September 4, 2011: Derbyshire vs Essex, County Ground, Derby
County Championship Division 2 ? Day 3
Welcome back for Day 3 here at the County Ground in Derby. Murtaza Hussain and Brian Smith are Derbyshire?s number 10 and 11, but they have already taken their side?s first-innings lead to 38, albeit in a very one-sided partnership. How much further ahead can they get?
No further at all, as it turns out. Clearly less comfortable this morning than last night, Hussain can only edge the third ball of the morning from Masters to McPhee at short leg.
I tried to make sure that Alastair and Stephen Moore were not thinking about their shaky start to the first innings, when they made their way out to bat. Their concentration was good, and they raised a fifty partnership after 15 overs. Derbyshire were using Needham as their fifth bowler, so his first over was the 25th of the innings. By way of greeting, Alastair hit his first ball for 6 wide of mid-off. Four overs and 12 runs later, it was time for lunch. Our score was 80 for no loss.
The chanceless batting continued after lunch. This cover-drive from Moore off Hussain was in just the second over back.
Two overs later, a rather contemptuous waft from Moore resulted in Brian Smith?s ball being deposited beyond the rope at extra cover. In the 35th over came the hundred team score and partnership. Next over, Cook brought up his 50 with a straight 4 off Plunkett. Three overs later, Moore too brought up his half-century with a boundary. At 151 for none in the 44th over, Alastair and Stephen took the record for the highest first-class first-wicket partnership of my tenure. Nor did they stop there?
Warming to the task, Cook took Hussain for another six in the 45th over. He likewise greets Needham?s re-introduction in the 50th ? six over cover this time, to take him to 89. ?One of the centuries of the season ? a fantastic innings!?, gushes the man in the BBC box. We are four balls into the 54th over, and Alastair raises his bat to acknowledge the applause. His century has come off 199 balls, with 10 fours and the aforementioned three sixes. We are 192 for no loss!
Cook?s batting has lost none of its grace, and he amply demonstrates this next over, with this glorious cover-driven boundary off Brian Smith. We reach tea with the partnership still intact, and 229 runs on the board.
First ball back after tea, Cook smacks Plunkett forward of square for six. Moore, meanwhile, is closing in on his hundred, reaching it in the 4th over of the session. ?What a fine hundred ? he never gave the bowlers a look-in?. That commentator must be an Essex fan. I couldn?t have said it better myself. Moore?s century, despite taking longer than Cook?s, actually came off only 164 balls.
In the 70th over, Cook was finally out. He was caught at short leg by New off Plunkett. He had made 134, equalling his highest score this season. The partnership of 257 was the highest for any wicket since I have been here. (Ten Doeschate?s unbroken 250 partnership with Grant Flower in ?09 will stay on the record books however, since it was for the 4th wicket).
After 82 overs, Derbyshire took the second new ball. They must have got mixed up with their bowlers, however, because instead of their medium-fast men taking it, it was thrown to trundler Dwayne Smith and part-timer Garry Park. What a waste! Then after 11 overs, it was tossed to another part-timer in Daniel Birch. Admittedly it was now only 4 overs to stumps, but it was still a shocking waste of the new ball. Plunkett and the other Smith were on the field the whole time, and were not injured, so it is quite beyond me as to why they couldn?t bowl a single over to take best advantage of the ball being available.
So it was that we went to stumps, still only one down. Our score was now 344, so we had taken the lead beyond 300. Moore was five short of his 150, and Carson was on 40.
Around the grounds, the other games were starting to resolve themselves. In the best position was probably Kent (playing Lancs), who were about to start their second innings needing only 218 to win. Notts (playing Leics) similarly need only 206 to win, although they are already one down. More precariously balanced are Middlesex against Somerset, already four down with 109 still to get. In the last two games, Gloucs need an improbable 362 from their last nine wickets to win at Northampton, and Warwickshire can surely only hope for a draw, needing 403 in a day with nine wickets in hand.
