Top Order Tons and Tail-End Bonanzas – County Championship Roundup (April 21st)

The second round of county championship matches are in the books. As the race for England test places hots up, which players have caught the selectors’ eye? And who the hell is Liam Norwell anyway?

Division One

We begin our roundup at Lord’s where some big names were strutting their stuff: Nick Compton, Ancient Voges, Steve Finn, Jeethan Patel, Ian Bell and Sam Hain to name just six. It was a high-scoring game, so none of the bowlers except Patel had much joy, but quite a few stories emerged. Shame it turned into a bit of a bore draw.

The headlines were dominated by two former England openers – guys chewed up, spat out and quickly replaced by, err, Adam Lyth and Alex Hales. The first was Jonathan Trott, who I seem to remember scoring 13 hundreds for England.

Good old Trotty made the small matter of 219 in the first innings. Maybe this had something to do with the fact that he was batting at four – yes four – the place he should bat. Man of the match, however, was Sam Robson. Remember him? The Australian former England opener made 231 in the first innings and then 106 in the second – that’s 293 more runs than Nick Compton made in the match.

I’m not sure whether Robson is still on England’s radar, but it must help that he plays for Angus Fraser. Then again, Alex Hales plays for Mick Newell, so perhaps any potential favouritism could even itself out? I thought that Robson looked far from test quality when he played against Sri Lanka a couple of years ago, but he’s still relatively young. Perhaps he’s been working on his technique?

There were plenty of England hopefuls on display at Headingley too, where the champions took on Hampshire. This was another high-scoring affair, with 5 different century makers in the match. The wicket must have been flatter than Jessica’s Alba’s stomach.

Yorkshire scored a colossal 593 in the first innings. Adam Lyth reminded the selectors that he’s still alive with a calm 111, and Jonny Bairstow ‘chipped in’ with 246. Not a bad way to start the season eh.

However, these innings were placed in context somewhat when Liam Plunkett also bludgeoned a century from number nine. His 126 off just 102 balls suggests that the bowling and / or the pitch were rather friendly. Fidel Edwards might want to forget his innings figures of 23 overs 0-145. Ouch.

Fortunately for Hampshire they got a little revenge when they batted. James Vince made a stylish 119, and Sean Irvine also made a ton as Hants avoided the follow-on. Thereafter it was a bit of a dead game, although Yorkshire collapsed to 183-8 on the final day with James Tomlinson claiming 3-31. Unfortunately Alex Lees had a poor match (he made just 8 in two innings).

In a game pretty much devoid of England hopefuls, Lancashire beat Notts by eight wickets at Old Trafford. It was a bit of an upset this. Notts made just 242 in their first innings, with only Chris Read registering a half-century. The main destroyer for Lancs was New Zealand’s Neil Wagner who claimed six wickets. He’s a good bowler that lad.

Lancs replied with 332 but it was a bit of a struggle to be honest. Nobody really got going and only Alex Davies and Liam Livingstone reached 50. Young Jake Ball took four wickets for Notts, overshadowing his more illustrious international colleagues – that’s if you can call Jackson Bird ‘illustrious’.

It all went wrong for Notts in the second innings when they capitulated to Wagner again. They lost their last five wickets for just 42 runs. Boy they miss James Taylor. The much-anticipated bowl-off between Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad didn’t really materialise. They bowled ok but only managed six wickets between them.

Division Two

Down in division two, most of the chat was about helmets. Would Alastair Cook wear his old one or succumb to the sinister machinations of the evil Strauss and don the new fixed-grill variety? In the end Alastair did what he was told – despite claiming that he couldn’t see a thing in the new lid.

Somewhat predictably the skipper only made 1 in the first innings. Apparently he could see so little that he took a wrong turn on his way to the middle and ended up at a petrol station on the A23. Things went a little better in the second innings though when Cook made an unbeaten 127. I assume he simply used The Force. Don’t use your eyes Alastair, they can deceive you, don’t trust them.

The rest of the match was a bit of an irrelevance really as a result never looked likely. Chris Nash had a good game (he made 119 and 92), Tom Westley continued his good form by scoring 86, and young Jamie Porter picked up 5-82 in Sussex’s second innings.

