County cricket – as it happened
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http://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2014/aug/17/county-cricket-live Version 0 of 1. 4.35pm BST16:35 Richard Gibson at Scarborough writes … 4.27pm: With Nottinghamshire breathing down their necks, Yorkshire will want to make good their 125-run lead over Sussex here. They were eventually dismissed for 493 with Williamson the penultimate wicket, one of three for Luke Well’s leg-spin.Yorkshire have a full set of bonus points, one more than Notts managed against Northamptonshire but their rivals are well placed for victory at Wantage Road. It’s all bubbling along nicely heading towards the final day. 3.37pm BST15:37 Richard Gibson at Scarborough writes … 3.37pm A light rain shower on the east coast has brought about an early tea and Sussex will be glad of it, no doubt. They have managed just two wickets today, the latest a bit of a softie as Tim Bresnan poked a return catch off Luke Wells’ occasional leg-spin. He had 61 to his name, however, having combined a 157-run stand with Williamson and Andrew Gale’s team lead by 91 runs ahead of an elongated evening session. On the issue of players moving on, another spinner James Tredwell is out of contract at the end of the season. The England limited-overs bowler is expected to join Sussex permanently in a bid for more exposure in the Championship. Updated at 4.34pm BST 1.19pm BST13:19 Richard Gibson at Scarborough writes … 1.19pm: Yorkshire are only six runs in arrears at lunch with four wickets intact and Williamson and Bresnan having shared an unbroken stand of 70 so far. Sussex’s one success on the third morning came when Adil Rashid paid for over-ambition: a full swinging delivery defeating a loose drive. One developing piece of news from a Yorkshire perspective this weekend is the next destination of former England Under-19 captain Azeem Rafiq. Restricted to just one Championship appearance, he will not be offered a new contract at Headingley. Northamptonshire are known to be interested in the 23-year-old, whose limited-overs prowess should not detract from his first-class ambitions. Derbyshire and Leicestershire may also be in the market for one of the country’s fiercest young competitors. Updated at 4.34pm BST 12.27pm BST12:27 Richard Gibson at Scarborough writes … 12.27pm: The penultimate day of this round of County Championship matches has several of the teams in the title hunt pursuing victories. Here, Yorkshire will still feel that a full set of points is possible, especially if they can eke out a three-figure lead. They are currently 326-6, still 42 runs behind Sussex, with centurion Kane Willamson and Tim Bresnan in tandem. This is New Zealander Williamson’s maiden Championship hundred for the county in his 20th innings and featured a moment of controversy yesterday when, on 16, he was claimed at slip by James Tredwell before being reprieved by the umpires when 20 yards into his journey back to the dressing room. Sussex are undoubtedly a county team that play the game in the right way and although some would have been left understandably miffed, there was light applause from around the field when Williamson slammed a pull off Steve Magoffin in front of square for his 12th boundary in the ninth full over of the morning. Elsewhere, second-placed Nottinghamshire have struck two blows at the start of Northamptonshire’s second innings after securing a 128-run lead on first innings at Wantage Road. Updated at 3.37pm BST 12.17pm BST12:17 Andy Wilson at Old Trafford writes … 12.10pm: It’s been a frustrating morning so far, with a couple of squally showers permitting only eight overs and two balls, during which Ashwell Prince and Tom Smith advanced Lancashire’s overnight 256 for five by 20, meaning they are now 64 behind Durham’s first innings total. Scott Borthwick’s bowling again from the Pavilion End, and into his 41st over for the first time in his career. That is why Lancashire’s decision to play on the pitch used for last week’s Test, while undoubtedly made for pretty cynical reasons, should nonetheless be welcomed. From the bits of cricket I’ve seen over the weekend, it’s produced an unusual and compelling match, with first Simon Kerrigan, and now Borthwick, bowling into the huge brown footmarks outside the left-handers’ off stump. Prince’s batting after tea on Saturday was masterful, and bowling at him must have been a huge education for Borthwick. Word has come through that Tony Pigott, one of the ECB pitch inspectors who was sent here on Saturday, will not be taking any action against Lancashire - and, from a cricketing point of view rather than a Lancastrian one, good on him. Plenty of other interesting matches going into the third day which, as I remember the former Observer and Times writer Norman Harris noting regularly up in Durham, can often be moving day in Championship matches as in golf tournaments. Nottinghamshire already have Northamptonshire two down having earned a first innings lead of 128, so the smart money would be on them ramping up the pressure on Yorkshire with a victory at some stage today or tomorrow. Warwickshire have the upper hand against Somerset in the meeting of two more title contenders in Taunton, and in Division Two Essex, Hampshire and Surrey are all in a position to push for victory as they scrap over the second promotion place on the assumption that Worcestershire, who are coming from behind in their match against Gloucestershire, already have one sewn up. Updated at 12.28pm BST |