Yet Another Cycling Forum
Off Topic => The Pub => The Sporting Life => Topic started by: Wowbagger on 05 April, 2023, 03:14:53 pm
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The season starts tomorrow and Essex will play at Lords, for Middlesex's first match in the "top flight" for 5 years.
I'm thinking I ought to put in an appearance at some matches this year. The prices seem very reasonable: as an over-65, I can get into a County Championship match at Lords for £10 (half the normal Adult price). At Chelmsford, the adult tickets are £14 with no discount for old buggers.
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And… it’s raining.
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And… it’s raining.
Ah. A proper cricket season.
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Whoops! All of the top 4 Middlesex batsmen have been dismissed for 0. I've never seen that before. Middlesex 8 - 4.
Bearing in mind that Lancs were 7 - 6 on the same ground last September, and still won...
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Whoops! All of the top 4 Middlesex batsmen have been dismissed for 0. I've never seen that before. Middlesex 8 - 4.
Bearing in mind that Lancs were 7 - 6 on the same ground last September, and still won...
Dodgy pitch that one. Could do with some levelling up. ;)
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Middlesex recovered pretty respectably in the middle order, but the tail was dismissed cheaply so Essex have a lead of 96 on first innings.
A couple of Glamorgan guys hit hundreds today, so my dad would have been pleased. One of them was called Billy Root. Sounds like someone out of Under Milk Wood.
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His brother hasn't turned out for Yorkshire. are the central contract players sitting this round out?
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I have to confess that I didn't realise that they were brothers until I looked him up in Wikipedia.
Meanwhile, Essex seem to be building a winning lead: 199 ahead with 7 2nd innings wickets in hand. Forecast is good for today and tomorrow, wet in Chelmsford on Monday.
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Middlesex need 308 in 4 sessions. A tall order, but not impossible.
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Looking grim for Middlesex now: 77-5. Their top three batsmen contributed just 7 runs amongst them over both innings.
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Lancs 207. Essex 98-3.
Balanced, I'd say, None of the next three days, weather wise, look great for batting.
The poor old Middlesex top 3, mentioned above, managed 9 amongst them today. That brings their combined haul so far this season to 16 for 9...
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First innings lead of 12 for Essex. Lots of rain about. Gloucestershire/Yorkshire has had first two days abandoned because of a waterlogged outfield.
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Leics v Derbys already abandoned for today due to a wet outfield.
15.7mm rain overnight in Southend, a little less in Chelmsford, I think. Play due to start there at 1.10pm. Early lunch, I guess, but there's a lot more rain forecast for this afternoon. I think they'll be lucky to get an hour's cricket today.
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Very good second innings by Lancs, setting Essex a virtually impossible 339 to win in 2 sessions.
This may well be the last time that those great friends and genuine world class players Alistair Cook and Jimmy Anderson play in the same match, given that their combined ages are not far short of 80 years now.
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And Jimmy has dismissed his pal for a duck, lbw.
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Very good second innings by Lancs, setting Essex a virtually impossible 339 to win in 2 sessions.
This may well be the last time that those great friends and genuine world class players Alistair Cook and Jimmy Anderson play in the same match, given that their combined ages are not far short of 80 years now.
And Jimmy has dismissed his pal for a duck, lbw.
Wrote him a letter to America that he couldn't quite read?
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Essex did quite well only to lose 4 wickets in the second innings. Surrey amassed a monster second innings, 247 / 1, to beat Hampshire. Hampshire's a good side. Ominous.
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Essex did quite well only to lose 4 wickets in the second innings. Surrey amassed a monster second innings, 247 / 1, to beat Hampshire. Hampshire's a good side. Ominous.
Reading the account on Cricinfo, Mr Pope had rather a good day. I think one of the crossovers of the 20-over game is that when a batter gets their eye in, they have so many more opportunities to score than through traditional batting techniques. And some players have surprisingly high averages in shorter forms of the game - Virat Kohli averages 48 in tests, but 57 in ODIs and 52 in T20 internationals, which would suggest that batting more freely doesn't necessarily mean a lot of extra risk.
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CET, might the higher averages be explained by limitations on the bowlers? I'm not sure what they are but I thought there might be some restricting run-up and there are things like "power-plays" to consider, I think?
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I think pitch preparation may be a factor. Test cricket wickets are supposed to offer a balance between bat and ball, whereas a T20 wicket gives maximum entertainment to the crowds when the ball comes nicely on the bat and is there to hit. But given the way that batters sacrifice their wickets in T20, I would have expected lower averages, but some batters seem to buck the trend.
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That’s an impressive feat by Tom Price (Gloucestershire), his maiden first class century, batting at no. 9, and a hat-trick on the same day. The only problem is he will probably never have another day like that, no matter how long he plays.
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My mum used to relate stories of having gone to Lords to watch Denis Compton in his annus mirabilis and describe his flowing attacking style. Fascinating to see his grandson being the last bastion of the old guard of opening bats guarding his wicket like his life (38* of 127 balls in a score of 113/6 on a damp day at the same ground).
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CET, I think one of the other issues is the way that wides and particularly leg side wides are judged in the shorter form of the game. Because there is so little leeway on a legside ball in T20 and 50 over cricket the batter is able to better predict and set up for particular shots. Add in the fielding restrictions with so many fielders required within the circle and therefore fewer on the boundary the short form is more constrained on the fielding captain so when a batter is 'in' they can't just defend the rope and prevent the boundary in the same way.
My final though on the matter is the way in the longer forms a new batter is 'attacked' to get them out as they are most vulnerable early in their innings, so multiple slips etc. whilst in the short form the filed may not change as the new batter scoring more slowly while they get set is a win for the fielding side. So preventing the single to get off strike without necessarily getting them out becomes important.
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My final though on the matter is the way in the longer forms a new batter is 'attacked' to get them out as they are most vulnerable early in their innings, so multiple slips etc. whilst in the short form the filed may not change as the new batter scoring more slowly while they get set is a win for the fielding side. So preventing the single to get off strike without necessarily getting them out becomes important.
I think you have a really good point here - which makes me wonder if there's the potential to reinvent 50-over cricket by bowling to take wickets and set a field with a couple of slips. I dont think it would work in a shorter form.
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Middlesex pick up another win!
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A Big One tomorrow: Essex v Surrey. I think the Clever Money is on Surrey to win the championship this year but Essex are, arguably, the best of the rest (tips hat to Lancs here...). It looks as though tomorrow will be rain-free, but the other three days will be showery. Could be a good toss to win and choose to bat.
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Essex 314, Surrey 1-0 at the close. Good to get some runs on the board. Tomorrow's forecast might make it hard for batting (says he optimistically) as thundery showers are forecast throughout the day. Bowlers having nice rests, batsmen having to "get their eye in" several times...
One can hope!
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Surrey 163/6. Come on Essex - dismiss the tail.
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Essex have a 1t innings lead of 74 - useful. 15 - 0 at the close, so effectively 89 without loss. Let's hope they can knock up the runs tomorrow.
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The forecast today makes it look as though most cricket will be washed out. Bugger.
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24-0. Rain.
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They are playing at Chelmsford. Essex 195 ahead with 6 wickets left. Probably drawn - I can't see any sporting declarations. It would be nice if Essex can knock up another 100 in short order and bowl at Surrey for 3 hours this afternoon. Doubt they will manage that though.
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Hotting up in Chelmsford. Surrey need another 251 to win. 22-1 at present...
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Chris Rushworth has single-handedly thrashed Hampshire. He is 36 years old. With over 600 wickets he is easily Durham's most successful bowler. He has a bowling average considerably better that of James Anderson, of world's darling fame. He currently plays for ... Warwickshire. Funny old game, cricket.
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You Bears!
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I don't know how many more overs there are to go at Chelmsford, but I think Surrey will hang on . Essex need 3 wickets, Surrey need 139 runs.
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One of the less significant matches, I think.
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One of the less significant matches, I think.
Why do you say that?
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I'm just winding you up, P! In the first division I think Warwickshire's result was far more significant, really (for me) because of the impact of Chris Rushworth. I've mentioned it above. Actually all the matches so far may turn out to be significant - as the only ones completed before England became a flood plain ...
