After two days of what is effectively the championship decider, Surrey’s lead is back to where it was at the start of play. On the second day, it was Nottinghamshire’s turn to hoover up the three bowling bonus points on offer, thus reducing Surrey’s advantage to one point again. All that remains now is to work out who will take the 16 points for the victory and, in all probability, the title.
That the game will end in a positive result is not in question — unless the weather gods intervene — but the outcome remains uncertain still, after a wildly see-sawing second day in which the bowlers on both sides held sway and 17 wickets fell. With two second-innings wickets remaining, Nottinghamshire’s lead is 277 and they have the clear advantage by dint of the fact that Surrey will have to make the highest score of the match to win.
Against expectation, having made a bright start in their first innings, Surrey conceded a substantial — in the context of a low-scoring game — lead of 58, but then reduced Nottinghamshire to 89 for six. At that point, another home victory looked on the cards, but a vital partnership of 91, the highest of the match, between Lyndon James and Liam Patterson-White revived Nottinghamshire’s challenge again. As with most matches where the bowlers have been in charge, it has been an intriguing watch.
Ben Slater is bowled by Dan Worrall during Nottinghamshire’s second innings at the Oval
PAUL DENNIS/TGS PHOTO/SHUTTERSTOCK
Both James and Patterson-White played important roles in getting their team over the line in the most recent championship game away to Worcestershire, another low-scoring dogfight. They combined to give their team the advantage again, accumulating sensibly as Surrey pushed the field back, and as the ball softened and the pitch eased a touch. In keeping with the nip-and-tuck nature of the day, both fell towards the close, James having become becalmed with his half-century in sight.
Given the summer heat, the lack of rain and the occasional use of the Kookaburra ball, it has not been the easiest of summer for bowlers of any description. Surrey’s reputation, and the strength of their seam attack, has also worked against them, as teams have nullified pitches for their visit. Coming into this match, both sides had only 28 bowling bonus points, and only one other team in the division (Warwickshire) had fewer than that.
So the seam bowlers of both sides have grasped the opportunity here eagerly. Gus Atkinson and Matt Fisher shared nine wickets on the first day; Nottinghamshire four seamers shared all ten in Surrey’s first innings, before Fisher got into the action again second time around, taking four wickets in his opening spell and completing his first ten-wicket haul in first-class cricket with the late wicket of James. With an important Lions tour around the corner, Fisher’s has been a timely haul.
With Robert Redford’s passing, it is time to recount The Sting that turned the morning, and possibly the match, around. About an hour into the second day’s play, Surrey were cruising, their seemingly unstoppable march to a fourth consecutive championship title unfolding before our eyes. Forty minutes later, they had stumbled; by mid-afternoon they had conceded an unexpected lead, and by the close their unbeaten record this season was under threat.
The bare facts were these: with captain Rory Burns approaching a half-century and nightwatchman Tom Lawes doing his bit, Surrey were 101 for one in the 33rd over of their first innings. Eight overs later, they were 129 for six, with their vaunted top and middle order having come and gone, and ten overs after that they had conceded a first-innings lead that never looked likely when Burns was flowing towards his half-century.
The explanation involves a variety of factors: one or two poor shots — Burns missed a straight ball that he normally would clip safely through the leg side and Dan Lawrence spooned a leading edge to mid-on; good, relentless seam bowling, with Brett Hutton and James starting the rot, and then Josh Tongue mopping up the tail; and a pitch that remained helpful to bowling, on account of the indentations created on the first day, when dampness prevailed.
Nottinghamshire’s difficulties against the new ball second time around indicated that conditions had scarcely eased. Fisher’s opening spell of 5-0-16-4 was as good as anything in the game, as he moved the ball appreciably from a fuller length than he had mined the day before. For his ten-wicket haul to be a match-winning one, though, someone will have to play a defining innings for the champions. This was Nottinghamshire’s day.
