Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
The Guardian
Worcestershire’s Leach bows out on a high while Yorkshire batters feast – as it happened
By Tanya Aldred at New Road,
22 hours ago
Essex batter Dean Elgar in action against Surrey. Photograph: Gavin Ellis/TGS Photo/Shutterstock
8.36pm BST
Roundup: Worcestershire's Leach bows out on a high
The 2024 cricket season slipped quietly away, the final day finishing with seven draws in seven games, as bad light, rain and ennui drew the curtain over the summer.
At New Road Joe Leach marched out to bat for one final time before hanging up his big boots. His 30 not out, a familiarly lusty affair, was part of a second‑innings Worcestershire fightback. At 78 for six, it had seemed possible that the relegated Lancashire might pull off a consolation victory, but Worcestershire were rescued by Matthew Waide, Adam Hose, Logan van Beek and Leach. As the clouds darkened and the umpires ushered the players in, Lancashire waited behind to clap the grand old boy off. He pulled away his helmet, wiped his eyes, saluted the crowd and pushed through the little white gate and into the future, 477 first-class wickets in his chest pocket.
Worcestershire, who went straight into their end-of-season party, can also raise a glass to finishing sixth, their highest position since the Championship became two divisions. For Lancashire, time to regroup. Their first-team coach, Dale Benkenstein, said: “You sometimes need to go down to find your feet.”
Surrey , deserved champions, belatedly received their silverware after the game at Chelmsford petered out, rain-affected and on a docile pitch. Sam Cook sent down some spin and Simon Harmer and Matt Critchley mixed it up with some medium pacers, Dom Sibley’s 127 saving Surrey’s blushes. The captain, Rory Burns, said: “A fractionally stale trophy lift after a pretty dead rubber last game.”
Sussex were presented with the Division Two trophy at Hove in front of more than a thousand shivering supporters. Tom Haines and James Coles both made centuries, but the crucial bonus point came with a no‑ball – nevertheless sparking huge celebrations. Middlesex used nine bowlers including Mark Stoneman, who will play elsewhere next season. Sussex finish the season unbeaten at home.
Promoted Yorkshire guzzled on runs at Headingley, their 726 for seven the second highest score in the club’s history, James Wharton’s 285 the joint-eighth highest first-class score for Yorkshire. There was just time for Matthew Fisher to take two Northamptonshire wickets for the final time in the white rose shirt before everyone shook hands.
Half-centuries from Jack Leaning, Joe Denly and Joey Evison helped relegated Kent to secure a draw at Durham; Sam Hain made a century in the Midlands derby from which both Nottinghamshire and Warwickshire emerged unscathed, and there was a hundred for the 40-year-old Wayne Madsen at Grace Road as Derbyshire drew with Leicestershire .
5.06pm BST
Goodbye!
Thank you all for your company, wit and wisdom from the chill of April to the chill of September. With Worcester cathedral staring across the New Road grass, it’s goodnight from me. May your winter days be warm and fruitful.
I’ll leave you with this, the one, the only, Joe Leach.
TAUNTON:Hampshire 196 and 121-5 BEAT Somerset 136 and 180 by five wickets
CHESTER LE STREET: D urham 360 DRAW WITH Kent 353/8
TRENT BRIDGE: Notts 487 DRAW WITH Warwickshire 373-7
NEW ROAD Worcestershire 180 and 223-9 DRAW WITH Lancashire 177
CHELMSFORD: Surrey 267-7 DRAW WITH Essex 508-8 dec
DIVISION TWO
HEADINGLEY : Yorks 726-7 dec DRAW WITH Northants 147 & 71-2
SOPHIA GARDENS Glamorgan 381-4dec BEAT Gloucestershire 189 BY 192 RUNS
HOVE : Sussex 459-4 dec DRAW WITH Middlesex 271
GRACE ROAD Leics 280 DRAW WITH Derbys 252-3
4.38pm BST
Yorkshire DRAW with Northamptonshire
Yorkshire go up to Division One with a spring in their step, after hitting the second largest innings total in their history. James Wharton’s 285 was the fifth highest first-class score at Headingley. Bairstow joined in with some hearty hitting to finish a season where he said goodbye to England.