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https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/scorecard/ECKO56170
Low-scoring at Edgbaston. No play before lunch and Essex dismissed cheaply. Warks 17-2 in reply. Very tidily, Essex took one wicket with the first ball of the innings and the other with the last ball of the day.
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Warks are building steadily v Essex. If it's as horrible, weatherwise, in Edgbaston as it is in Southend (11°C, leaden skies, damp, windy) it must be a very difficult day for fielding.
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https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/scorecard/ECKO56170
Low-scoring at Edgbaston. No play before lunch and Essex dismissed cheaply. Warks 17-2 in reply. Very tidily, Essex took one wicket with the first ball of the innings and the other with the last ball of the day.
You begin to see first hand the significance of my post about Chris Rushworth? Wonder if the weather will enable a result.
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Hmm. Essex would have been a lot better off without that big last wicket partnership by the Warks pair. 105 behind with 9 wickets left. It's time Cook produced something. For someone with a stellar career behind him, he's been pretty mediocre since retiring from English test cricket.
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It's a difficult one about Cook. At the moment, he seems to be doing as well as anyone else in the team - but the eyes do go, eventually. He has been a terrific player.
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The highlight of Kent's performance against Hampshire so far:
"Tea was taken at 3.30pm by which time the crowd consisted of three men in the Underwood-Knott Stand wearing banana costumes to celebrate a 40th birthday"
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Oh well, Essex need a miracle or a monsoon to save the Warks match. Comprehensively outplayed.
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Warks need 100 to win. Should be all over by tea.
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Oh well, at least Essex made a game of it. As I said earlier, it might have been a different story but for that last wicket partnership by Warks in the 1st innings.
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Astonishing win by Durham, who beat Yorkshire thanks to a 70 run stand for the 9th wicket. Last man in scored the 2 required! Talk about "A hush in The Close"!
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Kent continue their habit of batting far better in the second innings than the first. Which won't get them the batting points they will need to stay up.
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A decent recovery by Essex this afternoon.
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211 for 1.
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Bugger. Cook out for 99.
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Yes, it's a shame - I was really hoping he'd get a century. He's still got the class, though!
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Yes, I was thinking about our conversation the other day about ageing players. Gooch was 37 when he became the first player to score a triple century and a century in the same match. The following year he scored 154 not out at Headingly, carrying his bat to lead England to victory against the formidable W. Indies side.
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And back to reality. Westley goes for 95. Bugger bugger.
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Essex's declaration has at least made a game of it. Still most probably a draw, but a superhuman effort by either side could see a win.
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Vitality Blast starts this evening. In sunshine. Hopefully Kent will find their mojo after an even-more-slow-than-usual start
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Wondering why essex weren't blasting. Tis because what looks like a reduced strength eseex are playing the Irish
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Wondering why essex weren't blasting. Tis because what looks like a reduced strength eseex are playing the Irish
Does that count as a test match? ;)
I recall the season in which Essex played the W. Indies 3 time, beating them twice. The W. Indies were World Champions before those three matches - one of which was unscheduled*, so we Essex supporters naturally regarded Essex as World Champions thereafter.
*Surrey had arranged an experimental floodlit match at Stamford Bridge but found themselves with a fixture clash after having beaten Essex in (IIRC) the Gilette Cup. They sportingly offered the match to Essex and Gooch took the W. Indies attack apart - and it was a very strong W. Indies side.
https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/west-indies-tour-of-england-1980-61870/essex-vs-west-indians-tour-match-665095/full-scorecard refers.
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A good recovery by Ireland - 100 partnership for the 6th wicket. Essex have a promising young batsman named Das. (Limerick time...)
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https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/scorecard/ECKE1000593
Crikey! That looked like a decent declaration by Essex, but ireland knocked off 232 without losing a wicket.
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A "match" in name only, I feel. Were there any first team players in the Essex side?
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A "match" in name only, I feel. Were there any first team players in the Essex side?
I don't know. I find these days it takes a long time for a player's name to become imprinted on my memory. Cook's easy, of course. Westley, I think, is the captain. There's a snater - sounds like a French regular verb...
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Well, of Cook (and the other Cook) and Westley, at least three of those three didn't play!
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Yes, I was thinking about our conversation the other day about ageing players. Gooch was 37 when he became the first player to score a triple century and a century in the same match. The following year he scored 154 not out at Headingly, carrying his bat to lead England to victory against the formidable W. Indies side.
I watched most of that on the TV, having been laid low with glandular fever. Statistically, if you look at the strength of the bowling, the state of the pitch (uneven bounce, movement in the air and off the seam), the importance to the series and the contribution of other players (IIRC Derek Pringle was highest scorer with 28) it turns out to be one of the best test innings of all time, far superior to many weighter innings purely measured by runs.
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Oh good! A new round of Proper Cricket has started today. Essex 100-1 v Somerset. That's the best score by a side batting first. In other games, the bowlers seem to be on top. Kent 66-5 v Surrey, Hants 49-2 v Lancs. Warks looking steady on 63-1.
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I see that Lancs have skittled Hants for 142, in Southport. After Essex being docked points quite a few years* ago because Southchurch park pitch was deemed substandard, and it costing them the title, I always view these occasional grounds with an air of suspicion. I wonder what sort of agreement is in place, if any, to allow the county ground staff to supervise the preparation of the wicket. The proof will be how Lancashire get on when they bat on it.
*1989
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Cook seems to have become bogged down on 94. Essex 258-3.
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I see that Lancs have skittled Hants for 142, in Southport. After Essex being docked points quite a few years* ago because Southchurch park pitch was deemed substandard, and it costing them the title, I always view these occasional grounds with an air of suspicion. I wonder what sort of agreement is in place, if any, to allow the county ground staff to supervise the preparation of the wicket. The proof will be how Lancashire get on when they bat on it.
*1989
Well, they are 52-0 at the moment so it may be a little early to be dragging sour grapes into it! ;) Cook got his 100, by the way.
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Yes, Lancs seem to be going well. Essex 318-3. Cook 116, Critchley 93. It's been a tough day to be a Somerset fielder. Critchley was going at well over a run a ball until he got into the 70s.
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Good work by Lancs there - only 3 runs behind with 9 wickets left. And and excellent recovery by Kent. They were 5 down for 60 odd earlier in the day but recovered to 301 all out and have Surrey 18-2 in reply.
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Yes, perhaps Lancashire were anticipating loss of time owing to a thunderstorm - we certainly had it in North Manchesterford. Three of Lancashire's successful bowlers were Bailey, Balderson and Blatherwick. Really old-fashioned and refreshing, especially since Bailey is actually T E, though no relation I think! Of course, the naming may be parental nominative determinism, even though he hails from Preston.
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I had previously noted the existence of T. E Bailey II. Is Balderson related to the bloke who played cricket for [a county. Warks?] and England, and football for Carlisle? Or do I have the name wrong?
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Only just "no cigar"! That was Chris Balderstone. When I were a lad there was quite a few who doubled, probably slightly more successfully. I think the Compton brothers both played for Arsenal as well as Middlesex (and England) and Stuart Leary for Charlton. I can't remember which county he played for but I think he was a South African. Cigarette cards - those were the days! Botham (who, surprisingly, was born in Chester) played for Scunthorpe on a few occasions but they are not really a football club.
EDIT, Just checked up on Stuart Leary - he was indeed a South African and had a successful career with Kent. His life ended rather sadly, I'm afraid.
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Ted Hemsley played for Sheffield United and Worcester, I think. Since Southport is topical, it might be worth mentioning Geoff Hurst, whose entire first class career was spent there. He was in the same Essex side as Jim Laker. This was about 3 years before GH became better known for something else…*
PS Yes, I checked and found it was Balderstone. Forgot to come back and edit.
*I think he scored three fewer runs in both innings than he did goals in the World Cup final.
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Rain has stopped play in Canterbury. There is thunder forecast for here, and it is quite muggy, but I bet we don’t get any.
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That Hurst story just begs to be turned into a (or several) pub quiz questions! Brilliant.
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There was a quiz question about the only individual to play both World Cup Cricket and World Cup football. It was one I.V.A. Richards. But I haven't taken part in a quiz for a long time. There may have been others since.
Edit: as of 2019 that still seemed to be true.
https://inshorts.com/en/news/2time-cricket-wc-winner-viv-richards-also-played-fifa-world-cup-1551953296892
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Kent have Surrey on the ropes at the moment. When I came here to start this post, they were 40-4. Now 42-5. Come on you Kentishpersons/Persons of Kent!
