Vitality County Championship 2024, Round 11, Day 3, 22nd – 25th August - Live Cricket Streaming, Latest Scores, Match Reports – All Matches

Here are all the latest scores, match reports and news for the Vitality County Championship 2024, Round 11, Day 2, Day, Division 1 and 2 - 22nd – 25th August.

Round 11, Saturday 24 August

 

Division One

Durham vs Nottinghamshire, Division One,Seat Unique, Riverside Ground, Chester-Le-Street.

Daniel Hogg took his first four wickets in First Class cricket as Durham edged towards victory in their Vitality County Championship clash with Nottinghamshire despite some gritty resistance from Matt Montgomery and Jack Haynes.

Durham picked up the last two Notts first innings wickets with minimum fuss and the visitors only added nine runs to their overnight total, which left them with a first innings deficit of 302.

The follow-on was then enforced by the hosts and the Notts opening pair of Ben Slater, who made his fourth fifty of the season, and Haseeb Hameed started well, but after Hameed was dismissed the floodgates opened and First Class debutant Hogg helped reduce Notts to 99 for four.

However, Montgomery and Haynes frustrated the hosts in the evening session, with the pair surviving 50.3 overs but Durham got two late wickets with the new ball to leave Notts 212 for six at stumps, still trailing by 90.

Hogg was excellent throughout the day and he picked up the baton left by Neil Wagner, who was missing today for the hosts due to a shoulder injury picked up in the field on day two, and skipper Scott Borthwick entrusted the teenager with new ball duties and the 19-year-old picked up four wickets across the day, including that of Hameed.

Resuming on 220 for eight, the visitors had a mountain to climb as they were still 311 behind Durham’s total. 

Callum Parkinson created an early chance as Lyndon James was dropped by Ollie Robinson on 55, but James only added one more run to his tally as he attempted to pull a short ball from Ben Raine and edged it to Robinson.

Hogg then wrapped up the innings with his maiden First Class wicket, as Brett Hutton was caught behind. 

With the visitors being bowled out for 229 and Durham having a first innings lead of 302, the follow-on was enforced by skipper Borthwick. 

Hogg was causing Slater and Hameed plenty of problems upon resumption with Slater being dropped by Borthwick at first slip on five.

Hameed and Slater weathered the storm as they put on 52 for the first wicket partnership, however Hameed was caught behind down the legside off the bowling of Hogg for 34 just before lunch to give the hosts their first scalp of the second innings. 

Ben Raine then removed Freddie McCann in the first over after lunch with the youngster caught behind for a five-ball duck.

Slater, who had passed a personal milestone of 8,000 career First Class runs earlier in the day, was living a charmed life but he made the most of his luck and played a lovely cover drive off the bowling of Parkinson. 

While Slater was beginning to motor, wickets continued to fall at the other end as Joe Clarke became Hogg’s third victim of the day after the 19-year-old got him LBW for five. 

Slater made his fifty from 111 balls after surviving another drop from Borthwick on 49, but the opener was then run out by substitute fielder Paul Coughlin on 53 after a mix up between the wickets with Haynes.

Montgomery and Haynes adopted a rearguard action as the visitors looked to take as much time out of the game as they could with the pair batting out seven consecutive maidens at one point. 

The pair continued that approach after tea but there was a moment of controversy as Haynes hit a Parkinson delivery on to the shin of Graham Clark and it deflected back to the spinner who caught it, the Durham fielders were convinced that they had their man but umpires Paul Baldwin and Peter Hartley didn’t give the decision in the hosts’ favour.

Haynes reached his fifty off 143 balls just after Durham took the new ball, but Montgomery then fell at the hands of Hogg for a 164-ball 38, ending a 96 run partnership that lasted 50.3 overs. 

Raine then got Luke Fletcher for a duck, with the hosts needing four wickets to wrap up victory on day four.

Nottinghamshire's Ben Slater said:

"(on Haynes and Montgomery partnership) They did really well there with the amount of balls they both faced. For us to take it to day four, that's what we set out to do. We probably would've liked to have been a couple less wickets down but we have still given ourselves a chance to save the game tomorrow."

"I rode my luck a little bit at times, obviously with the dropped catches. It wasn't easy, they bowled well and there was a few good balls flying around, especially with the new ball and yeah, I rode my luck, but I started to get going scoring wise, then the mix up happened but that's cricket, sometimes these things happen."

