Specsavers Championship, June 9, 2017

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3rd & 7 37yd

Middlesex fans views on Sterling over Compton?

by nickcricket 6/9/2017 12:45:28 PM
Get your sweeping puns ready...

by StaggerBreaths 6/9/2017 12:43:25 PM
I agree it does seem to have moved towards the desired outcome, it hasn't removed dobbers from the leading wicket taker table either Darren Stevens for example. The only thing I would say is that there were no complaints about the previous pitches, If I were the a groundsmen or a pitch inspectors I would have been surprised to suddenly hear ECB types talking about how the tracks weren't conducive to producing Test players

by nickcricket 6/9/2017 12:43:00 PM
TEAM 100: Worcestershire 101/4 (28.1 ov) v Glamorgan
OB Cox 52* (63) RA Whiteley 5* (14)

by ESPNcricinfo Live 6/9/2017 12:42:53 PM
INDIVIDUAL 50: OB Cox 52* (63)
Worcestershire 101/4 (28.1 ov) v Glamorgan

by ESPNcricinfo Live 6/9/2017 12:42:52 PM
Ach Kane, what have you done?

by StaggerBreaths 6/9/2017 12:42:40 PM
I think the uncontested toss has been a bold experiment and a broadly successful one. Though I can understand that sometimes it's a bit rough on the home side as they can't do anything about the weather.

by Sam Inglis 6/9/2017 12:38:24 PM
Interesting....https://www.kiaoval.com/main-news/kia-oval-plans-expand-40000/

by Meical Baggins 6/9/2017 12:35:11 PM
WICKET: Leicestershire 37/1 (19 ov) v Sussex
HE Dearden c Jordan b Archer 8 (61) Partnership: 37 (19.0 ov)
JC Archer 5-2-5-1 PJ Horton 23* (54)

by ESPNcricinfo Live 6/9/2017 12:34:25 PM
and to a certain extent it has worked, Essex didn't have a spinner have gone and signed a Kolpak, Yorkshire resigned Rafiq and Somerset realising that if the produced a green top they would have to bat first on it, started producing spinning tracks and have given England the option of Jack Leach and have brought though a younger spinner in Bess

by nickcricket 6/9/2017 12:32:23 PM
Colin Warner - Well the ECB felt that domestic cricket and those performing well in it didn't reflect the skills needed for International Cricket. Bowlers like Ryder at Essex running though sides when that kind of bowler wouldn't be any challenge on a Test Pitch. They wanted faster bowlers and spinners who are needed for the Test side to be more in the game rather than dibby dobbers

by nickcricket 6/9/2017 12:30:28 PM
Also Ballance is looking wonderful, they should definitely pick him for England. To carry drinks if nothing else.

by StaggerBreaths 6/9/2017 12:29:29 PM
Meant to improve spin Colin. Certainly has done at one ground.

by StaggerBreaths 6/9/2017 12:28:57 PM
I think at Lords they take quite a lot of Football Cards round the bar...that must help.

by Dave Knibb 6/9/2017 12:28:16 PM
thanks nickcricket - had missed that completely. Can't say i understand the rationale!

by Colin Warner 6/9/2017 12:28:02 PM
seriously, having a bad enough day at work....already been ranting about fantasy cricket.....ranting about Yorks' attack for this match.....reflecting on 5% having 95% of cricketing money in the country....if we go onto the uncontested toss I may flip out!

by Joe Williams 6/9/2017 12:27:31 PM
acarey87 - Looks uncomfortable everywhere he bats, have you seen his SR it awful as per. Who want to pay to watch that? England need to stay away. The sort of mistake that could see a chief of selectors losing his job

by nickcricket 6/9/2017 12:26:44 PM
At the start of last season the ECB changed the Toss rules explained here www.bbc.co.uk

by nickcricket 6/9/2017 12:25:04 PM
Sorry if i have missed an explanation, but what is with the uncontested toss at Leicester? Not come across this before.

by Colin Warner 6/9/2017 12:24:06 PM
Are y'all suggesting that the cricket earnings might not be entirely meritocratic? :O

by StaggerBreaths 6/9/2017 12:23:20 PM
Just quickly back on Ballance. For a lot of his intl career, he batted at 3 and was consistently in with less than 10 overs gone already on the back foot. You could see towards the end this defensive style was becoming more and more detrimental where he no longer knew what to do. He's always looked more comfortable at 4/5.

