The header should be – Round 3, Sort of! There are only 4 matches in this round, 2 in each division. I’m still struggling to understand why that happens, the weather has affected play in at least 2 of those games on Day 1, it would surely be fairer if everyone played at the same time? I travelled to Edgbaston hoping for a betetr game for my team, Essex.
Divison 1
Hampshire v Somerset – Utilita Bowl, Southampton. Ben Brown won the toss for Hampshire and elected to bat. Somerset won by 2 Wickets.
Hampshire 238 All Out & 336 All Out , Somerset 288 All Out & 288 for 8
Hampshire lost wickets staedily rather than in a flurry as things happened at Edgabston. Opener Toby Albert scored a respectable 42 and Jake Lehman 76 from 110 balls, but Hampshire were bowled out in 59.1 overs fro 238.
Somerset faced 36 overs on Day 1 and were 154 for 3, James Rew (77) and Tom Abell had put on 80 by the close of play. Rew went on to score 86 and Abell 49. Somerset were bowled out in a total of 85.1 overs for 288.
Hampshire faced 44 overs on Day 2 and were 146 for 1. Opener Nick Gubbins was on 70* and Jake Lehmann in at 3 this time 16* at the end of play. Gubbins and Tom Prest (43) put on 114 for the 1st wicket. Gubbins (83) and Lehman (50) put on 70 for the 2nd wicket. Captain Ben Brown scored 66. Hampshire were bwoled out in 101 overs for 336. Lewis Gregory took 5 for 42 i his 17 overs.
Somerset needed 287 to win and had all day to get there on Day 4. They were 52 for 3 before James Rew (59) and Tom Abell put on 89 for the 4th wicket. Abell was Somerset’s star in this innings, he batted for over 5 hours and was 101* hitting the final runs to get a 2nd win in a row for his team. Somerset batted for 92.1 overs, Sonny Baker took 5 for 62 in his 17 overs.
Warwickshire v Essex – Edgbaston, Birmingham. Sam Cook won the toss for Essex and put Warwickshire in to bat. Warwickshire won by 41 runs.
Warwickshire 190 All Out & 220 All Out, Essex 205 All Out & 163 All Out
I arrived 5 minutes after the start of play to find JAmie Porter making teh most of a green ish wicket and the overheads, he had Warwicks on 25 for 3 by the the 11th over, the other bowlers joined in, with Shane Snater, Zaman Akhter and Sam Cook all taking one, Cook’s was to a quite remarkable catch for Paul Walter. jamie Porter took a 4th in the middle too. Sam Hain seemed to be batting on a different wicket, or at least he coped with the moving ball much better! He was 44* from 93 balls when play was halted by rain at around 2:30. Warwickshire were 113 for 7 in 35.4 overs. Sam Hain batted for teh whole of the 1st session on Day 2, frustrating the Essex bowlers. He was 88* for 179 balls after batting for just under 4.5 hours. He helped get Warwickshire to 190, they were 12 for 2 when he came in. As a cricket fan I’d have liked to see him get to his century, as an Essex fa I was glad when the final wicket fell.
Essex faced 39 overs on a rain interrupted afternoon. Dean Elgar’s poor start continued when he was out to Ethan Bamber in the 10th over, Luc Benkenstein was back with him in the Dressing room 2 overs later and Essx were 19 fro 2. Opener Paul Walter (46) and Charlie Allison (40*) battled hgard in difficult conditions to add 84 for teh 3rd wicket. With just 6 overs left in tjhe day Walter played a daft shot for an easy catch for Dan Mousley. Essex were 110 for 3 at the end of Day 2. Day 3 saw Essex bowled out for 205 in 73.5 overs. Simon Harmer top scored with 48 from 91 balls, helping Essex to a slender 1st innings lead of 15. Nathan Gilchrist took 4 wickets.
I stayed until tea time on Day 3, it was chilly and I wanted to get home in the light. Warwickshire lost early wickets and were14 for 3, Sam Cook despatching opener Alex Davies, Dan Mousley and Sam Hain. Beau Webster became that batter who’s batting on a different wicket, he shared several useful partnerships and was Cook’s 5th wicket, he was bowled but had 91 to his name. Warwickshire were bowled out in 62.2 overs for 220. Sam Cook took 5 for 58 in his 15 overs.
