County Championship Round 8 Discussion Thread

[Shelsey93]

This round of fixtures is spread over seven days, with Somerset-Durham starting today at 12 noon, after the torch relay leaves Taunton.

Division 1

Somerset v Durham @ Taunton (Day 3) - Commentary link http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/bbc_radio_five_live_sports_extra (BBC 5LSX)

Durham 384 (Smith 100, di Venuto 96, Stokes 60, Trego 3-90) Somerset 357-8 (Trego 67*, Compton 64, Hildreth 53, C. Overton 50, Blackwell 3-74)

Lancashire v Middlesex @ Liverpool (Day 2) - Commentary link http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket-18165257 (BBC London)

Lancs 276-4 (Prince 121*, Croft 78, Murtagh 2-48)

Surrey v Warwickshire @ The Oval (Day 2) - Match discussion thread https://www.606v2.com/t29529-surrey-vs-warwickshire-match-thread; Commentary link http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket-18165255 (BBC London)

Surrey 223 (Maynard 39, Wright 3-42) Warks 106-1 (Chopra 59*, Dernbach 1-8)

Sussex v Nottinghamshire @ Hove (Starts Friday) - Commentary link http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket-18165499 (BBC Sussex/ BBC Nottingham)

Division 2

Essex v Derbyshire @ Chelmsford (Day 2) - Commentary link http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/18138729

Essex 182 (Pettini 56, Wainwright 5-51) Derbys 37-1 (Guptill 19*, Masters 1-17)

Hampshire v Glamorgan @ Rose Bowl (Day 2)

Hants 316 (Ervine 109*, Adams 42, Glover 4-76, Owen 4-87) Glam 13-0 (Rees 7*)

Kent v Leicestershire @ Canterbury (Day 2) - Commentary link http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/18138865

Leics 141 (White 38, Coles 5-41) Kent 104-2 (Nash 50*, Hoggard 2-24)

Northamptonshire v Gloucestershire @ Wantage Road (Day 2)

Northants 302-4 (Middlebrook 121, Coetzer 81*, W. Gidman 2-57)


Scores up to date to Close, Wednesday

[Shelsey93]

Durham have beefed up their seam attack for this game by recalling Steve Harmison and Liam Plunkett. Something needs to change for them.

[JDizzle]

Alfonso Thomas back for Somerset, but Philander not playing.

[Shelsey93]

Alfonso Thomas back for Somerset, but Philander not playing.

I think Philander's stint is now finished. He took a fair few wickets, but bowled slightly within himself and so didn't quite have the devastating effect that might have been expected.

[JDizzle]

I thought it might have done, but I wasn't sure if he was just being rested at SA's request again. And I got that impression as well. Hopefully next year, instead of going for the big name we will get an overseas player who will bowl to 100% of his capacity. Much rather a player with less ability bowling to his max, than a player who's heart isn't really in it and is protecting himself for his country.

[Shelsey93]

I thought it might have done, but I wasn't sure if he was just being rested at SA's request again. And I got that impression as well. Hopefully next year, instead of going for the big name we will get an overseas player who will bowl to 100% of his capacity. Much rather a player with less ability bowling to his max, than a player who's heart isn't really in it and is protecting himself for his country.

Of course part of the problem was that when Philander signed up he probably thought he would be fighting for a place in the team. But his incredible performances had made him a dead cert by the time he arrived.

[Fists of Fury]

Yeah Philander's stint has finished.

Not the most impressive of stays, despite some decent statistics. On the occasions I saw him bowl he looked a bit overweight and slow. Also, despite unerring accuracy it was notable that he barely swings the ball and relies almost wholly on seam movement.

Verdict: A very good player, but by no means the world beater many were championing him as. Not a patch on Steyn or Anderson as some halfwits were suggesting.

[Guest]

if weather is fine, then i would expect essex to smash derbyshire!

[JDizzle]

I can see Cook struggling against Philander a bit in the Test series though. He is a Mohammed Asif type bowler who'll land it on a spot outside off stump and move it both ways. It really will be an acid test of how far Cook has come since that Pakistan series!

[jimbohammers]

Dimi back for Hampshire

[Guest]

durham cruising against somerset.

[Shelsey93]

if weather is fine, then i would expect essex to smash derbyshire!