"Credit to Jack (Haynes), sometimes those things can effect you, especially when you're at the other end so credit to him he's played brilliantly there and he's given us a chance of saving the game."

 

Durham's Daniel Hogg said: 

"The mood's very high in the dressing room although it might have been a long day, we still came out on top today and we're looking to get stuck right into them tomorrow morning."

"We were bashing at a length and we were waiting for the pitch to do something or for them to make a mistake."

"(On first wickets) It was nice to get off the mark. I felt in a real good rhythm today and getting the wicket early on helped settle the nerves early on, I found my length nicely and just kept bashing away at things."

"(On dropped catches) It can happen, I won't hold it against him (Scott Borthwick) as he caught one in the end."

"My body's definitely been better but I've got some recovery going on upstairs so I should be nice and fresh for the morning."

 

Hampshire vs Essex, Division One, Utilita Bowl, Southampton

Toby Albert and the rain frustrated Vitality County Championship title-chasing Essex against Hampshire at Utilita Bowl.

Only 34 overs were bowled after a rain-soaked morning and afternoon, but after Sam Cook and Shane Snater had taken their partnership to 49 and Essex to 438 for eight, Tom Westley declared.

Hampshire lost Fletcha Middleton, but Albert dropped anchor with 18 from 69 balls, with Nick Gubbins even more defensive in his eight off 58.

They ended the day on 40 for one, 398 runs in arrears, with the likelihood this will turn into a final day bonus point match, unless the hosts fail to avoid the follow-on.

But Storm Lilian deposited a significant amount of rain on Saturday morning, but the hard work of Simon Lee and his grounds staff made sure action got under way after tea.

The first part of the session was a battle for bonus points before a declaration. Hampshire needed one wicket for another point, Essex needed 46 runs.

Neither of which came to pass, but Shane Snater and Sam Cook had a good go at the runs part of the equation – putting on an unbroken 49.

Hampshire had one massive chance to claim maximum bowling points, but Cook was put down by Tom Prest at first slip with what became the penultimate delivery before Tom Westley called his side in.

The blue skies suggested batting might be relatively simple, but Cook and Jamie Porter initially put Hampshire’s young opening batters Fletcha Middleton and Toby Albert under the microscope.

There wasn’t significant movement but the odd late ball tailed in and super-disciplined bowling made scoring runs almost impossible early on.

It took 23 balls before Albert scored the first run of the innings, and when Snater entered the attack in the ninth over, only five runs had been scored.

The Dutchman may have offered up a half-volley for Albert to strike the first boundary of the innings, but he made the breakthrough.

He found movement into Middleton, and helped by some low bounce, caught the outside edge, before Michael Pepper brilliantly caught on the forward dive.

From then on, Albert and Gubbins battened down the hatches and simply refused to get out - which never looked like happening as the ball aged.

In the 28 overs Hampshire batted, there were 150 dot balls.

Essex fast bowler Jamie Porter:

"We gave ourselves a maximum of six overs for the declaration and once we realised it wasn't realistic to hit sixes we decided to get bowling.

"There's a little bit more movement there but it is quite slow. We bowled nicely this evening and were a little unlucky.

"It is going to take something special [to get a result] but it wouldn't be the first time we have done something special to get a win. We're still going to rock up tomorrow, come in hard and see what happens.

"There isn't much you can do when it is raining, it is what it is. The nice thing coming into today was knowing we were in a position where we couldn't lose the game.

"I would much rather be us than them. It is a tough position to be in regardless of the wicket."

Surrey vs Lancashire, Division One, Kia Oval, London

 

Surrey managed just the wicket of Lancashire opener Luke Wells on a day of frustration at the Kia Oval in which only 10.2 overs were possible due to bad weather.

Wells was bowled by Jordan Clark for four, the ball keeping low to pluck out his off stump as the left-hander was also caught on the crease, as Lancashire moved from an overnight four without loss in their second innings to 26 for one.

That left them still 214 runs behind Surrey and needing to bat out the final day to escape with a draw, but at least the truncated third day has given Lancashire a chance of denying the Division One leaders a seventh Vitality County Championship victory of the season as they chase a third successive title.

