I love first class cricket. I love it more than a foaming pint of ale, a crisp glass of sauvignon, a fillet steak or a chocolate tort. Nothing beats a tussle that ebbs and flows over several days and goes to the wire. It’s delectable. And it doesn’t have to be test cricket either. There’s plenty of good stuff going on in the county championship too.
The game between league leaders Notts and champions Yorkshire that finished yesterday was a case in point. There was plenty of excellent domestic talent on display (just a solitary overseas player was involved), some fine bowling, incredible batting, and the result was up in the air until the final ball. The No.11 batsman Jack Brooks survived, just about, and the game was drawn. If only more people had seen the spectacle.
The beginning of the season often creates mouth-watering cricket because England players are available. With so many England places ostensibly up for grabs, the action has an extra edge to it too. It’s fascinating to see how the likes of Adam Lyth and Alex Lees shape up against world class bowlers like Stuart Broad. When everyone’s fit and available, the gulf between championship cricket and the test arena isn’t as big as we might think – at least in division one anyway.
So which players have impressed over the last week, and which ones have blotted their scorebook? Here’s our weekly roundup of all the action:
In the aforementioned game between Notts and Yorkshire, the performance of Alex Hales gave cause for both optimism and pessimism. Two scores in the thirties show he’s in decent touch, but his critics will wonder why he didn’t go on to make a big score. Apparently the ball that bowled Hales in the second innings kept a bit low, but I doubt this will appease those who want a different face at the top of England’s batting order.
The simple fact of the matter is this: many consider Hales to be the third best opener in this match, let alone one of the top two in the country. It will be interesting to see how much faith the selectors have in him. Maybe Mick Newell would prefer him to play for Notts < stirs pot and walks away with mischievous grin >.
The star opener in the match was actually young Alex Lees, who made 92 in the first innings and 107 in the second. I rate Lees very highly but he’s had a torrid time recently. He hasn’t quite lived up to expectations yet – Geoff Boycott once put him in a similar bracket to Joe Root – but maybe this will be a turning point?
The other star performers at Trent Bridge were two excellent county stalwarts constantly rejected by their country: Jack Brooks took seven wickets in the match and Chris Read made 101 in Notts’ second innings. The promising Jake Ball, who might well earn international honours one day, also impressed with 4-57 in the first dig and 3-68 in the second.
Garry Ballance and Jonny Bairstow endured mixed fortunes, although the latter almost turned the game with a quickfire 35 off just 20 balls as Yorkshire went for the win on day 4. It was interesting to see George Dobell compare Bairstow to Graeme Hick in his match report on cricinfo. Although Jonny is a robust striker of the ball like Hick, and often looks a bit static at the crease, I saw many of Hick’s hundreds at during the late 80s and early 90s. Despite being extremely mild mannered, Hick’s very presence at the crease intimidated opponents. He had an aura about him. I’m not sure that Bairstow, despite his obvious talent, has reached that point yet – although I wouldn’t be surprised his international career follows a similar pattern.
There were runs aplenty in the other division one fixtures. Surrey made 457 in their first innings against Durham – Steve Davies made 84, Roy 64 and Ansari 41 – but Durham replied with a rather masculine 607. Young Jack Burnham scored 135, his very first championship ton, and the evergreen (ever ginger?) Paul Collingwood made an unbeaten 106. Go Colly!
The best bowler in the match was Ben Stokes, who took 4-117 and 3-69. It’s good to see him bouncing back so strongly – as if this was ever in doubt. Try as he might, however, he couldn’t force a result.
Hampshire’s game against Middlesex at the Rose Bowl also ended in a stalemate. Hants made 336 thanks to a century from England’s forgotten man, Michael Carberry. The forgotten man of England’s World T20 campaign, Liam Dawson, also chipped in with 89. Steve Finn continued his steady if unspectacular start to the season by picking up a couple of wickets.
Middlesex’s reply of 361 was built around 121 from the in-form Dawid Malan. Is Malan good enough to play test cricket? I suspect he’s more of a candidate for the one day and T20 team but you never know. It obviously helps if your county coach is a selector < stirs pot and walks away with mischievous gin again >. Just for the record, Nick Compton scored no runs (again) and Sam Robson failed twice.
