Just two rounds of Championship Cricket remain and the season is drawing to its conclusion. Sadly it doesn't appear to be as dramatic a finish as past years, but maybe that will change in the last two weeks. Fortunately, after all the rain this summer, we have sunshine and there should be plenty of results!
Here is what happened today.
County Championship Cricket
Day 1
Worcestershire v Warwickshire
Worcestershire won the toss and decided to bat
Wor - 60
War - 215-2
A more dominant day of cricket you will not see and Warwickshire have made a huge stride towards the title. The chasing teams will have been hoping to see Worcestershire (who are battling relegation) put up a big fight, but they had no reply to Warwickshire.
The earlier start may have made bowling conditions slightly easier this morning, but Worcestershire could do nothing against Wright and Barker. Mitchell survived 20 balls before falling lbw for 2. Pardoe got a duck and Hughes (10) was caught on the same score making it 12-3. Ali (1) and Kervezee (4) were both removed five runs later before Leach became the second man to depart for 0.
The next two partnerships put on 25 to take the score to 46, with D'Oliveira adding 18, but Harrison failed to score a run making it 46-9. Russell hit a 6 in his 15, but Wright had him caught just before lunch to finish Worcestershire off for 60. Both Wright and Barker took 5 wickets, and there was not a single extra in the 28.4 overs.
After lunch Chopra and Westwood set out to show the hosts and the rest of the world how to bat. Boundaries came steadily but the scoring rate was gentle as the pair built a strong partnership. They made it to fifty without alarm and then went past Worcestershire's total before going on to take a strangle hold on the match.
The hundred partnership came up around tea and both batsmen went to half centuries. Finally though Ali made the breakthrough having Westwood caught by Mitchell for 54. Shortly after Ali also removed Porterfield for 0, but any sign of a fight back was wiped away as Troughton added a steady 29 and Chopra eased to an excellent century, finishing the day unbeaten on 115.
Surrey v Nottinghamshire
Surrey won the toss and decided to bat
Sur - 242-9
Surrey began brightly as they seek to secure their survival in the first division and condemn Lancashire and Worcestershire. The hosts moved to 19 in the first half hour before Phillips forced Ansari to edge to Mullaney in the gully. Gurney, just returned from a hip injury, came on as first change and quickly had the other opener, Burns, caught by White as Nottinghamshire fought back. Pietersen came to wicket and White (a left-arm spinner) immediately came on, but was soon dispatched for four over his head.
Gurney however was getting up a head of steam and managed to make Harinath play on for 11, leaving the score on 47-3. The morning then got even better for the visitors just a few overs later as Read took a blinding catch, diving in front of first slip to remove Pietersen off Gurney for 15.
After lunch White removed Roy leaving Surrey on 82-5 but du Bruyn and Wilson batted sensibly and began to dig the hosts out of the hole. Together they put on fifty and then, after tea, one hundred. They took Surrey up to 200 and a batting point, but just two balls before the new ball could be taken White had du Bruyn lbw for 71, to level the game once more. The new ball was taken and at first it produced a flurry on boundaries, but after 12 deliveries Fletcher became the fourth bowler to take a wicket as he had Wilson lbw as well for 68, leaving Surrey on 219-7.
Phillips returned and picked up two quick wickets as Surrey scrambled to get a second batting point. At the close however they are still eight short, with that one wicket remaining. Both sides will be reasonably happy, but Nottinghamshire will want to get batting quickly to make the most of Alex Hales before he leaves for England duty tomorrow.
Sussex v Somerset
Sussex won the toss and decided to bat
Sus - 221
Som - 30-1
Two more of the chasing teams were facing off at Hove with Sussex and Somerset also hoping to make up ground on Warwickshire. Sussex made a steady start before Nash was caught for 23. Wells joined Joyce and togther they took Sussex up to lunch. Wells was then also caught, for 28 leaving the score on 96-2. Goodwin made 16 but failed to go on, and Prior matched him, scoring 17, taking the score to 168-4.
Sussex were still in the ascendancy but finally Joyce was caught for 65, and Brown (2) followed soon after as Somerset fought back. Yardy (19) and Magoffin took the total past 200, but two quick wickets left Sussex on 221-8.
The end came quickly as Magoffin became Trescothick's fifth catch and Hatchet was bowled for as all three wickets fell for nothing and Somerset finished the innings well on top.
