Surrey fall short on day Kent pay tribute to Derek Underwood
Tanya Aldred
Despite a round of matches without a result, there was an air of high tension at the Oval going into the final hour. After finally dismissing Somerset, Surrey were set 209 in 19 overs. Jamie Smith and Dan Lawrence splattered 14 from the first over, Smith then pancaking Craig Overton into the third tier of the pavilion but Somerset whittled away and there were handshakes with five overs left.
At Chelmsford, the sterling efforts of 18-year-old debutant Jaydn Denly, 41 not out, helped save Kent against Essex. A partnership of 51 in 16 overs with uncle Joe ate up valuable time. Kent wore black armbands in memory of Derek Underwood. And Ollie Price and James Bracey both made solid hundreds to save Gloucestershire from a lick-lipping Yorkshire.
Matthew Potts helped Durham cling on for a draw against Warwickshire at Edgbaston with a plucky maiden first-class hundred, coming in as nightwatchman and finishing 149 not out.
Luis Reece (91) and Brooke Guest (72) ushered Derbyshire to safety against Glamorgan at Sophia Gardens in a stubborn stand of 146. And the best efforts of Lancashire’s Nathan Lyon couldn’t tempt Hampshire’s Nick Gubbins (69) into recklessness at the Rose Bowl.
Rain ensured there was no play at Grace Road, Wantage Road or Trent Bridge. This was only the third time that all nine matches have been drawn during rounds in which all 18 counties played – a round in which a record number of scores over 150 (10) were also walloped. The Dukes ball returns next week, to the relief of fast bowlers everywhere.
As they mow the middle in the suddenly piquant sun, it’s goodbye from us. Back on Friday, with Dukes’ balls and the new Wisden. Thanks for your company, as ever. Bye!
Burns caught for a duck, with a flick straight into the hands of deep backward square. Surrey 112-4. A second wicket for Aldridge in the over. Next in: Dom “rocket fuel” Sibley.
Jaunty exhortations from the members, reward for those who’ve sat through the cold wind. In front of me, Bashir fields on the rope in the shadows, hands deep in his pockets. Just three off Gregory’s over with two balls left – and as I tap that Lawrence crackpulls four to reach fifty off 29 balls.
And hello Column Fordham
”Nice to have your updates on the increasingly marginalised world of county cricket and read about discussions of Kookaburra versus Dukes’ balls (obviously the latter should be used in the UK). ”Very sad to hear of the passing of Derek Underwood who was so enjoyable to watch on television as a teenager. His metronomic run-up and action and graceful delivery were fascinating and I tried to emulate his style (albeit right-handed) in the garden or in nets. ”I remember him clean bowling one of the Chappell brothers in an Ashes test way back when and thinking “what a bowler!”. You miss, I hit. And his speed and turn made him virtually unplayable at times. “Deadly” Underwood was a true England great.”
A catch –not! Gregory just in front of the rope parries a ball from Smith up in the air but can’t get forward enough to catch the rebound. Surrey 80-0 from 7.2 overs.
The number of overs to be bowled has reduced to 19 because of the shenanigans, Craig Overton thunders in, eight men on the rope. Smith and Lawrence smear seven off the first two balls.
Smith and Lawrence are waiting at the bottom of the steps, Somerset meanwhile are back in the dressing room, but now the covers that were half on are being removed. Smith and Lawrence and the umpires are in the middle, and Somerset meander back down the steps.
Surrey are opening with Jamie Smith and Dan Lawrence…at least I think they are, no, now everyone is running back up the steps… and here come the covers.
Overton hooks a short ball from Atkinson over the rope, two balls later Gregory makes the most of a full toss. Overton on 49, Gregory into the eighties except… now he isn’t! Caught at backward point off Steel – Somerset 345-8, the lead 202. Nineteen wickets now to the Surrey spin twins.
From nightwatchman to three figures… a maiden first-class hundred off 173 balls, but more importantly he’s stayed in all day and Durham are on the brink of holding Warwicks to a draw. Gers a huge hug from (t’other) Ollie Robinson.
Ollie Price falls at last, for 147, a fabulous effort over 220 balls, and in a partnership of 199 with James Bracey. Gloucestershire must now survive the final session without him, Glos 293-5.
Ooof, a chance grassed at The Oval, as Gregory top edges and the ball flies to Kemar Roach on the rope, who seems to slip, the ball drip through his fingers whereupon it hits his head, before it drops to the floor. A frustrated Gus Atkinson trudges back to his mark.
Through the Overton window – both brothers on the ground: Jamie after trying to exact a run-out, Craig diving to safety at the striker’s end and landing like a grand piano dropped from a crane.
In Division One, sun outside The Oval window, Somerset bat on. Rain at Edgbaston. At the Rose Bowl, Lancashire have only managed to winkle out the nightwatch Kyle Abbott. Gubbins (50) and Vince batting prettily.
Kent, in black armbands, are crumbling, now against Essex, 37-4. Harmer (1-13) on the prowl.
In Division Two,Derbyshire have had time to add four runs in a rain affected day; while Gloucestershire are flourishing thanks to Ollie Price and James Bracey. Price reached his fourth first-class century by finely cutting Dan Moriarty for four. Glos 234-6, Yorkshire’s hope dripping away.
And hello Gary Naylor:
“Deadly, with some other big names, would benefit from World Series SuperTests being incorporated into recognised stats. You can see the impact here (note 2011 baseline figures) . The adjusted numbers surely represent the players more fully.”
Before we trot round the grounds, an update from The Oval where Lewis Gregory is playing a captain’s innings, a session and a half left. Somerset currently 294-7, the lead crept up to 151.
And a recommendation from my lovely friend Taramaitri, who is not a big cricket fan but enjoyed this on Radio 4 this morning.
Sussex head coach Paul Farbrace chews over the Kookaburra:
“My verdict on the Kookaburra - we’ve had two good games of cricket played on good pitches, the only time we’ve changed the ball was when it got hit out of the ground and lost, yes the bat has been slightly on top against the ball but the spinners have bowled a lot of overs and while the seamers have got to be skilful to get it off the straight that’s the whole idea of using it, so I’ve got no complaints.
“That said, I’m still not absolutely sure that we need it and I don’t like the fact that every time we lose an Ashes series we have to change English cricket. We should concentrate on what we do well and certainly a lot of bowlers up and down the country will be looking forward to playing with the Dukes again next week.”
“Would you have rather have a guy like a Rushworth taking 70 wickets with the Dukes or average batters making hundreds? And in a Test match played in England in English conditions I would back a Rushworth to bowl a team out but I probably wouldn’t back a lot of the batters who’ve got runs against it here to go to Australia and score hundreds. So that’s where I’m at the moment with it and I think it might have to be a decision that is looked at again.
“I think it could even encourage counties to doctor the pitches to make it a more even contest between bat and ball. You could potentially put a lot of bowlers out of work.”
“Very sad to hear that Underwood has died,” writes AnthonyA “a great and unique bowler.”
He is still the leading English spinner, 42 wickets ahead of nearest rival Graeme Swann. And his 297 Test-wicket haul would be larger still if he hadn’t joined WSC and toured South Africa with the rebels.
Here he is in his own words, speaking to The Guardian in 2006 about one of the uncovered pitches on which he reigned supreme.
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