Derbyshire are, of course, top of the pile. Though they have had quite a few easy games on paper. Essex have more star names, particularly as Shah will probably be back (?), but I wonder if Derbyshire are more of a team. And Derby have piled on the runs, thanks largely to Guptill and Wayne Madsen but also to younger players like Ross Whiteley and Dan Redfern.

[Guest]

Essex would have beat lecistershire had they had not sarwan!!!!!!!!!!!!

i expect us to easily beat derbyshire.

[JDizzle]

Solid comeback from Somerset late in the day. Restricting Durham to 353-8 after they were 232-1 and 265-2 is a superb effort with an inexperienced bowling attack like the one we have out. Trego and Jamie Overton both got two wickets (two run outs didn't help the Durham cause either), but shouts outs have to go to Craig Overton and Dockrell who both went at 3 or less an over whilst the other bowlers were getting a bit of a pasting early on. They only picked up one wicket between them, but they kept it tight and allowed us to get back into the game or it could have gotten away from us by the end of session 2. If we can skittle Durham quickly in the morning for less than 370 then that still leaves us with a good chance of coming back and winning this game especially with the weather set fair. If we can post 500 then we have a chance. Odds are on a draw with Taunton looking flat but it is yet another promising performance from our young attack.

[jimbohammers]

Glamorgan win the toss and decide to bowl ... in this weather?

[Shelsey93]

Glamorgan win the toss and decide to bowl ... in this weather?

Apparently a very dubious pitch. Ivo Tennant on Cricinfo says that: "So green is the pitch cut by Nigel Gray, the head groundsman at West End, that it is completely indistinguishable from the square"

Meanwhile, the name of Eoin Morgan features on the Middlesex teamsheet at Liverpool today. It is his first first-class appearance since the 3rd Test of England's tour of the UAE, and his first Championship game since July 2010, when he made two scores of 58. That was his only long format outing for his county in that season, meaning that this is only his second Championship game in three seasons.

He will expect to play a lot more this season, and will need to score heavily to stake a claim for a recall to the England middle order.

[jimbohammers]

I take it back. Hants 22-2

[JDizzle]

Durham make 384 ao. Pirate Pete picks up three wickets. Somerset are one down in reply, Suppiah gone LBW to Harrison. 6-1.

[guildfordbat]

Interesting top and tail to the Northants team for their match against Gloucs.

Slow bowler James Middlebook is opening the batting whilst the number eleven spot goes to paceman Dave Burton.

I like Burton and wish him well. He just won't give up on his hopes of a cricket career. He's coming up to 27 now and has played for almost every county second eleven on the circuit without ever establishing himself at one. I saw him play for Surrey seconds at Guildford a couple of years ago when he blew away a young Essex side with eleven wickets in the match. Soon after that, he was bizarrely released!

Meanwhile, Middlebrook doing well on 24 not out as Northants reach 63 without loss. To be fair, he did make some good scores last year although I thought that would be a one off season for him.

[Shelsey93]

Leicestershire appear to have rolled the clock back to last season and are 66-6 at Canterbury. All of the key batsman have gone.

[JDizzle]

Somerset obviously want a result at Taunton! They are 199-3 off 43 overs. Hildreth has come and gone for 53 off 39, and Kieswetter is currently 34 off 31! But once again it is that man Compton holding it all together with 64*. The pitch is obviously flat and not looking promising for a positive result, but the way both sides have batted is making it look more and more likely.

[Fists of Fury]

Collapse from Somerset.

Good to see Essex destroying Derbyshire, CF

[jimbohammers]

Fists

Sean Ervine battling for hants, probably our most consistent performer.

[Shelsey93]

Essex must have a pretty long tail with David Masters in at 8...

[JDizzle]

Yep. Jinxed it.

Compton didn't add another run after I posted, then Buttler got a duck. Overton, C and Trego trying to repair the damage now though. We can't afford to give away a first innings lead of more than 20 or 30 really.

[Liam]

Glamorgan shooting themselves in the foot again, haven't capitalised as they would have hoped for after tha flurry of wickets. I seem to remember Ervine scoring big in the last outing against Glammy, having a good season for Hants and unfortunately for Glammy he's having another good outing.

Nice to see Owen pick up a few wickets. I've seen him bowl before and I don't think he get's the figures he deserves. Bowls at a good pace but tends to be expensive which doesn't help things.

Need to bat well which is something Glammy don't look like doing this season, although hopefully with North now in the side he can help out the youngsters in the way Peterson did last year.

