[themaclad]

Lancashire are facing a first defeat of the season in this LV= County Championship match against Essex after being made to follow-on on the third day at Emirates Old Trafford.

Behind on first innings by 288 runs after being bowled out for 103, the Red Rose reached the close on 213-9 in their second innings and still need 75 runs tomorrow to make the visitors bat again with just that one wicket left.

Captain Dane Vilas led from the front with an enterprising half-century during the afternoon and evening to give the Red Rose side a glimmer of hope in taking the game deep into the final day.



But Essex struck three late blows to put themselves on the verge of an innings victory when play resumes tomorrow.

Starting this morning on 32-5 and 347 runs in arrears, Lancashire were bundled out for 103 just before lunch with the excellent Sam Cook leading the Essex attack with 4-18.

The only note of defiance came from Phil Salt with 44 that included a pulled six way over deep square leg off Shane Snater and 21 from Luke Wood.



Once Wood - who twice drove Sam Cook for four at the start of the day – and Tom Bailey had departed in quick succession to the Essex paceman, it became a matter of whether Lancashire would make it through the extended morning session before having to bat again.

Salt did his best to delay the inevitable, battling for two hours, before falling lbw to Matt Critchley and on the same score of 103 last man Matt Parkinson holed out to deep square leg off Simon Harmer for 14 twenty minutes before the interval.

Following-on for the first time since 2017, Luke Wells and Keaton Jennings first had to survive a tricky ten minutes to bat. But, having reached the break successfully, Jennings lost his leg stump to Jamie Porter in the second over of the afternoon.

Josh Bohannon and Wells mounted a strong rear-guard action across 17 overs that added 33 runs before Bohannon popped up a bat/pad catch to Nick Browne at short leg off Simon Harmer for 14.



Then Wells, having fought hard for two hours pulled a short ball from Sam Cook straight to Paul Walter at square leg for 19 to leave Lancashire on 43-3.

Steven Croft and Dane Vilas negotiated their way to tea and came out after the interval with some positive intent, attacking spinner Harmer in particular with Vilas thumping one six over long-on and Croft sweeping effectively.



But that shot eventually proved to be Croft’s undoing after he had made a 112-ball 39 when he top edged Harmer to Sam Cook at backward square leg to end a fruitful partnership of 78 runs with Vilas for the fourth wicket.

Vilas continued to attack whenever possible, reaching a 79-ball half century by driving Harmer to the long-on boundary and followed that with four more through extra cover in the same over.

It was just the sort of innings his side needed and Salt was a willing accomplice in a 55-run partnership with some aggressive shots before bottom edging Critchley to wicketkeeper Adam Rossington after contributing 31.



Harmer backed that up that breakthrough with two more late wickets, striking a huge blow by trapping Vilas lbw for 62 three overs later and then having nightwatchman Parkinson taken by Nick Browne at bat/pad.

Those wickets led to the umpires allowing thirty minutes additional time and armed with the second new ball Sam Cook had Tom Bailey caught at deep backward square leg by Paul Walter for 10 and Harmer grabbed a fifth when Hassan Ali found sub fielder Aaron Beard at deep midwicket.

Wood (13 not out) and James Anderson (0 not out) held out to reach the close of play at 7pm.



“It’s been a disappointing day,” admitted Steven Croft.

“We wanted a reaction after our first innings and we had a couple of good partnerships, but on the whole we’re disappointed in the position we’ve ended up in tonight.

“We wanted to have got much closer to their total with fewer wickets down.”

It’s the first time the Red Rose batting line-up has failed to perform this season after putting up some big totals in the previous games.

“It’s not what we’ve been about this season,” agreed Croft. It’s a blip and we’re really disappointed with it.

“Essex did the damage with the ball in the first innings. I thought it was a really good opening spell from all their bowlers. There was no respite.

“In the second innings it was mainly down to Harmer and the pressure he built up.”



With a break from the four-day competition after tomorrow, Croft added:

“I think in 75-80% of the games we’ve played some good cricket so far. On the whole we’ve done really well.

“Plenty of people have put their hands up with bat and ball, so it’s not been down to a few individuals and the batting unit have done really well except for this game.

