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The Guardian
County cricket day three: Somerset v Surrey, Essex docked 12 points, and more – live
By Tom Davies,
3 hours ago
Jack Leach (centre) celebrates the wicket of Ryan Patel as Somerset take on Surrey at Taunton. Photograph: Harry Trump/Getty Images
12.38pm BST
They’re taking the extra half-hour at Taunton , with Surrey nine down, so the break there could be as late as 1pm. I, however, am not – and will grab my break now. Keep chatting BTL and I’ll be back soon after a frenetic morning, on and away from the fields of play.
A timely ninth wicket for Somerset: Jack Leach traps Kemar Roach lbw with one that skids on, ending a rapidfire 50 partnership powered by Tom Curran’s aggression. Surrey 282-9, just 35 behind.
12.28pm BST
A catch at short leg gives Simon Harmer his fourth wicket and Notts are all out 93, Essex responding to the points-deduction reports in defiant style.
12.21pm BST
More twists and turns at Taunton : a brutal assault by Tom Curran has brought him a 36-ball half-century, cashing in as Somerset loosen the stranglehold with an over from Lewis Goldsworthy getting particular savage treatment. Surrey 272-8 now and a first-innings lead can’t be ruled out.
And Notts are 93-9: what a potent thing Essex’s attack can be when Jamie Porter (who now has five), Sam Cook and Simon Harmer are on song.
Updated at 12.22pm BST
12.18pm BST
David Bedingham and Colin Ackermann have set a new record fifth-wicket partnership for Durham – it currently stands at 373 and rising – with Durham 472 for 4. All of which provokes JamesMoriarty to have a rant BTL about the absolute state of Lancashire:
TBH, I doubt relegation will make any difference in the corridors of power at Investors in People HQ. There’s an expectation that it will all be alright and we’ll be promoted again in 2025 (Jimmy Anderson permitting, of course).
We won’t, of course. We’ll be partying until a decent coach who can build a team comes along.
There will be suggestions of “developing young players” and “England call-ups” and “injuries to key personnel” but in truth there are players we let go would walk into this “first” XI and do more than a job.
Epic mis-management from the top down.
12.11pm BST
A fine catch by Essex’s man of the moment, Michael Pepper, gives Jamie Porter another wicket and Notts are in ruins at 84 for 7.
12.08pm BST
Sussex are finally all out against Glamorgan, for 491 , with Tom Clark ending unbeaten on a 112 from 238. Ben Kelloway’s five-wicket haul the only crumb of comfort for the Welsh side. They’ll begin their second dig needing a mere 306 to make the hosts bat again at Hove.
At Taunton, Tom Curran is counterattacking with aplomb, to take Surrey to 247-8 with a batting bonus point imminent. And Northants have been bowled out for 211, leaving Derbyshire a target of 266.
Updated at 12.09pm BST
12.00pm BST
Archie Vaughan has a five-fer … no make that six-fer . Jordan Clark clips to midwicket where Tom Abell takes a low catch, and the teenager is engulfed by teammates, lofted in the air by James Rew. And then he gets the new man, Cameron Steel, for a duck, clean bowling him. This is suddenly a result-match, and certainly a result pitch. You wouldn’t fancy batting fourth here. Surrey 228-8 and may even struggle for a batting point. This is enthralling.
Elsewhere, more woe for Notts as Jamie Porter sees off Kyle Verreynne. They’re 80 for six.
Updated at 12.01pm BST
11.47am BST
I’ve not mentioned Leicestershire v Yorkshire yet have I? It’s been a slightly frustrating morning for the visitors as Leicestershire advanced to 88-3 then it started raining. Victory procession on hold.
11.45am BST
And another at Taunton! Ben Foakes’s watchful vigil ends on 37 – caught at short lef off that man Archie Vaughan again. Foakes looks disgruntled – there was some bat-or-pad uncertainty but it looked like one you’d give in real time. Surrey 220-6 with Tom Curran and Jordan Clark at the crease charged with the innings rebuilding job.
11.42am BST
Fancy some good news Lancs fans? None for your boys I’m afraid – Durham are now more than 200 ahead on 432-4 – but Notts are in some serious bother now at 63 for 5 and Simon Harmer has figures of three for two after bamboozling Jack Haynes lbw for 1, Jamie Porter taking the other wicket to fall today.