No play was possible until 5.10pm because of heavy morning rain and then persistent afternoon drizzle which snuffed out two earlier attempts to resume the game.

Clark, coming around the wicket, dismissed Wells in the third full over but Surrey’s hopes of bowling the 22.1 scheduled overs were crushed when heavy rain clouds again appeared over central London, behind the JM Finn Stand, accompanied by flashes of lightning.

Umpires David Millns and Rob White also took a light meter reading before taking the players off with 11.5 overs still remaining, and soon the Oval groundstaff were bringing on the covers again to protect the pitch and square from more rain.

Keaton Jennings, the Lancashire captain, and Josh Bohannon will both start the final day on nine not out and Surrey know they cannot afford to let their partnership flourish if they are to win a game they have dominated since bowling their visitors out for a sub-par 204 on day one and then replying with 444 for nine declared, in which skipper Rory Burns scoring a magnificent career-best 227.

Jennings was beaten several times by Dan Worrall’s movement in the air and off the pitch, although he did once drive him handsomely through extra cover for four, while Bohannon took a legside boundary off Sam Curran’s first delivery shortly before the players were forced off.

Warwickshire vs Somerset, Division One, Edgbaston, Birmingham

Warwickshire captain Alex Davies scored his 11^th first class century but third-day rain badly interfered with his side’s push for Vitality Championship victory over Somerset at Edgbaston.

Davies ended the day unbeaten on 109 (199 balls) out of his side’s 179 for five - 277 ahead overall with their first innings lead of 98. Warwickshire are in a strong position but the loss of 51 overs on the day to the weather has seriously compacted the game and reduced the time available for them to try to force victory.  

The Bears’ captain faces an interesting dilemma on the final day - to judge a declaration which gives his side enough time to take ten wickets but does not offer Somerset too great a chance of victory. Still fresh – or, in Warwickshire’s case, raw - in the memory of these teams is their meeting at Taunton six weeks ago when Davies’ declaration left the home side a target of 410 and they chased it down to record a sensational five-wicket win.

Warwickshire, having bossed much of this match, would love to bank a belated and much-needed first championship win of the season, but the slow pitch, on which it will be difficult to take ten wickets quickly, is likely to thwart them.

Much to the home side’s frustration, play did not begin on the third day until 1.50pm and even then rain returned after two overs to send the players off again until 3pm.

After Warwickshire resumed on 27 for one, Davies eased towards his century while a succession of partners perished in the early 20s. The skipper added 45 with Will Rhodes, 83 with Hamza Shaikh and 38 with Jake Bethell against a Somerset attack which applied itself well to keep a brake on the scoring to take as much time out of the game as possible. Rhodes and Bethell were bowled by the impressive Josh Davey. Shaikh pressed the self-destruct button when he called Davies through for a single that didn’t exist and was beaten by Tom Kohler-Cadmore’s throw.

Davies survived a missed stumping off Jack Leach on 34 but reached an assured century from 148 balls before a bonus wicket arrived for Somerset from the unexpected hands of Andy Umeed. When, late in the day, Jake Ball limped off injured five balls into an over, Umeed was called upon to complete the over. Skipper Craig Overton saw enough merit in that one ball to keep the spinner on and the second ball of Umeed’s first full over had Ed Barnard caught behind.

Somerset’s commendable persistence and wickets in the last session cost Warwickshire some of their wickets in hand for when they resume on the final morning, shunting the match further towards a draw.

Warwickshire batter Jake Bethell said:

"It seems like in a lot of games this season we've been in good positions and the weather has not played ball. Today we lost a lot of overs when there could have been serious movement in the game which was a frustrating.

"We are still not in a bad position in the match. We have got a decision to make on what we do in the morning, It was a bit of a shame to lose myself and Barny in quick succession late on which made the last half-hour's play a bit docile. If we could have got maybe another 30 or 40 runs in that little session we wouldn't have had to bat as long tomorrow morning. 

"But we are still in a good position. We have just got to bat positively and then work hard for our wickets tomorrow.

 

Somerset bowling coach Simon Kirby said:

"The guys bowled on the surface really well. They kept on coming and bowled really good lengths. To be honest I thought we bowled a little bit short with the newer ball in the first innings, so we adapted well and I thought we hit our straps really well.

