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Barney unleashed on the current mess we find ourselves in:
David Hopps
When you insist it’s a docile Chelmsford wicket only for Yorkshire to skedaddle to 216 all out and then take three quick wickets in reply, all alibis are helpful. So thanks to Essex’s leggie Matt Critchley (who ended up with 4 wickets) for saying: “I’m not sure about how to read the pitch. We thought it was going to be flat. I think it’s a slow, dead wicket.” Or Yorkshire’s James Wharton who said much the same. Good judges both, clearly. Both these sides have unreliable batting orders so who knows what might happen today."
Don’t want to sound too middle aged but I’m very excited by the bedding plants I’ve just bought from the scouts. In other news, Virat Kohli is about to call time on his Test career:
A meeting of the National Drought Group is never a good sign…
Friday's round-up
There was a to-and-fro scrap at Trent Bridge, the difference being Nottinghamshire’s 20-year-old England Lion Freddie McCann, who hit a wonderful century, already his third in the Championship. Kyle Abbott collected five wickets for the 43rd time in his career – it could have been more but Hampshire dropped five catches.
The 2024 champions had a difficult day at Edgbaston. Tom Latham, who only arrived in Birmingham on Tuesday after recovering from a broken hand, frolicked to an unbeaten 139 on his Warwickshire debut. Alex Davies had set the mood, playing wantonly at the Surrey attack, slapping a couple of early sixes, until he was bowled by a full toss from Dan Lawrence. Surrey, shorn of Jamie Smith and Ollie Pope by England, picked Jason Roy for the first time in five years.
It was a memorable day for off-spinner Jack Carson, who celebrated a maiden first-class century at a sunny Hove. It was an intelligent rescue act after Sussex, sitting pretty at 80 for nought, promptly lost six for eight as Tom Taylor (five for 56) ran riot. The last-wicket stand of 73 was particularly galling for Worcestershire.
James Wharton’s careful innings of 63 not out just about knitted Yorkshire together on a day when they lost nine for 108 on a two-faced Chelmsford pitch. Matt Critchley collected four for 49. Essex then lost their opening pair and the nightwatchman before the close.
Glamorgan, boosted by news that Marnus Labuschagne would be returning for two games (and a sixth season) later this month, had a good day against Kent at Canterbury, where a north wind confused the seasons. Young specs-wearing Asa Tribe was bowled by Matt Parkinson six runs short of a first Championship century, Ben Kellaway was unbeaten on 91.
A ding-dong unrolled at the County Ground, where Northamptonshire were reduced to 67 for six before the last four batters added 171 – much to Lancashire’s frustration. Lewis McManus cooked up a half century and was well supported by Liam Guthrie and the tail. Lancashire lost both George Bell and Josh Bohannon for nought, but yet another fifty from Marcus Harris smoothed the waters.
Scores on the doors
DIVISION ONE
Chelmsford: Essex 27-3 v Yorkshire 216
Trent Bridge: Notts 333 v Hampshire 2-0
Hove: Sussex 284 v Worcestershire 7-0
Edgbaston: Warwickshire 364-4 v Surrey
DIVISION TWO
Canterbury: Kent v Glamorgan 389-7
County Ground: Northamptonshire 238 v Lancashire 110-3
Preamble
Hello! And a happy Saturday morning all round. It’s another fine day around the grounds and play will start at 11am, so do join us post park run/croissant/child’s football game for some county cricket perambulations.