The weather prevented a result in the other division one fixture between Somerset and Lancashire at Taunton. The visitors batted first and made 493-9, with Liam Livingstone registering 108no in only his second first class game. Well done him. Somerset could only muster 313 in reply, and it would’ve been a lot worse without James Hildreth’s 130. Is there a better player in the country who hasn’t played international cricket?
Despite following on, the home team salvaged a draw thanks to the rain gods and yet another hundred from Marcus Trescothick. Think how many test runs Tres would’ve scored if he’d kept playing international cricket? What a pity. Although Lancs couldn’t force a result, there were encouraging returns from James Anderson (3-72) and Simon ‘remember me’ Kerrigan (3-63).
Down in division two, it was another chastening week for Glamorgan, who got stuffed by ten wickets at Canterbury. Although the Welshmen conceded a first innings deficit of 228, it looked like they’d made a game of it when they scored 414 in the second dig. Unfortunately however, Kent chased down the required 190 for victory without losing a wicket.
New Zealand’s Tom Latham and Daniel Bell-Drummond registered century opening partnerships in both innings of this match. The latter is in brilliant form. Although DBD’s first class average is still lingering in the mid-30s, he certainly seems to be improving. I wonder if he’s the sort of young batsman England might take a punt on?
Essex have been the dominant team in division two this year – the combination of Alastair Cook, with his iron rod, and Graham Napier, with the physique of iron man – has been unstoppable. However, a resilient Worcestershire proved their equal at New Road in a game between two promotion hopefuls. The weather prevented a result but there was lots of good cricket.
Essex batted first and made an imposing 451 thanks to yet another hundred from Cook. The England skipper must find division two bowling about as challenging as getting dressed in the morning. The impressive Tom Westley, who has also been in good form this year, made 125. Jack Leach, the former Shrewsbury schoolboy who grunts like Maria Sharapova but isn’t quite so easy on the eye, took 5-115.
Despite low scores from star batsmen Moeen Ali and Joe Clarke, Worcs managed 411 in reply thanks to two young players with strong local connections. Brett D’Oliveria, grandchild of Basil and son of Damien, scored an excellent 128. Meanwhile, young Tom Kohler-Cadmore, probably the best young batsman produced by Malvern College since sloth-like borderline alcoholic James Morgan, weighed in with 119*. I hope Alastair Cook was watching and learning.
Talking of learning lessons, Sussex continue to find life in division two a little more challenging than many expected. After electing to bat first against Leicestershire at Hove, the home side were knocked over for just 163. Leics then piled on 473 in their first innings, leaving Sussex in all kinds of trouble. Fortunately a composed 144 from Chris Nash in the second innings, and a half-century from Ed Joyce, enabled Sussex to cling on for a draw.
The final game between Derbyshire and Northants was probably most notable for Shiv Thakor’s 83no. We should probably keep an eye on young Shiv. He is / was a highly talented England U19 player whose early career was severely derailed by a serious finger injury. Now he’s playing regularly again, it will be interesting to see how he develops. He bowls a bit of medium pace too and picked up 3-65 in Northants first innings.
Although Derbs conceded a first innings deficit of 146 – Jake Libby and Richard Levi made hundreds for Northants – they never looked in danger of losing. They made 229-1 in the second innings thanks to big scores from Billy Godleman, who trod on his stumps on 94 (duh!) and ‘Chezzer’ Hughes, who made a hundred.
That just about wraps things up for now. What do you make of the recent county action? Which cricketers do you think have played their way in (or out!) of the England test side? The first test is approaching fast.
James Morgan
James a question to you and your readers (if you don’t mind)
Who is the best English wicket Keeper? And how do we get him in the side to tour India?
The answer to the second part of your question normally involves using a baseball bat. The selectors want a batsman who can keep!
…but we don’t have a batsman who can keep…
Billings is the best keeper amongst the baseballers (by some way) and would be my choice as he also has the best batting technique for red ball cricket (rather than baseball). I could see Billings developing into an Alec Stewart role. However I would still prefer Foakes.
I don’t think there are many superb pure keepers around. Foakes shows promise though. I’ll need to see more of him to judge accurately though.