11.33am BST
Shakib goes! He may be able to handle Rawalpindi but can he hack Taunton? He’s just dollied up a caught and bowled to Leach with a mistimed forward push. Surrey 216-5. Game on!
11.31am BST
Surrey’s freelance, Shakib Al Hasan , is at the crease now and shows his class with an effortless glided late cut for four off the Vaughan prodigy, who’s keeping the veteran Bangladesh all-rounder on his toes nonetheless – a bit of rip, a bit of flight, a bit of turn. The lad’s got it alright. Surrey 216-4 – Foakes 33, Shakib 12.
At sunny Durham, David Bedingham has passed 200 as the hosts rub Lancashire’s faces in the dirt. 421-4 now and up in the commentary box, to which the stream pans regularly and cruelly, Bumble has a face like thunder.
11.25am BST
There’s a lovely Spin piece this week by Daniel Gallan, on collecting vintage cricket gear, almost as if there’s something innately nerdish and obsessive about following this great game of ours.
Essex may be staring down the barrel of a points deduction but the masterful Simon Harmer is about his work nonetheless – he’s just had Ben Slater, who looked in good touch yesterday afternoon, caught low at slip for 29. Notts 49-3.
And Warwickshire have been skittled for 128, six for Tom Taylor. They may have to follow on.
11.14am BST
Somerset strike! Jack Leach gets Ryan Patel with the new ball, caught by Lewis Gregory. Patel goes for a judicious, timely 70. The seamer Brett Randell is looking lively at the other end too. Surrey 201-4.
Updated at 11.15am BST
11.05am BST
Essex turn to Simon Harmer and, whaddya know, he strikes straight away, trapping Freddie McCann leg before. Notts 48-2. That might cheer poor old Lancashire, whose labours in the field continue. Durham 394-4.
11.02am BST
Some words about Worcestershire , who are putting their yo-yo club status to bed in emphatic fashion. A fourth win on the bounce looks on for Brett D’Oliveira’s side – they’ve taken four Warwickshire wickets already this morning, the seaming all-rounder Tom Taylor taking all of them. The visitors are 123-8 in reply to Worcestershire’s 307.
Somerset about to take the new ball with Surrey 193-3. They need to fashion something with it as a matter of urgency.
10.53am BST
The mood music at Taunton remains as you were. Surrey proceeding cautiously and looking unruffled. Jack Leach and Craig Overton trying to make something happen – 182-3. Bedingham and Ackermann’s marathon stand continues at Durham – they’re 376-4 against Lancashire. But an epic stand has ended at Hove, with John Simpson with pinned in front by Glamorgan’s Ben Kelloway for 117. Tom Clark is closing in on his own hundred. Sussex 427-6.
10.38am BST
An early scalp for Middlesex . Toby Roland-Jones has castled the potentially dangerous Tom Price for 14. Gloucestershire are 161-6, still 216 behind.
Updated at 10.40am BST
10.32am BST
Essex docked 12 points over bat width – reports
The Times is reporting that Essex have been deducted 12 points after their batter Feroze Khushi used a bat deemed too wide in a decision that the club have called “absolutely stupid”.
Khushi’s bat was tested during their away game against Nottinghamshire in April, and it measured over the threshold. Law 5.7.2 stipulates a bat should not exceed 10.8cm in width and 4cm for edges.
Essex aren’t happy and club president, Keith Fletcher, told the Times: “I assume the ECB thought this was cheating and the appeal panel is trying to flex its muscles a bit. Feroze does not believe he did anything wrong and the whole side has been penalised, not just the one player.
Durham were docked 10 points in 2022 after Nic Maddinson’s bat did not fit through the metal gauge carried by the umpires. If a bat is deemed oversized, it is tested again as damp conditions can alter its dimensions.
Updated at 10.43am BST
10.18am BST
A Northants view: At this stage of the season, there’s a few meaningless games about that we’re perhaps overlooking a little. Northants v Derbyshire is one such, so I’ll hand the stage over to Scotty 848 BTL to vent a little.