"It was a real quality team effort but if I am going to single somebody out I'd say the way Leachy bowled was excellent, He was accurate and always threatening the stumps and building pressure and on another day he would have got a lot of wickets.

"Kasey also bowled really well. He has worked very hard on his bowling and he has set the bar so high as a cricketer, having shown what he can do with the bat and ball. He is a three-dimensional cricketer and I am really pleased that all the work he has put in is paying off. He batted really well in this game and bowled a high quality spell today. He bowled brilliantly in the semi-final last week and long may that continue."

Worcestershire vs Kent, Division One, County Ground, New Road, Worcester

Tawanda Muyeye hit a brilliant maiden double century to frustrate Worcestershire’s hopes of a three day victory in the bottom two Vitality County Championship encounter at Visit Worcestershire New Road.

The 23-year-old dominated proceedings with the bat and played the major role in Kent wiping out a first innings deficit of 276.

Muyeye began the day unbeaten on 80 and again looked a class performer as he surpassed his previous best score of 179 against Northamptonshire at Northampton last summer.

A single off Joe Leach took Muyeye to his double ton and was the cue for an elaborate jig of delight around the square before he was embraced by team-mate Grant Stewart.

He received solid support from Jack Leaning, Joey Evison, Harry Finch and Stewart.

Muyeye's fine knock came to an end in the final over of the day when he was caught behind off James Hartshorn for 211 from 279 balls with three sixes and 23 fours.

Worcestershire remain favourites to secure a second successive win in the Championship tomorrow with Kent just 77 ahead with two wickets remaining.

Tom Taylor - three for 85 from 22 overs - was rewarded for some fine bowling with two wickets with the second new ball to tip the balance of the game in the home side’s favour.

But it was also one of those days for Worcestershire where the half chances did not quite go to hand or did not stick in contrast to the superb display in the field on day one.

Overnight rain and morning drizzle meant play was unable to get underway until 2pm with 66 overs remaining.

Kent resumed on 104-2 in their second innings needing a further 172 to avoid an innings defeat.

Leaning began proceedings with a trio of boundaries but New Zealand James Hartshorn brought about his downfall in the third over of the day.

He was undone by a full and swinging delivery and was plumb lbw for 27.

Muyeye continued his aggressive approach by pulling Hartshorn backward of square for six.

He completed the second first class century of his career from 109 balls with a single off Leach and it contained two sixes and 13 fours.  

Muyeye bowed to his team-mates on reaching his personal milestone and runs continued to flow at a rapid rate.

But the introduction into the attack of Adam Finch led to another breakthrough with Evison pushing forward and caught behind low down by Gareth Roderick.

Muyeye had one slice of luck on 135 when he top edged Hartshorn in between two fielders at backward square leg but otherwise continued to bat in impressive fashion.

D’Oliveira brought himself into the attack as an all-spin combination alongside Jake Libby with Worcestershire’s over rate displayed as minus three on the scoreboard.

New batter Harry Finch provided staunch support for Muyeye although he was fortunate when edging Tom Taylor and seeing a head high chance not grasped by first slip.

But Taylor kept plugging away and was rewarded when Harry Finch was caught in the crease and lbw after adding 81 with Muyeye.

Stewart adopted an aggressive approach when joining Muyeye in the middle in another fruitful partnership of 84 in 16 overs.

But Taylor did strike with the second new ball to end a stand of 84 when Stewart was trapped lbw for 41 at 333-6 and then had Matt Parkinson caught behind before Hartshorn ended Muyeye's brilliant innings.

 

Worcestershire Assistant Head Coach Kadeer Ali said: “We’ve had to work really hard today. Fully credit to Muyeye. I thought he was outstanding. He played really nicely in the first innings and today was a special knock.

“He held them together and they had four or five decent partnerships and the bowlers had to keep coming back and we worked really hard and as a collective unit bowled really well.

“Tommy Taylor probably deserved a little bit more luck, probably some more in the wicket-taking column but overall we stuck at it and kept on breaking partnerships when they were just starting to blossom.

“A few chances didn’t quite go to hand but the players didn’t lose heart and kept going. Not everything will go your way and it is all about being patient and getting the ball in the right area.

“That’s the beauty of these boys. They love to work hard and put a shift in for the team and I thought we did that really well today.

