County Championship 2017

First topic message reminder :

Not long to go now, just under a month!

Who are your picks for the title?
Who is going down?
Surprise team?
Most runs?
Most wickets?

Discuss here!

Just seen a clip of Bailey's dismissal (on @Essexcricket Twitter account). Bailey took up quite the most ridiculous batting stance I've ever seen before he was bowled. Wonder whether he'll be disciplined for not trying!

Ball 'zipping' around according to BBC Solent. Makes you wonder how poor we bowled that 2 Essex players got hundreds (granted one of them is Cook)

Hants folding in second innings as well, at 50 - 5.  Heading for a very heavy defeat and only one point from the match.  Essex's slow grinding approach in first innings, batting for 138 overs for only 3 batting points looks well justified.

Surrey up against it with a poor start to their second innings against Middlesex. Unless Sanga can pull off a 150+ innings looks likely Middlesex will only have to chase a minimal total. 

Lancs struggling at 90 -4 in reply to Yorks' large total. If they dig in and keep first innings going the rest of this third day they could yet salvage a draw tomorrow.

Warks on target for useful haul of batting points against Somerset - but with time lost to rain, it's doubtful that there can be a positive result without the help of declarations.

Hampshire crushed by Essex.

Lancs putting up good rearguard action against Yorks - with Chanderpaul (who'll be 43 in August) hitting a century. Looks fairly likely now this one will end in a draw, although Lancs will need to concentrate.

Looks like Warks and Somerset simply fighting for bonus points.  It's conceivable that a declaration and chase could be agreed between the captains if they forego possibility of a few bonus points.

Middlesex on top against Surrey - it's an exaggeration but probably not much of one to say that only the unbeaten maestro Sanga stands between Middlesex and victory.

Corporalhumblebucket wrote:

Hampshire crushed by Essex.

...

Even if only for 24 hours, not many reckoned Essex would be top of the Championship this season. I've only seen them in the RL 50 but was surprisingly impressed. A strong and well balanced outfit.

Lancs avoid the follow on to virtually guarantee a draw in the Roses match.

Not entirely sure on points in the Roses match - but looks like both Yorks and Lancs took two bowling points, Lancs three batting points and Yorks possibly only two batting points. Not exactly a cricketing goalless draw - but gritty stuff.

Essex the only Div 1 winners in this round. They are the only team to have won two matches so far and move just ahead of Surrey into first place.

After their draw Warks and Somerset remain a little way adrift at the foot of the table.  Quite a lot of draws around in Div 1 at the moment.

Updates:

Hampshire bowled out for 162 - dust bowl apparently. 9 wickets falling to spin. Will be interesting to see how Crane does!

Sanga, sorry... Surrey 135-5 after being 31-5

jimbohammers wrote:Updates:

Hampshire bowled out for 162 - dust bowl apparently. 9 wickets falling to spin. Will be interesting to see how Crane does!

Sanga, sorry... Surrey 135-5  after being 31-5

You were pretty much right first time, Jimbo! Reasonable recovery being mounted by Sanga and Sam Curran but Essex still comfortably in the box seats.

Meanwhile, it doesn't look good for Hants, I'm afraid.

Hi Guildford, yep not looking good for us. Says a lot when your best batsman is also our best bowler. (Abbott!)

Im just hoping we bring on Crane early and he limits the damage a bit by taking a few wickets

Les Dawson keeping Hants in contention.  Somerset now 148 - 5 trailing Hants by 14 runs.

Collingwood (aged 41) has reached a century

Mental game at Taunton. Boundary or wicket

Somerset need 219 more runs to win. Should go down to the wire.
Essex responding well to Surrey's 369.

In Div 2

Notts are all over Gloucestershire, who are following on.
Worcestershire in control vs Northants.
Kent well on top vs Sussex (Stevens with a five-fer)
Glamorgan and Durham in the balance

jimbohammers wrote:Somerset need 219 more runs to win. Should go down to the wire.
Essex responding well to Surrey's 369.

