LV= Insurance County Championship 2022 Round 8 Day 1: Sunday 26th June - Latest News, Scores and Match Reports

Here is all the latest news, scores and match reports for the LV= Insurance County Championship 2022 Round 8 Day 1: Sunday 26th June

 

Fixture Schedule - Sunday June 26th 2022

Division One

 

Essex vs Hampshire, The Cloud County Ground

 

Simon Harmer spun four evening wickets to entangle Hampshire after Shane Snater’s 71 had dug Essex out of a hole in their LV= Insurance County Championship clash.

All-rounder Snater became Essex’s third-highest Championship run-scorer and recorded his third half-century this season to help Essex recover from 105 for seven to 238 all out.

Harmer entered, after Sam Cook nabbed the openers, to bamboozle Hampshire’s batters on a spinning wicket with four for 23 to see the Championship hopefuls slump to 68 for six at the close.

The Cloud County Ground pitches had proven to be slow and incredibly flat thus far this season – resulting in three bore draws. As such, Harmer had only taken 12 wickets in the Championship this season.

This was a renaissance to the wickets prepared in the last half a decade or so and brought great success to Essex, and Harmer. Kyle Abbott and Keith Barker, in particular, found good bounce off a length, while Liam Dawson and Harmer would get good turn. It wasn't a surprise 16 wickets fell in the day.

Hampshire’s opening duo of Felix Organ and Holland have been fallible throughout the season, so the former falling in the first over – edging to a juggling first slip Alastair Cook – and the latter in the ninth was hardly atypical.

Harmer was unsurprisingly introduced from the River End in the eighth over, and it was equally unsurprising that he had a scalp within seven balls. The only surprising aspect was the manner of the wicket as James Vince danced down, missed the ball and was stumped.

Ten balls later, Dawson dabbed towards short leg but it sat up for wicketkeeper Rossington to grab. Soon after, Nick Gubbins’ otherwise spritely 34 ended when he edged to second slip, Hampshire slipping to 55 for five, almost mirroring the 56 for five earlier in the day.

Aneurin Donald edged his next delivery to short leg, and Barker just about survived a hat-trick ball. Ben Brown and Barker survived the final 29 balls of the day.

Earlier, after Essex had chosen to bat, Nick Browne was bowled on the angle by Abbott for a 14-ball duck, Alastair Cook pushed Barker to third slip and Dan Lawrence was lbw to Brad Wheal to leave Essex 17 for three.

Tom Westley held things together with a leg-side dominant 46 and partnerships of 40 with Paul Walter and 47 with Adam Rossington – with Walter and Michael Pepper falling within three Ian Holland balls.

Rossington and Westley also fell in quick succession – bowled by an Abbott ripper and lbw to Dawson, respectively – to leave the hosts 105 for seven.

Nine days ago, Snater was a part of the Netherlands’ bowling attack which was flailed for a world record 498 by England in Amstelveen. He went for 99 runs, although he picked up the wicket of his cousin Jason Roy, before getting tanked for 26 in 19 balls two days later.

His fortunes spun around as he counter-attacked with some style. Much of his scoring could be described as agricultural but bordered into inventiveness with a sublime duck-come-uppercut before hooking and straight-smashing a pair of sixes.

Snater’s fifty came in 47 balls while putting on 59 with Harmer, 58 with Aaron Beard, and after he had lifted to 71, the final two put on 16 – in total, the final three wickets were worth an invaluable 133 runs.

Gloucestershire vs Lancashire, Bristol County Ground

Chris Dent’s second LV= Insurance County Championship century of the season failed to prevent Lancashire edging an absorbing first day against Gloucestershire at the Seat Unique Stadium, Bristol. 

The experienced opener continued a highly impressive season by scoring an unbeaten 109 off 246 balls, with 16 fours, but saw his team slip from 156 for two to close on 279 for seven. 

Left-arm spinner Jack Morley, who celebrated his 21^st birthday on the eve of the match, claimed three for 79 from 23 overs on only his second first class appearance, while there were two wickets each for Tom Bailey and Luke Wood. 

Dent’s innings to his tally of runs from just eight Championship innings in an injury-hit season to 484 at an average of over 80.

But his team had only themselves to blame for a series of poor shots, having elected to take first use of what looked an excellent batting pitch. 