Essex required 195 runs to win, Warwickshire needed 10 wickets. Essex fell to 16 for 3 as Keith Barker took 3 in his ast over of the day! Luc Benkenstein hung in there for 93 balls scoring 39. Simon Harmer (32) and Zaman Akhter (35) put on 51 for the 9th wicket. But, Essex were bowled out for 164 in 64.2 overs, falling short by 41 runs.
Division 2
Gloucestershire v Lancashire – Seay Unique Stadium, Bristol. James Anderson won the toss for Lancashire and put Gloucestershire in to bat. Lancashire won by 4 Wickets.
Gloucestershire 136 All Out & 305 All Out, Lancashire 240 All Out & 203 for 6
George Balderson was the main man for Lancashire on Day 1, he took 4 for 27 in his 16 overs as Gloucestershire were reduced to 124 for 6 in the 44 overs bowled on Day Ben Charlsworth (26) and Ollie Price (35) put up some resistance for the 2nd wicket, putting on 58, but the wickets kept tumbling. Gloucestershire were bowkled out for 136 in 50.5 overs. Balderson took 5 for 34 in his 19.5 overs.
Lancashire opener Keaton Jennings (70) and Josh Bohannon (21) put on 79 for the 2nd wicket. Wickets fell at a steady rate and they were bowled out in the 73rd over for 240. Matt Taylor took 6 for 42 in his 18.2 overs.
Gloucestershire’s 2nd innings saw the highest team score of the match. They were 32 for 3 before Miles Hammond (82) and James Bracey put on 148 for the 4th wicket. Bracey went on to score 114 from 227 balls, sharing a partnership of 103 with Tommy Boorman (42). Gloucestershire batted for 93.5 overs and scored 305. James Anderson and George Balderson took 4 wickets each.
Keaton Jenning was in the runs again, Lancashire fell to 46 for 3 before he and Michael Jones (30) put on 75 for the 4th wicket. Jennings was 78* when the game was won. Lancashire faced 61.5 overs and won by 3 wickets
Northamptonshire v Middlsex – County Ground, Northampton. Leus du Plooy won the toss for Middlesex and elected to bat.
Northamptonshire 409 All Out, Middlesex 341 All Out & 353 for 3.
Middlesex were 30 for 3 after 9 overs. They recovered to 105 for 4 with du Plooy (51) and Ben Geddes (65) putting on 85 for the 4th wicket. Keeper Joe Cracknell (66*) and Zafar Gohar (62*) had put on 120 by the close of play. 73 overs were bowled on Day 1. Cracknell (79) and Gohar (83) put on 140 for the 7th wicket. Middlesex batted for 88.5 overs and were all out for 341. Ben Sanderson took 5 for 62 in his 19 overs.
Northamptonshire were 98 or 4 before Nathan McSweeney and James Sales put on 164 for the 5th over. Mc Sweeney scored 107 from 191 balls and Sales went on to score 164 from 265 balls. His was the last wicket to fall. Northamptonshire batted for 111.4 overs.
For the 2nd week in a row Northampton scored big but ended up with a Draw. Middlesex lost Jish de Caires early and were 34 for 1, but Max Holden (86) and Sam Robson put on 165 for the 2nd wicket. Robson went on to score 162 from 305 balls and he and Leus du Plooy (66) put on 152 for the 3rd wicket. Middlesex batted for 104 overs and there was only going to be one result.
Century Makers and 5 Wicket Takers
- Tom Abell – Somerset – 101* from 229 Balls
- James Bracey – Gloucestershire – 114 from 103 Balls
- Nathan McSweeney – Northamptonshire – 107 from 191 Balls
- James Sales – Northamptonshire – 164 from 265 Balls
- Sam Robson – Middlesex – 162 from 305 Balls
- Lewis Gregory – Somerset – 5 for 41 in 17 Overs
- Sonny Baker – Hampshire – 5 for 62 in 17 Overs
- George Balderson – Lancashire – 5 for 34 in 19.5 Overs
- Matt Taylor – Gloucestershire – 6 for 42 in 18.2 overs
- Ben Sanderson – Northamptonshire – 5 for 62 in 19 Overs
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