From soggy Guildford, to sodden Canterbury rain poured, gushed and torrented down, without mercy or cessation, heartlessly washing out four games without any play and curtailing play at New Road for most of the afternoon.
There Jimmy Anderson (four for 24) and Graham Onions (four for 55) made the most of their brief window of opportunity and, under the enigmatic gaze of the cathedral, dissected the Worcestershire batting with supreme skill after Lancashire opted to bowl under gloom-graced skies.
It was deja-vu for Worcestershire, who suffered a similar fate when the teams last met earlier this season. Only three batsmen were able to limp into double figures, as Onions and Anderson took it in turns to strike, with young Saqib Mahmood scooping up the rest, as he claimed two for eight. The only resistance came from big Ed Barnard, who biffed five fours in his 32.
He was the last man out, with Worcestershire dismissed for 98, the second lowest Championship total of the season. The rain arrived shortly afterwards, saving Lancashire’s batsmen from a potentially tricky afternoon. Onions later mused into his beard: “I don’t know how much water this ground can take. It has taken a lot over the last week like every county ground on the circuit.”
But the north-east was spared the effects of the buckling jet stream, with Durham and Northamptonshire playing three full sessions at Chester-le-Street. There a topsy-turvy day started with Durham being reduced to 46 for five, and finished with a jubilant Ben Raine and Brydon Carse taking Durham to the heady heights of 209 for seven, in an unbroken eighth wicket stand of 128.
Ben Sanderson whipped through Durham’s top order with a spell of three for 18, as the batsmen followed the somewhat unwise path of leaving the ball.
Michael Jones stood bat aloft to the third delivery of the day and was bowled; Cameron Bancroft watched as his off stump disappeared; and then Alex Lees played for the wrong ball, and the right one zipped between bat and pad. When Matt Coles, on loan from Essex, struck with his second ball, Durham were 18 for four. After a later clatter of middle-order wickets, Raine and Carse decided that patience was perhaps the way to go, firmly defending, even against the new ball. With a slice to the boundary just before the close, Raine reached a career best 75, and gave Durham a steaming cup of hope for the morning.
In Affectionate Remembrance of BAILS THAT FALL, which died at the Oval on 9 June 2019, Deeply lamented by a large circle of sorrowing friends and acquaintances
R.I.P.
Meanwhile, in the gorgeous sunny north east, Durham pass 150 and Ben Raine teeters nervously, 49 not out.
Ben Raine: an autograph please. Photograph: Mark Pinder
Play has been called off for the day at Canterbury as well.
Lancashire “hoping” to start their first innings at New Road, and a rejuvinated Durham going great guns at Chester-le-Street, an eighth-wicket partnership of 59 and counting between Ben Raine (41 not out) and Brydon Carse (17 not out). Durham 140 for seven.
We’ve got a no result at Southampton, South Africa v West Indies rained off with a point each, the second game to be rain-ruined in a few days. With rain forecast for the rest of the week, the weather could yet throw a grenade into dame fortune’s box.
South Africa remain second bottom of the table and West Indies climb to fifth.
Abhijato Sensarma has big ideas for the Championship winners 2019.
There is an off-season in the cricket calendar every year during the formerly CLT20 slot. I had an idea... Couldn’t the winner of Division One of the County Championship play with the winner of the Ranji Trophy? It could be done on a neutral wicket, such as the ones in South Africa or in the Caribbean, which has something for everyone. It could be a three match series, or even a knockout tournament of four-day matches between more champion domestic teams. I get the feeling people will like it!
It sounds good! Though from an ecological point of view I think that cricket has to take into account that endless expansion and endless growth and a bigger, yet bigger, carbon footprint is neither right nor possible.
Also, Cherry asks, “Is anyone else tempted to put the central heating back on for the first time since April?”
Emails on a rainy day; Finbar Anslow has been qwertying in Italy:
It’s tipping it down in Milan, if that’s any consolation. In answer to Geoff Wignall, Basil D’Oliveira was my first cricketing hero, when Tom Graveney and Ken Barrington were batting I was somewhat guiltily hoping for a wicket so that Dolly would come in.
