Surrey's Jason Roy
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Vitality Blast T20 2022: All Matches Thursday June 9th - Latest News, Scores and Match Reports
Here is all the latest news, scores and match report updates from the Vitality Blast T20 2022: All Matches Thursday June 9th
Vitality Blast T20 2022: All Matches Thursday June 9th
Middlesex vs Surrey, South Group Lord's, London
Jason Roy and Chris Jordan reminded the England selectors of their white-ball talents as Surrey strengthened their position as South Group leaders with a 20-run win over London rivals Middlesex at Lord’s.
Roy crunched 81 in 45 balls, his innings forming the backbone of a formidable 208-7 after the visitors were invited to bat first by Middlesex skipper Steven Eskinazi.
The innings included controversy when Jamie Overton was given out for nought on the field only to be reprieved by the third umpire, denying Middlesex’s best bowler Martin Andersson (two for 32) a deserved third wicket.
The hosts initially chased boldly led by Eskinazi’s 47 from 21 balls but Jordan’s superb return of four for 31 along with Sunil Narine’s miserly two for 28 saw Surrey to a sixth win of the campaign.
Roy was in explosive mood from the off, his pick-up shot off Toby Roland-Jones the pick of his three sixes, all of which ended up in the grandstand. He rode his luck at times too, twice inside-edging past leg-stump and nicking another just wide of wicketkeeper John Simpson. All three shots went for four as he roared to 50 off 24 balls.
Will Jacks, destroyer of Middlesex in the last two encounters at Lord’s, was a passenger in an opening stand of 55 before skying Jason Behrendorff to Eskinazi at mid-off.
Laurie Evans made a brisk 22 before being brilliantly caught and bowled by Andersson, before Narine (25) produced an equally rapid cameo to keep up the momentum and Roy looked set for a century before dragging one into his stumps.
Two balls later the athletic Andersson looked to have caught and bowled Overton for nought, but third umpire Richard Kettleborough ruled the all-rounder had grassed the chance. It proved a big moment as Overton produced two big sixes in a swashbuckling 27 from just 12 balls as Surrey surged beyond 200.
Recent history suggested Middlesex hopes hinged on Eskinazi and he started in sensational style, hitting both Reece Topley and Daniel Worrall into the crowd, the latter a monster hit into the grandstand. Max Holden caught the mood, striking three successive boundaries off Curran as 76 came from the powerplay.
The wily Jordan broke the stand with his first ball when Holden (33) pulled him into the hands of backward square-leg. Worse followed for the hosts when Narine produce a beauty to bowl Eskinazi three short of 50 and with two new batsman at the crease the rate required began to spiral.
Pressure told as Eoin Morgan, back from injury holed out in the deep off Overton and Simpson soon followed a second victim of spinner Narine.
Jordan then removed a strangely subdued Joe Cracknell and Andersson with successive balls and despite some late defiance from Chris Green (46 not out from 29), 53 from the last four overs proved too many as Middlesex suffered a fourth defeat in a row.
Gloucestershire vs Somerset, South Group
Roelof van der Merwe was the match-winner as Somerset recovered from a shock start to win a rain-affected Vitality Blast clash against arch-rivals Gloucestershire by three-wickets (DLS) at Bristol.
After the visitors had won the toss, Miles Hammond smote 4 sixes off the opening over of the game, bowled by Tom Lammonby, on his way to making 29 off just 12 balls.
By the time rain interrupted play after five overs, Gloucestershire had raced to 61 for one. A resumption at 8.45pm saw the game reduced to ten overs per side and the hosts went on to post 101 for five.
Somerset’s revised target was 112. They slumped to 55 for seven before van der Merwe hammered an unbeaten 48 from 15 balls, with 4 sixes and 4 fours, to see them to an unlikely victory with three balls to spare.
It was an extraordinary end to a game Gloucestershire had dominated.
Left-arm seamer Lammonby erred in that respect and saw his second, third, fifth and sixth deliveries effortless lofted over leg side by left-hander Hammond to clear the ropes.