Edit: now 42-6...
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An eventful first over by Essex's Porter. Two no-balls and a wicket. Somerset 2-1.
Whoops! 2-2. A 2-wicket maiden with 2 no-balls.
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https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/scorecard/ECKE1000173
What joyful reading that Surrey scoresheet makes! 60-7 and extras, on 10, is the second highest scorer.
Somerset 23-3.
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There was a quiz question about the only individual to play both World Cup Cricket and World Cup football. It was one I.V.A. Richards. But I haven't taken part in a quiz for a long time. There may have been others since.
Edit: as of 2019 that still seemed to be true.
https://inshorts.com/en/news/2time-cricket-wc-winner-viv-richards-also-played-fifa-world-cup-1551953296892
Yes, I knew that but it is disputed:-
Some writers contend that Richards also played international football for Antigua and Barbuda, appearing in qualifying matches for the 1974 World Cup.[105][106] However, he does not appear in recorded line-ups for these matches.[107] (wiki)
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Steve Bucknor "was a FIFA referee in a CONCACAF and World Cup qualifier between El Salvador and the Netherlands Antilles in 1988" (wiki) as well as umpiring in 5 cricket world cup finals.
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Power-crazy! Top stuff, J!
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An interesting conclusion t Day 2!
Essex chose not to enforce the follow-on. 310 ahead with 9 wickets left. Cook is still there. Essex will want to knock up quick runs and set Somerset about 500 to win and to defend for 4 to 5 sessions.
Kent 395 ahead of Surrey with 4 wickets left. Surrey should have 5 sessions in which to get a mammoth target, or defend 10 wickets. They are a very good side. I doubt that they can win, but they may well draw.
Hampshire offering much stiffer resistance in the 2nd innings than they did in the 1st. Lancs still in the driving seat though.
Warks look to be steamrollering Notts.
What a wonderful game real cricket is!
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Yes, I've been keeping my eyes on those. Also the Durham match, which has been fascinating. Durham who were 119-4 in answer to Glamorgan's 390-9 then put on 300 for the loss of only one more wicket and are now 20-odd ahead with 5 wickets left. Probably a draw, which befits two teams next to each other in the table*. Labuschagne is away with Australia, otherwise Glamorgan might have got a much bigger innings. I agree, when we get the weather, real cricket is great!
* edit: Not quite sure where I got that from, now!
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Kent have set Surrey over 500 to win and the latter are 7-1. Looking good for Kent.
Essex still batting, although 400 ahead. They don't seem to have sped up much in their scoring. Expecting a declaration soon.
Hants should lose to Lancs - still 18 behind and lost 4 second innings wickets.
Notts have followed on and have all their wickets intact, but still have another 397 to score to make Warks bat again.
All of which should shake the table up a bit and reduce Surrey's lead over second-placed Warks.
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Essex's Allison had a brief but spectacular innings: 11 n.o. off 3 balls, including a 6 and a 4. Somerset chasing 466 to win.
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Essex v Somerset & Kent fo Surrey following almost identical paths. Both the latter teams require 370ish to win with 8 wickets left.
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Essex v Somerset & Kent fo Surrey following almost identical paths. Both the latter teams require 370ish to win with 8 wickets left.
Surrey still 2 wickets down, needing about 300. Somerset have lost 4 wickets, and need about 290.
Lancs have started their second innings badly. 12-2. Come on! Don't balls it up v Hants! Lancs need another 125 to win.
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The way Kent are going they will head into the record books as only the 8th team in first class history to fail to defend 500. There is a possibility that the 98-year old County Championship record of a record winning 4th innings total could fall, as Middlesex chased 502 to beat Notts in 1925.
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It's still a tall order for Surrey. I'd say Kent are still favourites.
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You would be out of pocket betting on Kent this season.
Although Dom Sibley seems to be doing his best to introduce a draw into the possible results column.
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I don't know, I think Surrey could still do it, though I understand your reference to Sibley's Boycott-esque innings! (Pity he couldn't have done that a bit more in an England shirt.) But Burns was caught Leaning - which seems a bit unprofessional ...
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Lancs have beaten Hants by 6 wickets. Well done them - their first win of the season after a whole load of draws. They are currently 5th in the table, but if Essex win, they (if I understand the scoring correctly) will leap from 7th to 3rd.
Somerset's valiant rearguard action looks as though it's coming to an unsuccessful conclusion: only 3 wickets left and 229 still required. Surrey still in with a fighting chance.
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Kent have chased 400 at Canterbury before. It feels like there isn't anything in the wicket and they will have got through the second new ball.
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I don't know, I think Surrey could still do it, though I understand your reference to Sibley's Boycott-esque innings! (Pity he couldn't have done that a bit more in an England shirt.) But Burns was caught Leaning - which seems a bit unprofessional ...
Neither Sibley's nor Foakes' striking rates are anything to write home about. But they've got so much time that there's no point in taking any risks yet.
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Essex win by 196 runs.
At lunch, Surrey need another 166 runs with 7 wickets left. Looking like favourites now. Bugger them.
Essex leap to joint 2nd with Hants - but they won't stay there. Warks are only three points behind them and will almost certainly beat Notts. Even if they draw, I think Warks will be 2nd.
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You Bears!
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Can only hope that when Foakes and Sibley get to their respective hundreds they both suffer a rush of blood to the head and there's a sudden collapse.
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A special mention for Joe Clarke of Notts. He came in when the score was 61-2 and he's still there, on 173. I hope he gets his double century. Notts are 6 wickets down now and still trail, so I think them saving this match is a pretty forlorn hope.
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I think I heard the commentator saying SIbley's century is the slowest ever first-class hundred in England.
I was only half listening so I may have been mistaken. But I wouldn't be surprised if it's true.
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I do have an Ask Steven question for Cricinfo. Has anyone who has scored a hundred scored a lower proportion of the team's runs whilst they were at the crease.
It seems that Kent are fated to be on the receiving end of Surrey records - Surrey scored 9-671 (the highest first class innings without a century) this year.
Come to think of it, there can't be many 4th innings with 3 centuries :facepalm:
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To be fair to Sibley, he's the main reason Kent are going to lose this match. A tremendous performance. Wouldn't be surprised if he's batted for longer than he did in the whole of last season!
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I have a recollection of a very slow century in a test match by Keith Fletcher. A google found it - 458 minutes. It was at the Oval in 1974. That, apparently was the "slowest century on English soil" although the article I found it in doesn't make it clear whether it was the slowest test, or the slowest first class, century. I haven't explored further to find how many balls he faced.
https://www.sportzcraazy.com/7-slowest-centuries-in-test-history-by-minutes-played/
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Kent trying some funky field placings - all fielders on the leg side. But the bowler bowled outside off stump, and Sibley hit the ball through the vacant off-side. The live stream is a static camera
(or rather one at each end) , so all I saw was Sibley helping himself, and the wicketkeeper Cox setting off to fetch the ball. Fortunately for both Cox and the batters the ball reached the boundary. Otherwise they might have run about 7, but after 8+ hours batting SIbley was probably content with 4.
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Joe Clarke has his double century and Warks must bat again! Excellent effort.
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And Foakes is out! Come on Kent - skittle the rest!
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Joe Clarke has his double century and Warks must bat again! Excellent effort.
Clarke has had a striking rate of 64 per 100 balls throughout his innings. Very impressive.
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Tea. Surrey need 49 and have 6 wickets left. It would be great fun if they lose now, but unlikely.
Notts lead by 20 and still have 4 wickets left. They now have a fighting chance of getting a draw that (I think) they richly deserve.
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Surrey lose another wicket. 40 needed, 5 wickets left...
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Kent's season going from bad to worse. But great achievement by Surrey
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Whatever and however misguided one's allegiances may be, what a fantastic few days of cricket.
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Indeed! I think the individual performance of the week must be Joe Clarke's 229 n.o. to defy Warks. Best team effort - definitely Surrey. But 4 cracking first division games.
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Certainly. My team (ancestral) is Durham, currently top in the 2nd division. They scored 630 in their only innings in a game in which 1500 runs were scored over the four days. And Glamorgan made a terrific fight of it and had a good lead when the game ended in a draw. Have to say that results from both divisions worryingly suggest that all Englishmen who can bowl are already in the Test squad, which is a concern in view of age and liability to injury. Some rain is promised for next week but we may already be 1 down by then.