by acarey87 6/9/2017 12:22:17 PM
To update what Nick said....they also get 5 days out of every test and 4 days out of every CCC match thanks to Mick the road layer too

by Joe Williams 6/9/2017 12:22:11 PM
I guess that is what Two Test Matches and at least one ODI a summer which can sellout at around 100 quid a ticket gets you. Its certainly odd compared to the debt surrounding the rest of major grounds

by nickcricket 6/9/2017 12:21:13 PM
- ECB Reporters Network
Durham 408-8 v Kent
Ageless Kent all-rounder Darren Stevens took his season’s wicket tally to 35 but could not prevent Durham from passing 400 for the second time this season on an engaging second morning in Canterbury.
Durham went in at lunch sitting pretty on 408 for eight after 126 overs built largely around a captain’s century from Paul Collingwood.
Resuming on their overnight score of 318 for five and with an eye on a 400-plus total for only the second time this season, Durham skipper Collingwood was soon celebrating.
After cracking a brace of boundaries in the first over from Matt Coles, he moved to his 34th first-class century from 160 balls. In a moment of brevity, the 41-year-old made as if to walk down the pitch on a zimmer frame to shake hands with his sixth-wicket partner Stuart Poynter.
Kent snatched a second bowling point in the 110th over when Darren Stevens pegged back Poynter’s off stump to break a stand worth 67 then, four deliveries later, Matthew Potts suffered a fourth-ball duck on county debut when he followed a Stevens away-swinger to nick to the keeper.
Stevens, now 41, then picked up his fifth, five-wicket return of the season by ending Collingwood’s 208-ball stay for 120. Colingwood, 26 days Stevens’ junior, followed an away swinger and edged into the cordon where Coles snaffled a simple catch.
Stevens rested after a morning stint of 11-3-23-3 enabling Durham to bat through to the interval with no further loss.

by David Hopps 6/9/2017 12:20:46 PM
- ECB Reporters Network
Yorkshire 79-2 v Somerset
A wicket apiece for Jamie Overton and Dom Bess enabled Somerset to apply the early pressure in their Specsavers' County Championship game against Yorkshire, at the Cooper Associates' County Ground in Taunton.
However, by the time lunch arrived, Yorkshire had progressed to 79 for 2 with Gary Ballance and Peter Handscomb having added an unbeaten 45 for the third wicket.
Having chosen to bat first, Yorkshire made a rapid start to the day with 12 coming from the opening over from Lewis Gregory. Thereafter, Somerset bowled a decent line and length and soon had the visitors in a sport of bother.
Adam Lyth (24) guided an Overton delivery to gully where Gregory took a straightforward catch at 34 for 1 before Alex Lees (6) drove a wide delivery from Bess to a diving Tom Abell at extra cover.
Handscomb and Gary Ballance established themselves at the crease in the second hour, with both batsman enjoying a decent battle with Somerset's six-strong bowling attack.

by David Hopps 6/9/2017 12:19:51 PM
- ECB Reporters Network
Northants 68-3 v Derbyshire
Conor McKerr took two wickets for Derbyshire as the visitors enjoyed the better of a shortened first session at Wantage Road. Northamptonshire, sent into bat, were 68 for 3 at lunch.
McKerr, on loan from Surrey, carried on from an impressive debut at Trent Bridge last week to pin Alex Wakely lbw for 11 and have Rob Keogh held at first slip for an eight-ball duck.
Before those wickets, Tom Taylor swung a delivery into the pads of Max Holden who fell for 10.

by David Hopps 6/9/2017 12:18:34 PM
- ECB Reporters Network
Cameron Bancroft batted through the morning session as Gloucestershire made a solid start to their Specsavers County Championship match with Second Division leaders Nottinghamshire at Bristol.
By lunch the hosts had progressed to 67 for two in overcast conditions, losing Chris Dent, who fell lbw to Harry Gurney pushing forward for 27, and Will Tavare, leg before for seven to a Luke Fletcher yorker off the final delivery of the session.
Bancroft survived a loud lbw shout himself from Fletcher early on, but then settled in with few alarms as he moved patiently to 32 off 85 balls by the interval, striking just 2 fours.
Notts had elected to field in bowler-friendly conditions, but the pitch offered little in terms of season movement.

by David Hopps 6/9/2017 12:17:37 PM
Not a bad little club is it?

by Dave Knibb 6/9/2017 12:16:38 PM
- ECB Reporters Network
Middlesex 102-4 v Lancashire

Lancashire’s seamers enjoyed a successful morning session under sunny skies at Southport, claiming four Middlesex wickets before the interval despite losing the toss.
20-year-old seamer Saqib Mahmood particularly caught the eye, bowling with good rhythm and pace, including claiming the wicket of Nick Gubbins caught behind for one.
Tom Bailey also claimed a couple of scalps as Sam Robson, who looked in good early touch after five weeks out, also edged to Alex Davies before Dawid Malan put a short ball straight down the throat of Shivnarine Chanderpaul at fine leg.
Lancashire didn’t relent, with Ryan McLaren continuing his impressive season with the ball to claim his 16th wicket of the campaign when Steve Eskinazi became Davies’ third catch of the morning.

by David Hopps 6/9/2017 12:16:35 PM
Dave Knibb - Yes the 89 plus what they would have left, wasn't sure if it was suppose to be generated between now and completion i.e they didn't have it yet

by nickcricket 6/9/2017 12:12:46 PM
£122 million Nick

by Dave Knibb 6/9/2017 12:10:46 PM
- ECB Reporters Network
Worcestershire 97-4 v Glamorgan
Glamorgan seized the initiative after new skipper Michael Hogan opted to bat by claiming four Worcestershire wickets on the opening morning of the Specsavers County Championship clash at New Road.

