Harris dances to double ton as England duo struggle again
Tanya Aldred
Dukes balls seemed to have lost much of their power overnight, with batters finding yesterday far more palatable than day one.
Essex built up an imposing lead against Lancashire at Chelmsford, led by Tom Westley, who played himself into form with 81. Chief irritant, though, was Sam Cook, who came in on Friday night as the nightwatcher, was dropped twice, and made his highest first-class score of 49. Lancashire’s bowlers plugged away, Nathan Lyon wheeling through 24 overs for his two wickets, but Essex closed with a 231-run first innings lead. Lancashire then lost Keaton Jennings, lbw to Jamie Porter, as they crawled along at one an over.
It was a slow-go day at the pastry-flat Rose Bowl, where the ball repeatedly went out of shape, and Warwickshire were finally dismissed for 455, with Liam Dawson collecting his 10th first-class five-wicket haul. In reply Hampshire’s Fletcha Middleton and Nick Gubbins dawdled to half centuries apiece.
It was another dog day for Harry Brook and Joe Root as Yorkshire wobbled at Lord’s. Brook came in immediately after tea and was out first ball to Middlesex’s Ryan Higgins while Root, who had become becalmed in the 20s, was a third salmon in the net for Toby Roland-Jones. He grinned merrily as Root trudged away and a man in the stands in a woolly hat slowly chewed on his frozen crisps. Yorkshire gave themselves something to bowl at thanks to a half century from George Hill and some late biffing by the tail.
Nottinghamshire’s season continued to get stuck in the machinery of the blocks as Somerset ran up 454, a lead of 261, at Taunton. Tom Banton looked in sparkling form with his 83, helped by a useful forty from nightwatcher Josh Davey. But the final blows came from a blockbuster ninth-wicket partnership between Craig Overton and Migael Pretorius (77). Overton was stranded on 95 when the No 11, Shoaib Bashir, took a meaty and ill-advised slog on nought. Overton was so incensed, he charged off the field without acknowledging the crowd. As the sun started to drop, Notts then lost an early wicket.
A bubblegum century from David Bedingham, five sixes and 11 fours, powered Durham towards their first win of Division One. He and Scott Borthwick dealt runs as if they were buttons in a third-wicket partnership of 195 as Worcestershire’s bowlers searched for a breakthrough. By stumps the Durham lead was already 379, with five wickets remaining. Earlier, a half century from Jake Libby and 33 not out from Nathan Smith ensured Worcestershire avoided ignominy. There were three wickets each for Matthew Potts, Ben Raine and Paul Coughlin.
The Australian opening batter Marcus Harris danced to a double century at Derby, celebrating by splatting six down the ground. With power to add from the late middle order, Leicestershire finally declared on 574 for seven. Needing 425 to avoid the follow on, Derbyshire then collapsed in the early evening, losing four quick wickets. And Northamptonshire’s Ricardo Vasconcelos hit his first century for two years, tucking into Glamorgan’s bowlers with a dazzling 166. Earlier Mason Crane had celebrated his maiden first-class fifty to inch Glamorgan to a batting point.
Cheteshwar Pujara (75 not out) and Tom Alsop (84) ensured that Sussex didn’t falter in the face of Gloucestershire’s 417, on a pudding of a pitch at Hove, where both teams found it tricky to up the scoring rate. Gloucestershire’s last two wickets added 109 in the morning, as Ollie Robinson went wicketless from his 21 overs. And it was a long day for Kent who were bowled out for 244, then had to watch Surrey shimmy to 185 for one, Dom Sibley unbeaten, 13 short of his century.
Whatever the opposite of coming out the blocks quickly is, Notts are doing it. Craig Overton (93 not out) and Migael Pretorius (77) slammed 139 in 22 overs for the ninth wicket. Somerset lead by 260, with one wicket left.
Fifty for Rory Burns (Surrey 97-0); David Bedingham taking Durham almost out of sight of Worcestershire, 93 off 77 balls, the lead 270 with eight wickets in hand. And at the Rose Bowl, Gubbins and Middleton have taken Hampshire merrily along to 98-1, Orr the man out, for four.
Turned on the Yorkshire stream, there’s a man eating crisps in a woolly hat behind Toby Roland Jones’ left ear who looks so cold he can barely pull the salty snackresls out of the pack. TRJ in shirt sleeves though, ah, and now he has Root to add to his two wickets. Root goes to pull and top edges behind. Looks throughly cheesed off as he trudges off. Roland Jones can’t stop grinning. Yorks 83-5.
