Roundup: County Championship - 5th round

Major part of County Championship’s 5th round matches were affected by overcast conditions which washed out most part of 3rd and 4th day’s play. As a result, 6 of the 8 matches in the round ended in a draw while the other two were won by an innings margin.

In the last available county game for match practice before the Sri Lankan Test series, most of the England probable players for the series featured in this round and made most of it.

Here we look at what all happen during the round:

Derbyshire v Sussex at County Ground, Derby:

Visiting team Sussex elected to bowl first without toss and utilized the conditions as they bowled out Derbyshire for just 191 runs. Sussex’s left-arm seamer Lewis Hatchett picked up a five-wicket haul.

Sussex’s innings was carried by a brilliant double ton from Ed Joyce. Another opener, in form Chris Nash, fell for 37 but Joyce’s marathon stand with Luke Wells gave a huge score for Sussex. Wells departed for after scoring 116 with 16 fours after putting on a 310 run stand with Joyce. On the other end, Ed Joyce not only scored runs, he scored at a quick pace. He recorded his highest score in first-class Cricket with a 250 which came in just 327 balls with 34 fours and 2 sixes. New Zealand batsman Ross Taylor’s low scores continued as he scored just 6 runs during Sussex’s innings.

With not even a ball was bowled on the 3rd day, Sussex declared at their overnight score of 468/5. Only 26.3 overs were possible on the final day in which Derbyshire scored 92 for loss of 2 wickets with Chesney Hughes scoring an unbeaten 58.

Brief scores:

Derbyshire: 191/10 (Shiv Thakor 36*; Lewis Hatchett 5/58) and 92/2 (Chesney Hughes 58*) vs Sussex: 468/5 Dec (Ed Joyce 250, Luke Wells 116; Shiv Thakor 3/59)

Glamorgan v Worcestershire at Sophie Gardens, Cardiff:

Visiting team Worcestershire elected to bat first after they won the toss turning down the offer to bowl first without a toss.

Captain Daryl Mitchell fell early but Brett D’Oliveira put on a century stand with Moeen Ali who was caught behind after scoring 55. D’Oliveira kept the runs coming in along with Joe Clarke. The both put on a 243 run stand for the 3rd wicket before Clarke departed for 133. Joe Clarke’s 133 came in just 166 balls with the help of 19 fours a six.

Brett D’Oliveira hit 32 boundaries to bring up his maiden first-class double ton in 359 balls. Thus, D’Oliveira family became the first to have Grandfather (Basil), Father (Damian) and Son (Brett) scoring a double century in first-class cricket.

Soon after Brett reached his double, Worcestershire declared their innings at 456/6.

Glamorgan lost 3 wickets in first fours overs with Joe Leach picking 2 wickets. Jacques Rudolph, who demoted himself to No.4 got run out a couple of overs before rain halted the play.

With 3rd and 4th days getting completely washed out, the game ended in a draw without even completion of two innings.

Brief scores:

Worcestershire: 456/6 Dec (Brett D’Oliveira 202*, Joe Clarke 133; Graham Wagg 3/103) vs Glamorgan: 42/4 (Chris Cooke 27*; Joe Leach 2/15)

Kent v Gloucestershire at St Lawrence Ground, Canterbury:

Visiting team Gloucestershire elected to bat first after they won the toss turning down the offer to bowl first without a toss. However, Gloucestershire lost 4 for 14 with Claydon and Stevens picking 2 wickets each. Hamish Marshall came to the rescue of his side. He put on an 87-run stand for the 5th wicket with George Hankins who scored 45 later he shared an 112-run stand for the 7th wicket with Jack Taylor, who scored a gritty 52. Marshall’s resistance came to an end after he scored 112 in 202 with 12 boundaries. Gloucestershire finished on 337 with contributions coming from the lower order.

Kent lost two early wickets but Tom Latham and Captain Sam Northeast put on a double century stand for the 3rd wicket. Latham departed for 90 while Northeast fell 11 runs short of a double ton. Northeast scored 189 in 303 balls with 21 fours and a six. Kent declared at 478/8 after only 46 overs of play was possible on Day 3.