Always good for a breakthrough with his bowling he came across as the perfect all rounder and I had the privilege of seeing him bat for Ted Dexter’s International Cavaliers at Taunton; caught on the boundary sweeping once too often. Maybe too modest to have stuck in the collective memory as much as others, but definitely one of the top all rounders of the sixties and in a different league to Mr KP.
Also, thank you very much to Tom for standing in for me and doing a fab job.
There will be pitch inspections at 3pm at Canterbury, and 3.15 at Southampton. No news from Leicester, rain delay at New Road. And Ben Raine and Brydon Carse tiptoe Durham towards three figures (94-7).
Ben Sanderson: hammer of the north. Photograph: Andy Kearns/Getty Images
Suspected that might happen: Eckersley no longer stopping the rot for Durham v Northants. He’s been caught behind off the bowling of Matt Coles for 26 to leave Durham 81/6. But then, oh no, what’s this? Trevaskis goes next ball, c Curran b Buck, for 26. And with that, the resistance has gone. Durham 81/7 and in trouble.
43.5 | @MattColes_90 has another! Rossington accepts the simple chance and the partnership is broken.
In all honesty, attempting to scoop Jimmy Anderson over the keeper’s head when your team are struggling to make three figures in the first innings is bold, but ultimately quite foolhardy. Ed Barnard goes for 32, nicking an attempted leg-side flick behind, leaving Worcestershire all out for 98 in 38.1 overs. Only he, Dell and Leach got into double figures.
Liam Trevaskis and Ned Eckersley have stopped the rot for Durham against Northants. Both are poddling along in the 20s, having come to the wicket with their team five down for 46. They’re five down for 76 now, with Matt Coles sending down a series of tight overs.
Having made a merry 18 from 20 balls, Worcestershire’s captain Joe Leach has become Graham Onions’s fourth victim, bowled, which will teach him for clubbing nine off the Lancashire bowler in the over before. Worcestershire are edging towards 100, currently 93 for 8.
The wind has joined the rain inside the Guildford press tent - I’m heading somewhere warm, but will be back with you in twenty minutes for the latest rain report/wicket watch.
Geoff Wignall has been thinking about KP from his southern European hideaway.
My sympathies on the weather, from a rather cool but sunny central Portugal.Are you really convinced about Peterson’s brilliance? I confess I never was.
There’s no question that he played some brilliant innings but that isn’t quite the same thing. I recall Bishan Bedi’s comments after his first good look at him (I forget which Test, but KP made a sizeable score I think). They were to the effect that he’d be a (caught and bowled) bunny for a present day Bedi and wouldn’t last much beyond 30 at the top level.
His record against left- armers suggests Bedi was right on both counts, albeit KP’s supporters could argue he was denied the opportunity to continue for longer.
It’s interesting to compare Pietersen’s career path with that of Basil D’Oliveira if looking for a truly great SA middle order batsman in England’s ranks. Officially 30 & 35 on FC and Test debut, but later admitting to having shaved 3 years, and still averaging over 40 in Tests during a 5 year period before run average inflation - no helmets, arm guards, heavy bats or shortened boundaries plus at least some would have been on uncovered pitches. On top of which, to my eyes at least a far more aesthetically appealing batsman (if not the most athletic figure, despite his earlier soccer prowess as captain of the non- white SA team). Somehow he’s never mentioned in ‘all time great’ conversations, probably due to his late start and the tyranny of numbers. It’d be interesting to know how many of an age to remember Dolly would rate KP above him.
@tjaldred Last time I went to Guildford, I stayed at the YMCA. I mean, I was in a new town, didn't want to feel unhappy, and someone told me I would find many ways to have a good time.
This isn’t that funny any more. Rain hammering, nay, torrenting on the roof of the press tent. A few hardy souls huddling in the hospitality tents, but even the groundsmen have given up in the middle.
At least Worcestershire and Durham are losing wickets in unison, 53 for five at Chester le Street; Sanderson 3-18; 53 for five at New Road, Mahmood 2-3.
Also, a plug for these ICC-Cricket Writers’ Club workshops running for aspiring cricket writers during the World Cup. There are still places available at Old Trafford on June 21 and Edgbaston on June 25. Contact @brucetalbot1 for details.