In Div 2

Notts are all over Gloucestershire, who are following on.
Worcestershire in control vs Northants.
Kent well on top vs Sussex (Stevens with a five-fer)
Glamorgan and Durham in the balance

Somerset have started well - unfortunately for you, Jimbo. Stating the bl**ding obvious but you really could have done with them finishing yesterday on 25/1 rather than 39/0. Your team needs to get Crane into the action soon. He may be expensive and quicken a defeat for Hants but you are almost certainly going to need him taking wickets if you are to pull this one off. Good luck anyway!

I'll moan about Surrey on the dedicated thread.

84/3 at Taunton. Crane with a wicket in his first over, the other 2 falling to Dawson. Looks like you have a game on, Jimbo!

Somerset 100 - 4 as Steve Davies falls to Les Dawson for another low score.  Hants probably favourites to win - tho Elgar is well set.

4 down at Taunton! A 3rd for Dawson. Steve Davies out once more for a pittance - such a shame.

Important victory for Hants as Mason Crane and Les Dawson skittle Somerset in the second innings.

Meanwhile, Essex are about to pass Surrey's score still with three wickets in hand, although debutant spinner Amar Virdi is making them work hard, having bowled 32 overs 2 wickets for 63 runs.

If you get a chance look at the delivery crane bowls Elgar with on the Somerset cricket Twitter account - a disgusting long hop that turns about 4 yards!

Great win that after a shocking performance last week.
Dawson and Crane doing the damage.

Olly, saw that, funny reaction from crane. His other wickets were decent though!

Jimbo - an excellent day and result for Hants.

You rightly applaud Dawson and Crane. Although he hardly featured today, I also noted Abbott's match performance. 4 first innings wickets and top run scorer for Hants across their two innings. He impressed me with the bat in the RL 50 at the Oval the other week. He then made 50 odd riding shotgun with Bailey and going some way to get you out of a deep hole or at least make a game of it.

Very good shout that, Guildford. You're right Abbott had another very good game, think i probably didn't mention him because he contributes every game. His batting has really improved since the last time he played for us!

That wicket by Crane - absolute genius!

After today's draw between Essex and Surrey it's very tight at the top with those two - and Hants only a few points behind. But Lancs and Yorks, each with a match in hand, could move to the top of the table if they win.  Middlesex have only played three (all draws) so their season hasn't really taken shape yet. Again, with a couple of wins from their matches in hand and they could easily go top.

Warks and Somerset are well off the pace at the moment - albeit with match in hand. 

Surrey's strategy appears to be to let Sanga get a hatful of batting points and go for the draw. Probably not enough to win the championship!

Worcs on fire this season, not having the captaincy doing wonders for Mitchell's form and having the captaincy taking Joe Leach up another level. I imagine this is what Rhodes hoped would happen, but I doubt he thought it would work out quite so well!

Div 2 table taking shape - Notts, Kent and Worcs all started very strongly and, if memory serves, have won most of their matches very convincingly*. 

Durham a fair bet to finish bottom since they are still on minus 24 points. Glam - who started season so poorly - have at least managed a win in the latest declaration /4th innings chase match. I'm a bit surprised at how poorly Sussex are playing, whereas it's no surprise to see Derby and Leics in the lower reaches....

* especially Notts.

Games today:

Yorkshire vs Lancashire
Middlesex vs Somerset
Hampshire vs Warks

Div 2:

Sussex vs Worcestershire
Notts vs Derbyshire
Durham vs Northants

Sticky start by all three Div one sides choosing to bat first (Somerset, Hants, Lancs). 

Yet another low score for Steve Davies, with Somerset on 102 -5.

Collapse alert. Lancs 89-8 vs Yorks

As easy as 123... All out

Coad with 6 wickets.

Corporalhumblebucket wrote:Sticky start by all three Div one sides choosing to bat first (Somerset, Hants, Lancs). 

Yet another low score for Steve Davies, with Somerset on 102 -5.

Since then Hants have certainly turned it round at home to Warks despite 2 early wickets for Ronnie. If Hants can win that match, they'll go top of the table. Nose bleed alert for Jimbo!

Lancs skittled by Yorks - Coad on fire with a sixfer.