Calum Haggett’s 3-wicket haul reduced Gloucs to 158/8 in 51 overs after 33 overs were lost in the morning session. With a lead of just 11 runs, Kent were on course of a win. But Jack Taylor and Payne added 53 runs in 39 balls to help Gloucestershire save the match.

Brief scores:

Kent: 337/10 (Hamish Marshall 112, Jack Taylor 52; Calum Haggett 3/66, Darren Steven 3/68) and 211/8 (Jack Taylor 46*; Calum Haggett 3/27) vs Gloucestershire: 478/8 Dec (Sam Northeast 189, Tom Latham 90; David Payne 2/76, Josh Shaw 2/84)

Lancashire v Hampshire at Old Trafford, Manchester:

James Anderson and Luke Procter’s 3-wicket hauls bundled out visiting team Hampshire for just 109, who elected to bat first after winning the toss.

Luke Procter latter shined with the bat scoring a century. Lancashire’s openers Brown and Hameed gave a good start. Procter shared a 173-run stand for 2nd wicket with Hameed and a 123-run stand with Alviro Petersen, who scored 81 off just 85 balls with 13 fours. Procter departed after scoring 137 off 305 with 12 fours and 1 six. Tino Best picked up a 5-wicket haul as Lancashire bowled out for 456 and got a huge lead of 347 runs.

Hampshire fought well to save the game but Simon Kerrigan’s 5-wicket haul and Anderson’s 3 failed the visitors’ plans.

Captain James Vince played 163 balls for 47 balls along with Will Smith batted 203 balls for his 45 runs. The both had a 63 run stand for 3rd wicket in 36 overs before Anderson got Vince. Kerrigan ran through Hampshire’s middle and lower order as they were bowled out for 253 conceding an innings win to Lancashire.

Brief scores:

Lancashire: 456/10 (Luke Procter 137, Alviro Petersen 81; Tino Best 5/90, Mason Crane 3/116) defeated Hampshire: 109/10 (Adam Wheater 32; Luke Procter 3/18, James Anderson 3/42) and 253/10 (Adam Wheater 47, James Vince 47; Simon Kerrigan 5/59, James Anderson 3/29)

Leicestershire v Northamptonshire at Grace Road, Leicester:

Visiting team Northamptonshire elected to bowl first without the toss. Leicestershire were bowled out for 332 in the first innings with Olly Stone picking up 4 wicket haul. For Leicester, opener Augus Robson and Neil Dexter scored fifties. They both put on a 143-run stand for 2nd wicket before Robson departed for 56. Dexter fell for 98 after sharing a 91-run stand for 3rd wicket with Cosgrove. Dexter scored 98 with 11 fours in 186 balls.

Wayne White’s 4-wicket haul and a 3-wicket haul from Dexter bundled out Northampton for just 151. Leicester were 139 for loss of 6 wickets at the end of the 2nd day in their 2nd innings with Ben Sanderson picking 4 wickets out of 6.

With no play was possible on the 3rd day, the hosts declared at the overnight score and set a target of 314 on final day for Northampton. With only 7 overs possible on the final day, the match ended in a draw.

Brief scores:

Leicestershire: 332/10 (Neil Dexter 98, Augus Robson 56; Olly Stone 4/56) and 132/6 Dec (Niall O’Brien 48*; Ben Henderson 4/36) vs Northamptonshire: 151/10 (Adam Rossington 35*; Wayne White 4/24, Neil Dexter 3/15) and 30/1 (Alex Wakely 16*; Andy McKay 1/20)

Middlesex v Nottinghamshire at Lord’s, London:

Visiting team Nottinghamshire elected to bat first after they won the toss turning down the offer to bowl first. Alex Hales with a 73 and Michael Lumb with a 78 put on a 107-run stand for the 3rd wicket. Toby Roland-Jones picked up a 5-wicket haul but Samit Patel with a brilliant 86 batted with the tail to help his side to 354.

Middlesex lost 3 quick wickets but Sam Robson and John Simpson put on a 154-run unbeaten stand for the 4th wicket. Sam Robson scored his 3rd century of the season. He scored 114* in 206 balls with 17 boundaries while Simpson scored an unbeaten 66.