There are two superb keepers around, as good as we’ve ever had, for many years, Read and Foster. Unfortunately, since our selectors have been unable to find/select a reliable top six, they’ve used the position as an insurance. Sometimes it works, mostly it doesn’t. I’d still pick one of them. What a bonus to have that experience, knowledge and for the bowlers to know they have a guy behind the stumps who will take 99.9% of chances. Still chuckle at the memory of Prior heading for square leg whenever a spinner got the ball to jump.
I do like “stirs pot and walks away with mischievous gin again”. Was that typo or tonic? Other than that: most of the leading run scorers so far this season are openers (including Cook), so plenty to choose from. The main exception is some young tyro called Kumar Sangakkara, who might be worth a punt for England! Also, scores seem to be increasing. You wonder whether this has anything to do with counties producing roads to counteract the new toss rules. It would be a shame if the new rules mean spinners don’t get into the game, and there are more dull draws (that’s not saying all draws are dull by any means, but a 4 day run fest is).
I did say I was a borderline alcoholic. All references to gin are good in my book.
The Canterbury wicket seemed a pretty good one (1352 runs for 30 wickets), but there was a fair bit of life for the faster bowlers if they put their backs into it. There was also quite a bit of spin which Riley & Salter failed to utilise. I’m hoping for something similar in the next game…
The problem is, for every stimulating and tightly contested game between two star-studded line-ups, there are twenty games between two sides of also-rans, has-beens and never-will-bes that are either ruined by the weather or that drag on without any hope of a winner emerging in front of rows and rows of empty seats. Even the players quite visibly look like they wish they were elsewhere half the time.
Honestly, I would increase the days to 5 to get more results and half the number of fixtures. Only one team gets relegated to ensure some continuity from one year to the next. Allow the best players to congregate at the best teams and play against each other.
Only the first and last game of the season should be played at the county ground, unless the county is hosting a day-night fixture. The rest should be played at outfields and festivals around the county AND in neighbouring minor counties where appropriate.
The first round of the year should always be on May bank holiday weekend, with fixtures roughly once a fortnight until mid-September. Schedule rounds for the weekends before test matches to give England hopefuls or regulars (if they want the extra middle time) the chance to impress.
Who is this overseas player that Yorkshire apparently fielded against Notts?
I meant there was one overseas player playing in the match. Bird for Notts.
Plenty of people love county cricket and plenty can’t always attend because of work commitments. However they keep up with the scores by radio and on line. I follow Durham and Warwickshire, so I can visit one but rarely the other. But Warks didn’t play over the weekend. They have scored heavily too and pushed Yorkshire hard in their game against the champions. Bell’s got 174, Trott a double century and Chopra a century so half the top order batsmen are firing. Bell is the only contender of course and has outbatted all rivals for middle order spot so far. Not sure it will do him much good in the present climate, Easy to check on Ballance, Vince, and Compton. The latter has performed very poorly so far so maybe he’s been told he’s not in favour? But Ballance has struggled for his runs and Vince not very convincing in the recent Hants game – (James didn’t mention him in his round up). But he does have a century. Vince is the favourite among the pundits although Atherton voted for Bell. To be honest Hales looked pretty ordinary in the Notts game. As an opener for England he was a bad choice we seem to be stuck with “for continuity”. The ones in front are actually looking the worst of the County contenders but maybe that is just the way it is these days. Certainly not picked on impressing everyone which is what Bayliss demanded.
Bell is pure quality. Always has been. It’s just a shame that his temperament isn’t quite the equal of his talent. I would still pick him for England because he might simply have needed a break. He’s played non stop for England for a decade. That must be exhausting both physically and mentally.
Interesting comment about his temperament. I’m not sure that it’s Bell’s talent that I rate so much but the high artistic quality of his stroke play which is quite extraordinary and must take enormous amount of work to keep it flowing. As for temperament, Bell fielded brilliantly at short leg for most of his career which is now described as “very brave” when Taylor occupied it for a couple of Tests. Botham always refers to it humorously as suicidally brave and when Bell was struck on the wrist in NZ Botham ordered from the comm box that Bell is kept away from short leg. In fact after having his hand in and out of the ice bucket for a day Bell went back to short leg.