Hammond and James Bracey took the score to 46 off 3.5 overs before Josh Davey made a breakthrough, having Hammond caught at short third man off an edged drive.
Bracey was undeterred, taking a boundary off Siddle’s opening delivery of the fifth over, which also saw new batsman Ian Cockbain strike 2 fours.
When rain sent the players off, Bracey was unbeaten on 21 from 14 balls. He added only a single to his score before being caught at cover off a leading edge in the first over of the resumption, bowled by left-arm spinner van der Merwe.
Somerset opted for spin at both ends. Lewis Goldsworthy’s first ball was dispatched for a straight six by Cockbain, who fell to the second, caught at deep cover to leave Gloucestershire 72 for three.
Jack Taylor hoisted Goldsworthy for another straight six. But van der Merwe completed two canny overs for 14 and when Glenn Phillips skied a catch to wicketkeeper Tom Banton off Lewis Gregory, Gloucestershire were 90 for four.
Gregory’s over cost just five runs. The final one was delivered by Ben Green, who sent back Taylor, caught at deep mid-wicket in conceding only a further six.
Now it was Gloucestershire bowling with a wet ball. David Payne used it to good effect, having Tom Banton caught a short third-man off his second delivery in an opening over costing eight.
When Rilee Rossouw was caught in the deep attempting to pull Josh Shaw over the longer square boundary and Tom Abell tamely cut Zak Chappell to backward point, Somerset were 15 for three in the third over.
Will Smeed skied a Shaw full toss to be caught on the leg side and Lewis Gregory drove Benny Howell to long-on where Miles Hammond took a fine diving catch.
Lammonby had quickly cleared the ropes twice, the second time with an audacious reverse scoop off Shaw. But when he tried to reverse sweep Tom Smith and guided the ball straight to extra cover it was 50 for six.
Smith accounted for Green in the same over. But van der Merwe kept things interesting by hitting the left-arm spinner for 6,6,4, in the eight over.
Somerset needed 27 off the final two. That became 12 off the last when van der Merwe hit Payne for a six and a four.
Ryan Higgins, bowling for the first time in the innings, saw his first ball swept for four by van der Merwe. The second, a slower delivery was dispatched over deep square for six and the third through the off-side for four.
Northamptonshire vs Worcestershire, North Group County Ground, Northampton
Chris Lynn continued his purple patch with another unbeaten century as Northamptonshire Steelbacks cruised past Worcestershire Rapids by 73 runs to climb to second in the Vitality Blast North Group.
The Steelbacks opener struck 113 not out from 57 balls, despite batting with a runner for part of his innings, to equal his highest score in T20 cricket and set up Northamptonshire’s third straight victory.
It was a second Blast hundred for Lynn, who averages almost 95 in the tournament so far and his second-wicket stand of 115 from 62 with skipper Josh Cobb laid the foundations for their side’s winning total of 220 for three at Wantage Road.
Worcestershire, who have now lost six of their seven matches, never looked like getting close and subsided tamely to 147 all out, with Cobb claiming career-best figures of five for 25.
The Rapids handed a T20 debut to Jacques Banton – younger brother of Tom – and also entrusted the left-arm spinner with the new ball, a move that brought instant rewards as Ben Curran reverse-swept his third delivery into the hands of backward point.
Aside from two isolated sixes off Dillon Pennington, Lynn looked relatively sedate at the other end and initially it was Cobb, hitting over the leg-side infield, who brought impetus to the Steelbacks’ innings.
But Lynn began to get into his stride after the powerplay, with Pennington taking the brunt of the assault as the Australian dispatched two colossal maximums over midwicket to bring up his half-century from 25 balls.
Cobb was just two deliveries slower to that landmark – his second successive 50 – but the captain got no further, drilling Dwayne Bravo to long off, where Moeen Ali stretched to take the catch above his head.
Despite being hampered by a niggle that meant Curran returned to act as his runner, Lynn continued unabated, clattering Ed Barnard for three consecutive sixes and advancing to his hundred.