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I wondered if that Durham pitch ought to be reported because it gave too much help to batsmen... ;)
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I suppose it might come down to how competent the bowlers actually are! The three chief Durham quicks are on England duty, though I think only Stokes will actually play.
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I've not really followed this "Vitality Blast" bollocks, but a chance glance showed that Essex scored a quite ludicrous 237-6 of 20 overs. Middlesex are 116-2 off 12.3 overs, rain stopped play. Presumably they use Duckworth-Lewis in the event of the match being unfinished. I think the rain is set in for the day.
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It is tanking down here in Manchesterford where Lancashire are playing Durham. If Duckworth ludicrous gives it to Durham (which is unlikely) it will serve Lancashire right for Nominative Determinism in calling themselves Lancashire Lightning! Talk about tempt fate, in of all places Manchester!
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It seems that Lancs and Essex have both won by the DLS* method. I thought that was a type of contraception until I discovered...
Duckworth-Lewis-Stern. Lewis I assume to be A. L. Lewis, the Welsh captain of England. I don't know who the other two are, although I have heard of Duckworth in this context. No idea what the Stern bit is.
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The Tony Lewis who co-inverted the DL(S) method was a not-cricketing Tony Lewis, and Duckworth is Frank of that ilk, not Keith. Johnny-come-lately Professor Steven Stern took over after Duckworth and Lewis retired. They’re all statisticians, apart from Lewis because he's dead.
It should not be confused with the Scaryduckworth-Lewis Method, which is NSFW.
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I was watching a live stream from Essex's match v Somerset in the 20 over format. Somerset's S. African bowler, van der Merwe, stopped a firm straight drive off his own bowling, in the process dislocating his index finger and, apparently, dislodging the nail of the middle finger, of his bowling hand. He came back to bowl his last three balls. 'Ard as nails.
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A new round of County Championship matches starts today.
Essex doing pretty well (https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/scorecard/ECKE1000177) v 2nd-placed Warks.
Hampshire I reckon have the edge over Middlesex.
Kent doing well v Northants.
Somerset having a bad day v Notts. Interesting, as Somerset are doing exceptionally well in the 20-overs rubbish-cricket, but apparently they have different squads of players for each version of the game.
I'd like to see Lancs beat Surrey, but the latter performed a miracle to beat Kent the other week. Very good side.
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Essex are 457-8, a good total. I notice that one of the officials is Peter Such, who played for Essex in the 1990s.
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They seem to be reasonably relaxed about former county allegiances when it comes to umpires and officials - perhaps that is a positive sign of esteem.
Meanwhile, since I have complained about Kent's season, they seemed to have turned it around, which IIRC they did last year - maybe they would want a campaign to start the season mid-June in future. It is also possible that they are less hampered by international call-ups than some sides. Tawanda Muyeye looks like a good prospect, although high hopes were once held about Daniel Bell-Drummond, his fellow centurion in today's game.
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I think Essex should be second in the table by the end of today, 1 point ahead of Hants - assuming I've calculated correctly. I think Essex get one more batting point from their current match. Both they and Hampshire should win today, leaving an entire day free. I don't think Lancs have done enough to beat Surrey - unless the latter collapse spectacularly in the last innings.
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That Warks tail has wagged very well. But Warks are all out and Essex need to score 83 to win.
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Surrey need 208. Essex 28-0, so need another 55. Hampshire will win before Essex, I think. They need 2 wickets. Middlesex still 79 behind.
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Essex lose a wicket. 22 needed with 9 in hand.
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Hampshire win by an innings & 61 runs. Essex
need 9 more runs win by 9 wickets.
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Surrey have scored 3 runs in 7 overs...
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And I look away for a few minutes, and suddenly Surrey lose 3 wickets! 18 - 3! T. E. Bailey (no relation) has taken all 3. Sibley, hard on the heels of scoring the slowest century in the history of the county championship, has now scored the slowest 1 in the history of the county championship (OK, probably not, but a scoring rate of 3.85 runs per 100 balls). 26 balls.
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An excellent innings of 300 n.o. by Daniel Bell-Drummond, for Kent. They ought to wrap up their win over Northants tomorrow.
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Surrey 57-5, needing another 151 to win. Lancs have down well, but it's not in the bag by any means. Surrey are a very good side.
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The Bears are having a very topsy-turvy season, but have been well and truly thrashed by Essex today.
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An excellent innings of 300 n.o. by Daniel Bell-Drummond, for Kent. They ought to wrap up their win over Northants tomorrow.
A just-in-time milestone as he achieved it with a single and the no 11 was out next ball. Astonishingly it is not the highest score made by a Kent batter whilst carrying their bat - Bill Ashdown managed 305* out of 560 against Derbyshire in 1935.
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And well done Lancs, wrapping up Surrey's first defeat of the season. 84 all out. :thumbsup:
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If the weather holds, Durham look like crushing Leicestershire. Most recent wicket has a symmetry to it:
Parkinson lbw Parkinson
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If the weather holds, Durham look like crushing Leicestershire. Most recent wicket has a symmetry to it:
Parkinson lbw Parkinson
Well, it isn't catching...
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And the centurion who is holding Durham off is, wait for it .... Australian!
Edit: And it looks as if Leicestershire will hold out. Terrific stuff!
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Weather seems to have come to Leicestershire's rescue.
Glam need 1 wicket for a win... last wicket partnership worth 30 so far.
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... and Shipley survived 73 balls to ensure Sussex got the draw. The bastard. Both counties have now P8 W 1 L 0 D7.
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Good effort from Joe Denly over the last two days. Can't be many 37 year old part time spinners who have notched up 49 overs in an innings.
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Think back, CET! 37 is young. He is a professional. It's 2-3 hours bowling spread over 2 days. He bloody well SHOULD be able to do it, it's only a few steps a ball for a slow bowler. It's not as if he's in the Test team, where you don't get picked UNLESS you are likely to break down!
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37 was when I last played cricket regularly. I rode from Basingstoke to Lincoln for charity at that age, at the time my longest ever cycle ride. It now comes in at no 74 on that list. I guess you have a point.
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Happy to be of service CET! :D
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Ah, but was it a silly point? ;)
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With my height it is more likely to have been a long leg.
I used to keep wicket, one of the reasons I stopped playing was that the team captain wanted to keep wicket and I was sent into the covers as 'I was the fastest runner in the team'. The cricket season lasted 16 weeks - so by the time you had taken out bad weather and family holiday that left 10 - 12 games, of which I might get a decent go in 4. So I gave up and committed to cycling instead. It didn't get cancelled for bad weather and you could enjoy it year round.
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And on a bike there's always the chance of a slip into a gulley - and even more of rushing to cover. So the connection to your past is maintained!
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And if it all gets too much and you are stumped, you can always bail…
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And if it all gets too much and you are stumped, you can always bail…
I was Yorked on an Arrow, and a couple of Darts as well.
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How was that? Sounds appealing.
When I did it I was the last man in, having been dropped, as I'd only done a century before. I came in to York after lunch, following on, in bad light, collapsing into my full-length first-class Travelodge bed (with a crease in the covers). I hadn't been sure if I could take my bike into the room but I'd pushed it down the corridor of uncertainty nevertheless.
The next day I had a lovely drive home
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The first arrow attempt was snowed off in Lincoln. The first Dinner Dart encountered black ice and three offs on the Lincolnshire Wolds after which I walked for about 5km until I got to the end of the frozen road, and the second Dinner Dart was cut short at the appropriately named Angel Hotel in Market Harborough, and then restarted the next day, to avoid a repeat of the previous one.
The second Arrow attempt was at an Easter in Mid-April and powered by (a) an excellent group of companions and (b) a beatific tailwind from Basingstoke to March which meant that we were ahead of time all the way. The only hardship was the schlep down to Howden after a couple of pints of Mild and a large breakfast to catch my ultra-budget Hull Train back to London, which IIRC was £12.
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Lancs v Essex today. Essex 12-1. It's raining.
The game is being played at Stanley Park, Blackpool. I once played football there.
I didn't normally represent the college at football - I think I might have got into the second team once, but I was really crap - but this was the First Team.