Headingley : Yorks 726-7 dec v Northants 147 & 71-2
4.32pm BST
Sussex DRAW with Middlesex
The Division Two Champions finish the season with a draw against nearly men Middlesex, whose promotion hopes were thwarted by the rain (and Yorkshire).
Hove : Sussex 459-4 dec v Middlesex 271
4.30pm BST
Leicestershire DRAW with Derbyshire
A damp draw
Grace Road: Leics 280 v Derbys 252-3
4.28pm BST
Durham DRAW with Kent
A creditable end to the season for relegated Kent, thanks to Leaning, Denly and Evison
Ch ester-le Street: D urham 360 DRAW with Kent 353/8
4.21pm BST
Essex DRAW with Surrey
Surrey (267-7) DRAW with Essex (508-8 dec)
Dom Sibley’s third hundred of the century puts a full stop on Surrey’s magnificent season. Champagne and trophy to follow.
4.13pm BST
I don’t think it is possible for Northants to lose this in a session… but Yorkshire take two wickets, both to Fisher, possibly his last for the white rose. Northants 38-2.
4.07pm BST
They press on in five games, Surrey collecting another batting point for their fat stack. Surely the last – nearly time for handshakes. Twenty past four we think.
3.59pm BST
Notts DRAW with Warwickshire
TRENT BRIDGE: Notts 487 DRAW WITH Warwickshire 373-7
What could have been a relegation dog fight, turned into gentle run-accumulation. Both sides survive, with a room to improve tag stuck to their heels.
Updated at 3.59pm BST
3.54pm BST
Worcestershire DRAW with Lancashire
NEW ROAD Worcestershire 180 and 223-9 DRAW WITH Lancashire 177
And the rain hammers down.
3.33pm BST
Key event
And off they go, bad light we think, Joe Leach pulling off his helmet and leading the players off, Lancashire waiting behind to clap the grand old boy off. He wipes his eyes, salutes the crowd with his bat a final time and pushes through the little white gate and into the future.
41 overs remain, but I think that’s that.
Updated at 3.50pm BST
3.27pm BST
They’re still playing at New Road in a quest for this final Worcestershire wicket, but the clouds are coming in and the groundstaff are poised.
3.26pm BST
Teatime scores
TAUNTON:Hampshire 196 and 121-5 BEAT Somerset 136 and 180 by five wickets
CHESTER LE STREET: Durham 360 v Kent 310-7
TRENT BRIDGE: Nottinghamshire 487 v Warwickshire 361-7
NEW ROAD Worcestershire 180 and 221-9 v Lancashire 177
CHELMSFORD: Essex 508-8dec v Surrey 233-7
DIVISION TWO
HEADINGLEY: Yorkshire 726-7 v Northamptonshire147
SOPHIA GARDENS Glamorgan 381-4dec BEAT Glloucestershire 189 BY 192 RUNS
HOVE Sussex 385-4 v Middlesex 271
GRACE ROAD Leicestershire 280 v Derbyshire 193-3
3.18pm BST
150 for Sam Hain
A second hundred for Hain on the last afternoon of the season, a bit of grotty one for Warwickshire. And the rumours are that Mark Robinson won’t survive the year.
3.11pm BST
Yorkshire past 700...
and now have their second highest innings total, and the highest score ever against Northampton. Hill 52 out, Thompson a six laden 54 not out.
Here at New Road, W orcestershire are nine down, with the lead 214. Leach a crash bang 21 not out.
Updated at 3.12pm BST
3.02pm BST
CC Live! Team of the year
I’ve totted up the numbers and, after a bit of blindfolded pencil prodding for the ties, our XI is:
Burns
Elgar
Ingram
Bedingham
Banton
Simpson
Dawson
Carson
TRJ
Porter
Worrall
2.38pm BST
Dolly Parton serenades Joe Leach
A tiny piece of perfection as Joe Leach walks out to bat at New Road for the final time serenaded by the mighty Dolly’s Jolene.
