Vitality County Championship 2024, Round 15, Day 2, 26th - 29th Sept Live Cricket, Latest Scores, Match Reports – All Matches – Division 1 and 2

Here are all the latest scores, match reports and news for the Vitality County Championship 2024, Division 1 and 2 - Round 15, Day 2, 26th Sept -29th Sept.

Friday 27th Round 15 - 26 – 12 September 

Division One

Nottinghamshire vs Warwickshire, Division One, Trent Bridge, Nottingham

Minutes after play in the other key relegation match was abandoned for the day without a ball bowled in Worcester, Nottinghamshire at last resumed their own crucial Vitality County Championship match against Warwickshire at Trent Bridge. A 1pm start meant 110 overs have been lost so far.

But, easing home anxiety, the locally-raised, left-handed teenage Freddie McCann compensated with a massively impressive 130 to add to earlier scores of  51 and 154 in what is still only seven innings since his debut.

From 55-3, Notts recovered to 324-6 at the close, Jack Haynes offering a more measured 47 and Kyle Verreyyne an increasingly rapid unbeaten 76 in support. On what has settled down into a very benign pitch, Nottinghamshire have already secured two batting points and a draw will now be enough now for both sides to escape the drop.    

Batting in sunshine with blue sky overhead proved entirely less fraught than the ordeal on a seaming pitch that had seen Notts reach 33-2 from the 15.2 overs possible on Thursday. But in a strong crosswind Michael Booth, first change, produced a perfect outswinger for hs fifth ball of the day to knock back Joe Clarke’s off stump for 12.

The 23-year old Zimbabwean, in just his fourth first-class appearance, proved hit and miss, however, and even Olly Hannon-Dalby lost accuracy as McCann raced to a fifty from 87 balls in a period that brought 99 plundered runs in a dozen overs. The true nature of this pitch had become very clear.

Reduced to posting a solitary slip for Craig Miles, Warwickshire still struggled to stem an advance that carried the home side to within 20 minutes of  tea before another batter fell. Haynes became an early victim for Danny Briggs’s left-arm spin when beautifully held at slip by Will Rhodes.

It ended a 127-run stand at better than a run a ball and the interval, coming after 36.4 of the day’s re-jigged quota of 75.4 overs (the last eight were lost later to bad light), arrived with 211-4 on the board and McCann just past his century from 147 balls.

Warwickshire tightened up markedly through 55 minutes in the evening but found another partnership beginning to accelerate. Verreyyne, the South Africa wicket-keeper with a Test hundred to his credit, settled into his fourth innings since joining Notts and the first batting point came up what proved an hour from the close.

With the fifth wicket having added 98, it was a surprise when, from nowhere it seemed, two men then fell in eight balls, McCann yorked by Miles’s second ball back. Next over, Lyndon James had come and gone for two, edging to the lone slip as Rhodes, the seventh bowler, reprised his knack of invariably grabbing an early success.

But the 300 came up, and a second batting point with it, and if Warwickshire can claim their final bowling point on Saturday and also pass 300 themselves, they would not go down whatever happens in either relegation game.

Away from play, eyes remain on a threatening forecast - the weather may yet have the last say. With only two days left for Lancashire at Worcester, where just 26 overs have proved possible, they have many miles to make up and rain is feared both there and in Nottingham on Sunday afternoon. Notts and Warwickshire supporters may be breathing more easily at the half-way point of this final round.

Somerset vs Hampshire, Division One, The Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton, Taunton

Kyle Abbott wreaked more havoc on Somerset’s batting as Hampshire assumed a dominant position on the second day of the Vitality County Championship Division One game at Taunton.

The visitors gained a first innings lead of 60 in the battle for runners-up spot by extending their overnight score of 62 for five to 196 all out, Toby Albert making 77 and Jack Leach claiming five for 52.

Then Abbott went to work, following his four first innings victims with three for 11 as Somerset slumped to 60 for four by stumps on another rain-shortened day. The 37-year-old seamer has now taken 67 wickets against them during his prolific career, more than against any other county.

Heavy rain overnight and morning drizzle meant a major mopping up job for groundstaff and an early lunch was taken at 12.15pm after two pitch inspections, play eventually getting underway at 12.55pm.

Somerset surprisingly began with seam bowling at both ends, but when left-arm spinner Leach was introduced with the total on 76 for five, his second ball saw Felix Organ, on 12, edge to Kasey Aldridge at second slip.

Albert, who had been dropped before scoring by Aldridge on day one, moved to an immensely valuable 116-ball half-century, with 5 fours. Normally one of Somerset’s best fielders, Aldridge was at fault again when spilling a straightforward chance at square leg, offered by Ben Brown on ten.

Albert hit straight sixes off Leach and Shoaib Bashir as the seventh-wicket partnership with Brown prospered and took Hampshire into the lead before the opener’s 162-ball innings ended, caught behind flashing at a delivery from Aldridge.