The shrewd Bravo, with figures of two for 15, was the only bowler to establish any kind of control as Saif Zaib (27) and Jimmy Neesham, with an unbeaten 24 from 11 balls, steered Northamptonshire beyond 200.
The visitors immediately sank into trouble when they replied, with Jake Libby patting the second delivery of the innings straight to square leg before Tom Taylor ripped out Moeen’s middle stump.
Taylor had Colin Munro caught behind two balls later to leave Worcestershire teetering at 16 for three, but Jack Haynes launched a brief bid to rescue the situation single-handedly, with some clean hitting producing a string of boundaries.
Once Haynes had holed out to long-off for 33, the Rapids continued to crumble, with Cobb’s off-breaks accounting for five wickets, including those of Ben Cox and Banton in successive balls.
Barnard prolonged the visitors’ resistance with a defiant 42 from 29 before he was the last man to depart, caught by Freddie Heldreich at backward square with 20 balls unused.
Northamptonshire Steelbacks captain JOSH COBB said:
“We’re batting extremely well and Chris Lynn has been a huge part of that – being able to put performances like that on the board is making it slightly easier for the bowlers. They’re being positive and looking to take wickets as well, rather than being too defensive. “Everything seems to be clicking at the minute and we need to make sure that momentum lasts. Everyone has been nailing the roles we spoke about at the beginning of the competition and that’s the most pleasing thing.
“I wasn’t really expecting a five-for! It was nice to get some runs as well – in the first couple of games I was coming in around the 17th over after watching them blast the ball to all parts.
“I feel it’s been a real team effort so far. Different people are chipping in when it’s needed, which is the sign of a good team – we’re not relying on one man, which is good.”
Worcestershire Rapids captain MOEEN ALI said:
“I think we were quite embarrassing tonight. I know (Chris) Lynn played really well and he’s difficult to stop sometimes but apart from DJ (Bravo), we were poor with the ball and in the field, which is not like us.
“Generally if we’re not playing well, at least we fielded really well. Confidence is really low at the minute but we need to try and turn that around quickly.
“We’ve spoken about this – as individuals, what’s our ambition? Are we OK just playing county cricket or do we want to improve and go to the next level, whatever it is, playing franchise cricket around the world or playing for England?
“Including myself, you have to look at what you’re bringing to the team. I need to score runs and bowl well and the team, as individuals, need to do that as well.
“This is probably the first year I can think of with me as captain that we haven’t played well consistently. But we’ve still a got a lot of fight and we’ll come back fighting.”
Hampshire vs Essex, South Group Ageas Bowl, Southampton
James Fuller continued his renaissance season by claiming four for 30 as Hampshire Hawks extended their up-tick in Vitality Blast form to beat Essex Eagles by 32 runs.
All-rounder Fuller has become a key member of Hampshire’s first choice XIs in both the Blast and LV= Insurance County Championship after a winter honing his skills with new bowling coach Graeme Welch.
He is the Hawks’ third-highest run-scorer and took his wicket tally to eight as Hampshire made it three wins on the trot by defending 155, to put their T20 season back on track - with Chris Wood and Brad Wheal also boasting a pair of wickets.
Earlier, Ben Allison claimed his best T20 figures of three for 33 and leg spinner Matt Critchley snared three for 25 to take his Blast tally to nine for the season; with James Vince top scoring with 44.
Hampshire’s victory was watched by 2,300 local children as part of the club’s Schools Takeover, who created an excited and appreciative atmosphere.
Having chosen to bat, Hampshire’s innings consisted of two platform setting partnerships – Vince leading stands of 49 and 47 with Tom Prest and Joe Weatherley – and then a mad dash to reach par in the last six overs. 107 for two in 14 overs ended up being 155 for six in 20.
Vince and Ben McDermott’s run of record opening partnerships came to an end when the Australian edged Allison behind in the third over.