Essex needed 329 to win on the fourth day but gave up once they lost a couple of early wickets. It’s a good thing that Cook, wearing his blast shield helmet, was able to ensure the draw.

Alastair Cook's New Revolutionary Helmet
Alastair Cook’s New Revolutionary Helmet

There was another run-fest – can you remember so many run-fests in April before? – at Bristol. Derbyshire made 444 in their first innings with “call me Chesney” Hughes making 96 and the evergreen Will Madsen 150. Gloucestershire made a humongous 563 in reply, with Chris Dent scoring an impressive 180 and the Dorset Dravid compiling 102.

On hearing that Gloucs had unearthed a new 24-year old century maker, rumour has it that Gus Fraser revved up his Datsun Insult and drove forthwith to Briz. Who was this new batting prodigy who had flayed the much-admired Luke Fletcher, the best exponent of the yorker in England, to all parts? Gus couldn’t wait to find out.

He was astounded to discover that is was actually right-arm seamer Liam Norwell, whose ton was his first in any form of cricket (ever). Hmmm. I think Norwell might have secured the nightwatchman’s job for a little longer. What an innings! His first class batting average has now reached the dizzy heights of 14.

Unfortunately however, despite Norwell’s heroics, a result never looked likely in this game either. Gloucestershire’s faint hopes of winning were scuppered when ‘call me Chesney’ made an unbeaten 137 in the second innings. What a shame for him that Norwell stole the headlines.

In the other division two match at Sophia Gardens, 8 wickets from the lumbering Aussie Clint McKay, 93 from Niall O’Brien, and a pair of half-centuries from Paul Horton, eased Leicestershire to a comprehensive ten wicket win over lacklustre Glamorgan.

This game was relatively close until the third innings, when the Welshies’ batting fell in a heap. Leics made mincemeat of their small fourth innings chase and got there without losing a wicket. I fear it could be a long, hard season for Glamorgan.

James Morgan

32 comments

  • Sad that most BBC sports reporters have so little interest in cricket. Was listening to Chris Evans on R2 this morning, only football discussed while I was listening. yet the Yorks/Hants match had so much to talk about – including the fact that Hampshire lost so many players to injury that their coach had to take the field in the Yorks second innings. can you imagine if that had happened in a Premier League match, they would all been all over the story? but cricket, no interest. I know a lot of people want cricket back on the BBC but I have very little faith that they would do it any sort of justice at all I’m afraid.

  • I hate being fair to the BBC. I don’t think that I should have to be. It is an appalling organisation.

    However. I have to say that their ball-by-ball coverage of all County matches goes a long way to moderating my view. Most of the commentators are good and it certainly helps pass the summer in my single occupancy office.

    So. In this and only in this.
    “Well done BBC!”

    There I said it. Don’t expect me to say that again.

  • You talk about so many runs being scored so early in the season but a few years back didn’t batsmen try to get 1000 runs before the end of May? I think Gooch did it once. That and the 100 wickets in a season which was another. (Good old Hadlee on those lovely Trent Bridge wickets!)

      • Not done since 1988 – Graeme Hick reached it in 11 innings.
        Compton got close a few years back.

        People who’ve done it are

        1,000 runs by 31 May
        1895 WG Grace (10)
        1900 Tom Hayward (13)
        1927 Wally Hammond (13)
        1928 Charlie Hallows (11)
        1930 Don Bradman (11)
        1938 Don Bradman (7)
        1938 Bill Edrich (15)
        1973 Glenn Turner (18)
        1988 Graeme Hick (11)

        Robson might have a chance, has possibly another 8 innings before May 31st

        • I was there when Hick reached that milestone! Big hundred against the Windies tourists. The paceman hit him with everything but Hick murdered them. Always found it amazing that he struggled in test cricket (especially against the short ball) after watching that innings.

          • Hick was mentally fragile. He had loads of pressure for 4 years on his shoulders. He came into this…

            1991 West indies at their peak
            1992 Waqar & Wasim
            1993 Australia with Warns
            1994 South Africa

            • Agreed Neil. Looking at those attacks I don’t know how anyone can deny that batsmen have it easier these days.

              • Absolutely. Plus if Hick had played under a more supportive, competent management, who knows?

