This week’s roundup begins at Chelmsford with the match between Essex and Hampshire.
Essex won the toss and elected to bowl. Sam Cooke took 3 early wickets as Hampshire were reduced to 88 for four at lunch on the first day. They reached 216 for five by tea but collapsed to 235 all out as they wasted a good start. Sam Cooke finished with figures of three for 56.
Tom Westley made 34 for Essex in reply and Matt Critchley 27, but Essex slumped to 126/6 when Critchley was dismissed. Simon Harmer then made an unbeaten 80 as Essex were bowled out for 273, a lead of 38 on 1st innings. James Fuller claimed 5/43 off 15 overs.
Sam Cooke took 2 early wickets in the second innings as Hampshire closed Day 2 on 58/2, a lead of 20 runs with eight wickets in hand.
Glamorgan vs Somerset.
Glamorgan won the toss and chose to bowl first at Sophia Gardens.
James Rew opened the batting for Somerset but could make only 4 before he was bowled by Tim Van der Guqten. The decision to push Rew up to opener may have come at the ECB’s request as they look to find a replacement for the struggling Zak Crawley.
Tom Abell’s fine season continued as he made a classy 86, which included 11 fours. Valuable lower-order runs from Craig Overton, 33, and Lewis Gregory, 37, enabled Somerset to post 354 before being bowled all out.
Asa Tribe fell second ball for 4 as his inconsistent season continues. Glamorgan were thankful for Ben Kellaway’s 59 as they were bowled all out for 229, leaving them 125 behind on first innings.
When James Rew was dismissed for a duck in the fourth over of Somerset’s second innings, it sparked a remarkable chain of events. Tom Norton, who dismissed Rew, went on to claim a hat-trick as Somerset were reduced to 7/3. Somerset eventually limped to the close at 32/6. Norton picked up another wicket to finish the day with figures of 4/22.
The experiment with James Rew opening has failed miserably. He should return to his position at number 4 in the next game. The ECB should look for a proper opener, not a square peg for a round hole.
Somerset lead by 157 but have some hard work to do to set Glamorgan a challenging chase in the 4th innings of this game.
Notts vs Surrey.
Surrey won the toss and chose to bowl at Trent Bridge.
The returning Dan Worrell claimed the early wicket of Haseeb Hameed when he was well caught at second slip by Ollie Pope for 7.
Ben Duckett then made 42 before Worrall had him caught behind by Jamie Smith. Duckett will again be disappointed that he got a start but couldn’t convert it into a bigger score.
Joe Clarke’s golden summer continues. He made 129 of 224 balls as he looked to push Notts into a position of strength. His innings contained thirteen 4s, and he continues to lead the national run-scoring charts this summer. There was lower order resistance from Notts, however, as Ollie Stone, 38, and Josh Tongue, 37*, added 74 for the last wicket as Notts were eventually bowled all out for 415, having been 317/8 at one point.
Jamie Smith made 37 before he edged Josh Tongue to Ben Duckett. He’d again been patient and had built his innings well before his England colleague had dismissed him.
Dom Sibley made a typically gritty 77, taking him 254 minutes. He ground a good Notts bowling attack down with some solid defence before being caught behind by Verreynne off the bowling of Liam Patterson-White.
Dan Lawrence will restart day three on 52* as Surrey trail by 204 runs after they closed on 211/4.
Ollie Stone again bowled well, claiming the wicket of Rory Burns for 25. He finished the day with figures of 1/40.
Josh Tongue added the wicket of Ryan Patel to his earlier wicket of Jamie Smith, as he again impressed with figures of 2/38 after he opened the bowling for the first time this summer. Again, a move possibly prompted by the ECB.
Warwickshire vs Yorkshire.
Yorkshire won the toss and elected to bowl at Edgbaston. Sam Hain made 57 as Warwickshire were bowled all out for 147.
Yorkshire fared no better. Harry Brook scored a well-made 40 before he was bowled by Ethan Bamber as Yorkshire collapsed to 152 all out. Oliver Hannon-Dalby claimed 4/38 on his return following his loan spell with Worcestershire.
Warwickshire fared better in their second innings. The impressive Dan Mousley made 70 and Sam Hain remains 43* overnight as they closed on 267/3; a lead of 262. Brook sent down 11 overs for 26 as Yorkshire used his part-time seamers throughout the day.
Sussex vs Leicestershire.
Sussex won the toss and elected to bowl at Hove. Ollie Robinson claimed 3/85 as he hopes to return to the Test match side later this summer. He bowled with good accuracy and got through 24.4 overs as Leicestershire were bowled all out for 328.
Off spinner Jack Carson claimed 4/40, including 2 wickets in three balls as he ran through Leicestershire’s middle order. A good hand with the bat, could he possibly be the man to bowl spin for England this summer?
James Coles made 19 as Sussex closed day two on 386/8. John Simpson will start day 3 on 89* as he and Robinson will look to build Sussex’s lead on the third day.
Worcestershire versus Durham.
Durham won the toss and chose to bowl at New Road.
Ben Stokes returned for Durham, and it took him only 8 balls to remove opener Dan Lategan who he had caught behind. Stokes opened the bowling for Durham, which is a surprise as he didn’t do this in Australia. When England’s fast bowling reserves were stretched. Stokes mainly bowled 4 over spells as he manages his workload before the 1st test against New Zealand.
Stokes returned after lunch to bowl Adam Hose for 59 as he claimed his second wicket. Stokes got through 20 overs as he claimed 2/54, which will please all England fans across the land. Worcestershire were bowled all out for 308.
Ben McKinney’s lean run continues. He made only 14. Emilio Gay then made 28 before he edged Tom Taylor to keeper Roderick.
Ben Stokes made 14 as he looked rusty in his first outing since the final Test of the Ashes. Durham closed on 207/6, a deficit of 101 runs.
Any other players.
Zak Crawley was bowled by Gabe Bell for 1 in Kent’s match against Gloucestershire.
Keaton Jennings made 67 in Lancashire’s first innings against Middlesex. His innings contained seven 4s and one 6. He made only 18 in the second innings.
Sir James Anderson took 4/67 in Middlesex’s first innings as they scored a 32-run lead. Anderson claimed the first 3 Middlesex wickets to fall, again showing skill and control with the new ball.