[jimbohammers]

Martyr

[JDizzle]

Another Michelle for Matt Coles against Leics.

[JDizzle]

Interesting top and tail to the Northants team for their match against Gloucs.

Slow bowler James Middlebook is opening the batting whilst the number eleven spot goes to paceman Dave Burton.

I like Burton and wish him well. He just won't give up on his hopes of a cricket career. He's coming up to 27 now and has played for almost every county second eleven on the circuit without ever establishing himself at one. I saw him play for Surrey seconds at Guildford a couple of years ago when he blew away a young Essex side with eleven wickets in the match. Soon after that, he was bizarrely released!

Meanwhile, Middlebrook doing well on 24 not out as Northants reach 63 without loss. To be fair, he did make some good scores last year although I thought that would be a one off season for him.

Middlebrook out for 121....

[jimbohammers]

Ervine hits a 6 to bring up his 100, well played sir

[Liam]

Oh dear, Hants are prolonging this innings a little longer than I hoped, 277-9 Ervine 100 n.o. of 139 10 4's and one 6.

[Liam]

Ervine hits a 6 to bring up his 100, well played sir

he's putting my glammy to the sword

[Guest]

Essex bowled out for 181 :facepalm

Pettini top scored with 56

Derby 37-1 masters with the only wicket thus far.

[JDizzle]

Somerset close on 357-8. Cracking partnership of 99 for the 7th wicket between Craig Overton and Trego. Overton recording his maiden first class half century and impressing once more. Trego remains unbeaten on 67 and looks to be our main hope of passing the Durham score (384), but both Dockrell who is 3* off 38 and Jamie Overton can wield a bat so the first innings deficit should be negligible.

[JDizzle]

Thanks to a fine innings from Peter Trego (89), Somerset were able to get up to and declare on 400-9, a lead of 16. Durham are currently 59-1 in reply at Lunch, with Di Venuto the man out. Caught Hildreth, bowled Jamie Overton.

[Shelsey93]

Not much of particular note going on around the grounds this morning...

[JDizzle]

Durham 88-4 now! Come on Somerset!

[Guest]

derbshire are in the lead 235-5 :facepalm

Masters 2-47 from 18 overs, pick of the bowling for essex


even tom westley has picked up a wicket, we should have played craddock!

[Shelsey93]

derbshire are in the lead 235-5 :facepalm

Masters 2-47 from 18 overs, pick of the bowling for essex


even tom westley has picked up a wicket, we should have played craddock!

Craddock is playing, isn't he? Durston has reached 100. He has been a star for Derby since his brief period with the Unicorns, though any suggestion of a one-day Lions call up tends to get pooh-poohed round here (probably because he plays for Derby).

Durham are having a nightmare session at Taunton. Now 148-8 with George Dockrell picking up four quick ones. The lead is only 136 and Somerset will have thoughts of knocking them off tomorrow morning.

Even Glamorgan are having a decent batting day - 223-5 though nobody has scored more than Bragg's 73.

[jimbohammers]

What a season Balcombe is having, 30 wickets already. Was on loan at Kent last season, glad we kept him

[Guest]

my apolgies yes craddock is playing..

derby 256-6

[Liam]

Glamorgan will be kicking themselves for that last wicket partnership, they could really build a good lead if they had got the last wicket early yesterday. Bragg has batted decently this season so far, the few who have, and North is really showing his class so far.

Allenby and Wallace in. Both desperately need some runs, Allenby was on fire last season with bat and ball, hasn't been able to replicate it this season, hopefully today is the day.

[Liam]

As I sent that last message, Allenby is out, bowled by Ali, caught by Vince for 8. Knew that would happen soon as I said it.

[jimbohammers]

Intriguing game at Somerset, they need 151 to win and they are 0-1

[JDizzle]

22-2 now! The big man Compton out, still needing 50 odd more runs to get to 1000 before the end of May! For some reason Barrow took the first ball and was dismissed off, which was odd. But Suppiah and Hildreth in at the moment and plenty of batting to come should be enough to get us home.

And exceptional from Dockrell. 6-29 off 11.4. Amazing stuff.

[Liam]

That is a big wicket for Durham, meanwhile I'm not going to comment on Glammy yet for the reasons highlighted by my last post!!!

[Guest]

Ian Blackwell oddly shared the new ball and got compton out.

[jimbohammers]

Essex are 3-2.

CF, thought it would be easy?

[Guest]

[jimbohammers]

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