Aldridge’s 149 shows Somerset what they will be missing next year
Taunton (second day of four; Somerset won toss): Somerset have scored 381 for seven wickets against Hampshire
After the loss of the first day’s play to rain, wind and health and safety concerns incomprehensible to a good many spectators, an innings of some promise was played by a 24 year-old batsman who has come through the academy at Taunton (Ivo Tennant writes). Kasey Aldridge, who made an unbeaten 149, would seemingly be one for the future. Only that will not be in the west country but in the north east, for he will be joining Durham next year.
Aldridge was partnered by Tom Abell in a partnership of 221 after Somerset had lost their first five wickets for 99. The former captain made the 20th first-class century of his career with 14 fours, combatting the pace of Kyle Abbott, the swing of Keith Barker and the rather flat off spin of Washington Sundar, who has joined Hampshire for their two final County Championship matches. There was little to separate them in their ability to consolidate and then take the attack to their opponents.
Aldridge starred for Somerset — but will be playing for Durham next year
HARRY TRUMP/GETTY IMAGES
So why is Aldridge, Millfield-educated, spurning the offer of a new contract from Somerset? He wants to take part in all formats of the game and, having played for England Under-19 in 2019-20, would not have considered 34 first-class appearances in four seasons to be sufficient to have furthered his all-round talents. He has, after all, taken 76 wickets through his primary strength, medium-fast bowling.
When he and Abell achieved a record partnership for their county’s sixth wicket against Hampshire, they surpassed the 188 scored two years ago by James Rew and Aldridge himself. Somerset had chosen to bat with rain and potential movement still in the air on the basis that this pitch will take spin for Jack Leach later in the match. This appeared initially to be the wrong decision when Tom Kohler-Cadmore mistimed a hook to a deepish square leg and Tom Lammonby and Archie Vaughan were both caught behind the wicket.
Rew was off the mark with a flicked six off Barker before sumptuously cover driving Eddie Jack’s first two balls to the boundary, but he soon played on to James Fuller. Lewis Goldsworthy was neatly held down the leg side by Ben Brown off Sundar, but Aldridge was soon pulling and driving to good effect, striking five sixes into both the Colin Atkinson and Andy Caddick pavilions. There were 16 fours in addition. When he reached his century his initial salute — or was it a gesture? — was aimed in the direction of Somerset’s committee room.
Allison falls short of century but helps Essex take step towards safety
Edgbaston (second day of four: Warwickshire won toss): Essex have scored 325 for five against Warwickshire
Having begun the season as a 20-year old who had yet to make his first-class debut, this could have hardly have been a better year for Charles Allison, apart from being bowled second ball for nought by his elder brother Ben, the Worcestershire all-rounder, back in May (Geoffrey Dean writes). He came into this match with three championship hundreds, including a career-best 140 against Surrey, and fell just two short of a fourth here while ensuring Essex will take several batting points from this encounter.
Given that his county are not mathematically safe from relegation, Allison’s innings was all the more important. With a poor forecast for Birmingham on Wednesday, after no play was possible on the first day, the likelihood of a draw here on what is a flattish pitch looks strong. That, along with a decent hand of bonus points, ought to be enough to safeguard Essex’s top-flight status with one round of matches to go.
Allison, who represented England Under-19 two years ago, looks an outstanding prospect. Not quite six foot, he is quick on his feet, moving them decisively while playing late and straight. To be entrusted with the fourth spot in the order points to how highly Essex rate him. Well-organised in defence, he drove powerfully down the ground and through the covers as well as showing strength off the back foot.
Having come to the crease in the 37th over, when Dean Elgar was caught at second slip, Allison soon lost Tom Westley when Ethan Bamber removed his off stump. The in-form Matt Critchley, fresh from two hundreds in his two previous innings, joined him to add 98 at four an over. Critchley went past 800 championship runs for the season before Michael Booth had him caught behind for a positive 47.
Having applied himself diligently to reach fifty from 113 balls, Allison accelerated with some impressive stroke selection, using his feet particularly well against the spinners. It took him only another 38 balls to reach 90, whereupon he was deprived of the strike.
He took another 24 balls to go from 90 to 98, playing and missing several times against the second new ball, until he edged Bamber to slip. In all, he faced 175 balls, hitting 14 for four.