Only 14 overs were possible in a morning session twice interrupted by showers. By lunch, the hosts had reached 30 without loss, with George Scott on 19 and Dent 11. 

The rain-breaks meant Lancashire opening bowlers Bailey and Will Williams could extend their spells, Bailey striking with the first ball of his ninth over when Scott, on 23, edged to Keaton Jennings at second slip. 

The opening stand had been worth 38. Soon Dent and Glenn Phillips, who hit Williams straight for six off the back foot, were building on it positively. 

Dent struck 3 fours off the first seven deliveries he received from Wood, who was also pulled for six by Phillips before the overseas signing surrendered his wicket. 

On 19, with the total 85, he lofted Morley straight down the throat of George Balderson at deep square. 

Dent moved to his fifty with a pulled four off Williams, having faced 113 balls and hit 10 fours, receiving good support from fellow left-hander Miles Hammond as they added 62 by tea, which was taken at 147 for two. 

An evening session of 40 overs began with Hammond, having moved stylishly to 37, carelessly driving a full, wide ball from Bailey straight to Steven Croft at point to leave his side 156 for three. 

It signalled a turning point. James Bracey progressed to 15 effortlessly, but then clipped a full ball from Wood off his toes in the air to mid-wicket where Williams took a fine sharp catch. 

Ryan Higgins became the next Gloucestershire player to fall to a poorly executed shot, skying an attempted slog sweep off Morley to slip and departing for 11. 

When Oliver Price went lbw to the next ball, hit on the back pad, the home team had slumped to 209 for six, with only Dent showing the necessary level of durability. 

Tom Price could make only a single before, having been softened up by some quick short balls from Wood, he was yorked by the left-arm seamer from around the wicket to make it 214 for seven. 

By then Dent had moved untroubled to 86 and looked in danger of running out of partners. But he found a more reliable one in Zafar Gohar and moved calmly to a 235-ball ton in the 84th over, shortly after the second new ball had been taken. 

Gofar was unbeaten on 31 at stumps, having helped to rescue a sinking ship. 

On the previous occasion when Dent reached three figures this summer, he went on to make 207 not out against Surrey at Bristol. 

 

 

Northamptonshire vs Warwickshire, The County Ground Northampton 

Rob Keogh’s first century since the season’s opening game led the run glut for Northamptonshire on day one of their LV= Insurance County Championship clash with Warwickshire at Wantage Road.

The county’s longest serving player struck 130 with 20 fours in a three and three quarter hour stay of elegant stroke play as the hosts reached 420 for six. The right-hander shared a fifth-wicket stand of 161 with Josh Cobb (88) – all this after Emilio Gay had caressed his way to 70 in the morning session.

For much of the day the defending champions’ bowling could be classed as wayward, skipper Will Rhodes the honourable exception with two for 44 from 20 frugal overs.

Ricardo Vasconcelos, in his first game back from injury, didn’t cash in on his decision to bat first after winning the toss, making only five before driving loosely at one from Henry Brookes to be caught behind.

South African international, Ryan Rickleton, parachuted in for two championship games to cover for Will Young, away on Test duty with New Zealand, was almost run out for nought before also falling cheaply to a brilliant left-handed catch  by wicketkeeper Michael Burgess.

Thereafter, the morning was dominated by Gay’s stylish innings. The young left-hander was beautifully still at the crease, compact in defence, playing the ball right in front of his eyes. From that base, Gay unfurled some sumptuous off and cover drives in reaching 50 from 62 balls. However, with a century in the offing, lunch beckoning  and having just pulled Nathan McAndrew for successive fours, the former Bedford School scholar tried the shot a third time to a straighter bumper and only succeeded in finding the safe hands of Matt Lamb at fine-leg. The way the youngster dragged himself off suggested he knew he’d missed an opportunity.

When Luke Proctor fell lbw to the nagging accuracy of Bears’ skipper Will Rhodes, the hosts were 139-4. However, this brought together Keogh and Cobb, who feasted on some friendly offerings from the visitors for much of the afternoon.

The two batters provided a great contrast of styles Keogh all timing and elegance as he peppered the mid-off and cover boundaries in racing to 50 at quicker than a run a ball with 11 fours. Cobb matched Keogh’s boundary count but took 25 balls more, mixing defence with brutal ball striking.

