Key events
A hundred for George Balderson!
To Northampton, where Lancashire are grinding Northants into south Midlands dust. A second Championship century for young blade George Balderson, finally out for 115, the second hundred of the innings. Lancs 506-9, the lead 276, with Tom Bailey playing whack-a-mole.
Simon Harmer: an apology
“I don’t want to deprive you of a once-in-a-hundred-years event,” writes Henry Lubienski, “but the alleged dropped catch from Harmer (11:37 BST) was a commentator error. The ball bounced a couple of meters in front of Harmer.”
Thank you!
Huw Morris to step down as chief exec of Glamorgan
While Harmer toys with the tension, with four consecutive maidens at Chelmsford, some news from Cardiff. Hugh Morris is going to step down after nine years as Glamorgan’s CEO. Morris took over in 2014, helping dig Glamorgan out of a considerable financial hole. He designed a financial plan which saw creditors writing off 70 per cent of the club’s £16 million debt, and pushed for Cardiff to be the base for a Hundred franchise.
“Glamorgan has always held a special place in my heart,” he said, “and it was a great thrill for me to rejoin the club as chief executive in January 2014 after 17 thoroughly enjoyable years at the England and Wales Cricket Board.
“I am proud of our achievements over the past 10 years in stabilising our financial position, transforming our governance and making the game more accessible and diverse through our award-winning community programme.”
“Many people will know that I was diagnosed with bowel cancer in January 2022,” he went on, “and the time is right for me to spend more time with my family, enjoying other pastimes, and focusing on my ongoing treatment.”
Middlesex survive Harmer’s first over. Over at Grace Road, Leicestershire are making an early Horlicks of their chase of 169 – Patel and Budinger gone in single figures, both to Josh Shaw: 18-2. And an early wicket for Joe Leach in the promotion battle at New Road, Eddie Byrom seasoned and toasted for a seven-ball duck. Glamorgan 19-1.
100 for Bas de Leede!
But to briefly turn away from Chelmsford: Durham have picked up maximum bowling points – again, for the SEVENTH time this summer – and Bas de Leede has his maiden Durham Championship century – 103 before being caught behind.
Meanwhile, Harmer drops Simpson a catch at slip. And here he comes to bowl….
A reminder that Middlesex are currently only three points above the relegation zone…
25-4…. at least Essex are mixing it up, this time Sam Cook grabs the wicket.
A third for Porter!
Hmmm. Trying to think of a upside for Middlesex here. Sam Robson loses his stumps and Porter has three for eleven.
The sun is shining for Glamorgan and Worcestershire’s day of reckoning. Glamorgan’s target 250 after Worcestershire lose their last two wickets for 18. McIlroy finishes with five. I’ve stared into my coffee cup and the grubby grains say this is Glamorgan’s game.
Oh dear. A second in the over for Jamie Porter and poor old Joe Cracknell, in only his second Championship game, must follow where Stoneman recently trod. Essex 8-2.
Tick, tock:, Stoneman trudges off, after going for broke and being picked up at backward point. Middlesex 8-1. One chalked up for Porter.
Surrey beat Warwickshire by an innings and 97 runs!
The Oval: Surrey 396 BEAT Warwickshire 161 and 138 by an innings and 97 runs. Surrey 22 points, Warwicks ?? points
Done and dusted in 15 minutes. Worrall finishes with five wickets, Clark with four. Surrey’s eighth win of the season. Beginning to look like a cakewalk.
Eight for Josh de Caires!
Essex all out after Sam Cook snitches to slip. Middlesex strap up and prepare for Harmer.
And a Harry Brook headache:
A cracking scoop from Raf:
Injury update Sophie Ecclestone
Sophie Ecclestone has undergone surgery after dislocating her right shoulder in the warm-up before Manchester Originals played Southern Brave in August.
She will now begin her rehabilitation with the ECB and Thunder medical teams.
Monday’s round-up
A trippy 23 wickets fell at the Oval, as Surrey stuck their big boot into Warwickshire and reached for the title. The visitors’ day had not started badly as they rattled through the Surrey tail, with Ed Barnard collecting five wickets. Then the fun began as they belted up for the relentless Surrey attack.
A first innings of 161, with four wickets to Kemar Roach, seemed riches when, following on, they were reduced to 35 for five. The die is cast.
On day one at Chelmsford, the off-spin of Middlesex’s Josh de Caires blindsided the Championship dreamers Essex. De Caires, the son of Mike Atherton, fizzed out a career-best seven for 105 despite a century opening stand between Sir Alastair Cook and Nick Browne. His 38 overs of toil may never have happened had the British Embassy in Delhi not delayed the paperwork for the Indian off-spinner Jayant Yadav, leaving him stranded.
“It’s nice bowling from the River End,” De Caires said. “There’s a nice, big rough patch for right‑handers.” Simon Harmer quietly licked his lips.
Keith Barker’s first five‑fer of what has been a quiet Championship season scattered Somerset like autumn conkers, all out for 137, a deficit of 171 in their match against Hampshire. Only Andy Umeed passed 30.
Josh Bohannon became the second Division One player to collect a thousand runs, with 175 for Lancashire against a wilting Northamptonshire. This was his third successive hundred against them, and he bustled boundaries with trademark cuts and drives.
Hundreds from Alex Lees – his fifth of the season– and Graham Clark kept Durham’s promotion train on track at the Riverside. Sussex’s Jack Carson grabbed three wickets. At Scarborough Derbyshire’s Wayne Madsen strode to 93 against Yorkshire; Leicestershire are on top in a rollercoaster game against Gloucestershire, and 18 wickets fell at New Road as Worcestershire lead Glamorgan.
Scores on the doors
DIVISION ONE
The Rose Bowl: Hampshire 308 and 45-0 v Somerset 137
The County Ground: Northants 232 v Lancashire 392-7
The Oval: Surrey 396 v Warwickshire 161 and 126-7
DIVISION TWO
Chester-le-Street: Durham 424-5 v Sussex 266
Grace Road: Leicestershire 204 v Gloucestershire 159 and 179-8
New Road: Worcestershire 284 and 127-8 v Glamorgan 170
Scarborough: Yorkshire 297 and 179-2 v Derbyshire 247
Day one: Chelmsford: Essex 303-9 v Middlesex
Preamble
Good glorious morning from September at its most wanton. Day three, and all eight games flying .
I’ve been thwarted once more on my trip to Scarborough by waking up full of wheeze, but I have a fabulous super-duper sub in Christian Ryan, author of Golden Boy and Feeling is the Thing That Happens in 1000th of a Second, who chugging over the Pennines this second. He has promised to send me colour from the ground. Grab a coffee, we’re up and running at 1030am.