So, there you have it for Day 3. This game is looking like a draw, unless we know exactly when to declare, and can take 10 wickets quickly enough. Join me again soon, won't you, and see how it all turns out!
Derbyshire v Essex, County Championship Division 2, County Ground, Derby, Stumps Day 3
Essex 298 & 344-1 (Cook 134 Moore 145* Carson 40*);
Derbyshire 336 (Park 97 Birch 50 Hussain 34 Masters 27.3-5-60-3 Harris 30-5-85-3)
ESSEX LEAD BY 306 WITH 9 SECOND INNINGS WICKETS REMAINING
September 5, 2011: Derbyshire vs Essex, County Ground, Derby
County Championship Division 2 ? Day 4
We had a quick team tactics meeting and all agreed that we could not afford to lose this match, and could afford to settle for a draw. Even so, it was clearly going to be time to declare some time in this first session. The question of when still remained.
Stephen and Derek Carson didn?t go all out for quick runs, but they put on a little bit of a spurt. It only took Stephen 11 balls into the day?s play to reach his 150. Would he make it a double? It would not be his first. The fourth day pitch was starting to favour pacemen, but it was clearly no danger to us now. We could only hope that it would aid our bowlers to improve their strike rates later on.
In the eighth over of the day, Carson brought up his half-century. He didn?t last much longer, however. Immaterial as it was at this stage, he was caught behind off Dwayne Smith, and had to depart for 56. By this time our score had reached 400, and we were nearing the drinks break. Poor Stephen was prevented by the declaration from reaching his double century. He was left stranded on 191 when we declared at 412 for 2, a minute before mid-day.
That left Derbyshire with a target of 375, in 2 sessions and 46 minutes. They didn?t seem to be making a serious effort to get the runs, but nor were they keeping entirely to their shells. Birch was beaten by a good ball from Tahir in the very first over. Luckily for us, it caught the edge, and presented Jamie with a regulation catch. 1 for 1! By lunch they had redeemed that as far as 25 for 1, Newman and Park looking comfortable and scoring at a snail?s pace.
Checking around the grounds, we see that Middlesex has got home over Somerset by the slender margin of two wickets. Hampshire only need 5 wickets to account for Warwickshire, who, still needing 272, seem to be out of the run chase. The Yorkshire-Surrey match is still some way from its fourth innings, and will surely now be a draw. The most intriguing match situation is that of Kent v Lancs, with Kent 4 down for 77, still needing another 141 to get home. You would favour them to get there, but they clearly need at least one partnership to stop the rot.
Anyway, back to the action here at Derby?s county ground. Park and Newman took their team score to 65 before the next wicket fell. The introduction of Cook to the attack brought immediate results. An inside edge from Park was snaffled by Walker at the more backward of the two short leg positions. Newman?s partnership with Telo lasted just 22 runs, until the 28th over of the innings. In that fateful over, Paul Harris bowled Newman, and then, three balls later, trapped Dwayne Smith in front for a duck. I do believe that?s a pair for their overseas star player! It was also a double-wicket maiden, and chinks were appearing in the Ghosts? batting armour.
Telo and New then came together, but only until the score was 114. Then Telo too was gone, lbw to Cook for 25. Tea-time rolled around with Derbyshire teetering at 119 for 5. Checking around the grounds again, and Kent now need just 24, but with only 3 wickets still to lose.
And so we resume, and New and Taylor are now not the least bit interested in scoring. And they seem more than capable of protecting their wickets from all comers. Even a few overs from Loye and Walker cannot winkle them out of their shells. They bat through the session, scoring just 61, but securing a draw for their side that was looking doubtful round about tea-time. Of course, man of the match can only go to Stephen Moore.
The draw leaves us still second in Division 2, with only Derbyshire ahead of us, and by only 6 points. Middlesex, after their win over Somerset, are our closest challengers, 10 points back, although Yorkshire, despite drawing like us, are only three points further back, and have a game in hand.
