County Championship Div 2 - Gloucestershire and Middlesex win

by Andrew Wood Monday 16 April 2018

Michael Carberry (Leicestershire)

©Cricket World/John Mallett

Gloucestershire beat Kent by 5 wickets and Middlesex’s early win over Northamptonshire at Lord’s on Sunday, gave them the first win of the County Championship season.

Middlesex 214 & 159

Northamptonshire 69 & 142

Middlesex win by 160 runs

After being bowled out for 69 in the first innings at Lord’s, the visitors were always going to struggle to get back into the game. Some tidy bowling by the Middlesex bowlers in the match - Tim Murtagh (8 wkts) and James Harris (9 wkts) saw off Northamptonshire’s top order in both innings and with them the match.

Kent 64 all out & 153 all out

Gloucestershire 110 all out & 108-5

Gloucestershire win by 5 wickets

In another low scoring encounter, Kent were beaten at home by Gloucestershire after being bowled out for a paltry 64 in the first innings, Gloucestershire’s bowlers – Matthew Taylor and Ryan Higgins, both with six wickets in the match, doing most of the damage. Although seven wickets in the match from Matt Henry kept an interest for Kent, their first innings deficit was always going to be too much to overcome and Gloucestershire won by 5 wickets, thanks to a fine 75 run partnership between Benny Howell (52*) and Gareth Roderick (26) helping them home.

Warwickshire 299 all out & 87/3

Sussex 374

Match drawn

Although Sussex (Ishant Sharma) gave a good fist of scaring Warwickshire, initially, in their second innings, taking the wickets of Bell and Trott, the game eventually fizzled into a draw, at Edgbaston, due to all the time lost to the inclement weather, over the weekend. However, both sides did manage to get in some great batting and bowling practice. Highlights of the match – Warwickshire - Ian Bell (70), Tim Ambrose (81) and Oli Stone 8-80 Sussex – David Weise (106) and 4-56 and Ben Brown (91)