Suppiah could only add 1 before he was given out lbw as Sussex tried to end the day well, but Trescothick (17*) and Jones (11*) took Somerset to the close without further alarm.
Middlesex v Lancashire
Lancashire won the toss and decided to field
Mid - 389-6
Lancashire's hopes of defeating Middlesex and putting pressure on Surrey at the bottom of Division 1, were dealt a serious blow despite an excellent start for the visitors. Rogers fell fifth ball for 0 and Denly followed for 4, both dismissed by Chapple. Malan added 12 but he was bowled by Shahzad as Lancashire remained on top. Robson though batted steadily taking the score past 100 before falling lbw for 49.
Middlesex were batting better and better as the day went on and Simpson (29) lifted the total to 164. The best was yet to come however as Berg joined Dexter who had aleady built a good platform to stand on. The pair picked up the pace taking the score past 200 and then, in the evening session, 300. Berg was finally caught by Cross for 83, after the partnership had gone to 148.
Crook made sure the day was firmly Middlesex's too, with a quick-fire 45* from 52 balls, including a 6, while Dexter marched on to 123* (at a much slower rate). Lancashire's chances of survival are surely slipping away.
Kent v Derbyshire
Kent won the toss and decided to bat
Ken - 261
Der - 32-1
The Division 2 leaders took a step towards the title and securing promotion as they bowled out Kent, one of the chasing sides, for 261. The hosts found themselves on 93-5 before 80 from Jones lifted them past 200 and up to a reasonable total. Groenewald had him caught for his third wicket, before Riley was the last man out.
Derbyshire didn't finish the day as well as they might, however ,as Khawaja fell lbw for 0, but Madsen (21*) and Durston (11*) reached the close with Derbyshire on top.
Hampshire v Essex
Hampshire won the toss and decided to field
Ess - 180
Ham - 165-4
Hampshire's excellent season continues. They've already won the Twenty20 and are in the final of the CB40 competition, and today they've boosteed their chances at promotion from the second divison.
Balcombe made a good start as Essex slipped to 25-3. Pettini was the pick of the batsmen as he was the only one to go to fifty but in the mean time saw the middle order drift away. Several players made starts but none could go on as Balcombe returned to pick up another two wickets (finishing with 4 for 57).
Griffiths eventually removed Pettini for 58 with the score on 166-7, but the end came quickly as the tail was blown away.
Hampshire lost Adams for 8 but went to 61 before Carberry was caught for 42. Katich added 20 before Shafayat and Dawson took the hosts past 100. Dawson became the fourteenth wicket to fall today when he was caught for 17, but Shafayat (42*) and Vince (22*) took Hampshire to within 15 of Essex's total before the close.
Yorkshire v Glamorgan
Yorkshire won the toss and decided to field
Gla - 272
Yor - 20-0
The team in second place in Division 2 struggled in the morning session after putting Glamorgan in. Bragg and James scored nicely with Bragg knocking several boundaries as the pair went past 50 and then 100. After lunch Sidebottom eventually broke the 124 run partnership by having James caught for 38, but Bragg continued to attack. He couldn't reach a century however as Patterson had him caught for an excellent 92.
Another wicket fell but 42 from Walters helped the visitors up to 198-4. The middle order then all made starts but failed to go on as the wickets were shared and Yorkshire fought their way back into the game.
Wallace made 29 but was the penultimate man to go as Patterson wrapped up the innings and finished with 4 for 49.
Yorkshire then successfully negotiated the 6 overs before the close to leave the game in the ballance
Gloucestershire v Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire won the toss and decided to field
Glo - 220
Nor - 73-7
In almost the only 'dead' game Northamptonshire hold the upper hand after day 1. The first four wickets fell for 3 runs as Gloucestershire went from 41-0 to 44-4, with Hall picking up 2 in 2. Wickets then fell steadily throughout the day as Gidman (56) and Batty (55) added notable runs. Evans finished with 4 for 38 and Hall 3 for 37.
Northamptonshire then played watchfully for several overs, going to 30-0, before madness struck in the final hour's play. O'Brien was caught for 10, before Sales, Coetzer, Newton and Hall all departed for single figure scores. The visitors cascaded from 43-1 to 50-5 and only 6 more had been added when Peters was bowled by Norwell for 35 and the turn around was complete. Norwell and Fuller have taken three wickets apiece.
Before the close there was also time for Ireland to join the carnage by removing Murphy, the seventeenth wicket of the day. This game will not be going to four days!
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