Sibley’s century gives Surrey edge over Essex: county cricket, day three – as it happened
Sabastian Sawe may have crossed the marathon finishing line in under two hours, but things were more sedate a couple of miles away at the Oval where Dom Sibley escorted Surrey towards parity and beyond.He spent nearly 20 minutes on 99 before reaching his first hundred of the year, though shortly afterwards was the unlucky recipient of a Sam Cook cracker.Dan Lawrence leapt to an entertaining 125.Surrey finished with a lead of 63 and Essex saw off the final nine overs of the day.Surrey had promised free entry to any marathon runners but there was no sign of medals.
Worcestershire duly bulldozed Kent, an innings-and-two-run flattening at New Road.Kent needed 231 to avoid an innings defeat and were soon in the soup at 38 for three, Tom Taylor (5 for 56) the destroyer.Zak Crawley dug in, but was eventually out, driving, for 31.Chris Benjamin (77) and Keith Dudgeon (41) could not quite force Worcestershire to bat again.Kent are yet to pick up a batting point, and have lost Ben Compton with a dislocated finger.
Joe Root purred into action at Headingley, in his first runout of the year.However, it was a surprise when he nibbled at Henry Crocombe and was out for 96.Sam Whiteman collected his maiden century for Yorkshire, who inched to a lead of nine.Sussex then lost two evening wickets.Haseeb Hameed (115) and Ben Duckett (93) propped up Nottinghamshire as they followed-on against Warwickshire.
Duckett’s dashing 93 was his second half-century of the game.Matthew Potts reeled through Lancashire’s top order, leaving them 72 for six, but two Durham old boys, Michael Jones (72) and Paul Coughlin (100) manned the lifeboats.Durham need 336 to win.Winless Gloucestershire can sleep on the chance of breaking their drought after forcing Derbyshire to follow-on at The Racecourse Ground.On a featherbed at Cardiff, it was Leicestershire’s turn for batting practice, with only four wickets falling all day.
The Oval ground staff are busy watering with long yellow hoses so it must be time to finish writing and head home,Thanks for your company and huge congratulations to any marathoners,Bye!DIVISION ONESophia Gardens: Glamorgan 440 v Leicestershire 500-5Trent Bridge: Notts 279 and 310-4 v Warwickshire 459The Oval: Surrey 472 v Essex 409 and 19-0Headingley: Yorkshire 511 v Sussex 502 and 31-2DIVISION TWOThe County Ground: Derbyshire 281 and 117-3 v Gloucestershire 498Riverside: Durham 295 v Lancashire 370 and 260-9dec Durham need 336 to winNew Road: Worcestershire 447 BEAT Kent 196 and 249 by an innings and two runs,Lancashire’s lead over Durham is edging towards extremely large thanks to Durham old boys Michael Jones (70) and Paul Coughlin (82 not out),Lancs 229-7, lead by 304.
Time for me to write up now, but BTL remains open as ever.Crosses the threshold with Duckett fast on his heels.A first century of the season for HH after a Wisden Cricketer of the Year-worthy season in 2025.Notts 257-1.Sussex have kept plugging away at Headingley and reduced Yorkshire to 485 for eight.
Van Beek (25) and Richardson (23) are the current pair to be frustrating the bowlers.Here at The Oval, Abbot rolling-pins Critchley to mid-off.Surrey are nine down and with a lead of 41.The last hour could be the most tasty of the day.West to Sophia Gardens, where the two promoted teams are enjoying some extended batting practice.
Stevie Eskinazi has just been out for 50 to Andy Gorvin, but Jonny Tattersall (58) is still there and Leicestershire, 441-5 have a lead over Glamorgan of one run.A second fifty of the match for Duckett, fast catching up HH who is nurdling ever closer to three figures…Notts 215-1, lead by 35.A big win for Worcestershire and an equalled record for Gareth Roderick who took nine catches in the match – a record for a Worcestershire keeper.New Road: Worcestershire 447 BEAT Kent 196 and 249 by an innings and two runs.Kent might just make Worcestershire bat again, nine wickets down but just two runs behind.
Chris Benjamin 77 not out, five wickets for Tom Taylor,And Surrey quickly lose an eighth wicket, the other established batter, Jordan Clark, for 43,Some muttering about the ball pitching outside leg,Critchley’s second wicket,Harmer’s first wicket, Tom Lawes, whose bat was making lovely shapes, caught and bowled for 36.
Surrey lead by 25, seven wickets down,This is interesting on how much work Ollie Pope has done since coming back from the Ashes,On the new CounterPress Surrey site, The Rey,DIVISION ONESophia Gardens: Glamorgan 440 v Leicestershire 412-4Trent Bridge: Notts 279 and 190-1 v Warwickshire 459The Oval: Surrey 415-6 v Essex 409Headingley: Yorkshire 452-8 v Sussex 502DIVISION TWOThe County Ground: Derbyshire 281 and 9-0 v Gloucestershire 498Riverside: Durham 295 v Lancashire 370 and 370 and 192-6New Road: Worcestershire 447 v Kent 196 and 222-9Teatime at The Oval, with Tom Lawes, who escaped a stumping chance on 11, and Jordan Clark rollicking along,Surrey now have a lead of six runs.
Scores to follow.Quite against expectations, Derbyshire are following-on against Gloucestershire Three wickets each for Tasmian Gabe Bell and Graeme van Buuren; Wayne Madsen (65) the only Derby man to pass 35.Derbys 218 all out, and 5-0 in their second attempt.No marathon runners appear to have yet taken advantage of Surrey’s hospitality.At Trent Bridge, Notts are having a better time of it following-on.