“Tom has been brilliant for us. He was frustrated by an injury during the early part of the season so he missed quite a lot of cricket.

“He came straight into some T20 cricket and was probably a little undercooked but he has been brilliant and showing how good he is now.

“His spells at the end of the day after they were in a decent position were vital and it feels like there is not much different between his first and last spells in terms of pace.”

Kent double century-maker Tawanda Muyeye said: “To be fair, some of the boys have never seen me that happy because I’m usually quite reserved and quite quiet.

“It was more to do what has happened with the season. I struggled a lot and I just never ever saw any light at the end of the tunnel.

“I found some form in the T20s, went to The Hundred, didn’t play that much, and for me to play like that over the last two days has made me so happy.

“It was tough at the start of the summer. It was tough for everyone watching as well because it didn’t look like me (as a player) at all.

“To come out and be myself, and just take it on straight away, from the first innings, was brilliant and for me, at some stage I just needed to grow up and be responsible.

“For me, cricket has always been about fun and entertaining people so I hope that was good enough.

“There is still a lot of work to be done. We all have our goals in life and cricket and this is a starting point and I want to carry on and work as hard as I can.”

 

Division Two

Derbyshire vs Glamorgan, Division Two, Incora County Ground,County Ground, Derby

Derbyshire are on the brink of ending a five year red ball drought after Jack Morley put Glamorgan in a spin on the third day of the Vitality County Championship match at Derby.

The on-loan left arm spinner from Lancashire took 3 for 35 from 20 overs to put Derbyshire on course for a first championship victory at the County Ground since August 2019.

Glamorgan were fighting back at 226 for 4 but they lost three wickets in the space of six balls and closed on 236 for 7, still 25 behind.

Colin Ingram and Kiran Carlson scored fifties but Morley and Pat Brown with 2 for 50 have bowled Derbyshire to the verge of a first championship win anywhere for 25 months.

After rain washed out the morning session, Brown and Zak Chappell started  Glamorgan’s decline with three wickets in six overs.

Billy Root did not profit from his escape the previous evening, scoring only 13 before he pushed at a ball from Brown he could have left and was caught behind.

Brown tempted Ben Kellaway into a loose waft that gave Brooke Guest another victim before Chappell bagged the big wicket of Sam Northeast.

The Glamorgan skipper had started purposefully but there was little he could do with a ball that was angled in and straightened enough to get through his defence and pluck out middle stump.

A shower held up play for 20 minutes which would have helped keep the bowlers fresh and disrupt the batters concentration but both Carlson and Ingram settled in well after the restart.

Carlson was more circumspect after he got away with a big drive early in his innings and Ingram, who scored a century on this ground last season, was quick to pounce on anything short or overpitched.

With Anuj Dal off the field, Derbyshire were a bowler down and there was frustration for Brown when Carlson saw an edge loop just over third slip before Ingram was given a life on 25.

Brown tempted him into a drive and the edge went low to Guest who could not hang on diving to his left.

Ingram reached his 50 off 93 balls the over before tea which arrived with Glamorgan recovering well to get the deficit below three figures.

But all the hard work was undone three overs into the final session when Ingram attempted a big slog sweep at Jack Morley and was bowled to end a stand of 110 from 179 balls.

Derbyshire thought they had Carlson in the next over, caught behind off David Lloyd, but the umpires ruled correctly that the ball had been played into the ground.

Carlson completed his 50 off 125 balls before Derbyshire lost Brown who limped off with what appeared to be an ankle injury four overs into his second spell.

Lloyd took over and struck when Chris Cooke tried to drive and was bowled, breaking  a stand of 50 from 122 balls.

Derbyshire moved a step closer to victory in the next over when Carlson inexplicably gave Morley the charge and was stumped.

Timm van der Gugten was lbw first ball and although Mason Crane averted the hat-trick, Glamorgan will need something remarkable on the last day to deny Derbyshire that long-awaited home win.

Derbyshire spinner Jack Morley said: "It got to one point where they were about 70 behind with four down and I thought this could get a little bit difficult.

"Then the skipper came on and bowled one of the best off-spin deliveries I've ever seen and changed the game completely.