Vince’s innings was the exception to the rule that the Hawks skipper only produces pretty innings. He was forced to scrap on a tacky used wicket against accurate bowling; earning each of his three fours and swiped six in his innings.
Prest and Weatherley kept him company with 30 and 38 respectively, before Toby Albert’s 24 off 12 ball cameo at the end.
Essex were superb in the field. Allison and Pepper each claimed a pair of catches – the latter just managing to release the ball before he stepped over the boundary and then legally completed the catch to dismiss Ross Whiteley. Shane Snater’s quick thinking after an Aron Nijjar misfield was equally impressive.
In reply, Fuller castled Feroze Khushi as Essex found it equally as difficult to find runs in now soupy conditions. Michael Pepper was given a life before he had scored when Chris Wood dropped a steepler, something Liam Dawson didn’t repeat to dismiss Adam Rossington.
Pepper was caught and bowled by Mason Crane and Critchley slapped to deep cover as the drizzle got heavier, with Essex slipping further and further behind the DLS par.
Paul Walter holed out after an enterprising 27 and Simon Harmer was bowled by Fuller. Wood and Wheal then combined for a classic death bowling display to dismiss Tom Westley, Nijjar, Allison and Sam Cook in the final three overs – as no Essex batter really ‘got in’.
Derbyshire vs Leicestershire, North Group County Ground, Derby
Shan Masood delivered a master-class in elegant timing to set up Derbyshire Falcons for a wicket victory over Leicestershire Foxes at Derby.
The Falcons skipper scored 73 from 32 balls as they chased down the Foxes 181 for 6 down with eight balls to spare.
Aaron Lilley’s 67 from 41 balls had put the Foxes in a decent position but Masood’s brilliance led the way and despite a late wobble Brooke Guest with an unbeaten 29 from 19 balls took the Falcons to a third North Group victory.
The Foxes had given themselves a solid platform by batting selectively to score 53 in the powerplay for the loss of Scott Steel who cut George Scrimshaw over backward point for six before skying Hayden Kerr to mid on.
Aaron Lilley picked up the pace by driving Matt McKiernan for six and cutting the leg-spinner for four before carving Scrimshaw for another six in the eighth over.
With Rutherford working the ball into gaps on both sides of the wicket, the Foxes were 91 for 1 at the halfway point of their innings and Lilley reached an excellent 50 from 29 balls when he late cut Alex Hughes for his sixth four.
Rutherford moved to 35 from 28 balls, his highest score for the Foxes, before driving Mark Watt to Shan Masood at cover but Lilley maintained momentum by twice carving Scrimshaw for four in the 14th over.
McKiernan responded by conceding only four from the next and Scrimshaw struck twice in the 17th by using the short ball well to get rid of Lilley and Ben Mike off consecutive deliveries.
Alex Hughes kept up the pressure by trapping Rishi Patel lbw to become Derbyshire’s leading wicket taker in T20, restricting the Foxes to five from the 18th, and Colin Ackermann’s attempt at a big finish ended in the hands of cover.
But Lewis Hill drove and cut Hughes for four as the Foxes took 15 from the last over to post a competitive total.
Masood marked his 100th career T20 appearance by driving Steel over long on for six and pulling Naveen-ul-Haq for four before Luis Reece whipped Will Davis over the backward square leg boundary.
Masood’s timing and placement brought him consecutive fours off Naveen and he moved to an effortless 50 from 21 balls to leave the Falcons well placed on 76 without loss at the end of the powerplay.
The Foxes had to remove him to have a chance and after dispatching Callum Parkinson for two more fours, he miscued a pull off Ben Mike to deep midwicket.
The Falcons went into the last 10 overs needing only 75 but they lost Wayne Madsen when he failed to beat Mike’s throw from midwicket.
Leus du Plooy was bowled sweeping Callum Parkinson and the Foxes sensed an opening when Reece holed out to Rehan Ahmed in the 15th over.
But Guest and Hughes ran well between the wicket and after Hughes reverse swept Parkinson for six, Guest thumped Naveen for two fours to seal victory.
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