Key events
Summary of day two
Nottinghamshire spinner Farhan Ahmed became the youngest player to take five wickets or more in an innings in first-class cricket in England – but his efforts may be in vain after Surrey made a first-innings 525. Ahmed claimed 7-140 at Trent Bridge but after captain Rory Burns had struck 161 on day one, Indian international Sai Sudharsan added 105 to put Surrey in a commanding position as they push towards a third consecutive Vitality County Championship title. Notts closed on 144 for three in reply with skipper Haseeb Hameed (68) and Brett Hutton out just before the close.
Jack Leach claimed three wickets as Somerset built a strong position on the second day against Durham at Taunton. The home side began by extending their first-innings score from an overnight 395 for six to 492 all out, James Rew dismissed for 103 and Kasey Aldridge making 44. Callum Parkinson finished with 4-136. By the close, Durham had replied with 272 for six, Leach taking 3-103. An unbroken seventh-wicket stand of 102 between Brydon Carse (59 not out) and Ben Raine (51 not out) kept the visitors in the game after they had slumped to 170-6.
Michael Pepper added a maiden first-class century to two hundreds in this season’s T20 Blast to put Essex in control against Worcestershire. The 26-year-old had only passed 50 once before this summer, and his previous highest red-ball score of 92 came three years ago at Durham, but his unbeaten 112 off 125 balls turned the tide in Essex’s favour as they seek to end a run of three games without a win. Pepper was joined at 227 -7 by Shane Snater (53) and the pair put on 136 in 26 overs to lay the foundations for a 138-run first-innings lead.
Will Rhodes marked his penultimate home game as a Warwickshire player with a double century to put his side in total control over Kent. Former captain Rhodes, who is heading to Durham on a three-year deal struck 201 off 295 balls, hitting 32 fours, to lift Warwickshire to 420 and a first-innings lead of 264 as they chase a first championship win of the season. Kent then closed on 157-3.
A superb all-round display by Liam Dawson put Hampshire in a dominant position against Lancashire at Emirates Old Trafford. After making an unbeaten 104 and putting on 71 for the last wicket with Mohammad Abbas, Dawson bowled 28 overs unchanged from the James Anderson End, taking 4-46 as the home side replied to Hampshire’s 389 with 193-8.
In Division Two, Jonny Bairstow completed an excellent 160 and George Hill hit a career-best 169 not out as Yorkshire declared on 601-6 in their first innings at Headingley. However, on a benign pitch Middlesex should be confident of claiming a draw having closed on 141-1.
Sussex took control against Derbyshire at Hove as they look for a victory that would strengthen their promotion push. The Division Two leaders reduced the visitors to 73-5 after they had piled up 607 -8 declared. Wayne Madsen held them up and was unbeaten on 79 at stumps on day two as he put conditions in perspective but Derbyshire are still 429 runs behind on 178 -6.
And Colin Ingram hit an unbeaten 206 to became the first batter to reach 1,000 first-class runs this summer with Glamorgan in charge against Leicestershire. Ingram’s fifth century of the summer helped the hosts close on 431-7 to build an advantage of 180 runs for the Welsh county. PA
Close of play scores
Taunton: Somerset 492 v Durham 272-6
Edgbaston: Warwickshire 420 v Kent 156 and 157-3
Chelmsford: Essex 404 v Worcestershire 266 and 2-0
Old Trafford: Lancashire 193-7 v Hampshire 389
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire 144-3 v Surrey 525
DVISION TWO
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 431-7 v Leicestershire 251
Headingley: Yorkshire 601-6d v Middlesex 141-1
Hove: Sussex 607-8d v Derbyshire 163-6
And that’s all from this live blog today. Thank you very much for joining me on my county blog debut. It’s been a blast. Well a Champo, not a Blast. Xaymaca is back tomorrow; then I’ll be on duty for day four on Sunday.
200 for Ingram! After Will Rhodes, it’s the second double of the day and another excellent innings from the belligerent Glamorgan batter.
We’re still playing at Chelmsford, Old Trafford, Edgbaston, Sophia Gardens and Hove … I’ll sum up all the scores at 6.30pm or when the majority have reached COP.
The late August sunlight is now creating stretched shadows across wickets, which is always a pleasant sight.
Team Zaltz on this one.