How did I end up in the first team? Well, ours was a teachers' training college and every term, in the middle, we had a long weekend in which "lectures were cancelled" on the Friday and the Monday. I think they couldn't call it a half-term break as then it would be an official holiday and people would be able to claim travelling expenses from their local authorities. As it was, most students went home for the weekend anyway, but then most students didn't live as far away as I did (Blackpool to Essex).
And of course some silly sod had agreed a football fixture on the weekend when there were no students about.
At about 10am, there was a thunderous knock at our door - I shared a room with My Mate Terry Who (now) Art in Sibton. The cause of this thunderous knocking was one Mike Turner (we had two Mike Turners at our college, in case we lost one) and Mike was recruiting players for a match that started in less than an hour. Terry and I were both required. We were bundled into a minibus and off we went to Stanley Park.
The opposition was a team yclept "Stanley Conservatives" so I hated them already. They were vying for promotion from whatever division of the Blackpool and Fylde League that we were languishing in whereas Poulton-le-Fylde College was right at the bottom of the league. We had a handful of first team players, including, critically, the first team goalkeeper, who was Quite Good. I played at right back. I had quite a lot to do, as our opponents were on the attack for almost the entire game. I just hoofed the ball away whenever it came near me.
As I mentioned, Stanley Conservatives played all the football. They asked all the questions, Brian. But we had all the answers and, despite spending approximately 88 minutes in our half, they failed to score. Our 'keeper pulled off a few blindingly good saves.
So, if Stanley Conservatives spent 88 minutes in our half, what of the other two? Well, My Mate Terry Who Art (now) in Sibton, and was also Quite Good, spent the entirety of that time hanging around in the centre circle. And twice, the ball somehow found itself at his feet, he ran down the pitch and with only their goalkeeper to beat, scored twice. So we beat Stanley Conservatives 2 - 0. I have a 100% record in playing first team football.
I can't recall the names of all the players in the team - I'm not sure I actually knew them. I think the goalkeeper was called Nigel, but apart from Mike Turner, Terry and myself, I know there was a guy called Dave Jolly, who was one of those annoying people who is pretty good at any sport he cares to turn his hand to, and was also a bit of a wag. When we traipsed off the pitch, drunk with success, Dave turned to me and for the benefit of all concerned, especially mine, coined the phrase "turned on an airport".
And now, back to Aggers in the commentary box.
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Excellent tale, Wow!
Meanwhile - Gloucestershire are doing well against South Africa 2nds, in Div 2. I almost forgive them, for being mentioned in "Adlestrop".
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I bunged my match report, above, on the Poulton College FB page, and to my delight received this response from a friend of mine - whom I haven't seen for almost 50 years:
Bizarrely after all this time I remember this quite well. Fortunately Mike had his 11 players before he got round to me (I was also a 2nd XI irregular - we used to be called 'spares' at school!!). I used to like Mike and actually house shared with him one summer despite his habit of kicking me in the groin whenever he was drunk - such larks!
The goalkeeper in question was Nigel Rhodes who had left college by then and was teaching in Blackpool, I think at Hawes Lane primary. As far as I am aware Nigel is still in Poulton. He married a nice local girl called Virginia and will be long retired.
I recall Terry Mac telling me that the Conservatives were absolutely devastated at the final whistle. What a shame.
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;D and ;D
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A decent recovery by Essex, adding 155 for the 5th wicket, which has just fallen. 210-5.
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And Essex collapse ignominiously from 275-5 to 282 all out. T. E. Bailey takes 6 wickets, which is a bit of an insult. ;)
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At least Essex are doing better than Kent.
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A healthy first innings lead for Essex, but 0-1 in the second innings, Browne bagging a pair.
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Cook bags a duck as well! Essex 0-2 at one stage, now 26-2.
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Essex recovering nicely froma wobbly start. 240 ahead with 7 wickets left.
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Essex 173-6. 310 ahead, Dan Lawrence on 85no. I suspect a declaration in the morning.
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At least Essex are doing better than Kent.
Yes, they had a bit of a pasting at the hands of Warks, didn't they?
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Hard to see how Mark Wood and Ben Stokes can work their way back into the current Durham side!
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Dan Lawrence was out off the last ball of the day for 135. Essex 429 ahead. Surely will declare overnight.
Or is it still up to the batting side to decide which roller to use in the morning? If the wicket is breaking up, they might choose the heavy roller and then face 1 ball before declaring.
Assuming the laws still allow for that sort of shenanigans.
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Outstanding performance for James Rew (Somerset), 19-y-o wicketkeeper batting at no 5. He scored 221 of 310 balls yesterday. Very impressive. Hampshire are in trouble.
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And indeed Essex have declared. Lancs need 430 to win.
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Surrey v Notts is interesting. Surrey lead by 160 with 5 wickets left. They will want to set Notts somewhere near 300 before they declare - unless Notts can get the wickets first. Batsmen 6 & 7 at the crease, so the tail beckons.
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Well, the first hour belongs to Lancs. Defending well - 58-0.
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And Essex take a wicket on the hour! Lancs captain Jennings - he's a good player to get out.
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After a very good morning for Lancs, Essex take two quick wickets after lunch. Essex still favourites, I'd say.
Surrey lead Notts by 265 with 1 wicket left. Can't see Notts getting that total in less than 2 sessions. All down to whether Surrey can take the wickets.
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Crikey, that was a hum-dinger at Stanley Park - probably the most exciting match played there since my football match. Essex win with just 10 balls left. Lancs played very well to get within 50 runs of a very challenging total. Bad luck them. Brilliant match.
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That was Lancs' first loss of the season.
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A weird finish at Merchant Taylors' School: Middlesex v Northants - match drawn, with the scores level. Middlesex had 4 wickets left and seemed to have plenty of time to score the runs.
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Lancs have a fairly tough bunch of fixtures: Surrey, Essex & Warks in quick succession. The next round of matches, starting 19th May, is as follows:
Essex v Kent (Chelmsford)
Middlesex v Surrey (Lords)
Northants v Somerset (Northampton)
Notts v Hants (Trent Bridge)
Warks v Lancs (Edgbaston).
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I know nothing of the "Vitality Blast" other than that it's held over 20 overs, but Essex find themselves in the final, waiting to see whether they will play Somerset or Surrey.
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It will be Somerset, who beat Essex fairly easily earlier in the season.
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Kent are struggling against Essex which is not a surprise. I did a check to see if Alastair Cook had scored more first class runs than the entire Kent team, but the presence of Joe Denly (13,000+) spoiled that statistic. However, I'd guess that there must have been a few matches in the last few years where Cooky's first class aggregate exceeded the entire opposition's.
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Somerset's Jamie Rew was out for 22 today. It appears that he needs another 26 runs to become the first player to 1000 runs this season.
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Kent are struggling against Essex which is not a surprise. I did a check to see if Alastair Cook had scored more first class runs than the entire Kent team, but the presence of Joe Denly (13,000+) spoiled that statistic. However, I'd guess that there must have been a few matches in the last few years where Cooky's first class aggregate exceeded the entire opposition's.
Yes, poor old Kent are being put to the sword rather. Essex have a first innings lead of 250 and rising, with Harmer within striking distance of a century.
And, before I can finish the post, Essex have declared with a first innings lead of 251, leaving Harmer on 86 not out. That will leave Kent with some rather difficult overs to face before the close.
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Kent's openers seemed determined to block the bowlers for the rest of the session, but poor old Muyeye is out for a duck of the final ball of the 5th over. Neither batsman has scored a run off the bat. 4-1, the only runs being 4 leg byes some while ago.
Edit: and that was the last ball of the day. Muyeye must be rather pissed off with himself.
Meanwhile, Surrey definitely have the advantage over Middlesex, but the latter have staged something of a recovery with a >100 run partnership for the 5th wicket.
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Kent's morning v Essex: 90-1.
Middlesex followed on v Surrey. Bah!
Somerset win - well done them! Rew didn't bat in the 2nd innings, so still needs 26 runs to reach 1000.
Hants doing well v Notts, Lancs well placed v Warks...
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It is odd following Kent, it is like a race for the Lanterne Rouge in cycling, with Middlesex and Northants having equally dismal form. Northants have already been demolished by Somerset and Kent and Middlesex are in mirror-image rearguard actions with the coaching staff presumably doing rain dances in the hope of the extra points for a draw.
