Root’s golden arm leads Yorkshire past Somerset, Kent thrash Derbyshire: county cricket, day four
Joe Root has often won games for Yorkshire with the bat, not so often with his golden arm.But it was spin twins Root (four for 49) and Dom Bess (four for 60) who did for Somerset, chasing 260 in front of a good bank holiday Monday crowd.George Hill, charging in with zip, bowled Archie Vaughan and Tom Lammonby cheaply, then Bess removed danger men James Rew, who had a rare bad match, and his great friend Tom Abell.Root impishly polished off most of the tail.Thomas Rew got off the mark, and a pair, with a sweet cover driver for four and played nicely for his 30 before being removed caught Bairstow, bowled Root – surely a badge of honour in his first Championship game.
Josh Thomas, centurion in the first innings, top-scored with 57, but it was a storming fightback for Yorkshire after a miserable first day.Kent put a tricky start to the season behind them with a resounding victory over Derbyshire.It was free entry at Canterbury and those 600 spectators who turned up saw Matt Milnes pocket career-best figures of six for 12 as Derbyshire lost two wickets in the first two overs of the day and stumbled towards defeat.Last man out, Luis Reece, with 67, was the only player to pass 20.Glamorgan celebrated their first Division One victory for 21 years, rolling over Hampshire by an innings, despite the best efforts of Ben Brown (96).
It is unusual for Surrey to have to wait until May for their first win of the season, and Sussex held them up as best they could.Charlie Tear (61), Jack Carson (48) and Ollie Robinson (42) were structural annoyances but were all out by tea.Surrey then lost two wickets in their pursuit of 14, but there is, at last, a tick in the box.Nottinghamshire stormed to the top of Division One, wrapping up victory against Leicestershire.Liam Patterson White (five for 53) spun through the lower order, before Haseeb Hameed and Ben Slater raced to victory, Slater smacking the last ball of the match for six.
Middlesex drew with Durham, Max Holden finishing the day unbeaten on 77.Taunton kept us guessing almost to the end.A great win for Yorkshire, and for Glamorgan, Notts, Surrey, Northants and, last but most memorably, Kent.Thanks for your company over the last four days.I’ll be back on Friday at Old Trafford, for the penultimate round of this spring block of games.
Have a lovely bank holiday evening.Bye!1 Durham 712 Northants 653 Lancashire 604 Worcestershire 555 Middlesex 496 Kent 437 Derbyshire 308 Gloucestershire 241 Notts 672 Surrey 593 Somerset 584 Warwickshire 555 Glamorgan 506 Sussex 467 Yorkshire 458 Essex 409 Leicestershire 3610 Hampshire 26Division OneSouthampton: Glamorgan 536-7dec BEAT Hampshire 214 and 253 by an innings and 69 runsLeicester: Nottinghamshire 490 and 77-0 BEAT Leicestershire 308 and 254 by 10 wickets.Taunton: Yorkshire 162 and 371 BEAT Somerset 274 and 184 by 75 runsThe Oval: Surrey 622 and 15-2 BEAT Sussex 358-9dec and 277 by eight wicketsDivision TwoCanterbury: Kent 352 and 335 BEAT Derbyshire 304 and 158 by 225 runsLord’s: Middlesex 430 and 146-4 DRAW with Durham 567Northampton: Northants 597-7dec BEAT Worcestershire 306 and 114 by an innings and 177 runsAnd that’s the lot.Lord’s: Middlesex 430 and 146-4 DRAW with Durham 567The spin twins do it! Bess drifts one past Ogborne’s defensive push and there is the death rattle.“Somerset squandered a terrific position on the first night” murmurs Vic.
Four wickets each for Bess and Root.Taunton: Yorkshire 162 and 371 BEAT Somerset 274 and 184 by 75 runsYorkshire 19pts, Somerset 4pts(Tactical?)Umbrellas have been spotted in the Hildreth stand…Just one over possible after tea.Suspect they’ll call it a day there.An entertaining way to make 14, Coles dismisses Burns and Patel in his first over, but Surrey get there in four.The Oval: Surrey 622 and 15-2 BEAT Sussex 358-9dec and 277 by eight wicketsSurrey 22points, Sussex 4 pointsAll over bar the gloating at Taunton.
Joe Root strikes in successive overs.Four men round the bat as Bess reels in to no.11 Alfie Ogborne.Somerset 174-9.Division OneSouthampton: Glamorgan 536-7dec BEAT Hampshire 214 and 253 by an innings and 69 runsLeicester: Nottinghamshire 490 and 77-0 BEAT Leicestershire 308 and 254 by 10 wickets.
Taunton: Somerset 274 and 167-7 v Yorkshire 162 and 371 Somerset need 93 to winThe Oval: Surrey 622 v Sussex 358-9dec and 277 Surrey need 14 to winDivision TwoCanterbury: Kent 352 and 335 BEAT Derbyshire 304 and 158 by 225 runsLord’s: Middlesex 430 and 144-4 v Durham 567Northampton: Northants 597-7dec BEAT Worcestershire 306 and 114 by an innings and 177 runsTom Haines is stranded on 20, and there were helpful forties from Ollie Robinson and JAck Carson, but ultimately 0-2 was hard for Sussex to escape from.They’ve taken tea at The Oval, and at Lord’s and now Taunton.A snorting catch from Adam Lyth, crouching at short leg and defying his 38 years, who sprints a half circle of delight.Overton is briefly immobile in disbelief.Gone for 2.
Somerset 156-7, need 103.Joe Root gleefully collects a second wicket.“It is a really poor performance all round,” says Hampshire’s Ben Brown.“It is a poor week from us.We should be playing a lot better.