Good people deserve good things and Colin Ingram is one of county cricket’s good guys.
1,000 RUNS THIS SUMMER 👏
Colin Ingram brings up a THOUSAND first-class runs in a season for the first time 😍
Batting on 185, this is also his HIGHEST first-class score for Glamorgan 🙌
What a day for one of the best in the business 👊#GLAvLEI#OhGlammyGlammy pic.twitter.com/j8QFD5H0p4
— Glamorgan Cricket 🏏 (@GlamCricket) August 30, 2024
Notts lost nightwatchman Brett Hutton to close on 144-3 against Surrey. The champions will believe they can, and will, do more damage tomorrow.
They’re trudging off at Taunton now with Durham 272-6. There’s a fair few overs left to bowl in other places around the country.
Raine has 50 and his partnership with Carse is now worth a century. They’ve halted Somerset’s momentum rather sharply and while it will take a good few more runs to achieve anything like parity, they’ve added some intrigue to that game.
Surrey will be happy to see Durham providing some resistance, for certain.
Hameed is gone and it’s Will Jacks who has done the trick for Surrey to break a long partnership worth 134. Hameed was leaving but the ball spun back and bowled him on 68, with McCann still there on the same score. Joe Clarke next in.
George Bell has 14 off 60 balls for Lancs. Nuggety. Iyer is playing a few more shots at the opposite end.
Every time I glance over at the Somerset stream, Jack Leach is bowling. He’s already rattled through 30 overs in this innings. But Carse and Raine – who sound a bit like an 80s cop duo – continue to defy the home side, the latter approaching his 50 after patting back a Vaughan maiden.
100 for Pepper!
Essex’s lower order could be the difference here, with that window of opportunity for Worcestershire now firmly shut. That’s thanks mainly to Michael Pepper, who is approaching what would be a mightily impressive hundred. He’s taken them from 227-7 to 386-8.
Still no further joy for Somerset, with Brydon Carse – back playing cricket after serving a suspension for gambling – reaching his half-century. He’s a handy cricketer to have back in your side and will be in England’s white-ball setup for the foreseeable. 251/6
Young Freddie McCann now has two first-class fifties in as many matches, as he and Hameed continue to blunt the Surrey attack.
And did someone order a Big Col double ton? Ingram is on 173 as Glamorgan build a healthy lead over Leicestershire.
Venkatesh Iyer is an international allrounder who is batting at No 8 for Lancashire and only bowled two overs in the first innings. That is puzzling to say the least.
He and George Bell are trying to build a partnership, slowly, after a disastrous early evening for the hosts at Old Trafford.
It’s been a wicketless spell for Surrey since tea, with the draw definitely favourite at Trent Bridge for now … yet down at Taunton Somerset have found themselves up against an aggressive duo in Carse and Raine, who have put on 55 for the seventh wicket in an unbroken stand.
Listening to Paul Allott on the Lancashire stream has been entertaining. “Best of luck to everyone from here on in. I’m off,” he announces, steam emerging from both ears.
No doubt there will be some similar sentiments BTL … I’m almost scared to check.
You know that thing about watching a car crash but not being able to tear your eyes away from it?
Yeah, Lancashire. 122/6
“Absolutely nailed on for a draw at Trent Bridge,” says Durbs BTL as Hameed pushes one into the off side to bring up a measured 50. McCann is with him and has 47, with Notts 99/1 and fans of Surrey’s rivals will be hoping this carries on.
Down at Hove, Aneurin Donald can barely believe it as he’s bowled through the gate by Jack Carson, reducing Derbyshire to 73-5 with Sussex having assembled 607-8 declared.
And another. Bohannon throws his head back in disgust as he flicks John Turner straight to short mid-wicket. And this is all going a bit wrong for Lancashire, after that promising Bohannon-Jennings stand.
Oh, Hurst is gone, popping it up to Middleton at silly point. Dawson with his third. Hampshire on the charge. Lancashire 114-4.
Matthew Hurst has still yet to score off 16 balls. Lancs will be praying he doesn’t fall into the same trap as fellow youngster Flintoff, who faced nine dots and got frustrated, before holing out off Dawson. There looks to be no such inclination from Hurst …
He guides it down to third man for four off his 17th delivery.
They’re back out at a sun-soaked Old Trafford. And yes, I will continue to make positive references about the Mancunian weather. The sunshiiiiiiine, you could say.
