County Championship 2016 - Division One

First topic message reminder :

Discussion thread.

Winners?
Relegation?
Most runs?
Most wickets?
Breakthrough player?

Corporalhumblebucket wrote:Youthful off break bowler, Dominic Bess, currently has 5 wickets for 17 playing for Somerset against Warks.  Warks have staggered along to 107 - 8 in reply to 95.

Just 19, in his CC debut and included wickets of Trott & Bell. Certainly a day to remember for the lad.

Somerset 95 all out
Warwickshire 122-9

Interesting days play..

Jeetan Patel opening the bowling for Warks in Somerset second innings!   That says something about the pitch!

Think the pitch inspector will be paying Taunton a visit....

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:Think the pitch inspector will be paying Taunton a visit....

Hope so, Olly. It's spin at both ends from 6th over of the innings.

In the Warks innings Leach came on in 5th over. 

In Somerset first innings batsmen collapsed against faster bowlers.

Ball takes a hattrick in first over of Middlesex innings - Robson, Rayner (presumably in as nightwatchman ) and then Compton.  Middlesex 3 wickets for no runs in reply to 241.  Yorks will be mightly pleased with that news.

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:Think the pitch inspector will be paying Taunton a visit....

After several seasons of people moaning its too flat....

Middlesex really digging in reply to Notts.  At lunch 65 - 4 off 39 overs!   4th wicket partnership so far put on 26 runs in 23.2 overs.  I suppose Middlesex will be banking on the likelihood of Notts' crumbling if they hang on in. 

Meanwhile, Yorks finally dismissed for 460 (gaining 4 rather than 5 batting points). As per usual with Yorks some nuisance runs added by the tail (95 for the last four wickets).

Somerset lead Warks by 100 runs with 7 wickets in hand - so there is an increasing chance Somerset could win that one despite their dismal start to the match.

Warks on the slide in their second innings at 33 - 4 chasing 184.  Bell managed just 1 run in his two innings and both Trott and Hain also failed twice.

Middlesex (247) manage to eke out a first innings lead of 6 over Notts, but only achieved one batting point.  I'm guessing that Notts won't have the fight to bat long in the second innings, so a positive results looks very likely.

Looks like Somerset will win - possibly even on day two as they have Warks reeling at 65 - 8. Somerset of course got no batting points.

Durham digging in against Yorks (165 -3 in reply to 460).

Warks now totally in the soup. 61/8.

Jack Leach with 5/10 from 9 overs. He could still make the plane.

Poor Ronnie bowled 14 on the reel from the start yesterday, took 4 wickets and appeared to have the game in the paws of the Bears.

To address the over-rate and accelerate the arrival of the new ball, Yorkshire bowled Rafiq and Lyth in tandem at the start of the day. With the new ball the seamers proceeded to take 6-39 in 14.1 overs.

Gale elects not to enforce the follow on.


Meanwhile a brave 9th wicket stand for nought as Somerset win by 30 odd runs, putting themselves right back in the title mix.

Notts have established a lead of 100 for one wicket down as lunch approaches.

LOL - kiss of death. Mullaney falls to Rayner.

Te at Headingley with Yorkshire on 151-0, a lead of 346. My guess is they will look to bat for about another hour after tea and score another 80 or so runs before putting Durham in again. It will be interesting to see what intent Lees and Lyth emerge with after the break. They have been positive so far, scoring at over 4 an over - but will need to up that rate.

Down the M1, a result is looking ever more likely - one way or the other. Notts approaching tea have a lead of just under 200 with just 3 tailend wickets left.

Corporalhumblebucket wrote:Middlesex (247) manage to eke out a first innings lead of 6 over Notts, but only achieved one batting point.  I'm guessing that Notts won't have the fight to bat long in the second innings, so a positive results looks very likely.

Not a terribly adventurous prediction - but looks like coming true as Notts are now on 200 - 8.

Meanwhile, Yorks after not enforcing the follow on are rattling along nicely and lead by 346 with 10 wickets in hand at tea.