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The Met Office recons rain from 4pm tomorrow in Chelmsford. That ought to give Essex ample time to wrap the match up.
At the close, Kent were 14 runs ahead with 3 wickets left.
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The forecast has changed. Rain now expected at both Lords and Chelmsford from about noon. Essex will need to take 3 quick wickets and knock off the Kent lead. Surrey need to take the last Middlesex wicket and then score more than 70 to win. Touch and go for both matches.
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Maybe those rain dances are having an impact. Sadly for Kent, if weather comes from the west then they will have an hour longer to survive.
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Yes, I've always thought that, since Essex is the driest first class county, they probably get more hours' cricket every season than any other county.
Kent 280 all out. Essex need 30 to win. Surrey need another 43. I can't see the batsmen appealing against the light.
Those are the only two matches with any play.
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Essex have dispensed with their normal openers and have sent Lawrence & Rossington out. 15 - 0 after the first over.
Edit: 15-1. Lawrence out.
Edit again: 23-2. Rossington out. 7 needed.
Another edit: Essex 3 wickets down. Critchley out first ball. Surrey need another 20.
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Essex win by 7 wickets. Surrey need 9. And they get them.
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It seems that there is a gulf between the top teams and the bottom 3 in the Championship this summer. It might make the difference as a rained-off game against a minnow coukd lose vital points
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H707fnaTqCA&ab_channel=EssexCricketTV
An interview with Tom Westley, the Essex captain. That scruffy cap must have some sentimental/superstitious value!
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https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/scorecard/ECKE1000190
I hadn't spotted that another round of championship matches has started, and Hants v Essex is almost over. Hampshire have lost 14 wickets amassing only 169 runs, Essex were all out for 169. If someone gets points docked for a duff pitch, it won't be Essex. No batting points for either side there.
Surrey seem to be in the process of hammering Somerset. Other matches are progressing sedately.
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Rain forced an early finish at Southampton. Hants 122-6, a lead of 73. It's only day 2, so there should be a finish, but Essex will want to take those four wickets pdq if they don't want a challenging total on a tricky pitch.
Surrey have a first inning lead of 198 so they aren't going to lose that. I hadn't spotted that Middlesex had skittled Warks for 60 in the first innings. Warks are batting properly in their second.
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Noticed that Sir Cook took nearly an hour to amass 4 runs. Bazball it ain't!
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He was out for 4 in the second innings as well.
Barring serious mishaps, both Essex and Surrey will win inside 3 days. Essex need 29 with 7 wickets remaining, Somerset are 170 behind with 6 wickets left, and will lose by an innings.
Middlesex should beat Warks with some comfort, also within 3 days. A good result for them.
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Well, Essex won and the BBC's website has placed them at the top of the table, but that will all change after Surrey finishes. At the moment, the Somerset pair are hanging on personfully.
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Well, Somerset have forced Surrey to bat again. Can they dismiss them for 27 or fewer?
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Kent are struggling with injuries, international call ups (Grant Stewart to Italy), and the self-imposed exile of their captain due to loss of form. Not only did they raid their own second eleven they have had to borrow from Hampshire and Sussex too. Unless there is a change of fortune, second division cricket beckons. Wonder if Stevo at age 47 would have made a differenve?
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Yes, they've had a very difficult season.
In Div 2, Derbyshire are building a very impressive opening partnership: 311-0 after 100 overs. not a particularly scintillating run rate, but I don't think they were ever in the hunt for a win when Glam knocked up over 500 in their first innings.
Do teams ever get docked points when a wicket is too helpful to the batsmen?
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The Derbyshire openers have now added more than 500 together across the two innings. I doubt that has happened very often as I would suspect that on the 15 occasions a team has benefited from a 500+ partnership, there hasn't been the need for a second innings.
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Yes, I was just checking the county record for the first wicket, and they broke that when they reached 334. The match has been drawn on Reece reaching his double century.
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On checking the fixture list, there are no more first class matches to be played until September. This is bloody stupid: there are four more rounds, starting for most counties on 3rd, 10th, 19th and 26th of the month. It turns it into a lottery.
What is the point in having two divisions of 10 teams when they don't all play each other twice? 15 matches. I'm pretty sure that when I was small, every county played each other twice, in a 17-team championship, each match lasting 3 days.
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I'm pretty sure that when I was small, every county played each other twice, in a 17-team championship, each match lasting 3 days.
Not far off:
From 1929 to 1968 inclusive, each county played 28 CC matches
Before 1929, the number of matches played by each county varied, with standings calculated on a percentage basis
1969 to 1987, each county played 24 matches
1988 saw the introduction of a mix of 3- and 4-day matches, with 22 matches each
From 1993 to 1999, each county played 17 4-day matches ( Durham having joined in 1992)
2000 saw the split into two divisons, with counties playing one another twice, total 16 matches
This continued until 2016; from 2017 to 2019, 14 matches was the rule
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Do you know how it is decided who plays whom twice? If it's pre-ordained at the start of the season, based on the previous year's table, or even randomly, that could be very unfair, if one of the top counties ended up with a series of second round games against the weaker ones.
It crossed my mind that it would be possible to ensure that in the first 8 matches, it should be a straightforward all-play-all. Then, for the second time round, have a reduced number of games decided by Swiss pairing, in the manner that weekend chess tournaments are paired. The difficulty, of course, is that there is an odd number of teams in each division.
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Do you know how it is decided who plays whom twice?
Had a bit of search but didn’t come up with anything. It’s one of those searches where it’s hard to come up with keywords that lead to the things one needs. Also, can’t think that ECB would want such a procedure - if it is not purely random - to be public knowledge. There will be plenty of informed speculation, I think, but it would need a lot of browsing of cricket forums / opinion pieces to find out.
Swiss pairing: thank you for this idea (I think you have mentioned before in another context). I will try to get my head around it…
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I think it was first used in a Zurich chess tournament, hence the name.
Chess-wise, these are the basic principles.
1. No two players may meet twice.
2. As far as is possible, players should play others on the same score as themselves.
3. White/black should be, as far as possible, equalised and alternated.
Usually, it's a seeded Swiss, so you already have an idea of the relative strengths of all the players via their Elo rating. If you had 16 players, round 1 would be
1 v 9
10 v 2
3 v 11
12 v 4
5 v 13
14 v 6
7 v 15
16 v 8
in which the first named player had white. Assuming all the top half players won, round 2 would be paired
6 v 1
2 v 5
8 v 3
4 v 7
(all of whom won rd 1)
9 v 14
13 v 10
15 v 12
11 v 16
etc.
Those pairings have preserved the correct colour sequence for each player.
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Ask Steven in Cricinfo had a contributor who pointed out some remarkably similar bowling analysis for Warwickshire v Middlesex in the last round of county championship matches - you will need to scroll to the Middlesex first innings
https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/county-championship-division-one-2023-1347099/warwickshire-vs-middlesex-1347255/full-scorecard (https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/county-championship-division-one-2023-1347099/warwickshire-vs-middlesex-1347255/full-scorecard)
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Yes, most unusual!
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I'm don't know the reason, but Essex started their county game v Middlesex today, whereas all the other division 1 games started yesterday. Essex are 68 - 0 at present. Surrey have scored well and were bowled out for 396 by Warks. Surrey are still odds-on to win the title, I think, and Essex are probably the only team that can stop them, 17 points behind. Hampshire are third, 31 points behind Essex.
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Essex 117-0 at lunch. Both openers on 55. Warks 38-3, also at lunch, so Surrey seem to be heading for another win.
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All predictable. Warks 75-5. Essex 162-4, with two new batsmen at the crease.
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I'm rather hoping Essex will win, as if they don't, it will be hard for Kent to overhaul Middlesex and reach safety. (Apologies to any Middlesex fans but it is that time of year where fates are determined by matches elsewhere as well as your own)
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Bloody hell! Surrey seem likely to win inside 2 days. Warks currently 196-14, having followed on. Still 200 behind. Essex have slumped rather after their promising start - 277-8.
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Who the hell is Josh de Caires anyway?
[googles]
Son of Michael Atherton. Great-grandson of Frank de Caires (W. Indies). 21 years old. Mainly a batsman, he's taken 7 Essex wickets with his off-breaks.
