Nick Gubbins defied Yorkshire’s five-man seam attack with a battling 120 not out at Lord’s to guide Middlesex to 208 for 5 on the opening day of the potential Specsavers County Championship title decider between the top two in Division One. Gubbins, the 22-year-old left-hander, reached his fourth championship hundred of the season by pulling Ryan Sidebottom for six into the Grand Stand and an unbroken sixth wicket stand of 54 with James Franklin, who is 21 not out, had tilted the first skirmishes of what promises to be a fascinating contest Middlesex’s way before bad light lopped 14 overs from the final hour’s play. Yorkshire took the early honours after an uncontested toss, their decision to bowl first vindicated...
Joe Clarke gave another example of his blossoming potential with a sixth first-class hundred of the season for Worcestershire on day one of the Specsavers County Championship clash with Derbyshire at New Road. Clarke celebrated his inclusion in the England Lions squad for their winter programme by moving to three figures off 200 balls with 13 fours and one six as the home side closed on 255-6 from 92 overs. The 20-year-old has maintained a level of consistency throughout his first full season of senior cricket and had already passed 1,000 Championship runs for the campaign in the previous match against Sussex at Hove. He helped Worcestershire to recover from a testing start to the day against their...
An extraordinary opening day’s cricket on which 20 wickets fell and 373 runs were scored ended with Leicestershire and Glamorgan on something close to even terms in their Specsavers County Championship Division Two match at the Fischer County Ground. Glamorgan skipper Jacques Rudolph exercised the away team’s right to bowl first, a decision based on atmospheric conditions rather than the appearance of the pitch, and there were no signs of the carnage to come as the Foxes recovered from the early loss of Angus Robson, caught at third slip off the bowling of Michael Hogan. Horton and Neil Dexter looked in control before Dexter was bowled off the inside edge trying to force a wide delivery from Craig Meschede through...
Chris Dent and David Payne saved Gloucestershire's blushes on the first day of their final Specsavers County Championship game of the season, against Sussex at the Brightside Ground. The 25-year-old left-hander Dent showed terrific resilience throughout the opening day on a wicket that provided the visiting bowlers with plenty of lateral movement. He saw seven partners depart before Gloucestershire had reached 100 but then, with Payne at his side, led the host county into an unlikely, but gratefully accepted position of relative strength, at 201 for 7. Happy to field first, Sussex made up for a delayed start by taking three Gloucestershire wickets inside 15 overs. Chris Jordan bowled Gareth Roderick (0) in the sixth over before...
Ask Zafar Ansari about his best moment of the season in tandem with Surrey teammate Gareth Batty and the answer provides an illuminating insight into his mentality. The spinning all-rounder is part of England’s 17-man squad for two Tests against Bangladesh alongside veteran Batty, who has been recalled 11 years after his last appearance against the same opposition at Chester-le-Street. Ansari chooses an early season Specsavers County Championship match against Nottinghamshire at the Oval, with pressure on the spinners to deliver victory on a day four pitch offering them ample assistance. The 24-year-old ripped through the visitors to take six for 36 in 11.3 overs and bowl his side to the win – Batty took one scalp after four for...