Aye yet again Notts lose a wicket as I write.

Notts all out 240 - their innings ending with a runout. Curiosity that the three innings' totals so far in the match are all so close together - at 241, 247 and 240.

Looks like a tense day tomorrow at the top of the table.  Yorks have made impressive inroads into Durham's second innings and must be odds on to win that match.

Meanwhile Middlesex lost three quick wickets in their relatively modest chase against Notts.  Middlesex have shown impressive grit when up against it this season, so tomorrow will be a good test of their championship credentials.  Meanwhile, even with a victory tomorrow, it looks highly improbably that Notts can escape relegation

Durham already lost 3 wickets well inside first hour and are reeling on 63 - 6.

Some 7th wicket resistance from Durham eventually ends and it's now 117 -7.  So that is surely a victory almost in the bag for Yorks.

Meanwhile Middlesex making steady progress, tho setback by Compton runout just now. Middlesex need another 89 with 5 wickets in hand.  Could be tense finish, but I reckon Middlesex will find a way to ease to victory....

Surrey lunch on 108 - 2.  A fairly even session, with two useful but not match saving partnerships from Surrey. Yorks on target for victory, as are Middlesex - providing they keep their heads.

Yorkshire seal their win, just before Middlesex get theirs. Gap at the top of the table closes to a single point.

Yorkshire host Somerset next week, while Middlesex travel to Lancashire - with the season concluding at Lords in the last round with a possible winner takes all match.

Toss held at Headingley, Yorkshire win and elect to bat. Sun out in Leeds and weather looks set fair for the whole game.

Yorkshire 9 wickets down, with Middlesex progressing serenely. Title may not go to the wire after all.

Tiger - Yorks seem to have specialised this season in getting themselves in trouble and then digging themselves out of it. Is this once too much?

Yorks all out 145.  Meanwhile Middlesex about to get their first batting point with only 2 wickets down and about 50 overs remaining to secure a likely four or five batting points.

Somerset well placed on 107 - 1 in reply to Yorks.  Meanwhile, Middlesex on a solid 258 - 3 against Lancs.

However well Middlesex bat they will probably feel uneasy unless/until they have bowled out Lancs - as Somerset could make up a lot of ground (with a good bonus point haul and a win against Yorks)  if Middlesex can only draw.  Somerset's final game is at home to relegated Notts, which gives them an additional incentive.

Ah, I wondered why there was so little interest in my Climax to County Championship topic. I hadn't realised there was a separate Domestic Cricket thread.
Anyway, belatedly, let me say how good it's been to see so many young players coming through in county cricket this season. The latest of these is Kiran Carlson who has just become Glamorgan's youngest century maker at only just over 18.

Morning Sir Fred! Welcome to the thread....

Yorks take a couple of early wickets to dent Somerset's hopes of taking an overwhelming first innings lead. Somerset now 9 runs behind with 7 wickets in hand. Trescothick still there on 60*.

Meanwhile, Middlesex finding the going tougher today against Lancs and are now 281 - 6. With 102 overs gone it's looking unlikely that Middlesex will manage more than three batting points.

Potentially decisive period of play this afternoon as - with Toblerone Jones on fire - Lancs top order melts like a chocolate teapot. Meanwhile Somerset building a very substantial (150+) lead against Yorks still with 4 wickets left.

Typical. Hottest September day for more than 100 years and it rains in Manchester ! But unless there's some 1981-style Headingley turnaround in the Yorks-Somerset match, Yorks look defeated, so advantage Middx.
Essex are promoted. It has seemed a bit strange having them in Div 2, but then a lot of the so-called big sides have had to slum it in recent seasons.

Yorks 135 - 5, still trailing by 110.  They will do remarkably well to win from here - even with one of their regular lower order recovery acts.

Lancs grinding along on 155 -6 off around 60 overs.  Sterling effort by inexperienced opener Rob Jones - on 66 off 184 balls, so far. Lancs trail by 172 and so are in sight of avoiding the follow on.