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de Caires 39.2 8 106 8 2.69
Pretty impressive.
Porter 12.5 1 34 6 2.65
Also impressive.
de Caires is a spinner, Porter a medium-pacer.
Surrey wrapped their game up before lunch. Essex should win comfortably enough with 2 days left, but they will have taken fewer bonus points that Surrey. I think Essex need to win the last two games and hope Surrey don't win theirs. Tall order.
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Essex have set Middlesex 445 to win.
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By a quirk of the fixture list both Essex and Surrey have Northants (probably relegated) and Hampshire (safely mid-table) as their remaining fixtures
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Hants were the Graun's pick for champions at the start of the season. They tarted quite well, I think, but have fallen away badly. Hopefully they can play a great game against Surrey.
Middlesex are 36-2. Stoneman, the opening bat, is making a bit for the Nominative Determinism thread, having made 2 runs from 26 deliveries.
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42-3 now. The gulf between the top teams and bottom in Div 1 is large this year. Perhaps its reflected in 38 decisive matches in Div 1 compared with 18 in Div 2 (albeit with 20% less games) - where Sussex and Glamorgan have only had their first defeats this week. The bowling talents available to Surrey and Essex and to a lesser extent Hampshire and Warwickshire dwarf those teams at the bottom of the table.
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I haven't followed cricket assiduously enough to know which counties the English test players come from. I don't know of any from Essex since Cook retired. Yet Essex have been one of the leading counties in the first class game for a good long time now.
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I haven't followed cricket assiduously enough to know which counties the English test players come from. I don't know of any from Essex since Cook retired. Yet Essex have been one of the leading counties in the first class game for a good long time now.
With the advent of central contracts and the current county timetable, the presence of test players in a county team is becoming increasingly rare. Zak Crawley usually gets to play a couple of games for Kent.
A related issue is the one-day cup which runs in parallel with the Hundred. Surrey contributed 14 players to the Hundred so, with injuries, were playing almost a 3rd team, whereas Leicestershire contributed 2 to the Hundred and had a storming run. It's becoming a bit like cycling, where teams might target sprint states, the GC, or breakaways - you can't be competitive in all the trophies in the same year.
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Certainly, earlier in the season, 2nd Division Durham provided the highest number of test players, I think. It's gratifying that Durham have done fine without them, thanks very much, and look set for promotion. Whereas Yorkshire, who have also provided a similar number, look set to finish bottom of the whole heap, which is very satisfying, though I think that may be partly due to Southend football type points docking in Yorkshire's case for being shits.
I do apologise for swelling the tedious mentions of Southend on this forum but I'll exacerbate that by pointing out to Wow that, on my PC at least, both Southend and Rochdale invoke spellchecker. Which, since in football terms they have both practically ceased to exist, may be understandable.
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You should clearly be using the spell-check-approved "Saarfend" spelling.
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;D
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Middlesex have two wickets left. Play seems to be continuing rather later than on previous days. I don't know if this means that the Essex skipper has requested the extra 8 overs in order to wrap the match up tonight.
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Essex win by 297 runs.
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I looked at the Kent scorecard today expecting to see (a) rain or (b) another first innings collapse, and then had to hold on to my chair. 290/3. I had a look at the details. One Z Crawley 158 off 153 balls.
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Seems like Kent have recruited wisely for the end-of-season push - with spinners borrowed from Essex and India to get Notts 199-7
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I'm a bit sorry that Lancs haven't done better this season. They have only lost the one match - to Essex - and they are the only team to have beaten Surrey, but they are some way down the table. I don't know whether they have suffered with the weather more than most. After a good start, they seem to have lost their way rather in the current match.
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Kent ought to win tomorrow. Lancs have been held up by rain again today I think, but clearly are doing a lot better than Middlesex in that match. Only 14 wickets have fallen in 3 days, so I think a Lancs declaration will be the most likely way for them to win. At least the Met Office think it will be dry at Old Trafford tomorrow.
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A few moments ago, both the Lancashire batsmen had a striking rate of 67.57 per 100 deliveries. One was on 120 from 175 balls, the other on 48 from 70 balls. Both have scored runs since, but I don't know when the next time might be when it is possible for them both to have the same SR.
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Warwickshire have declared behind to set up a finish, which offers Notts a get out of jail card, albeit a remote one. Lancashire have the opportunity of forcing a win against Middlesex. Canterbury is damp after overnight rain. It's all very fluid at the bottom end.
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Northants are taking their get of jail card, and looking like passing Go! and collecting £200 or full points for a win. Notts tail is wagging with enough strength to send the rest of the dog into orbit. Middlesex's future is in the balance. Can Leicester pull off a Great Escape??
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Kent need 168 off 32 overs. Tense.
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Bad luck Kent & Lancs. Although I think Kent were closer to losing than they were to winning at the end.
By an odd quirk of fate, the title will be decided by Hampshire and Northants, who will play Essex & Surrey in the last two fixtures. Unless the weather intervenes, of course.
I think it's most unlikely that Essex will overhaul Surrey. Damned shame that they ran out of time when they played them - Surrey clung on for a draw.
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Kent players must be sitting in the dressing room in Taunton wondering if the rain or Middlesex wickets are falling more heavily.
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Middlesex all out 121. Kent put Somerset in, who are 164-1. This looks like a race for the Lanterne Rouge rather than an attempt to escape relegation
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Surrey seemed to lose time to rain at the Oval but Chelmsford has remained dry. Essex doing ok v Hants - 266-5.
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Middlesex have bowled Warwickshire out - so I presume will get a full set of bowling bonus points. Somerset appear to be hitting out for a declaration, which will leave Kent further behind. Where is Stevo when you need him?
Meanwhile, at the business end, Mr Harmer appears to be keeping Essex's title hopes alive whereas Karun Nair's first century in yonks has put Northants in an unexpected position to stymie Surrey.
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I suspect that rain will be the victor in most of these matches. Surrey have their backs to the wall, which is encouraging.
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Surrey followed on and are still 142 behind with 10 wickets left. They won't win. Essex 158-8 declared in their second innings. Hants need 264 to win in 2 sessions. That could go either way but hopefully the wicket is breaking up. 10 wickets fell pretty quickly this morning.
Edit: Surrey have scored 30 runs off 25 overs in their second innings. That's remarkably slow.
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By contrast, Hampshire look as though they are going for it judging by the first two overs. 11-1 off 10 balls.
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Hmm... Hants seem to have gone into their shells rather.
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One of the Hampshire openers is called Fletcha Middleton. he was the only Fletcha that Google could find.
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Hants 25 - 2. Surrey plodding on and not losing wickets. I don't know what Surrey need to win the title. Is a draw enough if Essex win? Probably not, with one game left.
All games apart from Essex v Hants seem to be certain draws.
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Hants 51 - 4.
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Hampshire's Vince is still "going for it". He's scored 30 of 19 balls.
It's a quirk of the fixture list that next week, Essex and Surrey swap opponents from this week, playing in Northampton and Southampton respectively.
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Hants having a Good Spell. Vince on 50 from 45 deliveries, Dawson 30 not out. 112-4, 155 more needed.
And of course Hants are 3rd in the table. Still have chances of overtaking Essex.
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Surrey & Northants draw, and the latter are relegated.
Alastair Cook drops Dawson at first slip.
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Hants need 61 from 11 overs with 6 wickets left. Bollocks.
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Hants win by 3 wickets. Well done them! Apparently the two players who did the damage, Dawson & Vince, were both dropped quite early in their innings.
I think it's still theoretically possible for Essex to overtake Surrey, but highly unlikely.
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Yesterday was a turn around in events. Middlesex, despite putting a fight up against Warwickshire, lost. Kent, with only a rearguard action from Joe Denly to show for things, managed to eke out a draw only made possible by the rain, so that leaves them a point above Middlesex and, given the way they are playing, praying for a monsoon next week so that all the matches are wiped out and they somehow manage to survive.
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Law 29.2.1.3 was almost tested in the recent Kent v Somerset match. "the wicket can be fairly broken... by the striker’s bat not in hand, or by any part of the bat which has become detached."
Lewis Goldworthy's bat broke, and part of the broken bat dislodged a bail. Sadly for students of unusual cricket dismissals, Jaskaran Singh had overstepped in his delivery so it was a no-ball.
