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The Guardian
20-05-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
County cricket talking points: Notts stay top but Surrey are on the prowl
At the end of day one, Haseeb Hameed had carried his bat for 206, his team had posted more than 400 and Nottinghamshire's position at the top of Division One was secure. At the end of day four, all of that was still true but quite a lot had happened in-between. James Minto, Durham's 17-year-old left-arm seamer with a grand total of 40 runs in his previous four first-class matches, took guard for the first time this season and made 67 as a nightwatching opener. Alex Lees made 82 at the other end; Emilio Gay delivered a second century for his new county; Ollie Robinson made 141; and Graham Clark cashed in on coming to the crease at 402 for 5 with a ton of his own. Liam Patterson-White's five wickets cost him 179 runs, but no bowler had figures to be proud of and a shellshocked Hameed walked to the middle a second time a scarcely-believable 257 in arrears. That deficit had been reduced to 190 for the loss of just one wicket by the start of day four and the obituaries for the pitch were being drafted. The match still looked likely to finish as a draw even after a couple of quick wickets, as Ben Slater was set and Joe Clark was en route to the fifth ton of the match, but Kyle Verreynne got out for his second middling score of the game and the tail's resistance was swept away by Ben Raine. Durham's batters had 18 overs to get the 91 they needed in the last session of the match and they weren't all going to fail. Colin Ackermann's 53 got the job done and left the visitors with a long drive south to lick their wounds. Nottinghamshire stay top of Division One but they'll need to rise from the canvas at Headingley on Friday. Surrey have woken up and are looming in Notts' rear-view mirror. It was like their spluttering start to the season had never happened as a phalanx of seamers (this time Nathan Smith, Matt Fisher, Tom Lawes and Jordan Clark) encountered resistance only from Yorkshire's old pros, Adam Lyth and Jonny Bairstow. A mention must also go to Dan Lawrence, whose eccentric off-breaks chipped in with a couple of wickets. He has now bowled the second most overs for the champions – I bet they didn't tell him that when he signed up at the start of last season. It was a familiar story. No batter made three figures but they all made two, as Kurtis Patterson introduced himself with 85, and the locals piled up more than 500 in the south London sunshine. George Hill was the pick of the bowlers with 5 for 66, but only Bairstow could hold off the inevitable in the Tykes' second dig and his 77 merely delayed the innings defeat. Surrey's ability to rotate players as impressive as Lawes (3-77, 3-47 and 37 not out) shows how strong they are from No 1 to No 22. Were they really just teasing us with those four draws? Worcestershire, off the back of four defeats, were invited to bat at New Road and the story was a familiar one until Matthew Waite marshalled the tail to add 166 runs for the last three wickets. Late-order runs count the same as any others, but they can lift morale and frustrate opponents – they're worth more than they look. Essex were suddenly 9 for 2 and on their way to 157 all out, with the home fans' spirits soaring. Seven LBWs soon flattened the optimism – Jamie Porter, Shane Snater and Simon Harmer in no mood for charity – but Ethan Brooke's 38 from No 9 had pushed the target out to 336 and the Pears were looking ripe for a first success of the season. Matthew Waite starred again with 6 for 19 as Essex folded quicker than a cheap deckchair in a Clacton gale. The Yorkshire-born all-rounder is finally getting a run of matches injury-free and his 296 runs at 29.6 and 23 wickets at 17.5 speak for themselves. He'll need some help to get his team off the foot of the table though, with local rivals Warwickshire up next to finish the Championship's first tranche of matches. Somerset's second win on the bounce has lifted them to seventh place, just nine points off Warwickshire in third. Lewis Gregory and Josh Davey formed an unlikely pair of openers, but they provided a foundation for a first innings of 338, perfectly acceptable after being asked to bat. Archie Vaughan, another increasingly resourceful Somerset cricketer, top-scored with 80. Sussex never got going against an extremely experienced home attack first time round but, as is so often the case, they did rather better after being asked to follow on. Skipper John Simpson led the late order in adding 206 for the last four wickets as the Somerset bowlers, with the main five in their 30s, understandably tired. Not so Gregory, who led from the top with 89 of the 150 his team needed