Brown departed for 35, caught at backward point, aiming to reverse sweep Leach, to make it 159 for eight. But Somerset’s hopes of restricting the lead suffered a blow when Bashir dropped Abbott at mid-on off Leach.

On two at the time, Abbott went on to score 18 before driving a catch to short cover off Lewis Gregory. James Fuller then hit Archie Vaughan for six over long-on before perishing in the same over, caught at deep extra cover for a rapid 25, aiming another big hit.

Somerset had paid dearly for dropping three catches. But soon they were benefitting from one as Tom Lammonby escaped a low chance to third slip in Abbott’s first over. It didn’t prove costly for Hampshire, however, as Lammonby fell for only a single, edging a catch behind off Mohammad Abbas.

Soon Abbott was wielding his customary spell over Somerset. Bowling from the River End, he pinned Vaughan lbw for 25 and then induced edges from Andy Umeed and Tom Abell, who both fell to slip catches as their side stumbled to 38 for four, still 22 runs behind.

Tom Kohler-Cadmore picked up a delivery from left-arm spinner Liam Dawson over mid-wicket for six as 16 runs were added before a short rain-break, which saw eight overs lost when play resumed at 5.20pm.

Only 2.2 had been bowled when another heavy shower sent the players off again, Somerset just having written off the first innings deficit. A downpour followed and the umpires abandoned play for the day at 5.45pm.

 

Worcestershire vs Lancashire, Division One, County Ground, New Road, Worcester.

Lancashire’s hopes of Vitality County Championship Division One survival suffered a setback when play was washed out on day two against Worcestershire at Visit Worcestershire New Road.

The Red Rose County need to win the final game of the season and hope other results go their way to survive.

But heavy overnight rain left New Road saturated and umpires Graham Lloyd and Alex Wharf abandoned play for the day after a 12.30pm inspection.

Worcestershire had been reduced to 119-7 in the 26 overs possible on the opening day with Tom Bailey and Anderson Phillip both picking up three wickets.

Lancashire began the game 15 points adrift of third from bottom Nottinghamshire.

Essex vs Surrey, Division One, The Cloud County Ground, Chelmsford

Umpires Rob Bailey and Ian Blackwell held an inspection at 1pm and decided no play was possible on day two of the Vitality County Championship match between Essex and Surrey.

Heavy overnight rain on top of an already saturated outfield made the decision inevitable despite the efforts of the Chelmsford groundstaff to shift thousands of litres of water.

The officials made their decision to allow the ground the chance to dry and enable play to take place on the third and fourth days when an improvement in the weather is forecast.

Only 111 minutes were possible on the first morning when Essex reached 116 for the loss of Robin Das’s wicket. Dean Elgar and Tom Westley will continue their unbroken 112-run second-wicket stand when play resumes.

Durham vs Kent, Division One, Seat Unique Riverside, Chester-le-Street, Chester-Le-Street

There was no play possible in Chester-le-Street for the second consecutive day in Durham’s Vitality County Championship clash with Kent due to a wet outfield.

The umpires deemed the outfield unplayable after there was heavy rain throughout Thursday.

Despite the sun shining at the Seat Unique Riverside on Friday morning, the umpires made the decision at 9:50, 40 minutes before the scheduled start.

Durham are looking to consolidate their place in mid-table after securing their Division One status last time out, meanwhile Kent are looking to end a poor season with a win and take some momentum into next year’s campaign in Division Two after their relegation was confirmed prior to this game.

Division Two

Glamorgan vs Gloucestershire, Division Two, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff

Glamorgan 1st Innings: 283 – 4 (Colin Ingram 84, Asa Tribe 70, Will Smale 41, Matt Taylor 3-43)

After a frustrating day of no action on Day 1, Gloucester won the toss and put Glamorgan into bat on a dampish pitch at Sophia Gardens.

With the previous day’s torrential rain a thing of the home side started well when play began at 12 noon, but then found themselves pinned back by another great spell from Matt Taylor.

Having picked up three wickets for 18 runs in the T20 Vitality Blast final triumph over Somerset, he broke up a flourishing partnership between opener Asa Tribe and Colin Ingram that had accumulated 129 runs for the second wicket with the ninth ball after tea when he trapped Tribe lbw for 70.

Ingram, the first player to reach 1,000 first class runs this season, was at his fluent best and hit 12 fours as he faced 96 balls in an innings that lasted just over two hours.

Better was to follow from Taylor when he bowled the dangerous Ingram for 84 in the 50th over to make it 209-3, Two overs later he had Kiran Carlson caught at the wicket by James Bracey for 1. That made it 210-4 to temporarily put the brakes on Glamorgan.

Taylor ended the day with figures of 3-43 from 14 overs, including three maidens. The other wicket to fall went to fellow paceman Tom Price, who removed opener Will Smale for 41 thanks to a catch by his brother, Ollie Price.