"I'm not sure how many days it is but Derbyshire haven't had a win at home for a while so that would be one to tick off, especially being part of it. There's one over to the new ball and hopefully that does a little bit in the morning and we can wrap it up pretty quickly but if not there's no need to panic, just keep doing what we've dona all game and stay patient."

 

Glamorgan assistant coach Toby Bailey said: "All credit to Derbyshire's bowlers, it's always difficult in those situations but Kiran (Carlson) and Colin (Ingram) put on a good stand.

"But Derbyshire have really bowled well, they've bowled well in partnerships, but we go again tomorrow.

"We always want to be a positive side, we encourage that, and sometimes it doesn't come off but we'll always back our batters to make the correct decisions.."

 

Gloucestershire vs Leicestershire, Division Two, County Ground, Bristol, Bristol

Ben Charlesworth and James Bracey both scored career-best double hundreds as Gloucestershire assumed the whip hand on day three of the Vitality County Championship match against Leicestershire at Bristol's Seat Unique Stadium.

Replying to Leicestershire's 402, Gloucestershire posted 544-4 declared to establish a first-innings lead of 142, Charlesworth top-scoring with a magnificent 210 from 311 balls and accruing 21 fours and six sixes in a marathon knock spanning seven hours.

Bracey contributed a flawless innings of 207 not out from 261 balls with 26 fours and 3 sixes, more than playing his part in an imposing fourth wicket stand of 290 in 66.1 overs on a day when Leicestershire's bowlers were made to toil on a characteristically flat Bristol pitch.

Required to negotiate 10 overs in the evening sunshine, Leicestershire reached the close on 41 without loss thanks to watchful openers Rishi Patel (20 not out) and Ian Holland (14 not out). But the visitors still trail by 101 and have further work to do before they can fully stave off the prospect of an unlikely defeat on the final day.

There is something about playing against Leicestershire that brings out the best in Charlesworth, who registered his maiden first-class hundred and shared in a record-breaking opening stand of 316 with Cameron Bancroft in a Championship match at Grace Road in May. It was a case of Deja-vu when the left-hander posted another century, his second, against the same opponents on day two of this game.

Resuming on 227-3 with Charlesworth 105 not out and Bracey unbeaten on 34, Gloucestershire were intent upon exerting pressure by building a meaningful lead. But their prospects of forcing a first red-ball win in Bristol since September 2022 were frustrated by the rain that caused 21 overs to be lost and delayed the start of play until 1.30pm.

Gloucestershire's fourth wicket pair made up for lost time beneath clearing skies as bat continued to dominate ball. Bracey clipped a delivery from Tom Scriven through mid-wicket to raise 50 from 81 balls, while Charlesworth pulled Josh Hull for six over deep square leg to bring up the hundred partnership in style, that landmark materialising inside 25 overs.

Warming to his task, Charlesworth surpassed his previous highest first-class score when straight-driving Rehan Ahmed for his fifth six, in the process eclipsing the 126 he made at Grace Road earlier this season. The 23-year-old cut Louie Kimber behind square for a single to go to 150 via 221 balls with 16 fours and 6 sixes, his third 50 occupying just 57 balls as Leicestershire's bowlers found the going hard.

If the Foxes invested hope in the new ball, which was taken with the score on 315-3, they were disappointed as an essentially flat pitch remained unresponsive. Hull continued to prove expensive, the ball now flying to the boundary even quicker than before as his runs conceded column entered three figures from 18 overs.

Leicestershire skipper Lewis Hill also called upon Holland, on-loan Somerset all-rounder Ben Green and Scriven without success, Bracey and Charlesworth remaining untroubled as they extended their alliance to 200 in 45.4 overs. Realising the futility of overworking his seam bowlers, Hill resorted to spin after 12 overs, recalling Liam Trevaskis to the attack.

Enjoying his best season since breaking into the England Test set-up in 2021, Bracey recorded his fourth hundred of the summer, going to that landmark from 158 balls with his fourteenth four, a straight drive at the expense of Scriven. He and Charlesworth added 163 in 36 overs during a lucrative session that advanced Gloucestershire's score to 390-3 at tea, just 12 runs in arrears. 

The home side were already in credit when Charlesworth, whose concentration had not once wavered, drove Ahmed handsomely down the ground to register his 21st four and bring up his maiden 200, an achievement greeted by a standing ovation among those few hundred spectators privileged to have witnessed it. His double hundred spanned 299 balls.