The recalled Lukas Carey struck a crucial early blow by knocking out Darl Mitchell's off stump with the third delivery of the morning. Mitchell had scored 534 runs in his previous five Championship innings.

Timm van Gugten then trapped the out of form Tom Fell (7) lbw and had Brett D'Oliveira (7) smartly held at third slip by Aneurin Donald away to his right to leave Worcestershire perched uneasily on 14-3.

Ben Cox and Joe Clarke opted to counter-attack and added 69 in 16 overs for the fourth wicket with the Worcestershire keeper reeling off several impressive drives.

But Hogan returned for a second spell shortly before lunch and bowled Clarke (25) with a ball which angled in. Cox was unbeaten on 48 at the interval out of 97-4 from 28 overs.

by David Hopps 6/9/2017 12:09:58 PM
UPDATE: Match start delayed, Surrey v Essex at Guildford

by ESPNcricinfo Live 6/9/2017 12:09:00 PM
Just reading George Dobell's piece on Lords the MCC have 89 Millions pounds in the bank?

by nickcricket 6/9/2017 12:08:33 PM
LUNCH: Worcestershire 97/4 (28 ov) v Glamorgan
RA Whiteley 5* (14) OB Cox 48* (62)

by ESPNcricinfo Live 6/9/2017 12:03:34 PM
LUNCH: Durham 408/8 (126 ov, won the toss) v Kent
C Rushworth 25* (36) BJ McCarthy 16* (44)

by ESPNcricinfo Live 6/9/2017 12:02:13 PM
LUNCH: Middlesex 102/4 (30 ov, won the toss) v Lancashire
PR Stirling 27* (47) JA Simpson 15* (25)

by ESPNcricinfo Live 6/9/2017 12:02:10 PM
LUNCH: Northamptonshire 68/3 (20 ov) v Derbyshire
RI Newton 32* (57) BM Duckett 8* (7)

by ESPNcricinfo Live 6/9/2017 12:00:52 PM
LUNCH: Yorkshire 79/2 (32 ov, won the toss) v Somerset
GS Ballance 18* (42) PSP Handscomb 22* (66)

by ESPNcricinfo Live 6/9/2017 12:00:41 PM
- Live Update
Vithushan Ehantharajah at Gloucestershire 67-2 v Nottinghamshire

I have a sneaking suspicion this Bristol pitched watched all the votes come in this morning. It's tired, dull and is probably regretting a lot of its social media output from 4am onwards. And, disappointingly, not offering anything to anyone. That Harry Gurney was able to get a delivery to move off the pitch, sharply, into Chris Dent, who was adjudged LBW not playing a shot, is to Gurney's credit. Everything else has been a dot ball: we've had 24.4 overs worth in the first 29 overs this morning. Fletcher then decides to take the pitch out of the occasion and yorks Will Tavare to send us to lunch.

by Vithushan Ehantharajah 6/9/2017 12:00:26 PM
LUNCH: Gloucestershire 67/2 (31 ov) v Notts
CT Bancroft 32* (85) WA Tavare 7* (30)

by ESPNcricinfo Live 6/9/2017 11:59:33 AM
WICKET: Gloucestershire 67/2 (31 ov) v Notts
WA Tavare lbw b Fletcher 7 (30) Partnership: 22 (8.4 ov)
LJ Fletcher 9-3-14-1 CT Bancroft 32* (85)

by ESPNcricinfo Live 6/9/2017 11:59:27 AM
TEAM 100: Middlesex 102/4 (29.1 ov, won the toss) v Lancashire
JA Simpson 15* (20) PR Stirling 27* (47)

by ESPNcricinfo Live 6/9/2017 11:59:19 AM
Will - But I still think the point stand that is lucky to be in the Yorkshire team, has been found out and these runs will dry up like they did at International level, and did I mention he can't see the pink ball (I hope James Whitaker is seeing this)

by nickcricket 6/9/2017 11:58:06 AM
TEAM 400: Durham 402/8 (124.1 ov, won the toss) v Kent
C Rushworth 19* (27) BJ McCarthy 16* (42)

by ESPNcricinfo Live 6/9/2017 11:56:20 AM