“We didn’t get it right with the ball - we shouldn’t be getting declared on on that pitch - and then with the bat we couldn’t turn the game around and get any momentum.It just wasn’t good enough.“Today was too late.I want to be scoring runs in the first innings.You never want to give up so it was nice to get some resistance going but those wickets yesterday really cooked us today.
“We are low, there is no doubt about it.You can’t hide from results.We’ve had three games at home and three defeats.In county cricket, you don’t have the time to feel sorry for yourself or do any training; we have another hard game away at Essex.It is about mentality recovery and putting ourselves in the position to play well.
”I was reminded this round that at Wantage Road you can bowl from the David Capel end.And it prompted me dig out his obituary.Here it is – what a lovely man he sounds.The television switched itself off, and by the time I have relocated the stream Thomas Rew is out, Root-Bairstowed for 30.My silly old bones had told me he was going to win the game for Somerset.
Somerset 147-6 – Overton joins Smeed.Dom Bess does it!.Thomas prods and gets a sharp edge off a turning ball.A third wicket for Bess, an old boy busy breaking Somerset hearts.Nicely caught by Hill at slip, backing away.
Well, this is just the sort of red-ball test Will Smeed has been looking for… Somerset 136-5 need 124 to win.And then there were three.Taunton, where Thomas Rew and Josh Thomas, are youthfully swatting at Bess and Root.The one to watch.Somerset are over half way there, four wickets down.
Lord’s: Holden and Geddes have drawn Middlesex to within 12 runs of Durham’s first innings.Looks like a draw unless sudden unexpected fireworks.The Oval: Surrey are tightening their grip.Sussex are eight down, but one of the batters is Tom Haines, back after being hit on the grill first ball yesterday.Sussex 236-8, trail by one.
Bloody well done Kent for turning the good ship around.A first win for over a year.A win for switching off social media comments? Derbyshire, back to the drawing board.Matt Milnes finishes with career-best figures of six for 12.Canterbury: Kent 352 and 335 BEAT Derbyshire 304 and 158 by 225 runsKent 22 points, Derbyshire 5 pointsBen Brown last man out for 96.
Glamorgan’s first Division One win for 21 years!Southampton: Glamorgan 536-7dec BEAT Hampshire 214 and 253 by an innings and 69 runsHampshire 1 point, Glamorgan 23 pointsIn just his sixth Championship match – 136 in the first innings, 50 not out in this one.Joe Root watching, Joe Root bowling from the Marcus Trescothick end.Thomas gets a wee glove shake from T Rew.Bess thinks he’s got Rew next ball to the top edge of a reverse sweep – double teapot from Bess as he’s told no.I caught the tail end of Kevin Howell’s lunchtime interview with Mr and Mrs Rew, who sounded lovely.
Apparently Thomas, whose A levels are fast approaching, has brought his books with him to the dressing room.Anyway, he doesn’t need to worry about that for now, he’s on 10 not out, a second gorgeous four.Somerset 106-4 need another 156.Glamorgan close in – Hampshire nine down as Yusuf tries as effusive drive – and loses his stumps to Hadley.Plays it again, just to be sure, but too late.
Hampshire 241-9, trail by 81.Dom Bess dismisses the best man at his wedding (or maybe the other way around), Yorkshire can taste victory now, you can see it.Thomas Rew in, on a pair.Somerset 85-4.And that’s Rew’s first runs! Leans into a cover drive and sends is spilling to the rope.
Taunton erupts into applause.Surrey have the wicket they wanted – Jack Carson lbw to Sean Abbott.It was fun while it lasted.Sussex are seven down but still no sign of Tom Haines.So perhaps Paul Farbrace was hasty last night.
The Notternaut starts to roll…Leicester: Nottinghamshire 490 and 77-0 BEAT Leicestershire 308 and 254 by 10 wicketsNottinghamshire 23pts, Leicestershire 4pts.Division OneSouthampton: Hampshire 214 and 230-8 v Glamorgan 536-7decLeicester: Nottinghamshire 490 and 77-0 BEAT Leicestershire 308 and 254 by 10 wickets.Taunton: Somerset 274 and 57-3 v Yorkshire 162 and 371 Somerset need 203 to winThe Oval: Surrey 622 v Sussex 358-9dec and 175-6Division TwoCanterbury: Kent 352 and 335 v Derbyshire 304 and 103-7 Derbys need 281 to winLord’s: Middlesex 430 and 57-3 v Durham 567Northampton: Northants 597-7dec BEAT Worcestershire 306 and 114 by an innings and 177 runsHaseeb Hameed and Ben Slater are trying to wrap this up before sandwiches.Notts 41-0 need just 32 to beat Leicestershire.At Lord’s, Ben Raine and Matthew Potts are keeping pavilion would-be slumberers awake, reducing Middlesex to 55 for three.
They still trail Durham by 81 so this isn’t dead yet.Jonny Bairstow decides Joe Root is going to be the partnership breaker.My son plonks himself on the sofa and is instantly disapproving of the Yorkshire kit “too much colour.” “Ooooh,” Root’s hands fly to his head, “aaaah”, as Abell hits close to mid wicket.Somerset 48-3.
Over to The Oval, where Surrey are getting into their work.They’ve taken two wickets this morning – Hughes for 39 and Hudson-Prentice for 15.Charlie Tear is proving tricky to dislodge, 43 not out.Sussex 152-6, trail by 112.Kent are nearly there after Jas Singh sends Zak Chappell’s off stump spinning away – an entertaining 20.
Derbyshire 82-7.Ben Brown (62) and Scott Currie (25) are sticking it out at Southampton…actually as I type Crane has just been lbw to Mason Crane.Hampshire 194-7.Two valuable not outs for Josh Hull, Ben Green is Patterson-White’s fifth wicket, out for 37.This should be a over just after lunch at Grace Road
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