“They’ve put some big numbers up and the bowling unit have put in some great shifts on placid pitches.”

[themaclad]

Last wicket lasted 15 minutes

[themaclad]

Warwickshire Brum 12/6/22 4 dayer



Decent in the day, first saw him in a Gillette Cup game at OT in 1964

Michael John Knight Smith OBE, better known as M. J. K. Smith or Mike Smith, (born 30 June 1933) is an English former cricketer who was captain of Oxford University Cricket Club (1956), Warwickshire County Cricket Club (1957–1967) and the England cricket team (1963–1966). He was one of England's most popular cricket captains and, as he also played rugby union, Smith was England's last double international.[1][2][3]
Smith was encouraged to move to Warwickshire County Cricket Club in 1957 to take over the captaincy. In the 1950s an amateur had to captain the county and Warwickshire had no capable amateurs. Despite wearing steel-rimmed spectacles Smith was a heavy run-maker in County cricket and passed 2,000 runs a season each year from 1957 to 1962, including 3,245 runs (57.94) in 1959. Fred Trueman thought "there is probably nobody in the world who plays the off-spinner better",[5] but Smith's fragility against fast bowling meant that he could not hold down a regular place in the Test team. It was not his only failing as 'Mike is widely remembered...as a very unreliable runner between the wickets. Warwickshire tales of woe in this respect are numerous and I can remember a call between them in 1964 going something like "No A.C." – Yes, Mike" – Wait A.C." – "Damn it, Mike" – "Sorry A.C."[6] He was, however, a mantis-like close fielder who took a record 593 catches for Warwickshire and 53 catches in 50 Tests for England. His outwardly nonchalant captaincy hid a good cricketing brain and he took a rebuilt Warwickshire side to third, fourth and second place in the County Championship in 1962–64.[citation needed]



https://redirect.viglink.com/?format=go&...-scorecard

https://redirect.viglink.com/?format=go&...%2F2655603

[themaclad]

The home side was all out for 292 just before the close with Hain the last to fall for 130 (228 balls, 17 fours).

After choosing to bat, Warwickshire leaned heavily on Hain as other batsmen got in but then found ways of getting out against a Red Rose attack which persevered well on a good batting pitch.

Hain found some support from the middle order, adding 65 with Will Rhodes and 67 with Michael Burgess, but Lancashire's bowlers, with Kiwi seamer Will Williams impressing on his debut, kept taking wickets at important times.



Williams closed with 24-11-42-2 and the pressure he built, contributed to wickets taken by his colleagues, notably Danny Lamb (three for 43) and George Balderson (three for 68).

The Bears lost two early wickets against a well-directed new ball attack in which Williams conceded just three singles in his first seven overs. That pressure led to errors as Alex Davies tried to pull a good-length ball from Tom Bailey and spliced to short extra cover and Rob Yates chopped an attempted drive at Balderson on to his stumps. Balderson also dismissed Dom Sibley (28, 70 balls) who edged an away-swinger to wicketkeeper Dane Vilas.

Hain and Rhodes dug in to added 65 in 21 overs before Williams bagged a deserved first wicket when a perfect outswinger took a thin edge from Rhodes (23, 63 balls).



When Matt Lamb was bowled through a drive by his namesake Danny, the Bears were 142 for five, but Hain and Burgess responded with the most fluent batting of the day. Burgess advanced to 41 (72 balls) before lifting a short ball from spinner Matty Parkinson to extra cover.

Hain reached his 14th first class century with successive fours off Parkinson but continued to lose partners as Danny Briggs fell lbw to Lamb and Henry Brookes edged Williams to second slip.

Liam Norwell, back in the side after injury, reached 1,000 first class runs when he clouted Williams for four to get off the mark, but was then bowled by Lamb and Lancashire's satisfying day concluded in the final over when Hain edged Balderson into the cordon.

[themaclad]

Steven Croft ended his recent Warwickshire hoodoo to lead Lancashire's defiance on the second day of an absorbing LV=Insurance County Championship match at Edgbaston.
Croft's previous three red-ball innings against the Bears had brought just three runs, but his gritty 90 (183 balls, ten fours, one six) led his side to 280 for nine in reply to 292.