We have a much-needed break for a few days now, but have a huge challenge coming up after that, as we are hosting Yorkshire for a four-day game that we really can?t afford to lose. So you the reader can give yourself a break, as alas I will have nothing for you until the 9th, which will be Day 1 of that game. Ciao till then, my friends.
Derbyshire v Essex, County Championship Division 2, County Ground, Derby, Final
Essex 298 & 412-2 dec. (Cook 134 Carson 56 Moore 191*);
Derbyshire 336 & 180-5 (Newman 44 New 38* Taylor 37* Harris 2-46 Cook 2-53)
MATCH DRAWN
Man of the Match: Stephen Moore (Essex)
September 9, 2011: Essex vs Yorkshire, County Ground, Chelmsford
County Championship Division 2 ? Day 1
Welcome back, and now we?re home at Chelmsford, ready to begin an important four-day game against Yorkshire. Disappointing, but it only takes a glance at the long range forecast, and it?s clear the weather is the only likely winner of this game. The wicket is perfect for batting, and four sessions, including the whole of tomorrow, are predicted to be washed out.
Still, it?s sunny this morning, and the show must go on. Here are the teams:
As you can see, based on career batting stats we are clearly the stronger team. On career bowling, you could say both sides are equally weak. The problem we do have is that Dave Masters has been so out-of-form this season. His current season average of over 40 gives them an advantage in the bowling department, albeit one that our batting strength ought to more than balance out, especially given the pitch. The outfield also promises to be quite fast from the first over.
So, when we won the toss, naturally we batted. Not surprisingly, Bresnan and Hoggard opened the bowling. We began slowly, but gracefully. Moore hit this beautiful off-drive off the second ball of the day.
So it was that the new ball was safely negotiated. The last ball of the 12th over ? Hoggard the bowler ? was smashed by Moore over point for six. It was only when the second spinner Leigh was introduced that the first wicket fell. Moore was caught behind for 27 and we were 52 for 1. By lunch we had taken our score to 86 with no further loss.
Cook hammers Bresnan an over before lunch
After lunch we started slowly again. Cook reached the forties, but got no further. It was a great diving catch from Footitt at 2nd slip, off Bresnan?s bowling. He was out for 42 in the 40th over, and it was 104 for 2.
This brought Carson and McPhee together. They took a liking for Rashid, taking 11 off each of two overs of his seven over spell. The 52nd over was the second of these. With a boundary off the 4th ball, Carson brought up his 50. It was the seventh boundary of his 86-ball innings to that point. Then, the 6th ball of the same over was swept by McPhee for 6.
Rashid?s next ball was also hit for six, this time by Carson wide of mid-off. We went to tea sitting pretty at 209 for 2. This beautiful on-drive by Carson off Footitt was the other highlight of the session.
I checked around the grounds, and found that Sussex were in a spot of bother against Warwickshire. They were already 9 down with only 223 on the board. I always enjoy seeing Sussex struggling. Then I checked the other teams who are our rivals for promotion. We are playing Yorkshire of course. Derbyshire have Northants on the ropes, perhaps predictably. And Middlesex aren?t playing this round.
Four overs after tea, McPhee had his fifty, off 85 balls, with 6 fours and the 1 six. Five overs after that, Carson was celebrating his century. It had come off 155 balls, with 15 fours and the one six. The weather has been closing in since tea, although it is not yet affecting play. After 81 overs, Yorkshire took the new ball. Bresnan finished his spell six overs previously, and Hoggard had just bowled eight straight! So they turn to their fifth bowler, second-string Footitt, and McGrath as their strike force. That was never going to work! Fortunately for them, after four more overs it starts raining, and play is suspended. The rain doesn?t let up, so that?s stumps. We are 286 for 2.
I check the other games. Sussex are still in trouble, but Northants have recovered slightly. As for us, I don?t know if we?ll have much play tomorrow. Still, if you want to find out for sure, you?ll have to join me then. Do that, won?t you? And ciao for now.