Worcestershire 178-8, Hose lbw for a cracking 41.
Updated at 2.43pm BST
2.31pm BST
“ Thanks for the lovely pic Tanya.” A pleasure Christopher in Carpentras.
“I always thought that the season always used to get off properly with the tourists playing at traditionally their first port of call, Worcestershire. And this picture captures the atmosphere of an end of season cathedral view with morning/warning clouds of the menacing equinox.”
Such a lovely place to watch cricket. I hope it survives the coming club report and, more existentially, climate change.
This, I’ve also learnt, is the first time the Championship has ever finished on a Sunday. May god have mercy on the ECB .
2.22pm BST
Sussex win Division Two!
With a no ball! Well done fresh faced youths, enjoy Division One. Elsewhere, Yorkshire pass 600 (getting greedy now).
2.15pm BST
A huge thanks to Worcestershire who have just lent me a laptop for the last cough of the season. The wind has picked up now, the umpires have replaced their hats for flat caps and those players doing a last perambulation are in football manager coats and beanie hats. Worcestershire 133-7, Phillip three for 49. The lead 137. Time for one last Lancs-up of the season?
2.15pm BST
Wooden Spoon
Goes to Derbyshire for the 16th time. With just one win and 19 batting points (above only Kent and Lancs), the only way is up.
2.14pm BST
Many congratulations to Chris Rimmer who retires today after nine years scoring for the Lancs first team and 25 for the club. Wishing him a very happy retirement and many more cups of tea (milk, one sugar).
2.12pm BST
Lunchtime scores
TAUNTON:Hampshire 196 and 121-5 BEAT Somerset 136 and 180 by five wickets
CHESTER LE STREET: Durham 360 v Kent 96-3
TRENT BRIDGE: Nottinghamshire 487 v Warwickshire 284-4
NEW ROAD Worcestershire180 and 78-6 v Lancashire 177
CHELMSFORD: Essex 508-8dec v Surrey 138-4
DIVISION TWO
HEADINGLEY: Yorkshire 559-3 v Northamptonshire147
SOPHIA GARDENS Glamorgan 381-4dec BEAT Glloucestershire 189 BY 192 RUNS
HOVE Sussex 239-4 v Middlesex 271
GRACE ROAD Leicestershire 280 v Derbyshire 79-1
12.44pm BST
This beautiful picture was taken at 653 this morning by Tony Marsh.
12.41pm BST
For those of you with access to the Telegraph- there’s a moving interview with Josh Baker’s parents.
What a way to finish the season! YJB has 45. Condolences to those – Jake Libby, Greens Alex and Ben, Rob Yates, Baz de Leede and Dan Mousely, whose final innings of the year have been rather more elliptical.
12.08pm BST
Sitting next to Paul Edwards for the last time this season as he composes another masterpiece. . He tells me about the Oxford Chamber music festival and I like to think my brain expands a millimetre, maybe two. It comes highly recommended, if it is anyone’s cup of tea.
12.02pm BST
In Division One , at Chelmsford, Harmer and Porter are doing their thing – Surrey 86-4. Sibley 52 not out.
Worcestershire are 48-5, Hose has just pinged Balderson for a couple of fours.
Warwicks 204-4, Hain and Barnard stuffing runs in their pockets at Trent Bridge. Warwicks 213-4.
And Kent - well they’re batting nicely in a final up yours to the season -157-4. Leaning 53, Denny 37.
11.22am BST
Let’s wander around the grounds – all seven matches in play, which is something.
In Division two, Y orkshire are celebrating promotion in style: Wharton 175 not out, YJB has bashed three fours in his 14 not out. Yorks 412-3.
Sussex 159-2, Haines 80 not out, Alsop 28 not out.
And Leicestershire have been bundled out for 280 . Derbyshire get a bat at last.
11.10am BST
And another – Roderick run out inelegantly. Worcs 26-3.
This country diary has an end of season elegiac feel.