Lancs 168 - 6 off 71 overs. Middlesex may be getting a little worried.  After the initial clatter of 5 wickets in first 13 overs they've only taken 1 wicket in last 58 overs. Lancs 159 behind and are likely to avoid follow on.  Great effort from Rob Jones, now on 71* from 215 balls.

Yorks hanging in at 155 -5. But still needing 90 runs to make Somerset bat again.

Lancs 206 - 6 off 88 overs.  Magnificent effort by Rob Jones on 88* off 258 balls.   "Only" 46 overs to go today, (Lancs now 121 runs behind).

Yorks 7 wickets down but still 50 odd runs behind.

Yorks ahead after unbroken stand of more than 90 for the eighth wicket. Is another Headingley miracle on (remember 1981?) .

Later. 4.25pm. Twould appear not. Somerset need 42 to win.

So, after a brief flurry from Buttler, the Middx-Lancs match petered out in a draw. It all means the title is between Middx, Yorks and Somerset. If Middx beat Yorks they will be champions and they could win it by drawing.
After that, the scenarios get complicated. All I know is that I shall be at Lord's for the M-Y match, although the real drama could be taking place around 150 miles to the south west.

Middlesex-Yorkshire match live on Sky Sports - would be amusing if the title were won by Somerset.

Last round of championship games this season:
Hampshire vs Durham
Middlesex vs Yorkshire
Somerset vs Notts
Warks vs Lancashire

No Rashid for Yorkshire. He's decided to have a little rest (its cricket... )

Andrew Gale on twitter: Yes, he wants to rest. That's his decision. I'll take 11 lads on the field who will give everything to win

Can anyone explain how on earth and on what basis is Rashid able to get away with that?

VTR wrote:Can anyone explain how on earth and on what basis is Rashid able to get away with that?

He's got an unwell family member - Yorkshire have done him a kipper with their statement, hung him out to dry

Of more importance, possibly, is the refusal by England to allow Bairstow to play against Middx. My Yorkshire friends are furious about this. As a Middx fan, I'm delighted, especially as Finn has been given the OK to turn out. If I was neutral, I would reckon that Yorks have been done no favours here.

Very overcast in London on Tues morning. Little doubt that Yorks will insert Middx without need for a toss. Can Sidebottom get three wickets in the first over as he did in this fixture last year?

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:

VTR wrote:Can anyone explain how on earth and on what basis is Rashid able to get away with that?

He's got an unwell family member - Yorkshire have done him a kipper with their statement, hung him out to dry

Thanks - that was a key piece of information that was missing in the original statements wasn't it! Couldn't agree more on the latter part of what you say, he's effectively asked to be on compassionate leave and the skipper is openly criticising him for it - I wonder if he has played his last game for Yorkshire

The Rashid situation seems to be a bit complicated - there is suggestion that grandmother going into hospital wasn't the first or primary reason for his request to be omitted.

Back to the cricket and Yorks strike an early blow as Brooks (a very fine bowler) dismisses Robson.

Somerset batting against Notts. I have a sneaking feeling that Somerset will come through on the rails.

At the other end of the table Warks have lost early wicket against Lancs, while Hants batting against Durham.

Of these four matches the one at Somerset was the only one with a contested toss.

Lunch scores:

Warks 83-3 vs Lancs

Somerset 99-2 vs Notts

Middlesex 84-3 vs Yorks

Hampshire 116-1 vs Durham

A satisfactory morning for Jimbo in the quest for a good haul of batting points.

A good start, Corp! Going for the great escape 2 seasons in a row...

Tea, or close to it, scores.

Warks  165 - 6 v Lancs
Somerset 215 - 2 v Notts
Middlesex 165 - 5 v Yorks
Hants 267 - 3 v Durham

Warks in danger of getting 0/1 batting point, while Hants well on target for getting around 4/5.  Somerset will be pleased with their progress and with Middlesex's somewhat sticky position.

Am I reading it correctly that Big Bres will bat at 5 for Yorkshire?!