County Championship/Bob Willis Trophy 2021

Starts in eight days time on the 8th of April, so we may as well have a thread for it. It's another revised structure for this year, with two trophies up for grabs: the County Championship and the Bob Willis Trophy.

The 18 counties have been split up into three seeded groups:

Group 1: Derbyshire, Durham, Essex, Nottinghamshire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire
Group 2: Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Leicestershire, Middlesex, Somerset, Surrey
Group 3: Glamorgan, Kent, Lancashire, Northamptonshire, Sussex, Yorkshire

Counties will play every group opponent home and away - a total of ten matches. After ten matches, the top two teams in each group advance to Division One. Teams finishing 3rd and 4th go to Division Two. Teams finishing 5th and 6th go to Division Three.

In the division stage, each county will play a total of four more games. They will not, as far as I'm aware, play again against their initial group opponents. For instance, if Essex and Warwickshire make it through to Division One, they won't play each other in the division stage, just the top two from groups two and three.

After these four extra games, the team that is top of Division One will be classed as the County Championship winners. The County Championship winners will then play the team that finished second in Division One in the five-day final to determine the Bob Willis Trophy winners.

The group stage will run from April-July. The division stage will start late August and conclude in September. The final is set to be played from the 27th September-1st October (the ECB know it rains and gets dark then, right?).

I can't say I'm a fan of this format, to be honest, as the County Championship trophy has been relegated in stature, but I hope it all works out well.

With SkyBet, defending champions Essex have been installed as favourites at 5/1 to win the Bob Willis Trophy. Perennial runners-up Somerset are the second favourites at 13/2, then Yorkshire at 7/1. Lancashire, Nottinghamshire and Kent a bit further back at 9/1. Forum favourites Surrey at 12/1. No-hopers such as Durham, Glamorgan and Leicestershire way out at 66/1.

I suppose we can start with Michael Atherton's son, mentioned on here before, scoring a century for a University side against a decent Yorkshire attack.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/56586817

Hell of a pitch for March!

Good work for Ollie Pope today for Surrey - some time in the middle will do him the world of good, against a good Middlesex attack too

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/apr/07/full-stream-ahead-county-cricket-rolls-out-digital-revolution-for-championship

Sounds like the online coverage of the County Championship will be loads better this season.

As far as predictions go, I think Essex, Nottinghamshire, Somerset, Hampshire, Yorkshire, and Kent will be the teams to qualify for Division One, with Essex going on to defend their title and win both the County Championship and Bob Willis Trophy, while Hampshire finish runners-up.

First century of the season goes to former England opener Sam Robson. Dropped three times along the way, I believe, to increase Somerset's early ire.

Was reading yesterday about the possibility of a batsman making 1,000 FC runs by the end of May, and how this is the best chance for that to happen in a long while with a prolonged stretch of FC games. It hasn't happened since Graeme Hick did it in 1988, who scored a quadruple century along the way.

I'd suggest it's highly unlikely to happen, the conditions at this time of year will ensure that the bowlers are on top for the most part. None of the England hopefuls have done anything yet.

81-ball century for James Vince; he has demolished the Leicestershire attack with 17 fours and two sixes.

Get James Vince on the plane etc etc

Soul Requiem wrote:I'd suggest it's highly unlikely to happen, the conditions at this time of year will ensure that the bowlers are on top for the most part. None of the England hopefuls have done anything yet.

I would not have predicted that only one side would be bowled out on Day 1! Four hundreds, including some big ones, and a couple of 70s/80s too. Certainly a change - hope it carries on

Performance of the day probably goes to Sam Robson. He made 165 against a good Somerset attack, whilst none of his teammates surpassed 22. Gregory picked up 4/54 in the same game.

Vince scored 168* off 167 balls against a typically poor Leicestershire attack, Alsop also got a ton, as Hampshire made 431/4 on the first day!

Difficult to see many positive results occurring with plenty of rain and gloomy conditions forecast for the next three days.

JDizzle wrote:

Soul Requiem wrote:I'd suggest it's highly unlikely to happen, the conditions at this time of year will ensure that the bowlers are on top for the most part. None of the England hopefuls have done anything yet.