“One of the (few) highlights yesterday was the announcer stating that Aneurin Bevan, rather than Aneurin Donald was playing for Derbyshire.” Mike adds. “He managed to stop himself when he came to David Lloyd’s name, though’
10.45am BST
Kashif Ali has an airy end of season flash and is caught behind. Worcestershire 6-2.
10.39am BST
Hello there Mike Daniels, in a chilly Grace Road.
“A cool and gloomy day for the end of the season here and the heater is on full blast here in the scorebox.
“End of season rumours floating around Leicestershire’s financial situation and what that may entail for next season (Rachel Reeves has nothing on some of the members here) as well as the absence of Rishi Patel from this game, although Sol Budinger batted as if either the penny has dropped for him or his contract is up for renewal”
10.36am BST
Every single fielder, including Phillip as he walks back to his mark , has hands in their pockets.
10.32am BST
While no- one was quite ready, Libby is caught and bowled by Phillip off the first ball of the day. Phillip has been a really decent addition to Lancashire’s side in the last month – enthusiastic, hardworking and quicker than he looks.
10.29am BST
Lancashire looked quite chirpy this morning in practice, what’s done is done and now they can look ahead. Good luck to them, could be a tough ride.
This was a relaxed Dale Benkenstein last night:
“We’ve chatted a few times leading into this game and the last game (against Somerset) gave us a glimmer of hope.
“But over six months of cricket, we said at the start that it is a marathon and consistency is really important and we just haven’t been able to put consistent performances together.
“There are a few reasons for it but the bottom line is you are expected to go out there and perform and we are in this position because we haven’t consistently performed well.
“You come in as a new coach and a new coaching team and you are trying to learn quite a lot of things in a short space of time.
“The history of the club, you always know it is a very ambitious and strong club and when you are bringing in young lads, and there are debuts being made, and there are some good senior players in the team, you are expecting them to be at a decent level.
“I do think the first division has got some very experienced teams and when you do just lose a little bit of experience in key areas….the difference in what we have seen this year is we probably didn’t realise what a difference your Crofty’s and Dane (Vilas) has made, not just on the field but what they also give off the field.”
10.12am BST
Saturday’s round up
In fading light at New Road, Lancashire slid into Division Two for next season. The end came just before five o’clock, when Anderson Phillip drove to cover and Lancashire were all out for 177. It was three short of Worcestershire’s first innings and 73 short of the magic 250 which would have theoretically kept them in the race until the final day of this season.
This is Lancashire’s fourth relegation since their team of underdogs won the Championship in 2011. This year’s team join the roll-call that also reads 2012, 2014 and 2018. Each time they’ve jumped back up right away, but it could be more difficult in 2025 with a team of talented but raw young players. Only Kent, who are also heading down, collected fewer batting points in Division One.
Their opponents Worcestershire, promoted in 2023, were almost universal favourites to drop back down again this season but, despite the tragic death of Josh Baker and the repeated flooding of New Road, they have stayed up – and with the affection of almost everyone. With a chief executive in Ashley Giles who reintroduced puddings once a week for the players, and a possible fly-on-the-wall documentary on the cards in spring, they go into Sunday looking at their highest finish since the introduction of two-tier county cricket.
Joe Leach, playing his final match before retirement, was given a standing ovation when he came out to bat, making two in Worcestershire’s tails-wagging innings, and then receiving a guard of honour from his teammates as they walked out to bowl. That familiar burly figure motored in from the Diglis end one last time and finished with two wickets, Lancashire’s innings flailing to a familiar tune. There was a first Championship wicket for Jack Home, watched by his parents and his black Labrador, OJ.
There was joy the other side of the Pennines, as Yorkshire secured promotion in the gloom at Headingley. Adam Lyth and James Wharton both laid into Northants, Lyth making 147 and Wharton still unbeaten on 162. They return to Division One cricket for the first time since since being relegated by one point two years ago.
Updated at 10.16am BST
10.10am BST
Scores on the doors
TAUNTON:Hampshire 196 and 121-5 BEAT Somerset 136 and 180 by five wickets
Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency:
Our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. As a platform hosting over 100,000 pieces of content published daily, we cannot pre-vet content, but we strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation.
Local News
Comments / 0