By New Boy 2
June 1 2022

The latest round of matches on the senior circuit...

Two of the leading wicket-takers met up at Taunton as Somerset played Hampshire. The hosts won the toss and elected to bat but were quickly bowled out for 211. Hants’ Keith Barker didn’t take a wicket, although his 29 runs conceded from 18 overs was impressive. Craig Overton took four of Hampshire’s wickets in their reply of 280 all out, but it was Hampshire’s bowlers who put the pressure on when Somerset batted next. Barker and Mohammad Abbas combined with 8 wickets for 38 runs from 19 overs as Somerset collapsed to 69 all out, Barker taking 6 of the wickets. That left the scores level, but still it took Felix Organ all of four balls to get the one run needed for victory. Game over in three days.

Hampshire (21 pts) beat Somerset (4 pts) by ten wickets

Second-placed Lancashire entertained Essex but it was the visitors who piled on the pressure having won the toss and chosen to bat. Dan Lawrence led the way with 120 off 207 balls, ably backed up by Shane Snater whose 72 runs off 82 balls included ten fours and one six. Essex were finally out for 391. Calamity followed for Lancashire who lost wickets at 5, 8, 8, 14 and 24. Phil Salt offered a bit of resistance with 44 runs including a six, but Lancs were all out for 103. Trailing by 288, their second innings was better but not good enough. Simon Harmer took 5 wickets for 89 off 41 overs as Lancashire got to 232 all out, handing Essex victory by an innings. 45 spectators turned up for the fourth day With Essex just needing a single wicket to win: they saw 21 balls bowled.

Essex (22 pts) beat Lancashire (2 pts) by an innings and 56 runs

Kent travelled to Northampton where the home side won the toss and decided to field. Oh dear.... Ben Compton was third wicket down, having scored 140 out of a score of 306. Four other Kent batters passed 50 runs as Kent finally declared on 519 for 9. Despite falling to 7 for 1 and then 20 for 2, Northants rallied and ended their innings on 430. Kent scored 170 for 1 on the fourth day to secure the draw. Northants used nine bowlers to bowl the 48 overs Kent faced: only wicketkeeper Lewis McManus and Gareth Berg failed to turn their arms over.

Northamptonshire (12 pts) drew with Kent (13 pts)

In yet another example of coin-toss decisions not panning out as the captain might have hoped, Warwickshire went to Headingly, won the toss and elected to bat. They were bowled out for 244, which isn’t that bad, but it started badly with them losing four wickets for 43 and might have ended just as badly had Michael Burgess not hit 96 off 106 balls (one six) finally falling last man out, caught and bowled by skipper Steven Patterson. In reply, Yorkshire scored 449 all out, Adam Lyth top-scoring with 145. Warwickshire didn’t start their second innings particularly well, losing three wickets for 23 but then Sam Hain and Will Rhodes steadied the ship by batting through the entire fourth day for the draw. Hain finished 109 not out from 332 balls, Rhodes 111 not out from 297 balls in a final score of 252 for 3.

Yorkshire (14 pts) drew with Warwickshire (11pts)

Having suggested that Lancashire are the team poised to threaten Surry's place at the top of the table, they promptly go and get thumped by Essex and allow Hampshire to move to within three points of our neighbours south of the border. The table from BBC Cricket

Onto the stats, and here are the batters who have scored more than 500 runs in Division One (from ESPN Cricinfo):

There are four bowlers who have taken 25 or more wickets (from ESPN Cricinfo):