HH has 83 and Ben Duckett 28, and they have nearly made up the deficit on Warwickshire.Notts 172-1.I’m just going to do a quick circuit and see i I can find any marathon runners lurking in The Oval.Well bowled Henry Crocombe! Root leaned in to what looked like it was going to be a 100-getting cover drive, but there was some extra bounce and instead he nibbles behind.Two balls into Crocombe’s spell – cracking bowling change by Ollie Robinson.
Oooof, Lawrence cruches the ball back at Thain and hits him on the wrist in his follow through – possibly a dropped catch? Stings him again next ball, but Thain finally gets his man as Lawrence picks out Sam Cook on the rope.Walter, I think, runs over to pat Lawrence on the back as he wanders away for 125.Surrey 367-6 trail Essex by 42.Joe Root has purred into the 90s at Headingley, and is currently leaning on his bat with crossed legs at the non-striker’s end watching Tom Clark bustle in to George Hill.Yorks 374-5.
Kent and Lancs are still going – just.Kent 160-7, Lancs 95-6.Yorkshire have lost a wicket, but it’s not Root.Revis is a second wicket for Coles, caught at stomach level at first slip.Root (79) waves for new gloves – all part of the new-season workout.
Dan Lawrence bashes Shane Snater for four, pinpoint straight back past his boots as Surrey crack along – but, from nowhere, Ben Foakes is bowled by Matt Critchley from one that crept through.Surrey 341-5, trail Essex by 68.George Bell and Michael Jones are putting together a rescue act for Lancs in the north east, almost doubling the score after they came together.Lancs 72-6, the lead 147.Steps over the bearpit of the nineties to scamper two and reach his second century of the season.
Such flair too,He gets a huge round of applause, and takes off his maroon helmet and acknowledges the crowd,He’s such a great player to watch, I still remember him the thrill (and danger) of him peppering the boundary at Blackpool for Essex three years ago,Kent are down to the tail,Olly Hannon-Dalby has removed DBD (30), and Tom Taylor (4-29) Joey Evison (23).
Six wickets down, they need 132 to make Worcestershire bat again.The Oval announcer counts out a second batting point for Surrey, as Ben Foakes oils his wrists and flicks Noah Thain away for four.Root has 66, which is briefly pleasing.Yorkshire 317-6.Surrey have started to put their foot down after lunch, Lawrence is approaching three figures.
Essex politely ask if the ball might be out of shape – but are duly dismissed.DIVISION ONESophia Gardens: Glamorgan 440 v Leicestershire 315-2Trent Bridge: Notts 279 and 58-0 v Warwickshire 459The Oval: Surrey 271-4 v Essex 409Headingley: Yorkshire 300-4 v Sussex 502DIVISION TWOThe County Ground: Derbyshire 206-5 v Gloucestershire 498Riverside: Durham 295 v Lancashire 370 and 53-5New Road: Worcestershire 447 v Kent 196 and 103-4Lunch (pie and mash) at The Oval, and around the grounds, scores to follow.At CLS, Marcus Harris is as usual Lancashire’s top-scorer, but unfortunately he only made 12.Lancs 52-5.Potts 3-14.
Lancashire’s lead is just 128.I’ve learnt from Bruce Talbot, sitting next to me, that Sussex aren’t allowed to sign any loan player as part of their financial pact with the ECB.With Dom Goodman and Sean Hunt injured, and not back for this block of matches, and Tom Price also possibly injured up at Headingley, this leaves them somewhat bowler short.Some life at The Oval, where Dan Lawrence has just pounded Sean Snater for six.Root purrs into the season, with fifty in his first innings.
Yorks 289-4,Crawley, however, is out,A flamboyant drive his downfall, for a hard-fought 31,Kent 82-4,After being stranded on 99 for a good 15 minutes, Sibley sprints a single to his first hundred of the year – from 281 balls.
It’s the 27th f-c century of his career and will taste sweet after scores of 25, 27, 4 and 32,He gets a generous round of applause from the crowd and a cuddle from Dan Lawrence,Ah, I hope he enjoyed that applause as he’s now out, off a brutish ball from Cook, that climbs up and brushes the bat, for 101,YJB comes and goes, props forward to James Coles and is bowled through the gate,Middle stump flat.
He turns on his heel and picks up a bail and chucks it away in disgust.A second Yorkshire centurion at Headingley, but not for long, caught behind off Henry Crocombe for 101.YJB bristles out to join Joe Root, who has already eased his way to 36, with five fours.Haseeb Hameed hasn’t had a fruitful start to the season, but he’s 11 not out in Notts’ second innings – 22-0.Fellow out-of-England-favour opener Dom Sibley has moved onto 99 at The Oval.
..Zak Crawley may carry his bat at this rate – a third wicket for Tom Taylor, Muyeye lbw for four.Kent 38-3“May I just say that it’s nice to see Glos playing properly,” writes Andrew Benton.“Its been a tough past three weeks! The new additions are clearly now starting to settle in.
”This is their best match, for sure.Will Williams now has two wickets to go with yesterday’s 98.Martin Andersson (17) and Wayne Madsen (65) the Derbyshire men out this morning.Derbyshire 173 for five, 325 behind Glos.Lancashire too are having a tricky start to their second innings – 16 for two up at CLS
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