Much to the relief of Leicestershire's tiring players, Charlesworth's marathon sojourn came to an abrupt end soon afterwards, the left hander driving at a length ball from Green and offering a catch behind with the score on 447. 

But the landmarks just kept coming, Bracey going to 150 from 218 deliveries as Gloucestershire banked a fifth batting bonus point with an over to spare. With quick runs needed, Graeme van Buuren came in ahead of Chris Dent and fulfilled his brief by scoring a breezy 37 not out in an unbroken stand of 97 for the fifth wicket, while Bracey opened his shoulders to hasten the advent of his second double hundred of the season and bring the declaration into sharp focus.

The left-hander faced 257 balls in making 200, clipping a delivery from Hull to the mid-wicket boundary for his 26th four to bring an appreciative audience to their feet once more. By the time the declaration arrived, Bracey had surpassed his previous highest score of 204 not out made against Glamorgan at Cheltenham last month and overtaken Sam Northeast as the Second Division's leading run scorer with 970 at an average of 80.83.

 

Gloucestershire batsman Ben Charlesworth said: "It's difficult to sum up how I feel after batting for that period of time. It all becomes a bit of a blur to be honest. James Bracey was batting beautifully at the other end and we just seemed to complement one another. Everything went really smoothly until I got to 199, when they brought the field in. There was a bit of chat and the pressure was on. Fortunately, I managed to keep calm and get over the line, which is easier said than done. I think this is the culmination of my six or seven years in county cricket. It's been a process and a long journey to get my game to the stage it is at now, and there have been a lot of lows and setbacks along the way. But I have learned so much during that time and today was just the culmination of all that past experience. It's helped that my body has held up and that injuries have not affected me so much this year. I'm now happy that I'm able to give of my best and really contribute to the team. There may not be much in the pitch for the bowlers and taking 10 wickets will be tough, but stranger things have happened and we will give it a good go on the final day."

 

Leicestershire bowler Josh Hull said: "Bowling on that pitch was really tough. The ball didn't swing and, when we saw the heavy roller going on, we knew it was going to be difficult. Because of that, you try to bowl that little bit quicker and there was at least a chance when you dug the ball in hard and got a bit of bounce. But for the most part, it was a case of trying to slow the scoring and keep them out in the middle for as long as possible. You know it's going to be a long day and you have to take a bit of pace off just to get through the overs. But there was really not much carry when you bowled on a length and nothing much in the surface. It's a flat surface and we will just have to bat time on the final day. We'll score as many as we can and then see where it leaves us."

 

 Middlesex vs Northamptonshire, Division Two, Merchant Taylors' School Ground, Northwood

Middlesex and Northamptonshire were thwarted by the weather as the third day of their Vitality County Championship clash at Merchant Taylors’ School was abandoned without a ball being bowled.

Persistent rain during the morning meant the covers remained in place and, although the prospects of play appeared to have improved around lunchtime, another heavy downpour drenched the outfield again.

With further rain forecast later in the day, umpires Hassan Adnan and Neil Pratt eventually called off play shortly after 2.30pm.

The washout makes a draw the most likely outcome, with Middlesex currently 250 for seven in their first innings, an advantage of 43 over their visitors.

Yorkshire vs Sussex,  Division Two, North Marine Road Ground, Scarborough

Yorkshire are closing in on victory over Vitality County Championship Division Two leaders Sussex at Hove following Ben Coad’s new ball five-for at Scarborough, setting up a victory target of 103 late on day three. 

Sussex started the day on 26 without loss in their second innings, 111 runs behind the league’s third-placed side, and were bowled out for 239 as seamer Coad returned five for 69. His wickets came with the first and second new balls.

Half-centuries for Tom Alsop and captain John Simpson, who top-scored with 67, meant the visitors were not over-run. But they realistically needed more to defy a Yorkshire attack who kept on coming at them. 

The hosts then closed the day on 28 for two from 10 overs and require 75 more to seal a third win in as many four-day games. 

Sussex were teetering at lunch against their third-placed rivals, 66 for three in their second innings and still 71 runs in arrears. Only their second defeat of 2024 looked like it might come quickly. 

However, Alsop with 61 - his second fifty of the match - and Simpson held things up with a fifth-wicket partnership of 85, compiled through the majority of the afternoon. 