Well...the match featuring two bald men fighting over a comb wasn’t even mentioned in the round up and I can’t say I blame them. Hoping for a KEOGH double ton and a quick fold from DCCC so we can advance towards the end of the season more quickly. Every round I’m starting at least one of the days with a rant, but rather than go into detail I can say I won’t be a member next year. I can’t justify the cost against a handful of days of cricket, most of them bad, and the current direction the club is going in. Maybe with a new coach and a clearout I’d reconsider but with one home win in five years and so much frustration around recruitment, youth, coaching etc it just isn’t worth it. Will still pop for the odd game and still follow it all on here or YouTube, unless they do a Leicestershire, ergh. I’ll be back when things get better. For now, there’s stupid sexy KEOGH on the radio, so things could be worse.
Updated at 10.19am BST
10.05am BST
Some transfer news: Nottinghamshire, whose attack looked pretty innocuous at Chelmsford yesterday, have snapped up the New Zealand seamer Jacob Murphy for the final two games of the season. This from PA Media:
Nottinghamshire have signed New Zealand international bowler Jacob Duffy for their final two Vitality County Championship games of the season. Seamer Duffy, who has made 20 one-day and T20 appearances for his country, will be available to face his former county Kent and then Warwickshire.
Nottinghamshire are currently battling to avoid relegation from Division One. “Jacob is an exciting signing at a crucial time in the season for us,” Nottinghamshire head coach Peter Moores said. “We all know the importance of these final few weeks.”
9.58am BST
Tuesday’s roundup: Surrey hold firm at Taunton, Pepper hits century
The Somerset teenager Archie Vaughan continues to make a name for himself. The 18-year-old son of the former England captain, Michael Vaughan, followed his fluent first-day 44 by taking all three Surrey wickets on day two with his right-arm off-breaks at Taunton. But the visitors and Championship leaders will have ended the day happier, having progressed cautiously to 169 for 3 in a match second-placed Somerset need to win.
After Vaughan claimed two early strikes, Ben Geddes, in only his seventh first-class match, made a fifty in a partnership with Ryan Patel, who did likewise. Vaughan then snared Geddes, inducing a top-edged sweep, but Patel and Ben Foakes kept things steady before the weather ended play early.
Among the relegation strugglers Lancashire are in deep trouble at Durham , who powered ahead of the visitors’ 228 thanks to a colossal partnership between South Africa’s David Bedingham, who returned from international duty with a daddy hundred, and Colin Ackermann, who also reached three figures just before stumps.
Their fellow toilers Nottinghamshire were made to suffer by an accomplished century from Essex ’s Michael Pepper, who hit a hundred for the second consecutive match. Pepper was aided by a half-century from Simon Harmer as Essex ploughed beyond 450. The ever-lively Sam Cook then had the Notts captain, Haseeb Hameed, caught at backward point before the rain came.
Below them, doomed Kent capitulated again, crumbling to 63 for 5 after Tom Prest and Brad Wheal shepherded Hampshire ’s tail masterfully to take them beyond 400.
The top three in Division Two all look set fair for victory, weather permitting. The leaders, Sussex , put the game beyond Glamorgan at Hove courtesy of an unbeaten 194 partnership between the veteran John Simpson, who hit his 15th hundred, and Tom Clark (79 not out).
Jonathan Tattersall’s century helped Yorkshire to a huge first-innings lead over Leicestershire, who lost two cheap wickets in their second knock before rain reprieved them. And Middlesex have the upper hand against Gloucestershire , Toby Roland-Jones striking three times at Lord’s.
9.47am BST
Preamble
Morning fellow Championship stoics . After a weather-heckled day yesterday it’s currently gloriously sunny in London, though it looks a bit more variable in Taunton and could worsen in Durham. Day three will be something of a moving day, as captains decide to stick or twist. In the clash of the top two, leaders Surrey will want to plod on methodically and do all they can to limit Somerset’s room for winning manoeuvre, while at the bottom Lancashire have a battle on their hands to avoid defeat at Durham, whose fifth-wicket pair ground them into the dust yesterday evening, while Notts need to keep Sam Cook, Jamie Porter and co at bay at Chelmsford.
In Division Two, the leaders Sussex look set fair to beat Glamorgan and Yorkshire should run through Leicestershire though Middlesex have a bit more to do to force a result against Gloucestershire at Lord’s. We’ll keep you on top of these and other games, and feel free to add your own insights below the line or by email. Play!
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