Durham have definitely decided on an aggressive approach versus Somerset’s spinners. It’s Raine’s turn to hit back-to-back boundaries. Nothing is shifting Lewis Gregory away from a spin-first approach, though. He’s ushering Archie Vaughan back into the attack.
Ben Raine has joined Carse at the crease, with Goldsworthy’s round-arm left armers getting dispatched in back-to-back balls by the England white-ball man.
Bas de Leede, what have you done? Do not take a run to Tom Abell when he’s lurking at cover like that. Six down now for Durham.
They’re currently taking tea at Sophia Gardens, Headingleys and Old Trafford, such is the way of these things in the Champo. And now at Hove, too, with Derbyshire’s Madsen and Donald taking it to 62/4.
Durham have slipped from 128-1 to 159-5 and they’ve lost their ballast, in Alex Lees, in the process. All five wickets have fallen to spin, with Lewis Goldsworthy’s part time left-armers accounting for the former England opener. The Nut has cracked three out; Vaughan 1-42 off 14 overs on debut.
Rocky Flintoff out for a duck
I’m back, with an iced coffee rather than a brew – it is 21 degrees after all – and torn between who to watch bat. Aneurin Donald or Haseeb Hameed. The wonders of multiscreen to the rescue!
Rocky Flintoff has gone for a duck, top-edging to sub fielder Felix Organ! Again it’s Dawson who does the damage – a century and two wickets for him already today.
“What Derbyshire need now is a calm, level headed bat who can grind his way to a decent score,” says High Peak Geek. “Hello Nye.”
That’s Aneurin Donald, of course, who of course is already on 11 off 11 balls. Stick in, Nye.
And breathe. Scores level at Chelmsford, Jennings trapped LBW by Dawson on the stroke of tea at Old Trafford, Lees anchoring Durham against the Somerset spin twins … it’s been a really good day of county cricket so far. BRB.
Teatime(ish) scores
DIVISION ONE
Taunton: Somerset 492 v Durham 150-4
Edgbaston: Warwickshire 420 v Kent 156 and 0-0
Chelmsford: Essex 266-7 v Worcestershire 266
Old Trafford: Lancashire 102-2 v Hampshire 389
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire 34-1 v Surrey 525
DVISION TWO
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 315-5 v Leicestershire 251
Headingley: Yorkshire 601-6d v Middlesex 44-0
Hove: Sussex 607-8d v Derbyshire 39-4
McCann and Hameed walk off for their Trent Bridge cups of tea, the former on a brisk 23 not out.
I’ll run through the teatime scores on the doors in the next post, before grabbing my own 4pm brew.
It’s actually been less about Hameed and more about Freddie McCann, 19 and playing in his second first-class game, expressing himself. Will Jacks has been introduced for an over of spin before the tea interval, but he doesn’t look too threatening.
Right, I’m going to have a few minutes watching Haseeb Hameed try to dig in against this Surrey attack. Because what’s better than watching Haseeb Hameed digging in?
It was 201 and out for Will Rhodes, with Warwickshire 420 all out versus Kent and a mammoth 264-run lead is theirs.
Derbyshire are now 23/3 down at Hove, having lost Luis Reece and Brooke Guest. Derby fans, I have no words for you right now.
Clap emoji.
On Thursday, Farhan Ahmed made his Nottinghamshire debut at 16 years old. He’s the club’s youngest first-class player.
Today, he’s finished with figures of 7/140.
Solid start. pic.twitter.com/ELAW7A1ach
— Vitality County Championship (@CountyChamp) August 30, 2024
Will Rhodes reaches 200. It has come off 291 balls and included 32 fours and it’s been the kind of display that will have Warwickshire fans pining for their former captain to stay on a little longer. Sadly for them, he’s off to Durham next season.
Talking of opening bowlers getting a wicket in their first over with a hefty first innings score on the board … step up Jordan Clark. He’s got Ben Slater with his second ball, completely castled, stumps everywhere!
It’s Surrey’s world and we’re all just living in it.
Sussex have followed Yorkshire in calling time on their innings, ending on 607-8 v Derbyshire, and declaring after Jack Carson fell on 97.
Aaaaannd … Derbyshire are already one down in reply, Jaydev Unadkat sends Harry Came packing in his first over.