  • An even bigger “ouch” for Fidel Edwards at Headingley was breaking his ankle in a warm-up kickabout and he’s presumably going to be out of the game for some time.

    At least Mason Crane might now get a game. One of the disappointments so far has been teams going into matches without a specialist spinner. For example, Middlesex left out both Rayner and Ravi Patel against Warwickshire. Perhaps the selectors should have a word with Middlesex’s director of cricket…..

    Another disappointment is that the ECB’s highlights of each day’s play seem to be a paltry 90 seconds.

  • Why are people lauding the Yorks game?? A bazillion runs scored means it’s a poor bowling effort and a road.. That’s not good cricket that’s modern easy cricket so the poor white ball players don’t get out

  • Glamorgan live stream their matches on their website. Only a webcam pointed at the square but with commentary it’s not bad.

  • Hi James
    Interesting start to the season particularly for the batters.
    With three places in the top 6 up for grabs it will be fascinating to see how the selectors respond to performances in April.
    Hales having dropped himself from the tests series by his inept performances in SA and taking a break opens up the opener slot – Lyth? Robson? Lees desperately needs a score to turn his fortunes round
    At least Compo is trying to keep his name in the mix by playing for Middlesex but made a poor start so who’s coming in at 3?
    Finally the sad news on James T also opens up lower order and I wonder if they’ll be tempted to play about with Bairstow’s position?
    I can’t remember the last time England’s top 6 fired so it feels like we haven’t moved on since 2013/14.
    As a top county cricketer April must be hugely exciting and full of potential. If Compo doesn’t score runs and the first test sees Hales and Compo in the XI at the expense of others who have performed in April, we might as well give up the county game.

    • I would pick neither Hales nor Compton. Do you know when Hales will start playing first class cricket again. He surely can’t miss too many more games if he wants to make the test team … unless he’s been given assurances that his place is safe of course.

      • Who do you pick then? Untried, untested and unproven at even the very avg county level players like vince, bell-Drummond that a few her rave about like they are going to be world beaters??

        Stocks are thin

        • I’m going to stick my neck out and say that Bell Drummond is one of the most overrated players in the country. I’ve seen him a couple of times and he looked skittish and out of his depth. He’s still young, so maybe he might improve technically in time, but I find the hype strange. He’s played almost 100 first class innings (mostly in div 2) and doesn’t average 35 yet.

          I agree the cupboard looks bare though. I would ask Bayliss to take a punt on someone. Looks like that man might be Nick Browne according to Paul Newman. It’s a really quandary though and I accept that it’s much easier to say ‘not him, not him!’ than suggest who should actually get the gig.

          • Batsmen should be avg’ing highly in domestic cricket to even get s look in given we know the change in level is drastic. IF there isn’t anyone to replace a current player with then don’t. Bell has at least proven himself (and I’m no bell fan!) as had KP and get we’ve got rid of them for less competent batsmen.. Clueless

            Meh, give whoever has good technique a go and stop giving white ball players like hales, Roy, Bairstow, buttler a go as they’ll never make it.. Way to technically flawed (assuming we discount games against rabble sides like Bang, SL currently etc)

      • Vaguely remember reading that he is unlikely to play before tests but perhaps this might change now. Read comments about others getting seven tests, but they got a ton. Hales has shown nothing.
        Arguably Compo served a purpose in SA to protect middle order but we need to identify new talent.
        Who to pick? The cupboard is bare.
        Hell why not try Bell again at 3, nothing better at present.
        As for opener I’m loathe to go back to Robson or Lyth unless they have corrected tech flaws but they’re better bets than incumbent.

  • An “interesting” article about the potential Test team:

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/cricket/article-3550546/England-set-shake-order-ahead-Test-against-Sri-Lanka-Headingley.html

    “England already have a firm idea of the team they want to step out at Headingley on May 19 and it could include new Test faces in the form of James Vince and Nick Browne”.

    The journalist has a track-record of being close to at least one source in the England hierarchy.

    By the way, there’s an ICC board meeting taking place today with issues like creating two divisions for Test cricket and creating scheduling ‘blocks’ for T20 franchises on the agenda. There seems to be no coverage in the UK MSM (Tim Wigmore on Twitter is the source for the info here).