All credit, however, to those who wrote a law that included such an eventuality.
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The last round of the County Championship begins this morning. Only one match is under way: Lancs are 18-3 v Kent.
And I read this morning that Alastair Cook will retire at the end of the current season - which means his final appearance will be this match at Northants, if there is any play. It will also be Dan Lawrence's final season for Essex. He's off to Bloody Surrey next season.
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Lancs 98 - 4. Hants 39 - 2 v Surrey. No other 1st division matches under way yet. Second division is doing reasonably well.
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Northants v Essex: Northants 23-2.
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Kent's promising start seems a long time ago. Lancs 180-4.
Northants 98 - 4
Hants 98 - 6.
Surrey will have the title on batting points I reckon.
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Hants 117-6.
Northants 117-4.
Lancs 217-5.
Some fearful symmetry in those scores.
Edit: Hants now 7 wickets down.
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According to the Graun, Surrey need just 5 points for the title. If I've understood the rules correctly, there are only 3 bonus points available for bowling these days. Surrey will almost certainly garner all of those, so will need just two batting points. That, of course, is assuming that Essex manage to beat Northants.
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And assuming the weather. The rain has already flooded out England's record-breaking at Bristol, though it may be rescued.
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Weather interventions will win the championship for Surrey at this stage.
Meanwhile, Keogh, the Northants no 5, has scored a century. That's quite impressive out of a total of 207.
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Hants 219 all out.
Lancs 298-8.
Northants 246-6.
Middx 93-3.
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Essex have at last dismissed Keogh. 172 out of 312-7. Very impressive.
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Raining almost everywhere - Canterbury excepted. That suits Surrey, who are playing almost as badly as Essex. A drawn game will win them the title - as will a drawn game by Essex. But neither side looks like champions at the moment.
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What is astonishing is the batting performances of Middlesex and Kent. If they had batted like this the whole season they wouldn't be in a relegation scrap now.
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Indeed. I've just been trying to calculate bonus points. I think Middlesex have 2. Kent are heading for more. Essex probably won't get any.
I would have probably been a lot more pissed off had Essex actually beaten Hants last week - and they certainly had the chance to do so, two key dropped catches costing Essex about 180 runs. Breathing down Surrey's neck, within a handful of points, and then being deprived of the chance to play because they are playing cricket on the wrong side of the equinox, would have been very annoying.
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If Kent get 5 more runs in the next 21 overs (without losing 6 wickets) - i.e. get to 350 in 110 overs then they will get the same number of bonus points as Middlesex can (if Middlesex bowl out Notts). As they went into the last round with one more point than Middlesex that will force Middlesex to get a better game result (i.e Draw/Win if Kent lose, or Win if Kent draw), which given September weather is highly significant.
It also means that Kent would stay up in the unlikely event that they actually beat Lancashire.
When I first started an interest in cricket, in the early 70s, Lancashire were Kent's great rivals for one-day honours.
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That's funny - I thought Essex were Lancs' great 1-day rivals! ;)
I do recall a Gilette Cup final between Lancs & Kent which was so long ago that it was covered by Neville Cardus, who took credit for Lancashire dismissing Asif Iqbal. His innings was threatening to take the match away from Lancashire. It was all to do with NC's superstition that if he went to the loo, a wicket would fall.
https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/gillette-cup-england-1971-368807/kent-vs-lancashire-final-368808/full-scorecard
I went to the quarter-final that year when Lancs recovered rom 59-6 to beat Essex by 12 runs.
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That was the very match that got me hooked. And probably prepared me for much of English cricket in the 90s - my team chasing a target with gradually receding hopes that it might be reached...
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Middlesex now hot favourites for the drop. They will have to win their current game as Kent have 3 batting points and seem likely to get more. If they get on with it they might get all 5. They've got 7 overs left in which to get them. 14 runs needed for 4 batting points, 64 needed for 5.
Surrey are looking more likely to win than Essex are. Essex need batting points and they are a very long way from getting any. They are scoring very slowly as well: 162-5 off 62 overs. Hampshire, meanwhile, have lost a second wicket v Surrey. I wouldn't rule out a Surrey victory there.
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Kent have their 4th batting point, Essex are now 7 wickets down, both batsmen on 0, and still 85 runs away from their first batting point. The moment they are all out, Surrey will be champions.
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Surrey are champions, and Essex suffer the ignominy of following-on v. Northants.
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A final chance for Alistair to say goodbye like Bradman?
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Kent have their 4th batting point, Essex are now 7 wickets down, both batsmen on 0, and still 85 runs away from their first batting point. The moment they are all out, Surrey will be champions.
I won't count my chickens until KFC are out of business. Kent still at least have to match Middlesex's result and there is plenty of time left for things to go pear-shaped, especially given how they almost managed to snatch defeat out of the jaws of victory in the last match.
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A final chance for Alistair to say goodbye like Bradman?
Well, his opening partner has gone for a duck. Alastair (I've finally learnt to spell his name now he's about to retire) has an uncomfortable lunch break on 0 not out.
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Essex are certainly going out with a bang: 13-4 at the moment. Cook got 6.
Edit: make that 13-5.
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Lots could still happen in the Notts-Middlesex match. Kent posted a first-innings lead v Lancs of 167. Kent certainly shouldn't lose. The pair at the crease for Essex have notched up twice as many runs as the five batsmen who came before them. I would think that there will be a result in Hants v Surrey, but I wouldn't like to say who is favourite.
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If Kent were set a target of 150 in two sessions I wouldn't back them to survive. So it is still very much up in the air - especially with Messrs Wells and Jennings at 94-0
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Well, Essex lost by an innings and lots. I wonder when they last had a heavier defeat.
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Bad light - with Lancashire 41 runs behind. Notts all out 18 runs ahead. We keep an eye on the KFC lights. meanwhile Surrey are losing wickets so it could be that the top 2 both lose their last match.
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Yes, it would be rather good if Surrey lost. Not that it matters now. I think I may have mentioned before that Hampshire was the Graun's pick as Champions at the start of this season. I think that the fact that Essex took three bowling points from Northants means that second place is secure, and Hampshire didn't get any batting points, so doubly secure, but in my view neither of the top two was very convincing, taking the season as a whole. I think Essex have only themselves to blame for losing to Hants - although of course the two centurions took full advantage after they had been dropped, so well done them. But no complaints at all about the Northants match. Totally outplayed in all departments.
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I wonder how much Essex will struggle next season. They won't have Cook or Lawrence, but I don't think either has contributed massively this season. I suppose it depends on who is coming up from the ranks. Presumably Harmer will continue to be their overseas player - I don't know how many each county is allowed. In years gone by, Essex had two, in their first championship year Norbert Phillip and Ken McEwan.
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Well done Hants! They finished just 4 points behind Essex. Kent looking drawish.
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Unless they lose all their wickets, Middlesex are going to have to declare at some point. They have to win to stay up. Their current lead of 159 isn't enough, with two sessions to play. Setting Notts 200 in 3 hours is sporting, but that's the sort of thing they will need to do.
Kent, on the other hand, are fine with both matches drawn. They are in Lancs' hands re a declaration, but if they were to take 5 quick wickets, ought to win. Certainly shouldn't lose.
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Yep. Notts, 55-0, need another 152 to win. Middlesex need wickets quickly.
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It seems the Warks - Somerset game was agreed drawn at lunchtime. Did the weather intervene? Or did both captains decide it wasn't worth going through the remaining session with nothing at stake? I wasn't aware that they could do that sort of thing.
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Notts 4 wickets down, 72 still needed. This could easily get to squeaky bum time for Kent. Two new batsmen at the crease...
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6 wickets down, 52 needed...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9D3hT7lN9-8&ab_channel=TrentBridge
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157-7... :o
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Roland Butcher (formerly England & Middlesex) says Middlesex are now "heavy favourites". Hmmm...
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What of the tie?
If I've calculated this correctly, Middlesex hve 6 bonus points. A tie in which Notts are all out would deliver them 8 more points, and that would put them one point ahead of Kent. If the scores finish level but notts are not all out, Middlesex only pick up 5 points and Kent would stay up.
Notss need 19 runs. Middlesex need 3 wickets.
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Very glad I was out cycling this afternoon and not checking the scores. Kent will have to improve to avoid relegation next season.