On an intensely competitive, hard-fought day, Lancashire's first innings was a mirror image of Warwickshire's the day before. Where Sam Hain's century had underpinned the home side's batting with only sporadic support, Croft formed a similar backbone for the Red Rose with similarly bit-part contributions from his colleagues.



Liam Norwell, playing his first game back after injury, led the Bears' bowling with four for 78.

With Lancashire 12 runs behind with one first innings wicket left, the match could hardly be more finely poised at the halfway point.

Having bowled Warwickshire out in the penultimate over of the first day, Lancashire launched their innings at the start of the second and lost Keaton Jennings, caught behind off Olly Hannon-Dalby, to the 17th ball.

Norwell took the next two wickets. Josh Bohannon edged a drive and was well held by Will Rhodes high at third slip and then Luke Wells (36, 87 balls) mishooked to mid off.

Croft took root though and added 69 in 15 overs with Dane Vilas (37, 51 balls). The latter looked in good nick but stalked off the field in an state of angst having been adjudged caught by Hain at leg slip off spinner Danny Briggs. Lancashire's captain evidently felt that he did not hit the ball - video evidence suggested he may have had a point.



Rob Jones (28, 67 balls) helped construct another half-century stand with Croft but then mispulled Henry Brookes to mid on. Jones thereby joined the lengthy list in this game of batters to get in then get out, as did George Balderson (19, 35) when he chipped Rhodes to extra cover.

That left Lancashire on 226 for six with a new ball due. Danny Lamb twice pulled that shiny sphere into the Hollies Stand off Norwell but the paceman got his revenge via an edge to first slip.

Norwell then flattened Tom Bailey's off stump before, just as Hain had been uprooted right at the end of the first day, Croft fell, edging the deserving Brookes to first slip, just as the Bears groundstaff were getting ready to put the cat out.

[themaclad]

Warwickshire opener Alex Davies scored a superb century against his former club Lancashire to set up a fascinating final day of their LV=Insurance County Championship tussle at Edgbaston.
Davies hit 121 (211 balls, 12 fours, one six), his first ton for the Bears, and tilt a terrific, fluctuating game narrowly his side's way.

His skilful work lifted Warwickshire to 327 for nine declared, setting a victory target of 329 (they suffered a five-run penalty for Henry Brookes running down the pitch while batting). The visitors reached five without loss in four overs before the close.

After Lancashire's first innings ended on 286 (Liam Norwell five for 78), six runs behind, their seamers bowled superbly to reduce the home side to 195 for seven. The Red Rose was on top until Davies and Henry Brookes (55, 71 balls) counter-attacked to add 84 in 14 overs.



Heading into the final day, all four results remain possible. While events at Trent Bridge this week have underlined the glory of Test cricket, Warwickshire and Lancashire have unfurled an utterly compelling, great advert for the County Championship at Edgbaston.

After Lancashire resumed on the third morning on 280 for nine, Norwell, in his first game back after injury, had Matt Parkinson caught behind off his first ball. The wicket took Norwell's first class tally for Warwickshire to 79 at 19.17 piece - he remains very much on England's radar.

Lancashire's seamers then showed their quality. Tom Bailey hit the top of Dom Sibley's off stump and George Balderson bowled Rob Yates with a beauty. Warwickshire advanced to 83 for two but were then rocked by a post-lunch blitz of three for four in 14 balls by Will Williams.



The Kiwi's third ball of the afternoon was a ferocious in-ducker which trapped Sam Hain lbw and his fifth darted back to bowl Will Rhodes, offering no shot. When Matt Lamb was bowled through a big drive, Warwickshire were 95 for five.

Davies and Michael Burgess (46, 71 balls) started the recovery with a stand of 70 in 22 overs before the latter edged a perfectly-shaped outswinger from Bailey. When Danny Briggs chipped Williams to mid-wicket, it was 195 for seven and Advantage Lancashire.