No joy with the new ball for Lancashire, Essex continue on merrily. But, as luck would have it, Will Williams strikes with precision as I bring up the scorecard, blowing away Pepper for 30, after a sixth wicket stand of 33. Westley still there, on 68..
No problems for Burns and Sibley against the Dukes as yet., Surrey 45-0, chugging along at just under four an over. Essex have picked up their second batting point, 302-5, fifty for Tom Westley. Nathan Lyon has 1-53 off 18 overs.
Durham now well on top at Kidderminster at 93-2 in their second innings, a lead over Worcs of 153, but Alex Lees was amusingly furious when he prodded behind for four.
One fifty but no torrent of runs for James Rew yet this season, out today for 12. It makes sense - counties have had a chance to try and work out his weak points. Banton still batting at Taunton, 83 not out, but he’s in danger of running out of partners. Somerset 314-7, a lead of 121.
Was puzzling whether Lancashire just had a complete shocker yesterday, or Snater and Cook were unplayable, or the batting conditions were much more difficult. The quotes from last night were helpful:
This was Snater last night: “The Dukes ball does seem to have a bit more carry and a bit more nip than last week’s [Kookaburra]. There’s a bit more green grass on the wicket than last week. And the Dukes does bring in that factor that it does a bit more than the Kookaburra.
“The wicket is still quite slow, but there is still nip there, not every ball, it’s not like a snakepit or anything like that. As Feroze [Khushi] showed us, there are runs to be scored out there.”
Dale Benkenstein: “what with the weather around and a wicket with grass on it. I think we would have also bowled. Having to come off and on all the time was perfect for their bowlers. But that’s not to take away an attack that is notorious for being ruthless and on their lines and lengths. They didn’t give us anything. They bowled very, very well, but I feel they have had quite a lot in their favour today.
Essex lead by 110, just three down, Westley and Cox well set. Except now Cox is not well set . Esses 263-4
Six and a half hours, 293 balls. Very nicely done. Here he is raising his bat looking quite like Mike from Neighbours. Leicestershire 416-4, as he slams a six down the ground.
Thank you Photograph: John Mallett/ProSports/REX/Shutterstock
Root in already at Lord’s , Lyth and Masood TRJ’d quickly. Kent are all out, six short of a batting point. Three for Steel, three for Lawes, a handy 30 from Joey Evison. Let’s see how the Champs find the Dukes.
I’m not sure what Nancy Doyle the famous Lord’s cook would say, but here is the players’ menu at Lord’s today.
🍽️ | PLAYERS DINING ROOM MENU... As we sit here tucking into our sandwiches and soup, we look longingly across the pitch at the Pavilion, where the players are tucking into a choice of this little lot...🤤#OneMiddlesexpic.twitter.com/OjorKK2cfG
“The best there’s been,” writes Geoff Wignall. “I agree completely about Malcolm Marshall - and I’ve been watching cricket since my 1960s childhood. I don’t suppose any batter on any wicket at any time ever faced a comfortable over from him. But he’d have been 66, not 56 today.” Thanks Geoff and Romeo for pointing that out – total fail by me for ignoring my spidey senses there.
Lancashire are still bowling, but not at Sam Cook any more. Hewas caught by Jennings, presumably in the slips, one short of a maiden first-class fifty. Excellent effort though. Essex, three down, already lead by 64.
Both the other overnight nightwatchers were also out in the fraught forties, George Garrett caught for 48 in Kent’s 226-8 vSurrey (three more for Cameron Steel) and Somerset’s Josh Davey bowled for 45 in Somerset’s 248-7, brightened up by some free hitting from Tom Banton. The lead over Notts now 56.
Yorkshire up and running in their second innings, just noticed that penultimate man out for Middlesex, Josh de Caires hit fifty at No.8 – second highest scorer of the match.
Not much to report in Division Two since lunch, where I went on a goose chase to mend my phone, Leicester opening their sails and billowing onwards, now 337 for – and as I type, Handscomb has gone lbw for 68 – four. Harris though, 163 and on the look out for double ton for the back pocket.
Ah, and Middlesex are all out, for a handy lead of 88. Five for Thompson, four for Coad – let’s see what Root and Brook can do this time around. Northants and Sussex are both one down in the forties.