Once passed 50 Cobb cut loose in what appeared to be a race to a hundred between the pair. However, on 88 the county’s one-day skipper pulled a rare long-hop from Rhodes which looked to be going for six until Craig Miles took a superb catch falling backwards just inside the rope at deep square.

Keogh though found another batting ally in Lewis McManus and pushed on to complete a chanceless hundred soon after tea courtesy of an 18th four.

The hosts had reached 372-5 by the time the second new ball was due and Oliver Hannon-Dalby made the shiny cherry count, ending Keogh’s vigil with one which bounced on him and took the edge, Dom Sibley taking the catch at slip.

It was though their only reward as McManus became the fourth player to pass 50 shortly before the close.

 

Surrey vs Kent, Kia Oval

Hashim Amla scored the 56^th first-class hundred of his stellar career and Ben Geddes his first championship hundred as Surrey put Kent’s below-strength attack to the sword by piling up 445 for 5 on the opening day of their LV= Insurance County Championship match at the Kia Oval.

Kent’s suffering was heightened as stumps approached by Sam Curran’s explosive 53 not out from just 28 balls. Remarkably, Jamie Smith, who was bowled by a persevering Toby Pettman in the final over for a classy 55, did not score a single run after Curran came in at the fall of Geddes for 124 to a sharp, tumbling second slip catch by Jordan Cox off Matt Milnes.

Amla, the 39-year-old former South Africa batsman, also hit 124 and was joined by 20-year-old Geddes in a third wicket stand of 213 in 56 overs after Kent had asked Surrey to bat on a well-grassed but true pitch.

Geddes, on his Oval championship debut and in just his fourth first-class match, struck two sixes and 16 fours in a 242-ball stay that showcased his high promise on a day of unrelenting toil for Kent’s bowlers.

Missing four frontline seamers through injury, Kent drafted in on-loan Nottinghamshire seamer Pettman, who also took an early wicket but otherwise provided little threat in an attack in which only Milnes regularly looked capable of testing Surrey’s top order.

Openers Rory Burns and Ryan Patel flew out of the blocks, New Zealand T20 international Jacob Duffy seeing his three-over new ball burst go for 21 runs and being driven regularly by the two left-handers as both he and Milnes sought early swing.

Patel had hit seven fours in his punchy 40 from 35 balls when he edged behind off Milnes, looking to force, and in the next over – the 13^th of the innings – 64 for 1 became 70 for 2 when Burns was acrobatically caught by keeper Ollie Robinson for 24.

Leg-glancing Pettman off the face of the bat, Burns was aghast to see Robinson – keeping only because of Sam Billings’ dramatic call-up to join England’s Test team at Headingley – leap to his right to cling on with a stunning effort.

But that double-strike were Kent’s only successes until after tea as Amla and Geddes cruised along against bowling that was often neither accurate enough nor consistent enough to put them under any pressure.

Amla struck 15 fours in all, a number of them beautifully-timed through the covers off both the front and back foot, and his only moment of alarm in a 169-ball and near four-hour stay was when, on 47, he would have been run out had George Linde managed to hit the one stump he could see from point.

Geddes, on 46, survived a hard, low catch to Linde in a similar position, when he square drove Duffy but otherwise the Surrey academy graduate was relatively untroubled as he pulled powerfully at anything short and also scored prolifically through square cover.

And if he was nervous in the 90s, as he approached his maiden first-class century, he did not show it as he swung Jas Singh’s fast-medium over wide mid wicket for six to go to 97 and then, in the next over, extra cover drove Joe Denly’s leg spin for his 15^th four to reach three figures.

But Amla and Geddes’ fine tons were only the warm-up acts for Smith, who raced to his fifty in 48 balls and hit a six and seven fours, and Curran, who thumped Duffy over long on for six and struck nine gorgeous fours besides.

 

Division Two

 

Nottinghamshire vs Middlesex, Trent Bridge

 Division Two leaders Nottinghamshire dominated the opening day of their LV= Insurance County Championship meeting with second-placed Middlesex at Trent Bridge.