The Aussies said they’d scared the lights out of England at Lords and were looking forward to the next Test (Edgbaston). Perhaps you missed it but Bell took them on – even during his tired and exhausted summer – and scattered their pretensions to the boundary. Temperament, I would say, is pretty stubborn to come back after being dropped twice, and now a third time he’s fighting for his place. Unlike some not a complaint from him. Well maybe he keeps them to himself. In other words Bell’s so called temperament not being the equal to his talent is a myth. It’s just that he looks so much at ease at the crease that it seems effortless. That’s the function of skill. When he needed a break his fluency deserted him, that shows the high level of work involved to keep it all going.
As Atherton pointed out anyone who has played over a 100 Tests for England doesn’t need to prove anything about temperament. One is impossible without the other.
That’s a very gallant defence Jackie. I wasn’t really referring to Bell’s bravery. He can obviously hack test cricket. He was awesome in the 2013 Ashes at home and made crucial scores under all kinds of pressure. I was really referring to the fact he can seem a little flakey at times. He’s glorious to watch but some of his recent dismissals, especially against spin (charging at unnecessary times etc) aren’t what I expect from such a class player. I’m one of his biggest fans though and I do hope he plays for England again.
If we have a young blood at 3 there is a very good case for playing Bell at 5. Bell has always been ‘Bell-like!’ I think he just loses concentration for a minute or his mind wanders. Remember when he walked off for his tea before the umpire had removed the bails? Just for the record imo he was out and had I been captain of India, he would have stayed out.
“Plenty of people love county cricket and plenty can’t always attend because of work commitments. However they keep up with the scores by radio and on line.”
That’s all very well, but a) its not going to pay many cricketers wages, meaning the competition has to be funded by Test and T20 spectators (ask yourself why test tickets have to be so high) and b) its hardly a viable method of attracting new fans to the game, which is the entire point of having a professional cricket set-up in the first place.
I think the players will take time getting used to toss regulations and flatter pitches which is a GOOD THING. For the last 5 years there has been a trend of less spin and less genuine pace… Squads will likely need to be adjusted in time to get the higher calibre players in and raise standards. Wasn’t that the point?! We shouldn’t expect there to be many results when counties have gone down the route of medium pacers on these pitches – stick with it!
I think Compton has sealed his fate, there’s no way we can have him batting 3 when he isn’t amongst either the top 20 run scorers or talents in the country.
I’ve convinced myself my moeen theory is true and that England won’t prepare slow seamers to bulldoze opposition this summer but instead have genuine contests to prepare them both for this winter, and the next!
I am bemused by the calls (by Atherton amongst others) for Ball to be pushed ahead of Woakes and Plunkett in the test queue. His bowling is probably most like Woakes, except that Woakes is quicker and has taken near 400 FC wickets at the same average as Ball – at similar ages. And Woakes can bat.
It’s probably academic to be honest. I can’t see anyone other than Anderson, Broad, Finn and Stokes starting in the first test. I’m yet to see a lot of Ball but I hear good things. His county record is good although from memory it’s not quite as good as Woakes’ record. I might be wrong about that though.
I’m no hales fan but his second innings ball was a grubber. However, he looks scratchy and playing in the air a lot (hence being caught out by root).
Lees – well he scored runs so fair play. However, he looks too loose and to ready to flash outside off stump to be a international opener (root does the same !). Lyth is too loose also but was very badly done for by the umpire in one innings.
Bowling wise, low 80’s mph… And even high 70’s.. Where is the pace ?? That’s the difference, Brooke’s/ball taking wickets at 78-83moh.. Johnson, steyn, Harris (I know they aren’t around now but let’s at least try and pick players capable of facing top bowling rather than Sl/WI etc), are another 5+ at least mph faster !! And they could barely cope
Read – his Fc avg is better than hales and buttler but still never selected.. Disgraceful by the ECB yet again.
Cooks tearing it up,without trying so that shows how easy it is and what any player with a test spot in mind should be doing to even warrant hype let alone selection
Another must-read piece by Nick Hoult:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/cricket/2016/05/08/fear-and-loathing-in-county-cricket-the-grim-financial-realities/
And by George Dobell:
http://www.espncricinfo.com/england/content/story/1011543.html
ECB revenue went down by £40m last year – they responded by cutting community and county funding while increasing spending on the England team and administration and piling up even more in their reserves. You couldn’t make it up.