But Davies remained resolute and enjoyed aggressive support from Brookes who breezed to a 65-ball half-century. Both fell on the offensive in the closing overs but there was still time for Norwell to collect a perky unbeaten 36 (32 balls) before the declaration. Williams (four for 70) and Bailey (three for 70) were the pick of a weary but for a long time impressive attack.

[themaclad]

Lancashire strengthened their position among the LV=Insurance County Championship Division One leaders after a perfectly-executed run chase brought them a four-wicket victory over Warwickshire at Edgbaston.
Luke Wells led the way with a superb unbeaten 175 as the Red Rose, set a target of 329 in a day and four overs, reached 329 for five with 24 balls to spare.

They were in jeopardy at 93 for four but Wells, who hit 22 fours and a six from 280 balls, batted beautifully alongside Rob Jones (66, 138 balls) in a fifth-wicket stand of 162 in 45 overs.

Lancashire's third win of the season keeps them within reach of Division One leaders Surrey at the halfway point of the season. Reigning champions Warwickshire, meanwhile, with just one win from seven games, have it all to do to retain their title and sit too close to the opposite end of the table for comfort.



Lancashire resumed on the final morning on five without loss, needing to make the highest total of the match to win. They added only another 14 before Olly Hannon-Dalby struck twice in an over. Keaton Jennings edged to third slip and, three balls later, Josh Bohannon fell lbw.

When Steven Croft was lured into driving at a wideish ball from Henry Brookes and edged to wicketkeeper Michael Burgess, the Red Rose were 53 for three.

Dane Vilas' frustrating match with the bat then continued. Given out caught when he appeared not to have hit the ball in the first innings, his second knock ended in different but equally exasperating fashion...run out backing up. A sweetly-timed straight drive from Wells was diverted on to the stumps at the non-striker's end by Liam Norwell - rotten luck for the Lancashire captain, but credit to the big paceman for getting down quickly to parry the ball on to the stumps.



That was the only wicket to fall in the afternoon session as Wells and Jones consolidated to take their side to 167 for four at tea, at which point, with 162 runs or six wickets needed from a minimum of 35 overs, all results remained possible.

On a flattening pitch, Wells and Jones played with increasingly freedom to take Lancashire into the last 20 overs needing 91. Jones fell in pursuit of his 11th four, well-caught at deep square leg by Alex Davies, but the wicket did not stem the run-flow as George Balderson (33, 43 balls) helped Wells seal the victory with a measured partnership stand of 70 in 12 overs.

[themaclad]

Gloucestershire Bristol 4 days 2/6/2022

The Bristol County Ground (also known as Nevil Road and currently known as the Seat Unique Stadium for sponsorship reasons[2]) is a senior cricket venue in Bristol, England. It is in the district of Ashley Down. The ground is home to Gloucestershire County Cricket Club.
nitially known as Ashley Down Ground, it was bought in 1889 by W. G. Grace and has been home to Gloucestershire ever since. It was sold to local confectionery firm J. S. Fry & Sons and renamed Fry's Ground. The club bought the ground back in 1933 and it reverted to its original name. It was sold again in 1976, this time to Royal & Sun Alliance who renamed the ground the Phoenix County Ground for eight years before changing to The Royal & Sun Alliance County Ground until the ground was again bought by the club and took it up its current title.

The ground hosts One Day Internationals, usually one per year, with the addition of temporary seating to increase the ground's capacity. England faced India in 2018 and Pakistan in 2019 at the ground. In addition, three matches were scheduled to be played at the ground as part of the 2019 Cricket World Cup.[3] Of these three, 2 were abandoned without a ball being bowled due to bad weather. The only match played was Australia v Afghanistan - a match Australia won by 7 wickets.

The ground has long boundaries in comparison to most county cricket clubs.