Essex v Yorkshire, County Championship Division 2, County Ground, Chelmsford, Day 1
Essex 286-2 (Carson 117 McPhee 72);
September 10, 2011: Essex vs Yorkshire, County Ground, Chelmsford
County Championship Division 2 ? Day 2
Welcome back to Chelmsford. Well, as predicted, I?m afraid it?s a rainy old autumn day here. If I was not born in the desert, I would agree with you when you call this weather ?miserable? haha! Certainly the chances of a result in this match were looking quite sad at this point. It rained most of the night, and was still drizzling when the scheduled start of play rolled around. By the time it stopped and the pitch was ready for play, it was just sixteen minutes before lunch. Despite the rain returning in fits and starts, play was not suspended again, and Carson and McPhee made it through to lunch unscathed.
This quality drive from Carson off Hoggard was the session's only highlight
Sussex, thanks to five from Tim Murtagh, have almost evened up their match with Warks, and Northants are making a game of it with Derbyshire.
During lunch the rain returned. It was after twenty to 3 before we resumed. In the 101st over, the 11th of the session, Carson brought up his 150 in style, hitting 6 off Hoggard over extra cover. That was the end of him, however. In the next over, from Bresnan, he was caught at mid-on. He had made 151, and the partnership had been worth 237, smashing the previous 3rd wicket record for my tenure, which was 164 (Bopara and Pettini last year). We were 341 for 3.
Matt Walker came and went for a 5-ball duck. It didn?t matter. Still 6 wickets in hand, and we had to declare fairly soon. Of course we had the last two batting points in our sights. The equation was just 58 needed from 17 overs. Rashid came back, and gifted Loye his first boundary ? a six over backward point. That was the last over before tea. We went in at 355 for 4, with McPhee in the nervous nineties on 95.
Warwickshire meanwhile had recovered to post an 80-run first-innings lead, and take a wicket in Sussex? second. Derbyshire were roughly just where Warks had been a session ago. They look to be struggling, but it?s kind of hard to say.
We went off, and the rain came back. We lost the first 36 minutes of the final session. In the first over back, McPhee brought up his century. In the next over, he was dropped at slip by Rudolph off Hoggard. We are trying to up the tempo a little by this stage, so we are taking a few risks. McPhee is finally dismissed, trapped in front by Hoggard, on 108. By that stage we only need 18 off 6.5 overs. Foster keeps the scoreboard ticking, and we bring up the 400 in the 118th over. We declare immediately, at 403 for 5. Loye is not out on 35, and Foster has 8. A most pleasing performance from our batting lineup once again.
Rudolph and Gale come out to face us. There is only time for 7 overs before stumps, and they negotiate them without too much bother.
Around the grounds, Sussex are deeper in trouble, while Derbyshire have the slenderest of first-innings leads, but already have one second-innings wicket also. Well that?s it for day two here at Chelmsford. It wasn?t much more than a weather report. Tomorrow we are not expecting any rain interruptions. So check back soon to hear about Day 3, yes?
Essex v Yorkshire, County Championship Division 2, County Ground, Chelmsford, Day 2
Essex 403-5 decl. (Carson 151 McPhee 108 Hoggard 2-112 Bresnan 2-133);
Yorkshire 14-0 (Rudolph 13 Gale 1)
September 11, 2011: Essex vs Yorkshire, County Ground, Chelmsford
County Championship Division 2 ? Day 3
Welcome back to Chelmsford for Day 3. It?s a very cloudy day, but rain is not expected. Rudolph and Gale came out and scored at a decent rate. Their opening partnership brought up its century, but didn?t quite survive the session. In the over before lunch, Gale was brilliantly caught by Cook at slip off Harris. He had made 50, and they went to lunch at that score ? 119 for 1.
After lunch, the sun was peeping through the clouds. I don?t know why they bat Bresnan at three, but they do. He was never comfortable against the spinners. In the third over back, McPhee failed to hold a difficult chance at slip off Cook. They were taking to Cook even worse than we took to Rashid, but he was causing a few problems too. Four overs later, Bresnan gave another, more regulation chance, which was snaffled by Walker at short backward square. Cook was again the bowler. Bresnan departed for 9, and they were two down for 146.