The match ended in a draw with not even a ball of play was possible on last two days.

Brief scores:

Nottinghamshire: 354/10 (Samit Patel 86, Michael Lumb 78, Alex Hales 73; Toby Roland-Jones 5/61, Tim Murtagh 2/80) vs Middlesex: 203/3 (Sam Robson 114*, John Simpson 66*; Brett Hutton 2/47, Stuart Broad 1/27)

Warwickshire v Somerset at Edgbaston, Birmingham:

Visiting team Somerset elected to bat first after winning the toss. Tom Abell and Peter Trego put on a 110-run stand for 5th wicket after their side lost early wickets. Abell scored 104 in 180 balls with 12 fours and a six while Trego scored 94 off 154 balls with 7 fours and 1 six. Chris Woakes picked up 3 wickets while Jonathan Trott picked two including a wicket of Abell.

Somerset pacers didn’t allow Warwickshire batting to settle down. Opener Varun Chopra top-scored with 56 while Captain Ian Bell, who suffered hamstring strain and came out to bat at No.7. However, he added only 7 runs. Somerset gained a 143 run lead as Warwickshire bowled out for 152.

Chris Woakes and Boyd Rankin picked up 3 wickets each as Somerset were bowled out for 178. Peter Trego top scored for the visitor with 51 and helped his side to set a target of 322. Warwickshire played 2 overs towards the end of day 2. However the match ended in a draw with not even a ball of play was possible on last two days.

The 2nd day saw 18 wickets falling with the ball hitting batsmen on the body on numerous occasions. Following the uneven bounce during the game, Edgbaston pitch was reported to ECB.

Brief scores:

Somerset: 295/10 (Tom Abell 104, Peter Trego 94; Keith Bakers 3/54, Chris Woakes 3/65) and 178/10 (Peter Trego 51; Boyd Rankin 3/31, Chris Woakes 3/45) vs Warwickshire: 152/10 (Varun Chopra 56; Jamie Overton 3/24, Lewis Georgy 3/50) and 30/1 (Alex Wakely 16*; Andy McKay 1/20) and 4/0 (Ian Westwood 4*)

Yorkshire v Surrey at Headingly, Leeds:

Visiting team Surrey elected to bat first after winning the toss. Steven Davies and Kumar Sangakkara stopped the wickets fall with a 122-run stand for 3rd wicket before Sangakkara got out for 73. Davies shared a 103-run stand with Ben Foakes for 5th wicket before falling for 117. His innings of 117 came in just 163 balls with 20 fours. David Willey and Jack Brooks picked 3 wickets each to bowl out Surrey on day 1 for 330.

Yorkshire lost 3 wickets on 2nd day morning and were reeling at 45/3 before England National team players Joe Root and Bairstow joined at the crease. Both kept the scoreboard ticking with boundaries. Root brought up his century in 110 balls while Bairstow took just 96. They both shared a 372 runs in just 67 overs before Bairstow fell 2 runs short of his double century. Bairstow’s 198 came in 231 balls with 24 fours. Root brought up his double century on 3rd day morning and got out after scoring 213 runs in 242 balls with 22 fours and a six. Adil Rashid scored a quick unbeaten 60 before over 2 sessions were washed out on 3rd day.

Yorkshire declared at 557/6 taking a first innings lead of 227. Once again Sangakkara and Davies put on a century stand for 3rd wicket but Joe Root dismissed the both and gave a chance for Yorkshire. Steven Patterson and Jack Brooks picked up 3 wickets each to bowl out Surrey for 207 as Yorkshire won by innings win.

Brief scores:

Yorkshire: 557/6 Dec (Joe Root 211, Jonny Bairstow 198; Ravi Rampaul 4/153) defeated Surrey: 330/10 (Steven Davies 117, Kumar Sangakkara 73; David Willey 3/55, Jack Brooks 3/73) and 207/10 (Kumar Sangakkara 61, Steven Davies 52; Steven Patterson 3/15, Jack Brooks 3/65)