I’ve always felt conflicted about KP - a brilliant player, with many faults, and little self-awareness, but perhaps a victim of the dressing-room clique.
Sad of Guildford? This will cheer you up, Surrey’s new podcast, where you can listen to Morne Morkel tell stories of the 2011 World Cup game where the wicketkeeper was asleep after muddling up his antihistamines and sleeping pills. And much more!
George Dobell’s thoughts on Warwickshire - he’s usually pretty accurate. And Worcestershire, 28 for four, doing slightly better than Durham, 19 for four.
Aaron Thomason has been resleased this morning. One of our better players in white ball cricket. Webb not getting a look in although batting a real weakness without Bell. Maybe Dawson and Willey coming in? https://t.co/uHg2se3Aid
I’ve just done a quick scout about. The rain has stopped, the Hog’s Back is on tap in the beer tent, the bacon barms are ready to order and the super sopper is out and sopping. A quick squeeze of outfield revealed surprisingly springy grass. If, if, there is no-more rain, we might get play after lunch.
Play is delayed round the grounds - no play here or at Wellbeck, Canterbury or Grace Road, and the World Cup match has been suspended at Southampton where South Africa are 29 for two in the eighth over.
Durham are six for 2 against Northants, but hey, Alex Lees, last week’s centurion is still there. And at New Road, Worcestershire are 19 for one - Daryl Mitchell gone to Onions.
Matt Coles is going to Northants on loan.. and play is delayed at Grace Road due to rain. Wherever you are, the rain is heading your way. And I forgot to mention that Sussex v Gloucestershire starts tomorrow.
Sad times, Marcus Trescothick, 86 runs in eight Championship innings , has been dropped for Azhar Ali. Lewis Gregory is fit after missing four games with a back problem.
Kent have signed off-spinner Ollie Rayner on loan from Middlesex, he becomes eligible next week. Sam Billings (shoulder), Calum Haggett (elbow) and Ivan Thomas (knee) are out injured but all-rounder Grant Stewart returns .
Guildford: Surrey v Yorkshire
Winless Surrey have added Jordan Clark and wicket keeper-batsman Jamie Smith to their squad. Sam Curran (hamstring), Ollie Pope (shoulder) and Conor McKerr (heel) ares till on the physio’s couch, as are second XI players Arun Harinath, Gus Atkinson and Stuart Meaker .
Yorkshire’s Gary Ballance is the leading run-scorer in Division One with 603 runs..
Division Two
Chester-le-Street: Durham v Northamptonshire
Happy Durham are unchanged from last week’s winning side. Matt Salisbury (groin) and batsman Ryan Pringle (shoulder) are still members of the walking wounded. Adam Rossington plays his first game as captain for Northants following Alex Wakely’s decision to step down.
Leicester: Leicestershire v Middlesex
Leicester seamers Tom Taylor and Ben Mike are still injured
Steve Finn and Tom Helm return for Middlesex. Paul Stirling returns from international duty but James Harris is ruled out after breaking his thumb against Sussex last week
Worcester: Worcestershire v Lancashire
Worcestershire welcome back Josh Dell and Wayne Parnell, following a hamstring injury. Lancashire wicketkeeper Alex Davies might return and James Anderson, rested against Leicestershire last week, should get another run out.
From a soggy, soggy Guildford, for Surrey v Yorkshire, where the rain continues to fall and the groundstaff sweep the covers with brooms. The rows of white plastic chairs are unmanned even by die-hards, and lunch will be taken at 12.30.
Elsewhere, Championship leaders Somerset go to Kent;Durham, cock-a-hoop from their first win of the season, entertain Northants at Chester-le-Street; Leicester set the table for Middlesex, fresh from not quite holding out against Sussex, and top-of-the-table Lancashire go to lovely New Road.
It is day two at the Notts v Hampshire game, where Notts’s season hasn’t got any better. All out for 162, courtesy of Kyle Abbot’s 6-37, with another failure for Joe Clarke. Time for a rest, perhaps. Joe Weatherley (47 not out) lead Hampshire to 93 for two at stumps.
Comments (…)
Sign in or create your Guardian account to join the discussion