I would not have predicted that only one side would be bowled out on Day 1! Four hundreds, including some big ones, and a couple of 70s/80s too. Certainly a change - hope it carries on

My predictions always turn out to be nonsense, for the sake of the national team we need a proper contest between bat and ball.

Darren Stevens 91*...

Double-hundred for James Vince, at a SR of over 100. Liam Dawson ably assisting him with a breezy half-century.

Somerset in huge difficulty. Gregory completed a five-for, the first of the season I think, but Somerset's top-order, like so many times last season, have completely fluffed their lines at 24/4. Lammonby not starting the season with anything notable.

Tom Westley into the 120s for Essex, a real workmanlike knock. And Ollie Robinson has picked up two early wickets for Sussex.

And Darren Stevens, the man who time cannot defeat, brings up his century!

Vince eventually falls for 231, with Dawson completing his ton at the other end. Hampshire eventually declare at 612/5 - Dawson remaining unbeaten at a final score of 152.

Another England batsmen falling cheaply - to join Burns, Crawley, Foakes, Pope from yesterday - is captain Joe Root, out for 16 against Glamorgan. Yorkshire, surprisingly, in some difficulty in that fixture.

Westley joins Vince in the double-centurion club, bringing it up after 384 balls against Worcestershire.

No joy for Hameed or Sibley with the bat today. Topley putting in a fighting effort with the ball for Surrey, taking three wickets so far.

Somerset bowled out for 172. Just like so often last season, a last-wicket stand (this one worth 83) rescuing their total from outright calamity, though they're still 141 adrift of Middlesex.

Westley out for 213 with Essex finishing up 490/9 declared. Opponents Worcestershire on the ropes at 34/3, with Sam Cook bowling an excellent spell of 3/14 from seven overs. Haven't seen a lot of Cook, but he's nearly 24 and has a FC bowling average of 23, with this being his 35th FC match - one that England might be looking at if he has a strong season?

Not many close finishes brewing, but a few upsets looking likely with Glamorgan enjoying a sizeable lead over Yorkshire, despite Coad's 3/18 in the second innings, and Middlesex dominating Somerset; while Gloucestershire look probable winners over Surrey, despite Topley's efforts.

Middlesex have fallen apart in their second innings to give Somerset a fighting chance. 113/3 became 143ao, C Overton, Davey and Jack Leach all picking up three wickets each.

Means Somerset need 285 to win. Still an uphill ask, but not the 350+ they would have been fearing.

Snow stopped play at Headingley, a novelty.

Oliver Hannon-Dalby on 10fer watch. Currently has the first 5 as Derby are reduced to 71/5.

Maiden 100 for the Worcestershire Woakes vs a very strong Essex attack. The fact that Tom Fell and D’Oliveira bat ahead of him was silly in 2019. Even more so now.

Somerset 112/3 requiring another 173 to win, Abell at the crease 62*, represents the most intriguing game going into the final day. Middlesex the favourites from here on a pitch assisting the seam bowlers, but it only takes one big partnership for Somerset to notch an opening win.

For Lancashire, Dane Vilas fell for 189, narrowly missing out on the 200 club.

Defending champions Essex have been thwarted by a 205 and counting seventh wicket stand between Libby and Barnard for Worcs.

A similarly large partnership happened for Durham - 254 off 47 overs, still unbeaten at stumps, between Bedingham and Eckersley against a strong Notts bowling line-up. Means that Nottinghamshire will be hanging on to avoid defeat on the final day.

And a good day for Burns and Foakes, both notching half-centuries as part of Surrey's battling effort.

Foakes gets a ton, Somerset edging closer to an unlikely win, and Notts have lost two early wickets as they try to salvage a draw (including Hameed out for a duck).

Hampshire wrapped up a comfortable win over Leics - an innings and 105 runs - but this dismissal appears to have upset Leics and there may be some repercussions.

https://wisden.com/stories/county-cricket/county-championship-2021-county-cricket/leciestershire-appeal-to-match-referee-after-shocking-stumping-incident-in-hampshire-clash

Very strong finish from Middlesex to the session flips the game around. Two quick wickets from Ethan Bamber, another one to keep an eye on from an England perspective, and one from Murtagh just before the interval have left Somerset six down and still needing 98 to win. Bartlett the unbeaten man on 43, he's likely the key to Somerset's potential victory.