A 45-minute rain delay from 11.10am cut 10 overs from the day’s allocation of 103.

Yorkshire still had enough time before lunch to prise out three Sussex wickets.

George Hill claimed two of them with his seam after Fin Bean had helped Coad strike with a stunning one-handed leaping catch above his head at third slip to remove the Australian opener Daniel Hughes.

That wicket had come in the opening stages of the day, before the rain. 

Afterwards, Hill had Tom Haines caught by Bean at first slip and Tom Clark caught behind by Jonny Bairstow - his first catch of the match. Both Toms were out playing loosely.

By now, Sussex were faced with a pitch showing significant signs of invariable bounce. Clark, for example, faced balls which rapped him on the gloves from Jordan Thompson and shot past his ankle from Hill en-route to 17.

Thompson himself struck in the early stages of the afternoon when he uprooted James Coles’ leg-stump - 84 for four in the 36th over.

But that paved the way for the Sussex fightback, with Alsop and Simpson - their two most prolific batters this season - wiping out the remaining 53-run deficit and claiming a lead.

Largely, they advanced with caution, though Alsop, who drove nicely, did reverse sweep one of his boundaries off Dan Moriarty’s left-arm spin.  

By the time tea arrived, Sussex were 164 for four, 27 ahead and Alsop had reached a 125-ball fifty.

Their partnership was closing in on three figures when Alsop was caught behind at the second attempt by Bairstow on the cut. 

And when Fynn Hudson-Prentice was run out at the striker’s end having been sent back by Simpson, with Jonny Tattersall from backward point and Bairstow combining, Sussex were 179 for six in the 78th over, leading by 42 and with the new ball on the horizon. 

That new ball worked immediately for Yorkshire, with Coad getting Jack Carson caught behind.

At 188 for seven, the earlier good work of Alsop and Simpson was threatening to be undermined. So it proved. 

As Simpson reached his fifty off 129 balls, Ollie Robinson clubbed a quick 28, only for him to be caught behind off Coad. Bairstow’s fourth catch of the day left Sussex 226 for eight, leading by 89. 

Coad had Jaydev Unadkat caught at mid-on shortly afterwards before bowling Simpson, who tried to ramp a second six as he was shorn of partners, to wrap things up with his 35th wicket of the campaign. No bowler has taken more in Division Two this season.

Unadkat and Robinson then had Bean and Thompson caught in the slips - 18 for two - to at least give Sussex a glimmer of hope that they can achieve what would be a remarkable turnaround.

Yorkshire seamer Ben Coad said

 

“We need 75 more, and there’s no real demons in the pitch. We’ve done really well to leave this chase.

“The new ball offers a bit, and when it gets older it’s about being disciplined in what we do. They didn’t show a lot of intent, so if we kept it in the right areas, we knew they weren’t going to get away from us. 

“They stayed behind our score for a long time, and we knew that things could happen quickly, especially with the second new ball. To get two wickets just before the new ball really helped us. To get into their bowlers was big, and thankfully I managed to get a few quickly at the end.

“I’m very happy with the way things are going. (35 wickets, most in Division Two). There’s obviously still a long way to go, but as long as I’m helping the team get promotion, that’s the main thing.”

 

Sussex coach Paul Farbrace said

 

“It is (going to take something remarkable for us to win). But if you remember at Hove earlier in the season, Yorkshire needed 25 or 26 with four wickets to go and Adam Lyth going nicely on 80 and we won the game. It’s never over. 

“Look, we’ve been on the wrong end of the game.

“We didn’t bat well enough in the first innings. We batted better in the second, but if you don’t score your runs in the first innings, you’re always chasing the game. 

“We dropped catches in Yorkshire’s first innings, and we weren’t as disciplined as they’ve been with the ball. Their bowling attack has been fantastic throughout the game.

“Their lines have been immaculate, and they’ve made sure we’ve gone nowhere. They’ve bowled very few bad balls, and the control of their line has been sensational. 

“It’s caused us to play false shots and rash shots that we didn’t want to play.

“Yorkshire have driven this game, and it’s no surprise they go into day four in this position. But we’ve got to believe we can take eight more wickets before they get 75 runs. If we don’t, there’s no point in turning up tomorrow.” 

 

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