The former concrete roof over the public terraces, which has now been demolished, was formed from eight hyperbolic-paraboloid umbrellas each approximately 30 square feet (2.8 m2), designed by T.H.B. Burrough in 1960.[4

ONE FROM THE PAST


Walter Reginald Hammond (19 June 1903 – 1 July 1965) was an English first-class cricketer who played for Gloucestershire in a career that lasted from 1920 to 1951. Beginning as a professional, he later became an amateur and was appointed captain of England. Primarily a middle-order batsman, Wisden Cricketers' Almanack described him in his obituary as one of the four best batsmen in the history of cricket. He was considered to be the best English batsman of the 1930s by commentators and those with whom he played; they also said that he was one of the best slip fielders ever. Hammond was an effective fast-medium pace bowler and contemporaries believed that if he had been less reluctant to bowl, he could have achieved even more with the ball than he did.

In a Test career spanning 85 matches, he scored 7,249 runs and took 83 wickets. Hammond captained England in 20 of those Tests, winning four, losing three, and drawing 13. His career aggregate of runs was the highest in Test cricket until surpassed by Colin Cowdrey in 1970; his total of 22 Test centuries remained an English record until Alastair Cook surpassed it in December 2012. In 1933, he set a record for the highest individual Test innings of 336 not out, surpassed by Len Hutton in 1938. In all first-class cricket, he scored 50,551 runs and 167 centuries, respectively the seventh and third highest totals by a first-class cricketer.

Although Hammond began his career in 1920, he was required to wait until 1923 before he could play full-time, after his qualification to play for Gloucestershire was challenged. His potential was spotted immediately and after three full seasons, he was chosen to visit the West Indies in 1925–26 as a member of a Marylebone Cricket Club touring party, but contracted a serious illness on the tour. He began to score heavily after his recovery in 1927 and was selected for England. In the 1928–29 series against Australia he scored 905 runs, then a record aggregate for a Test series. He dominated county cricket in the 1930s and, despite a mid-decade slump in Test form, was made captain of England in 1938. He continued as captain after the Second World War, but his health had deteriorated and he retired from first-class cricket after an unsuccessful tour of Australia in 1946–47. He appeared in two more first-class matches in the early 1950s.

Hammond was married twice, divorcing his first wife in acrimonious circumstances, and had a reputation for infidelity. His relationships with other players were difficult; teammates and opponents alike found him hard to get along with. He was unsuccessful in business dealings and failed to establish a successful career once he retired from cricket. He moved to South Africa in the 1950s in an attempt to start a business, but this came to nothing. As a result, he and his family struggled financially. Shortly after beginning a career as a sports administrator, he was involved in a serious car crash in 1960 which left him frail. He died of a heart attack in 1965.

[themaclad]

Chris Dent’s second LV= Insurance County Championship century of the season failed to prevent Lancashire edging an absorbing first day against Gloucestershire at the Seat Unique Stadium, Bristol.

The experienced opener continued a highly impressive season by scoring an unbeaten 109 off 246 balls, with 16 fours, but saw his team slip from 156 for two to close on 279 for seven.

Left-arm spinner Jack Morley, who celebrated his 21st birthday on the eve of the match, claimed three for 79 from 23 overs on only his second first class appearance, while there were two wickets each for Tom Bailey and Luke Wood.



Dent’s innings to his tally of runs from just eight Championship innings in an injury-hit season to 484 at an average of over 80.

But his team had only themselves to blame for a series of poor shots, having elected to take first use of what looked an excellent batting pitch.

Only 14 overs were possible in a morning session twice interrupted by showers. By lunch, the hosts had reached 30 without loss, with George Scott on 19 and Dent 11.

The rain-breaks meant Lancashire opening bowlers Bailey and Will Williams could extend their spells, Bailey striking with the first ball of his ninth over when Scott, on 23, edged to Keaton Jennings at second slip.

The opening stand had been worth 38. Soon Dent and Glenn Phillips, who hit Williams straight for six off the back foot, were building on it positively.

Dent struck 3 fours off the first seven deliveries he received from Wood, who was also pulled for six by Phillips before the overseas signing surrendered his wicket.

On 19, with the total 85, he lofted Morley straight down the throat of George Balderson at deep square.

Dent moved to his fifty with a pulled four off Williams, having faced 113 balls and hit 10 fours, receiving good support from fellow left-hander Miles Hammond as they added 62 by tea, which was taken at 147 for two.