There was a second century of the summer for Haseeb Hameed, who made 112 against the same opponents at Lord’s in May, and as Nottinghamshire closed on 378 for four, all-rounder Lyndon James was within reach of his second hundred of 2022 on 90 not out, with skipper Steven Mullaney not far behind with an unbeaten 79.

A pitch with a good covering of grass looked like one that might help the bowlers but Mullaney judged it correctly when he chose to bat first on winning the toss. Luke Hollman, the 21-year-old leg spinner, picked up the wickets of Hameed and Joe Clarke, but Middlesex gave away too many easy runs, while a couple of dropped catches did not help their cause.

The morning session was indicative of what was to come as Nottinghamshire scored 120 runs at more than four an over.

Toby Roland-Jones removed Ben Slater via a fine outside edge with the final ball of his opening over as he and Tim Murtagh denied the home side any early momentum. The Slater wicket enabled Roland-Jones to nudge on to 36 for the season as the leading wicket-taker in the Championship.

Yet Tom Helm and Martin Andersson proved much easier to get away. Hameed helped himself to three boundaries in Andersson’s second over before Ben Duckett did likewise against Helm, who came back to dismiss Duckett for 37 via another edge behind that John Simpson took in front of first slip, but not until the second-wicket partnership had added 74 in 13 and a half overs.

Joe Clarke was quickly into the tempo but the return of Murtagh and Roland-Jones after lunch reined him in. He pulled Hollman to move within a shot of a half-century with his sixth four, only to be caught superbly by Sam Robson at slip as he went to cut the next delivery.  The third wicket had put on another 103.

Hameed looked in superb form, completing his hundred by drilling Helm through the covers for his 14th boundary. It had been a near-flawless performance to that point, so it was a surprise to see him depart in the next over, bowled by Hollman making an ugly heave across the line.

Four down for 227 would have been five for 228 had a sharp chance to midwicket been held when Mullaney, on one, biffed away a low full toss by the returning Murtagh.  Having created so few chances, Middlesex could ill afford to let any pass by.

It proved to be a costly error as he and James added another 151 by the close, James confirming the good impression he made in his first full season last year by completing his third half-century of the current campaign, pulling Andersson for his sixth four to pass the milestone.

Mullaney, potentially on for his best season in red-ball cricket since he topped 1,000 runs for the only time so far in 2016, soon followed, passing fifty for the fifth time when he hit Hollman over mid-off for his fifth boundary.

Middlesex hoped the second new ball might bring a change of  fortune on a pitch that had rarely offered their bowlers any encouragement despite its colour. Murtagh and Roland-Jones induced a few moments of anxiety but when the latter found the edge of James’s bat on 78m, Robson failed to hold on at second slip.

Sussex vs Derbyshire, The 1st Central County Ground

Wayne Madsen became only the third Derbyshire batsmen to score three consecutive hundreds against the same county as his side enjoyed a good first day against Sussex in the LV= Insurance County Championship at Hove.

Sussex, seeking their first Championship win since April 2021, had the better of the morning session when they reduced Derbyshire to 83 for four, but Madsen didn’t offer a chance on an easy-paced pitch as he progressed serenely to his 34th first-class century for the county. Only Kim Barnett (53) has scored more.

By the close Madsen was 171 not out – the highest score by a Derbyshire batsman in Sussex - as they closed on 339 for five from 97 overs.

Derbyshire elected to bat first but lost Billy Godleman and Brooke Guest during a lively opening spell by left-armer Sean Hunt. Godleman offered a low catch to slip after Hunt found some late away movement while Guest lost his middle stump off a big inside edge attempting an expansive drive.

At the other end, Shan Masood became the first player to lodge 1,000 first-class runs this season when he reached nine and the prolific Pakistan batsman looked in the mood to make another big contribution, especially when he was badly dropped by wicketkeeper Oli Carter on 43 in Tom Haines’ first over.

Fortunately for Sussex it did not prove an expensive miss. Masood had added three more runs when he was pinned on his crease during an excellent spell down the slope by Steve Finn, who was making his first Championship appearance since the meeting at Derby in April. In his 12th innings Masood did become the quickest Derbyshire batsman to reach 1,000, beating the previous record by Peter Kirsten of 16 in 1980.

Haines was rewarded for his accuracy when he went round the wicket to Leus du Plooy and uprooted his leg stump as the batsman offered no shot.

