlesexfor 534, they found themselves 103 for eight, with the teenage seamer Naavya Sharma providing the gilt braiding with four wickets in 11 balls.
Yorkshirerattled throughEssexin the morning, their reward batting against Simon Harmer bowling in the dust as a warm wind doused Clifton Park like a hairdryer. The run rate slunk under three an over all day, even with Jonny Bairstow at the crease. Ben Slater’s 116 not out propped upNottinghamshireon an afternoon whenSomerset’s Jack Leach wheeled through 25 overs.
DIVISION ONE
Southampton: Hampshire 68-3 vWorcestershire679-7dec
Taunton: Somerset 379 vNottinghamshire214-3
The Oval: Surrey 820-9 vDurham59-1
Hove: Sussex 278-3 vWarwickshire415
York:Yorkshire143-3 v Essex 368
DIVISION TWO
Chesterfield:Derbyshire261 v Lancashire 367 and 114-1
Sophia Gardens:Glamorgan 228-4 vGloucestershire380
Canterbury: Kent 566-8dec vNorthamptonshire140-1
Grace Road:Leicestershire103-8 v Middlesex 534
Hello!After a day of record-breaking run-making yesterday, relief as the heatwave begins to fade and – perhaps – the pitches start to break up. Play starts at 11am, please join us- the coffee smells good.