An evening session of 40 overs began with Hammond, having moved stylishly to 37, carelessly driving a full, wide ball from Bailey straight to Steven Croft at point to leave his side 156 for three.

It signalled a turning point. James Bracey progressed to 15 effortlessly, but then clipped a full ball from Wood off his toes in the air to mid-wicket where Williams took a fine sharp catch.



Ryan Higgins became the next Gloucestershire player to fall to a poorly executed shot, skying an attempted slog sweep off Morley to slip and departing for 11.

When Oliver Price went lbw to the next ball, hit on the back pad, the home team had slumped to 209 for six, with only Dent showing the necessary level of durability.

Tom Price could make only a single before, having been softened up by some quick short balls from Wood, he was yorked by the left-arm seamer from around the wicket to make it 214 for seven.

By then Dent had moved untroubled to 86 and looked in danger of running out of partners. But he found a more reliable one in Zafar Gohar and moved calmly to a 235-ball ton in the 84th over, shortly after the second new ball had been taken.

Gofar was unbeaten on 31 at stumps, having helped to rescue a sinking ship.

On the previous occasion when Dent reached three figures this summer, he went on to make 207 not out against Surrey at Bristol.

[themaclad]

Opener Keaton Jennings narrowly missed out on a century as Lancashire built a promising position on the second day of the LV= Insurance County Championship match with Gloucestershire at Bristol.
The experienced England Test batsman hit 94, off 152 balls, with 15 fours and a six, helping his side reach 226 for four in their first innings by the close, 111 behind. Steven Croft was unbeaten on 49.

Gloucestershire had been bowled out for 337 from an overnight 279 for seven, Chris Dent falling for 110 and Zafar Gohar a valuable 62, his highest score for Gloucestershire.

Jack Morley finished with four for 91. On a benign pitch, the total looked below par and a second-wicket stand of 115 between Jennings and Josh Bohannon paved the way for Lancashire to make serious inroads.



Gloucestershire needed their tail to wag in the morning session after day one batting errors. But Dent could add only a single to his overnight score of 109.

After a cautious start, he departed lbw to Tom Bailey, falling across his stumps. But Gohar, unbeaten on 31 at the start, began to play positively, pulling Luke Wood for six to reach a 92-ball half-century.

Matt Taylor brought the 300 up with a two through the leg side off Wood and the pair added a further 21 before Gohar top-edged a forcing shot off Morley and Bohannon took a low catch running in from mid-on.

Taylor went lbw to George Balderson for a handy 16 to end the Gloucestershire innings. There was time for five overs before lunch, which was taken with Lancashire seven without loss.

The hosts received a boost when Luke Wells fell to the first delivery of the afternoon session from Tom Price, bowled between bat and pad.

Price impressed with a seven-over opening spell from the Ashley Down Road End, which featured three maidens and saw him beat the outside edge on several occasions.

But from then on it was a struggle for the bowlers in bright afternoon sunshine as Jennings and Bohannon settled in to make the most of the placid surface.



Jennings appeared to survive a tough chance to cover off George Scott on 32 and went to an assured half-century with a reverse sweep off left-arm spinner Gohar for his 11th four, having faced 71 balls.

In the same over, the tall left-hander celebrated with a six over long-on. Bohannon was more measured in his approach, moving to 25 from 112 deliveries by tea, which was taken at 102 for one, with Lancashire 235 behind.

Gloucestershire bowled well at the start of the final session, 21-year-old Price again threatening, while David Payne produced a probing spell from the Pavilion End.

It was Payne who made a breakthrough with the score on 122, beating Bohannon’s solid looking defensive shot and bowling him for 34.

Jennings was untroubled and looked odds-on to reach his 23rd first class hundred when edging medium-pacer Ryan Higgins though to wicketkeeper James Bracey, standing up to the stumps.

Dane Vilas went cheaply, leg-before to a full ball from Price, who ended the day with two for 31 from 15 testing overs, and at 177 for four, Lancashire were still 160 runs adrift.

But Croft was going well on 33 and found an aggressive partner in Phil Salt (33 not out) as they added 49 before stumps, Croft surviving a difficult low chance to Dent at second slip off Taylor on 47.