Haines should have been celebrating again when Luis Reece, with just a single to his name, drove to mid on but Hunt failed to hold onto the catch as he dived forward.

On this occasion it was to prove a costly drop as Reece and Madsen added 120 in 36 overs. Sussex’s seven-man attack plugged away but there was little assistance once the ball went soft and it took a misjudgement on Reece’s part to end the stand shortly after he’d reached his fifty, when he top-edged a sweep at Delray Rawlins and lobbed up a simple catch to Carter.

Madsen drove Archie Lenham through the covers shortly after tea to bring up his 40th hundred in all formats for Derbyshire – only Barnett (66) has scored more – and Derbyshire’s 999^th first-class century.

Sussex took the new ball immediately it became available, but the remorseless Madsen soon had Sussex back on the defensive again as he was joined in another productive partnership by Anuj Dal, who has contributed 45 to a stand of 136 in 40 overs.

 

Worcestershire vs Glamorgan, New Road

Ed Barnard continued his impressive form with the bat to lead a Worcestershire fightback on the opening day of the LV=Insurance County Championship match with Glamorgan at New Road.

The all-rounder struck his third hundred of the campaign as the home side recovered from 63 for five on a seamer friendly pitch also showing early signs of some turn.

Then fit again Worcestershire pace bowler Joe Leach made a treble breakthrough the close in a deadly spell with the new ball.

Warwickshire are reported to have made an approach to their local rivals about the possibility of signing Barnard who is out of contract at the end of the summer.

And the 26-year-old again showed his quality and was given excellent support by Gareth Roderick in a sixth wicket stand of 120.

Barnard was promoted to number six in the order mid-way through last season through sheer weight of runs and has more than backed up that move this summer.

A reverse sweep off spinner Andrew Salter took Barnard to three figures off 151 balls with his 11^th boundary.

Nesser and James Harris picked up three wickets apiece for Glamorgan who then lost David Lloyd, nightwatchman James Harris and Colin Ingram to Leach who has been out since mid May with a back problem.

Only one point separated third placed Glamorgan and Worcestershire entering the second half of the Championship campaign.

Worcestershire were put into bat on a greenish surface and the Glamorgan new ball attack of Michael Neser and Michael Hogan quickly exploited the seamer friendly conditions.

Ed Pollock’s poor run of form continued when he pushed forward to the first delivery of the game from Neser and lost his middle stump.

His opening partner, Jake Libby, has also been short of runs but he was caught

behind after a similar shot against Hogan.

Taylor Cornall, playing only his second first class match, and Azhar Ali, attempted to rebuild the innings

But after adding 40 a further three wickets fell for 15 runs.

Azhar was dropped at second slip off Lloyd but then attempted to glance the same bowler and was caught down the leg side.

Worcestershire Club Captain, Brett D’Oliveira has three first class hundreds under his belt already this summer but he played around a straight ball from Harris.

Cornall needed treatment after being hit on the helmet by a delivery from Neser but he looked an accomplished performer during his time in the middle.

But on 25 he tried to work Lloyd away on the on side and became the second batter to be caught by Cullen down the legside.

Barnard twice cover drove Lloyd for boundaries as he and Gareth Roderick saw Worcestershire through to lunch at 84 for five.

The sixth wicket pair mixed determined defence with some attractive stroke-play on the resumption.

Barnard’s excellent summer with the bat continued as he completed a 92 ball fifty with seven boundaries.

Roderick followed up his defiant last day knock in the drawn game with Durham at Seat Unique Riverside with another important contribution.

There was just time for the duo to complete a hundred stand before a rain interruption brought about an early tea.

When play resumed, Roderick moved to within four runs of his first half century for Worcestershire before he was bowled by Harris.

Leach then steered Hogan straight into the hands of backward point and Josh Baker gloved a lifter from Harris to Cullen.

But Barnard continued to attack after reaching figures and a ramp shot brought him a maximum at Harris’s expense.

He was eventually bowled attempting the same shot against Neser who then had Charlie Morris (5) caught behind to give Cullen his fifth catch.

Leach struck with his third delivery when Lloyd was pouched at first slip.

In his second over Harris edged Leach to third slip and Ingram was lbw after working to leg.

 

©Cricket World 2022