Key events
My Friday brain hadn’t clicked that Glamorgan were already in a run chase – 143 more needed, seven wickets in hand. Parky M, 2-13, has already removed nightwatchman James Harris this morning.
In other chase news – Warwickshire, 71-2, need another 322 to beat Worcs and Derbyshire, 119-4, another 327 to beat Leicestershire.
Essex BEAT Sussex by an innings and 39 runs
All over in less than half an hour, a fourth wicket for Critchley as Henry Crocombe is bowled. A second win of the season for Essex.
Hove: Essex 504 BEAT Sussex 204 and 262 by an innings and 39 runs.
Essex points, Sussex
Tune into Hove, and am instantly serenaded by seagulls. And there goes James Coles, caught, via Dean Elgar’s bum, off Simon Harmer, to be caught at backward square leg for 108.
And at Scarborough, a second catch for Dom Bess, to go with his three wickets, Ryan Patel for 92. Josh Blake is batting, mentioned BTL so I looked him up – playing in just his third first-class match, and because Ben Foakes was injured during a Blast game.
It’s been an all action first ten minutes:
At Hove, James Coles collected his century, before losing his partner Ari Karvelas to Simon Harmer shortly afterwards. Sussex now eight down.
An important wicket at Cheltenham, Cameron Bancroft to Jimmy – for the second time in the game.
And Josh Tongue and his past perpendicular (thank u BTL!) removes after going wicketless yesterday, Eddie Jack lbw.
“It gets soft early”
I know how much CCLive! loves the Kookaburra ball. Here is Josh Tongue talking to the ECB’s reporters’ network last night.
“It helps [prepare for the Ashes]. I was in the Lions last year and have bowled out there as well. It is about getting used to a different ball to the Dukes. It gets soft early so it is crucial to get as much out of it early on.
“I think it is about mixing it up in terms of using the crease. I have tried to do that quite a bit. I started fairly straight and then came wider. I feel from my past perpendicular, I feel like the ball coming in is going to be my mode of dismissal with the Kookaburra.
“You have to have a plan going forward and try and stick to it as much as possible. I’ll try and dry up the pressure and then pick up the wickets.
“In Australia there was more pace in the wickets when I used it. Here in the UK we’ve had good weather but the pitches have gone very dry. Once it goes soft there isn’t much lateral movement at all.
“I just try to hit the pitch as hard as I can, which I also do with the Dukes ball when it gets flat and softer.”
An ode to Ethan Brookes, and more, from Worcestershire’s Gareth Roderick last night:
“It ebbed and flowed throughout the whole day with different teams on top at different times but thankfully, due to Ethan’s two fine innings and Khurram’s bowling in the first innings, we find ourselves going into the final day in a decent position.
“Ethan is striking it beautifully at the moment so long may it continue. We’ll just tell him to keep on doing what he’s doing.
“There looked like there was some indifferent bounce for a period when we were batting this afternoon so hopefully we can be on the benefiting side of that situation tomorrow.
“I was pleased to get some runs. I don’t feel in great form but I am battling away and it was nice to contribute and let’s hope it helps lead us to a victory. We just need to find eight good balls tomorrow and hopefully we can start well and make some inroads in the first hour.”
A lovely picture on the top of this (lovely) piece from OT yesterday.
Thursday’s round up
James Coles’ unbeaten 99 is likely to be in vain at Hove, where Sussex are still 55 behind Essex, with three second-innings wickets left.
Tom Hartley, fresh from a career-best 130 for Lancashire, rattled through Gloucestershire at Cheltenham to finish with six for 116 – figures bettered only on his remarkable Test debut at Hyderabad. Ben Charlesworth’s dismissal for a charming 160, stumped dawdling down the pitch to Hartley, started a collapse of seven for 85.
Ethan Brookes’ six hitting salvo boosted Worcestershire for the second time in the match against Warwickshire at Edgbaston, while at Scarborough, Surrey’s Dom Sibley – in action against Yorkshire – became the first man to 1,000 Championship runs this summer, pipping Saif Zaib by 15 minutes.
Northants were forced to follow-on against Middlesex at Merchant Taylors’ school, despite Zaib’s 82, which made him the first batter at the club to make 1,000 runs since Ben Duckett in 2016. Ryan Higgins grabbed four first-innings wickets, two in the second, to leave Northants looking to the skies for salvation.
Rehan Ahmed once again reigned at the County Ground, though not before Leicestershire’s Luis Reece collected career-best match figures of 11 for 120 . Ahmed then took all four wickets to fall in Derbyshire’s second innings.
Kent made a much better stab of their second innings against Glamorgan, thanks to Harry Finch and Grant Stewart; while Tilak Varma’s century kept Hampshire on the scoresheet against Nottinghamshire. Josh Tongue, who replaced Brett Hutton at the start of the day, went wicketless.
Scores on the doors
Southampton: Hampshire 367-6 v Nottinghamshire 578-8dec
Taunton: Somerset 250 and 89-5 BEAT Durham 145 and 190 By FIVE WICKETS
Hove: Sussex 204 and 245-7 v Essex 504
Edgbaston: Warwickshire 184 and 55-2 v Worcestershire 333 and 243
Scarborough: Yorkshire 517-6dec v Surrey 338-4
DIVISION TWO
Derby: Derbyshire 189 and 98-4 v Leicestershire 398 and 236-9dec
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 327 and 25-2 v Kent 155 and 360
Cheltenham: Gloucestershire 381 and 98-0 v Lancashire 557
Merchant Taylors’ School: Middlesex 625-8 dec v Northamptonshire 261 and 64-3
Preamble
Good morning! The sun is out in Manchester, which bodes well for the Test, though the Met office warns of cloud and patchy rain that may float down from Scotland during the day. Eight games remain in the Championship and only two – at Southampton and Scarborough – seem certain to be draws. Lots to look forward to, play starts at 11am.