Essex and Middlesex have taken the lead. Someset are just three behind Notts, with Banton and Davey at the crease. Kent have just lost Joe Denly, while Worcestershire Wobble, 162-9, 82 behind.
This seems a great initiative by the ECB this summer
All first-class venues will feature players using British Sign Language on their big screens this summer
England Deaf team all-rounder Joel Harris tells us why this is a small but valuable step after he helped teach more than 70 players BSL#signlanguageweek#raisingthegame
— England and Wales Cricket Board (@ECB_cricket) March 22, 2024
and while I was looking for it, I stumbled across this. Malcom Marshall, still the greatest fast bowler I think I have ever seen . Would have been 66 on Thursday.
In the party division;Gloucestershire have collected the extra batting point that Warwicks missed out on, thanks to a rollicking 45 not out from Zaman Akhter. GLos 409-9, three wickets for Danny Lamb.
And the second hundred of the round is duly collected by Marcus Harris, with a classy ondrive for four. Leics 233-3, and life a struggle for the Derbyshire bowlers.
Middlesex haven’t had the morning of their dreams, losing five wickets, but they are only six runs behind Yorkshire. Three wickets each for Coad and Thompson.
And Jack Carson takes the final, and his third, wicket at Hove , as Singh Dale is caught and bowled for 15. Gloucestershire 417 all out.
At Taunton, Davey and Lammonby have taken Somerset within 35 runs of Nott’s first innings 193 all out. A similar tale at Cheltenham, where the floodlights have come on but Essex are in sniffing distance of Lancashire’s 146 all out.
And at the Rose Bowl, a third wicket for Liam Dawson, Briggs for 24. Warwicks 391-5 at 110 overs, just failed to pick up a fourth batting point.
Jake Libby has collected fifty at Kidderminster, but the stabilisers are otherwise looking wobbly on the Worcestershire bike. Raine has pocketed both Holder and Waite. Worcs six down and still trail Durham by 120.
In Division Two,Leicestershire have lost Lewis Hill, so near, yet so far, for 47; Harris in sight of his hundred – Leics 190-3. While Middlesex are enjoying the Lord’s conditiions about as much as Yorkshire’s batters did yesterday. Currently 115-5, Higgins and Eskinazi gone cheaply this morning. Du Plooy resolute on 41 not out.
In the first half an hour, just a couple of wickets in Division One – Leaning at Canterbury, and Dickson at Taunton, though for a morale-boosting 72. No sign of greater spotted Somerset collapse as yet, 127-2.
An early wicket at Canterbury, where Kemar Roach removes Jack Leaning for 30; meanwhile Lancashire’s day starts in downbeat fashion when George Bell drops nightwatch Sam Cook.
Though the rain continued to fall around the country, the Dukes ball returned with a sparkle – taking 72 wickets in the day.
Nottinghamshire (193), Durham (244) and Yorkshire (159) were all bowled out by shortly after tea, Lancashire (146) following soon afterwards.
Harry Brook and Joe Root were two of five single-figure Yorkshire scores, both giving catching practice to the slip fielders against Middlesex at Lord’s. At Kidderminster, Durham’s Ollie Robinson did his England credentials no harm at all with a counter-attacking 55 against Worcestershire; while Sean Dickson and Matt Renshaw reduced Somerset’s deficit to 77 against Nottinghamshire.
It was only at Hampshire that batting really flourished, with Alex Davies, hot on the heels of his 256 last week, the sole centurion of the day. Davies was helped by half centuries from Will Rhodes and Rob Yates – Warwickshire one of only two sides to pick up a batting point. The other was Gloucestershire, who skipped along against Sussex, with half centuries for Miles Hammond, Ben Charlesworth and James Bracey.
In the other games, Lancashire lost their first eight wickets for 92 against Essex, courtesy of four quick wickets for Shane Snater and a first wicket for 19-year-old Noah Thain on his Championship debut. Feroze Khushi then hit a rapid 53 in reply. Glamorgan rebuilt from a dreadful start against Northamptonshire, thanks to an unbeaten 69 from Colin Ingram; while Derbyshire’s butterfingers alongside 77 from Marcus Harris helped Leicestershire along.
At Canterbury, Zac Crawley was dismissed for five before Daniel Bell-Drummond continued his excellent start to the season for Kent with 70 against Surrey. There, and at Wantage Road, the players stood for a minute’s silence in memory of Derek Underwood and England, Northants and Surrey cricketer and administrator Raman Subba Row, who died this week aged 92.
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