Smale laid a solid foundation with Tribe as they put on 79 for the first wicket in 17.3 overs. Had the catching by the visitors been sharper then Glamorgan would have had a tougher day. No fewer than five catching chances went down.

Skipper Sam Northeast and Chris Cooke then got together and put on an enterprising and unbeaten 73 for the fifth wicket before rain stopped play once again at 5.39pm. Cooke plundered seven fours in his 43* in 54 balls, while Northeast was for once the more silent partner with three boundaries in his 27 as Glamorgan reached 283-4 before the day was closed at 5.54pm

 

Leicestershire vs Derbyshire, Division Two, Uptonsteel County Ground, Leicester

More heavy overnight rain caused day two of Leicestershire’s Vitality County Championship match against Derbyshire to go the way of the first - abandoned without a ball bowled.

After the first day’s play was called off shortly after lunch, umpires Neil Bainton and Nigel Llong announced that Friday’s play was off as early as nine o’clock.

The experienced officials consulted with the ground staff at the Uptonsteel County Ground and concluded that areas of the playing surface were so waterlogged that there was no prospect of any action within the scheduled hours of play.

The forecast for tomorrow is better but with temperatures only just creeping into double figures today the drying process is likely to be slow.

Only pride is at stake for either side. Defeats in their last two Division Two matches have ended Leicestershire’s chance of promotion, and Derbyshire’s 16th wooden spoon is all but mathematically confirmed.

Sussex vs Middlesex, Division Two, 1st Central County Ground, Hove, Brighton

There was more frustration for promotion-chasing Middlesex after play was abandoned without a ball bowled for the second day running against Sussex at Hove.

With the outfield saturated and rain still falling, umpires Paul Pollard and Surendiran Shanmugam carried out a brief inspection before making their decision just before midday.

Middlesex now have two days left to try and force victory and make up the 15-point gap between them and second-placed Yorkshire. Already promoted Sussex need four points to secure the title but the likelihood is that they will need fewer with Yorkshire still not on the field against Northamptonshire at Headingley.

Yorkshire vs Northamptonshire, Division Two, Headingley, Leeds

Yorkshire will be promoted to Division One of the Vitality County Championship if they draw their final round clash with Northamptonshire at Headingley after Ben Coad claimed three of six wickets to fall when play finally got underway after tea on day two.

Coad’s three for 29 from 12 overs, including his 300th first-class wicket, left Northamptonshire in trouble at 117 for six from 40 overs, handing Yorkshire two of the maximum 10 points they require to secure second place behind Sussex.  

The start of play was delayed until 3.30pm following first day rain and a wet outfield on day two.

Northamptonshire, with nothing to play for but holding onto fourth place in Division Two, were inserted. George Hill also struck twice with his seamers and Jordan Thompson once. 

Visiting debutant Krish Patel, aged 18, impressed with 26 and George Bartlett top-scored with an unbeaten 41.  

Yorkshire are aiming to hold off the challenge of third-placed Middlesex, who have seen the opening two days of their clash with leaders Sussex abandoned at Hove.

Northamptonshire have handed first-class debuts to both Patel and on-loan Nottinghamshire spinner Fateh Singh, the latter signed only for this game.

Patel was the first to make an impact, and impressively too during an eye-catching 41-ball innings with five fours. 

He came through the Surrey age-groups, played one Metro Bank One-Day Cup game for his home county last season and then signed a two-year rookie professional contract at Wantage Road at the end of last month.

Patel came to the crease late in the third over after Coad had removed opener Gus Miller, caught at first slip by Hill - two for one. 

The diminutive right-hander was strong through the covers off both front foot and back. One square drive off England fringe Test fast bowler Matthew Fisher was particularly memorable.

He shared 42 with the more doughty Luke Procter before edging Thompson’s seam to second slip as the visitors fell to 44 for two in the 15th over. 

Only 20 more runs had been added when Hill bowled Procter, for 25, with his fifth ball, securing Yorkshire’s first point of the fixture. 

Hill had been capped by Yorkshire as the rain fell on day one and was again presented with his cap before play started to give Yorkshire’s supporters chance to acclaim their 23-year-old all-rounder. 

And he added a second wicket when James Sales was bowled for 17 shouldering arms as Northamptonshire fell to 79 for four in the 30th over. 

Conditions were ever-changing through a competitive evening; sun, cloud and even a bit of rain. 

When Coad struck again - for wicket number 300 - the floodlights were on, with Saif Zaib edging to Hill at first slip. Northamptonshire were 106 for five in the 37th over. 

He also had nightwatchman Singh caught at short mid-off in his next over, securing Yorkshire’s second bowling bonus point. That, added to eight points for the draw, would be enough for a Division One return for the first time since 2022. 

Coad, aged 30, is playing his 76th first-class match and his 301 wickets have come at a mighty impressive 19.42 apiece. 

Northamptonshire’s Bartlett hit nine fours in his 52 balls.

For Yorkshire, while promotion was not decided in this short burst of a session, they moved themselves to within touching distance.

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