    • Nick Hoult has an article up on the ICC meeting. It contains this:

      Nick Hoult:

      “Giles Clarke’s hopes of becoming the board’s next chairman are over…. Clarke’s hopes of becoming the ICC chairman are at an end after he failed to gain enough support to sustain a campaign. Instead it looks increasingly likely the current chairman, Shashank Manohar, from India, will carry on in the role and will be elected unopposed if he agrees to stand. It is understood Clarke will ­remain as president of the England and Wales Cricket Board, representing the board at ICC level. Manohar has won support among many nations by stating he will cut the amount of funding India receive from the central pool”.

    • Nick Browne would be a bizarre selection. He missed out on Lions representation (if memory serves me correctly) and spent the winter playing grade cricket down under. Although he scored a lot of runs last year, it was his first good season in county cricket and it was only division two. He’s also started the county season poorly, making 50 just once.

      If it’s a Bayliss punt then I’d be fine with taking a chance on him – the other options are unpalatable after all – but I can see the Essex bias rumours starting up again. It’s not often a (relatively) young cricketer gets a test debut unless he’s come through the Lions system.

      It’s interesting if Vince is next in line. I like the way he bats (his cover driving reminds me a bit of Michael Vaughan) but again I find it a little odd. I was under the impression that the selectors weren’t totally convinced by him. I’m all for giving him a run though.

      • I’m a Hampshire fan so of course am biased about Vince. If he’s selected the chances of Hampshire being relegated go from about 95% to 99.9%! It would seem odd to move Root to No.3 to accommodate him (especially if George Dobell’s hints that Root will be Test captain as well sooner rather than later are correct).

        Gary Ballance made a tortured 4 off 36 balls in his last innings and had a poor game overall in a high-scoring game against an injury-hit attack. On Hales, I suspect he’s had back trouble and that’s part of the reason why he missed early season games. They gave Robson and Lyth seven matches to prove themselves (and they were at home) so they have established a precedent there. However, Hales could turn out to be like Martin Guptill and be a devastating one-day opener who can’t adjust to Test demands.

        • I quite like the Guptill comparison. I wouldn’t be a fan of moving Root to 3. I think he’s the perfect 4. I worry that he’s not quite watertight outside off stump to be a world class top order (1-3) player. It’s the only slight deficiency he has.

          I don’t agree with all the former players who say the best player should bat 3. Different players are suited to different positions. Would Steve Waugh have averaged 50 if he batted 3? I seriously doubt it. But he was a superb, perfect No 5. I felt the same way with all the talk of Pietersen moving to 3. I think he was a good 4 but an even better 5. He didn’t have the backfoot game to bat 3 imho. He lunged at the ball too much and always had his weight forward. I always liked KP as an enforcer at 4/5.

          Keep Joe where he is imho. The problem, I guess, is that we don’t have a 3. By moving Root we might end up with neither a world class 3 or 4. That’s my worry. I’m sure Joe would still score some runs at 3 but I don’t he’d be as prolific.

          • Completely agree about players having their roles and not just saying ‘best player bats x’.. As you say, KP was a no:5 and at his best there, as was bell etc

            Don’t put round pegs in square holes, put players where they are best and then find your best in the other positions

          • Spot on james, moving root to 3 would be detrimental to him and the side. His weakness around 4th stump and the new ball would be exposed again. Far more productive at 4 and it would be madness to change one of the very few things that work in the top 6. Having said that I would now fully expect the England “think tank” to move him to 3!!

      • He scored 614 runs at an average of 56 for Mosman CC in Sydney grade a cricket? Would this be a similar standard to div 2?

        • I read an article about Browne’s experiences in Sydney grade cricket. I heard he did very well. It’s possibly county div2 standard but not entirely sure. Some sides might be better than others. The Shield isn’t quite what it used to be though so I imagine grade cricket has dropped in standard a bit too. But I’m certainly no expert on this. Can anyone shed more light?

    • Newman is in bed with the ECB and Strauss so I’d suggest there is lot of credibility with this. As poor a journalist as he is, he’s probably not far from truth. Utterly baffling selection again which is becoming the norm

    • No there isn’t but remember people like giving loads of wages to very mediocre players, coaches and admin staff

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