Somerset making something of a comeback away to Lord's despite the heartbreak of another low score for Davies.

Meanwhile Warks are in such a state at the moment I'm wondering whether the club has gone into administration.  Especially as Grant Thornton are bowling for them!

31-3 to 298-3 , was never in doubt... And in no way was i moaning about the decision to bat first around 11.45 yesterday morning....

Jimbo - Hants' magnificent turnaround continues as the runs keep being added for only 3 down.

Taking nothing away from that and where you are now but a note of caution - you are going to need to bowl well from the start. You don't want to let Warks get 330/5 off 110 which would only give you 1 bowling point to add to your 3 batting points and mean a high scoring draw is the probable outcome.

100% Guildford. Im hoping (and im sure the team are) that 2 long days in the field will have an affect on Warwickshire. Quick start needed, definitely.

Jimbo - you might want to make sure you've got some tissues handy for a possible nose bleed! Warks 24/4.

You can tell us some time about wicket takers Salsbury and Holland.

And now Crane gets in the action and takes a couple as Warks crash to 40 odd for 6. Don't think even Ronnie can get the Bears out of this one!

Perfect day for us, Guildford. You were right about having to bowl well at the start!
Good to see Crane get a couple already after a good week. If you've got a minute, have a look at his 2nd, brilliant work by McManus

Jimbo - always happy to look at brilliant work and that's what it was. I would imagine that McManus and Crane do a lot of training work together - keeping to a leg spinner is almost certainly more difficult than any other bowler but the potential rewards for both are the most.

Umeed was certainly unhappy at getting out to that catch as he walked off. I can understand that and don't have a problem with it. His annoyance was obviously at himself. However, I didn't like Clarke's reaction to being given lbw to Crane. Unsubtle and bordering on dissent - that sort of thing does unfortunately seem to be creeping in more.

They are both young so i think they have played a lot of games together at youth level and in the seconds. I rate McManus highly, he's a very good keeper, just needs to get a few more runs (mind you he's done ok recently)

Clarke's reaction was pretty poor in my opinion. He's an experienced cricketer and its pretty disrespectful towards the umpire to stand there like 'you sure?'.
From the video it looked pretty plum to me!

Trott playing what I guess must be one of the innings of his life. Batting at number 8 (injury y'day?) and going to the crease for the first time at start of today's play with his side in peril at 49/6, he's taken them at tea to 254/9 and a second batting point scoring an unbeaten hundred in the process. Admirable support along the way from Ronnie Barker with 60 odd in a century stand for the eighth wicket and last man Sukhjit Singh (no me neither) who's still there on 16 and, just as importantly, kept Trott company for more than 20 overs. With the weather uncertain at best tomorrow, using up the overs today could be very significant.

Half an hour later and Trott's batting ... but the bad news for Warks is that it's their second dig and he's in at number 3! Westwood out to Abbott and it's 5/1 as the Bears follow on. Abbott also got Trott immediately after tea.

Jimbo - seeing on twitter it being reported that Hants won't be offering Carberry a new deal - surprising in my eyes, what would your thoughts be?

Rain likely to arrive at Southampton in mid afternoon - so, unless their bowlers make steady inroads through the morning, a risk that despite their complete dominance Hant may miss out on chance of a deserved victory. (Rain unlikely to affect Middlesex/Somerset match until quite late on.)

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:Jimbo - seeing on twitter it being reported that Hants won't be offering Carberry a new deal - surprising in my eyes, what would your thoughts be?

Haven't seen that Olly. Would be very disappointed if true.
ive been fortunate to meet Carbs a couple of times and he is a top guy. I would want him to finish his career with us

Meanwhile, Bell and Trott fall to Abbott and Crane respectively. 6 more to go. Can Warks hold out until the rain comes?

I think Trott and last man Singh took 23 overs out of the match yesterday. Enough said, eh Jimbo?

5 to go Guildford...
Need a bit of Crane magic before it rains!

I don't suppose you'll turn down Abbott being on the money either, Jimbo. 6 down.

Anyone will do Guildford!

Crane gets Thornton with a peach of a googly!

8 down, 2 to go...!