Durham also nipped out Joe Clarke right before lunch against Notts - they need seven more wickets for the win.

And Glamorgan are still right in the hunt against Yorkshire. After centuries for W Root and captain Cooke, they declared and have taken two Yorkshire wickets before lunch.

Actually the key to the win was Gregory, who added to his earlier five-for with a brilliant counter-attacking 50 at a SR of just under 100, while Bartlett played anchor, which led Somerset to a highly impressive comeback win. Middlesex's collapse in their second innings proving pivotal.

Duty281 wrote:Actually the key to the win was Gregory, who added to his earlier five-for with a brilliant counter-attacking 50 at a SR of just under 100, while Bartlett played anchor, which led Somerset to a highly impressive comeback win. Middlesex's collapse in their second innings proving pivotal.

Duty - thanks for highlighting this match. Outstanding turnaround and win by Somerset.

You are absolutely right to flag Gregory's role. A decade ago he was captaining England under 19s and it was thought that a Test career as a batting all rounder awaited. Never quite happened for him and his bowling took over but still a mighty handy player as shown here.

Somerset just know how to win cricket matches. It’s impossible to really put your finger on, but they have so many bowling options and batsmen who can contribute all the way down - someone almost always makes a match winning contribution. To win that game from 89-9 in the first innings is tremendous.

"On Saturday, April 17, all County Championship matches will pause between 2:50pm and 4:10pm to coincide with the funeral of HRH Prince Phillip, the Duke of Edinburgh.

The ECB are also asking all recreational clubs to stop play between 3-4pm on that day."

So is this just going to be time lost from the games? Pretty wild if so

James100 wrote:"On Saturday, April 17, all County Championship matches will pause between 2:50pm and 4:10pm to coincide with the funeral of HRH Prince Phillip, the Duke of Edinburgh.

The ECB are also asking all recreational clubs to stop play between 3-4pm on that day."

So is this just going to be time lost from the games? Pretty wild if so

I'm actually surprised they're playing at all on that day. I originally thought they'd just have no play on Saturday and have day three and four on Sunday/Monday.

If they want to make up time lost for that 80 minute interval, they could (and should) start earlier/extend play at the end on multiple days.

James100 wrote:"On Saturday, April 17, all County Championship matches will pause between 2:50pm and 4:10pm to coincide with the funeral of HRH Prince Phillip, the Duke of Edinburgh.

The ECB are also asking all recreational clubs to stop play between 3-4pm on that day."

So is this just going to be time lost from the games? Pretty wild if so

Recreational teams can’t use pavilions at the moment so they will just be sitting in their cars for an hour...

Gloucestershire beat Surrey in a highly impressive and brisk chase, while an Adam Lyth century defied Glamorgan's prospects of victory, so we've ended up with three wins (all in Group 2) and six draws. A lot more runs scored over the nine games than most would have predicted for early April.

In terms of the (unlikely) pursuit to 1,000 runs before the end of May, 13 batsmen notched up 150+ runs in the first game; three of them already going over 200, with seven games left.

Nottinghamshire's website appears to confirm how time will be made up because of Saturday's suspension:

Spoiler:

Presumably this will be the same for all counties. Notts-Warks should be the game of the week, with Broad and Olly Stone returning for their respective counties.

Somerset 94/4 at Lunch bs Gloucs. Another duck for Lammonby! We’ve jinxed him.

Hameed not making a telling score either for Nottinghamshire.

Champions Essex in deep trouble at 81/8 against...Durham.

3-53 for Simon Kerrigan against his former county Lancashire. Great to see him back in professional cricket after retiring a few years ago, and bowling well.

Nice to see Somerset doing normal Somerset things - 110/5 becoming a good 312 all out, with half-centuries for Davies and Overton.

Champions Essex fought back well: after being bowled out for 96, and Durham getting up to 98/1, Harmer and Cook combined with the ball to leave Durham 148/8 overnight.

