Somerset’s feared fast-bowling attack did the job inside two days in the Bob Willis Trophy as they beat Northamptonshire by 167 runs.
After a first day on which 21 wickets fell at Wantage Road, another 19 were accounted for as Somerset became the first side to win two games in the ECB’s new red-ball competition.
After bowling out Northants for 67 on Saturday, Somerset went on to build on their 99-run first-innings lead, being dismissed for a rapid 222 inside 40 overs to set the hosts an unlikely 322 to win.
But, from 148-4, Northants lost their last six wickets for six runs inside 24 balls, Jamie Overton (4-26) and Jack Brooks (4-40) doing most of the damage.
While Somerset’s 19-point haul lifts them above Worcestershire to the top of Central Group, all the hosts got was three points and an on-field end-of-match chat with ECB cricket liaison officer Tim Boon – a far cry from last week when Northants rallied superbly to salvage a draw against Warwickshire at Edgbaston.
While Somerset were easy winners, most of the other eight group games are evenly poised – although it was not a good day for Hampshire’s England spinner Liam Dawson, who was taken off with a serious-looking Achilles tendon injury against Middlesex.
North Group
Derbyshire are in a strong position to make it two wins from two games against Leicestershire in the meeting of the North Group’s surprise top two.
Replying to the Foxes’ 199, Wayne Madsen made 103 and Harvey Hosein and Leus du Plooy both hit half-centuries as Derbyshire amassed 408.
They then had one over at Leicestershire before the close, but nightwatchman Callum Parkinson survived it, to leave Derbyshire still 207 ahead.
Nottinghamshire wicketkeeper Tom Moores made a career-best 106, backed by 50 from skipper Steven Mullaney, as the hosts side batted all day to be bowled out by Yorkshire for 355 – a 91-run first-innings lead.
Lancashire also claimed a healthy first-innings lead in their meeting with Durham.
Josh Bohannon (75) and Luke Wood (46) were their main contributors as the Red Rose moved slowly on from their overnight 33-0 to close on 284-9 – a lead of 104.
Central Group
Glamorgan fought back well on 181-2 in response to a massive 455-8 from Worcestershire.
Worcestershire’s overnight centurions Jake Libby and Brett D’Oliveira took their stand to 318 – just 12 short of matching the Pears’ county fourth-wicket record (set by Graeme Hick and Ben Smith at Taunton in 2006).
But it was a best for any Worcestershire wicket against Glamorgan, Libby finishing on a career-best 184, while D’Oliveira (174) made his highest score in four years.
Ed Barnard removed both Glamorgan openers Nick Selman and Charlie Hemphrey before Kiran Carlson (76 not out) and Billy Root (53 not out) righted the ship with a so far unbroken stand of 137.
By contrast, runs have proved harder to come by a bit further down the M5 for Gloucestershire and Warwickshire at Bristol.
After Oliver Hannon-Dalby had taken the last two wickets to complete career-best figures of 6-33 to finish off Gloucestershire for 210, Warwickshire edged to a narrow lead on 230-8, of which Matt Lamb top-scored with 65 from 137 balls.
The Northants collapse against Somerset was at least a marginal improvement from the first innings when they lost their last five wickets for just two runs – but three of their tail-enders, Gareth Berg, Ben Sanderson and Brandon Glover all bagged pairs in the match.
Jamie Overton (5-40), Josh Davey (5-46), Brooks (5-56) and Craig Overton (4-52) all enjoyed impressive match hauls, while the Overton twins swung the bat successfully too.
Jamie’s 68 off 43 balls and Craig’s 53 off 30 in Somerset’s second innings were the game’s two highest scores – with seven sixes between them.
South Group
Jordan Cox became the latest teenager to register a first-class century as Kent piled up 338-1 in reply to 332 all out from Sussex.
Cox was unbeaten on 167 at the close, having so far put on 231 for the second wicket with Yorkshire old boy Jack Leaning, who is 110 not out on his home debut.
At 19 years and 293 days, a worthy effort from Cox – but he is still over two years senior to the youngest-ever centurion in English first-class county cricket, also a Kent player, Godfrey Bryan, at 17 years and 245 days, almost exactly 100 years ago.
Hampshire edged ahead on 279-7 against Middlesex at Radlett, in reply to the hosts’ 252. But it was at a cost after Dawson, part of England’s white-ball squad for last week’s one-day international series against Ireland, fell awkwardly while batting and crumpled to the ground, on 43, before being carried off.
Essex, winners last week, again look in a good position after bowling out Surrey for 187, Simon Harmer (6-67) and Jamie Porter (4-53) sharing the 10 wickets between them.
Having earlier added just nine runs, to be bowled out for 262, that was still a 75-run first-innings lead, to which they had added 13-0 by the close second time around.
Article courtesy of BBC Sport
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