Rudolph had been accumulating steadily, but he was the next to go. He made it to the nineties, but no further. He was bowled by Tahir on 91, and they were 165 for 3. Then Hodgson went, brilliantly caught, by Moore at second slip this time. He had made only 8, and we had them 4 down and still 4 shy of 200. Rashid came in, and then was gone next over, caught at short point off Harris. He made 1 which was also the value of the partnership. That brought McGrath together with Sayers, and they steadied the ship somewhat. They went to tea at 203 for 5 - still 200 behind.
Their partnership was substantial, yet neither Sayers, nor the partnership, reached the half-century mark. They had made 48 together, and Sayers was one shy of his fifty, when Tahir trapped him in front. It was 245 for 6, and the apprentice keeper-batsman, Tony Keller, came in to join McGrath.
Keller had a total of 60 runs from his 5 innings so far in his career. But that didn?t mean we were underestimating him ? only that we were hoping he would get out cheaply, as befits a number eight. Well, he didn?t. By the time stumps rolled around, he had 34, and McGrath had his fifty. They were 312 for 6, having reduced the deficit to less than 100.
In the Northants-Derbyshire encounter, it looks to have been a decisive session for Derbyshire. They need just 129 more in the fourth innings, with nine wickets in hand.
And that?s a wrap for Day 3. Tomorrow is sure to tie up all the loose ends, so join me then, won?t you, for the conclusive report on this match and round.
Essex v Yorkshire, County Championship Division 2, County Ground, Chelmsford, Day 3
Essex 403-5 decl. (Carson 151 McPhee 108 Hoggard 2-112 Bresnan 2-133);
Yorkshire 312-6 (Rudolph 91 McGrath 55* Keller 34*)
September 12, 2011: Essex vs Yorkshire, County Ground, Chelmsford
County Championship Division 2 ? Day 4 Welcome back for the final day of this match at Chelmsford. It has looked like being a draw from the outset, and it still does. The weather is still very cloudy, and we can expect to lose some more time due to rain today, most likely after tea. The wicket is no longer so perfect, and the indications are that it will favour spin in particular.
McGrath and Keller came out, needing 38 in 12 overs for a bonus point. They seemed to be going hard for it for the first two overs (Tahir and Masters were bowling), which went for 13. Then they seemed to go into their shells somewhat. They took just 20 off the next ten overs, thus missing the bonus point by 5 runs. Then the spinners came on, and they took to Cook again, scoring off him at will. McGrath reached his century, and before he was out, they had overhauled our score by 7. McGrath scored 112 in all, and was out stumped, to become Cook?s second victim.
Tailender Footitt came out, and managed to avoid the strike while Keller went on a T20-style rampage. Three overs ? and 28 runs ? later, at 438 for 7, the declaration came. As it was a quarter to one, lunch was taken immediately. They had a 35-run lead, but there was just four hours maximum of play remaining.
All our batting ability seemed to desert us in the second dig. In two overs, both openers were gone, Cook run out by Carson attempting a very silly run to short mid-on. Nine for 2 became 24 for 3 and then 40 for 4, as McPhee and Walker fell cheaply. It was a nightmare! And we had a real struggle on our hands to get out of the game. Carson and Loye put on 40 for the fifth, then further disaster struck, with Carson and Foster out in successive balls. We limped to tea at 83 for 6. We were just 48 ahead. At this rate, we would be lucky to last another 40 minutes, leaving them over an hour to get around 80 for a victory snatched from the jaws of utter tedium.
I hate to rely on the weather, but in nightmare circumstances like these, it?s a case of ?any port in a storm?. The forecast rain did indeed sweep in from the sea, transforming Chelmsford, for a time, into a bleak, chilly version of Colombo in the monsoon. In the end, this was the worst rain-affected session of them all. Only two overs were possible before stumps were drawn on the drawn match.
