Somerset steal a march in Division One
Lancashire’s good results continue in Division Two, but it’s hard to get a read on the season so far
Ball one: Abell triumphs in ding-dong battle
It’s easy (and you’ll be right more times than you’re wrong) if you think that there’s no room for sentiment in professional sport. These days, data drives specialist coaches, skills are executed, the project is stayed with. The very clumsiness of that phrase speaks to its romantic emptiness.
But is it wrong to hope that sport can remain an enclave of truthful emotion in a cynical world?
Tom Abell has played for many teams, as any moderately successful cricketer will these days, but he made his first class debut for Somerset and that’s the only county for whom he has played. He captained his team at 23 and served seven seasons under a fierce, if local, spotlight, having the cojones to drop himself in those early days and come back stronger. He has a name and a record that suggests he’d fit into the 1920s as easily as he fits into the 2020s.
In a match that swung this way and that and allowed Hampshire’s Sonny Baker and the visitors’ James Rew to enhance their cases for an Test call up, Somerset were 52-3 when their ex-captain joined his wicketkeeper at the crease, with 235 required and plenty of time to get them – a classic case of “Where’s your money?”
Useful runs were added by Will Smeed and Lewis Gregory, but it was Jack Leach – who knows a bit about these things – who was at the other end, eight down, when Abell hit the runs that raised his century, won the match and sent his team to the top of Division One. He might not have had a tear in his eye, but I rather hope he did – I’m pretty sure that plenty others in the ground and watching the stream might have found a speck or two of dust that they needed to wipe away.
Ball two: Barker bites
This is the 14th season for this column and there are few cricketers about whom I have written more warm words than Keith Barker. I am delighted, if a little surprised, to be writing more.
Back at Warwickshire after a few years at Hampshire, the burly left-armer appears to have played no cricket over the summer and, as if to rebuke my point above, lists no franchise teams at all on his CV.
Barker’s strength has always been his ability to affect a match, a player whose impact is not fully captured by the stats. He provided a perfect example at Edgbaston when Essex, needing 195 on the fourth day with all ten wickets in hand, faced up to his first over. Key man, Dean Elgar, gone first ball, captain and nightwatchman, Sam Cook waved off third ball and Charlie Allison, hastilly velcroed up, sent back from the sixth.
Essex provided some stiff late order resistance, but the game had been broken open by the old stager setting the tone early on and they fell 42 runs short. Warwickshire go second and the 39 year-old all-rounder’s contract is already justified.
Ball three: Thanks to Jennings
Having drawn their first match of the season with Northamptonshire nine down, Lancashire have put back to back wins together to make the early running in Division Two. The tone of my WhatsApps has lifted a little.
At the Seat Unique Stadium (which feels a tad oversold with that name), Miles Hammond and James Bracey built a partnership of 148 runs, much the largest of the match, that set the visitors a target of 202, decidedly tricky territory. Having top scored in Lancashire’s first innings with 70, opener, Keaton Jennings, marked his season’s bow by antibazballing his way to 78 not out in over four hours, guiding his team home to a win by four wickets. That was a characteristically bloodyminded approach to make amends for a poor shot in the first dig, which brought a fine display of personal disgust.
The left-hander played the last of his 17 Tests seven years ago, but he’s still only 33 and has proved remarkably consistent during turbulent times at Old Trafford. His name is sometimes whispered prior to a subcontinental tour but with Wisden’s stinging rebukes in their ears, could England use his calm levelheaded approach this summer?
Ball four: A want of boldness at Wantage Road
Another ex-England opener who plays the role in the traditional manner secured a draw for Middlesex as the match at Wantage Road fizzled out in poor light. Sam Robson batted well over six hours for his 162 to all but match the 164 of Northamptonshire’s James Sales (son of Jumble) but neither side should be happy with the stalemate.
The fourth day had started with Middlesex 48 in front with nine second innings wickets in hand. After an hour or so without a breakthrough and mindful of the overs already lost in the game, could the coaches not have concocted a chase after lunch, say 270 in two sessions?
It’s wins that matter in Division Two, as falling short of third place by one point gets you pretty much the same reward as falling short by 50 come the end of the season, so why not take a chance, even if it’s not the done thing?
Ball five: Who’s winning?
If you’re of a certain age, you will have grown up watching the last event of the Olympics track and field competition to the soundtrack of an almost permanently breathless David Coleman warning us not to make any judgements “until the stagger has wound out”. So don’t write off Kriss Akabusi, Roger Black and co in the relay just yet!
The County Championship is in its stagger phase now, the tables tricky to assess as counties miss matches last week and this. While it is understandable that players be given a week off the grind, physically and mentally, perhaps it would be better for the narrative if all Division One’s fixtures were suspended in the same week and all Division Two’s the next. That would also allow the spotlight to fall exclusively on lower level matches for a round, which, with a bit of imaginative marketing, could provide an opportunity to smaller counties.
Ball six: Bowling along in the fast lane
Seven bowlers have delivered 99.5 or more overs in the Championship so far, including Kyle Abbott (38), Harry Conway (33), Ben Sanderson (37), Ryan Higgins (31) and James Anderson (43). It’s too early to draw any conclusions of course, and there are multiple factors involved, but, with much talk of managing workloads, one wonders why the 30-somethings can do the job that breaks 20-somethings?
With all the sports science available these days, it comes as a surprise to me to find so many young bowlers (many of whom have had their fitness managed by professionals since their early teens) protected from doing the one thing we know creates strong, fit bowlers – bowling.
I’d better stop now before I turn into Fred Trueman. Until next week, I’ll sithee.