Plenty of runs in the other games, but nothing notable for any England players/those on the fringes of selection as far as I can see. Ollie Robinson pitched up with 4/50 for Sussex.

Reading also that Sibley may have broken his finger while fielding, meaning he could be a doubt for the NZ tests, like Stokes who suffered the same injury in the IPL.

4/67 for Ed Barnard as Derby are all out for 390ao.

Currently has 7 wickets @ 19 and 128 runs @ 128. Time to start the bandwagon.

Middlesex 8/3 off 3.2 overs.

Mohammad Abbas has 3/2 from 8 balls. Abbas in County cricket on a green seamer against county batsmen is a cruelty.

Yes, that was a hat-trick for Abbas, the first of the season.

And he's just added another two wickets in three balls to leave Middlesex 14/5. Abbas five wickets for three runs. Savage.

Hedley Verity and his 10/10 is sweating nervously!

A morning of frustration for Essex. Durham scrambled from 144/8 to get to 259 all out, a lead of 163. Will take an inspired and much-improved effort with the bat to come back from here.

JDizzle wrote:4/67 for Ed Barnard as Derby are all out for 390ao.

Currently has 7 wickets @ 19 and 128 runs @ 128. Time to start the bandwagon.

Start the bandwagon? The bandwagon is chuntering along!

JDizzle wrote:Hedley Verity and his 10/10 is sweating nervously!

Abbas gets the sixth wicket, but Abbot ruins it by getting the seventh!

I reckon on six it is fair enough. If Abbas has got to all 7, that’s when you start bowling two foot outside off stump! Although the way he is bowling I am sure it would have been a matter of when not if he had taken all 10 given the chance.

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:

JDizzle wrote:4/67 for Ed Barnard as Derby are all out for 390ao.

Currently has 7 wickets @ 19 and 128 runs @ 128. Time to start the bandwagon.

Start the bandwagon? The bandwagon is chuntering along!

Broken finger for Stokes and England need an all rounder for the NZ Tests is it?

All set up for a good conclusion at Essex. Dan Lawrence hit a classy 76 and seemed destined for a century, before finding a fielder in the deep. That wicket seemed to be the end of Essex's long unbeaten home run, on a slow pitch with inconsistent bounce, but Walter struck a counter-attacking 49* with some powerful shots, meaning Essex are six down for a lead of 45 overnight. Another 120+ could make this a tight finish.

Seems to be a bowler's day in most places, although the England duo of Pope and Foakes made half-centuries for Surrey. Broad got 3/50 for Notts, Craig Overton got 3/60 alongside a half-century with the bat yesterday, and of course Abbas ended up with 6/11.

Essex battling away. They've taken the lead up to 114 with eight wickets down. Ben Allison, only his third FC game, playing a very mature and resourceful innings to keep their chances alive. The pitch is doing quite a bit for the bowlers now, so I reckon Essex will have real belief if the remaining few can drag the lead up to beyond 150.

And I see Somerset's top-order have - again! - let them down. A lead of only 50 with four already dismissed. Still, Somerset are never happier than when the battle is an uphill one.

Middlesex letting Ryan Higgins go has to be one of the bigger gaffes of recent years. He’s the perfect county cricketer. Bowls little wobblers, bats well and offers something in all formats. Lovely cricketer.

Somerset looking beaten with a lead of only 95 and seven wickets lost...but when Somerset look beaten, they always come back to win, right? They're never dull. The county cricket version of Pakistan. Hildreth the key to getting them close to 200.

Essex continuing to frustrate Durham, with the lead going past 150 and no further losses; Allison making a first FC fifty.

Ollie Pope with a double ton against Leics. And Adam Lyth has got a second century of the season as Yorkshire stretch into the distance against Kent - he's on 365 runs for the season, the current leading contender for the near-mythical 1,000 runs by the end of May.

Essex's belligerent effort ensures Durham will need 168 to win. Should be a close one, it certainly won't be easy for Durham to chase that down.

Good day for Ollie Robinson, again, as he's taken a further four wickets for Sussex as they cruise to a win over Glamorgan. Match figures of 8/98 thus far.