Carson, for his big century, was named Man of the Match. Around the grounds, Derbyshire had won their game less than two overs into the day?s play. Somerset beat Glamorgan in the other game in Division 2, so they are still an outside chance to challenge us for promotion. And yes, Warks got home for the upset over Sussex. Lancashire won their game with Worcs, and now have one hand on the title. Durham beat Leicestershire, but they are both still looking the likeliest for relegation.
We have one game left, against lowly Surrey. Winning it would just about guarantee us promotion. If we don?t win, our chances of staying ahead of the chasers are not that good.
But there is no time to dwell on such things right now. We host Notts in the Pro League here tomorrow. I hope we have another good batting pitch prepared out there! And that?s all for now. Check back soon for more news of our trials and tribulations at this the business end of the season. Ciao for now!
Essex v Yorkshire, County Championship Division 2, County Ground, Chelmsford, Final
Essex 403-5 decl. & 85-6 (Carson 45 Hoggard 10-1-20-4);
Yorkshire 438-7 decl. (Rudolph 91 McGrath 112 Keller 98* Harris 2-99 Tahir 2-127 Cook 2-130)
Match Preview: September 13, 2011: Essex vs Nottinghamshire, County Ground, Chelmsford
Pro League Division 1
Welcome back to Chelmsford. Today we are hosting Nottinghamshire for a 40-over game. They have a very strong bowling side, and hold a clear advantage over us in pace and spin. Adams, Sidebottom and Sandri have been in phenomenal form for them this season, with Broad and spin all-rounder Patel not that far behind. In batting, however, we have the edge, so it may not be a coincidence that the pitch today will start out perfect for batting. (It wasn?t that hard to find one ? we prepare most of our pitches that way). Only one of the pundits that I?ve read gives us any chance. What do they know!? The bookies also are paying very good odds on us. (I have excellent legal people and they assure me it?s okay for me to know this). Anyway, here are the teams.
Read, Lines and Suppiah are having good seasons with the bat and average in the thirties, while Patel is batting this year at over 50. Shafayat and Burley, on the other hand, are having particularly bad seasons bat in hand. For our part, Klokker and Cook are having great seasons in the high forties. All in all, we still have an edge on paper, when it comes to batting.
Bowling is another matter altogether. If it wasn?t for bad form, Graham Napier and my part-timers Moore and Loye, would have no form at all! Wagg, Tahir and Harris are also struggling a bit, and overall we?re finding it very difficult to take wickets. Today I am bowling Cook and have also instructed Mal to favour Jefferson over Napier, who can be dreadfully expensive in this sort of form. I?m not overly optimistic that it will pay off, but it?s a case of making the best of fairly dire circumstances. While still being my idiosyncratic but lovable self, that is. Will I ever learn? Slowly my friends?slowly.
Our lineup has three changes from our last game away to Derbyshire. Matt Walker is having a one-day season to rival his phenomenal 2003. His average this year is pushing 50. However, he has made one score above 15 in his last nine innings overall, so I?m replacing him with Jefferson who is returning from injury. Also, I am suspending my experiment with Moore as fifth bowler, so I am dropping another batsman, McPhee, to make way for my 2009 debutant medium-fast bowler Paul Welch ? who is playing his first one-dayer for the year. Previously I was mostly looking to Jahid Ahmed in this role ? that now appears to me to have been unwise.
Currently fourth in the table, even if we win both our remaining games, we stand little chance of winning the comp. We do need to win at least one to be totally safe from relegation, however, although it does seem unlikely that Worcestershire will get by us in their last game. There?s only one other game today in this division, with Sussex likely to be too good for visiting Hampshire.
It is only partly cloudy this morning, but of course the game doesn't start till two. The forecast is for clouds to build up starting in the early afternoon, until it is very cloudy towards the scheduled end of play.
Okay - now I think I've covered everything. I?ve enjoyed doing this match preview. I may do this again! If you think I have omitted some important detail, please don?t hesitate to suggest it. And then, standby for my match report, which will be here shortly.
I have added a poll to the thread. I would prefer genuine responses, but even joke responses are welcome. As far as I'm aware it's an anonymous poll, btw...
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