for the win. Sign up to The Spin Subscribe to our cricket newsletter for our writers' thoughts on the biggest stories and a review of the week's action after newsletter promotion Ian 'Dutchy' Holland is having the season of his life, the bowler with the most wickets at the lowest average and lowest economy rate in Division Two taking Leicestershire 30 points clear at the top of the table. Thirteen years on from winning the Cricket Superstar reality TV show in Australia, the USA international is turning into Grace Road's very own Harry Styles (maybe not, but I'm infected by the T20 Blast marketing hype that is getting into full swing). At Lord's, his first fivefer of the campaign rolled Middlesex for 232 before Peter Handscomb did for Leicestershire what he could seldom do when playing for the Seaxes – make a crucial score. His first-innings 87, having had a stumping reprieve, was the only half-century of the match, and looked even better when the home side collapsed from 65 for 1 to 143 all out in their second innings. The Foxes' Australian skipper was at the crease when the winning run was scored and he would hardly have been human had he not allowed himself a little smirk in the Long Room as he reflected on how life can turn around after his miserable time as captain at Lord's in 2020 and 2021. There are only two ways to win a first-class cricket match – score the run that lifts your team one above the opposition or break the second-innings' 10th-wicket partnership before they do that to you. But, such is the gift of hindsight, there are many ways you can fail to win a cricket match. Amid the relief at stopping the rot with a decent performance against Derbyshire, new Lancashire captain Marcus Harris may be reflecting on where the match was drawn – and it certainly felt like a loss. After a traumatic week that saw Keaton Jennings step down as captain and public statements from the club acknowledging the unacceptability of what has been sloshed on to the plates of members and fans so far, perhaps a first-day scoreboard showing 250 for 5 with Luke Wells, restored to his opening slot making 141, was perfectly acceptable. But a run rate of 2.6 across a whole day with a man to bat around speaks to a lack of confidence, the price of which was paid on the fourth afternoon when Jimmy Anderson and co ran into a fine rearguard action from Anuj Dal (173 minutes), Ben Aitchison (34) and Jack Morley (45) with only the injured Blair Tickner padded up in the dressing room. Had they batted with more urgency on day one, would an hour or so more on day four have made the difference? Lancashire, still winless, are off the bottom and unbeaten Derbyshire are in the second promotion slot. This article is from The 99.94 Cricket Blog.
Powys County Times
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Powys County Times
Alex Lees' half-century helps Durham close in on Nottinghamshire total
Durham trail Rothesay County Championship Division One leaders Nottinghamshire by 87 runs following half-centuries from James Minto, captain Alex Lees and Emilio Gay. Gay will resume unbeaten on 74, alongside Ollie Robinson (25), after respective knocks of 67 and 82 from openers Minto and Lees helped the hosts reach 320 for four at stumps on day two at Chester-le-Street. Ben Foakes hit 86 and Kurtis Patterson registered 85 as Surrey established a 129-run advantage against Yorkshire at the Oval. Ben Foakes' brilliant innings comes to an end as he is caught behind for 86. Top knock, Foakesy! 🫡 Surrey 351/7, leading by 98 as Nathan Smith comes to the crease. 🤎 | #SurreyCricket — Surrey Cricket (@surreycricket) May 17, 2025 The reigning champions closed on 384 for seven, with Yorkshire's George Hill taking four for 58 after his side were bowled out for 255 on day one. Archie Vaughan hit 80 as Somerset made 338 before enforcing the follow-on against Sussex at Taunton. Sussex will resume on 127 for four in the second innings, trailing by 59 runs, after opener Tom Haines made 50 before being trapped lbw by Migael Pretorius. At Edgbaston, pace bowler Kyle Abbott took five for 47 to put Hampshire in command against Warwickshire. ⌚STUMPS | Hampshire: 159-6 (46) lead by 265 runs. Albert and Wheal make it through to the close of play 🤝 Fletcha Middleton made 76, his highest score of the season, as we build a healthy lead in Birmingham 🏗️ @trethowansllp 🔢 Match Centre 👉 — Hampshire Cricket (@hantscricket) May 17, 2025 Abbott's second five-for in successive games helped dismiss Warwickshire for 194 before the away team – spearheaded by Fletcha Middleton's 76 from 124 balls – moved on to 159 for six in their second innings to lead by 265. Essex trail Worcestershire by 259 runs after being bowled out for 157 following three wickets apiece for Tom Taylor and Matthew Waite. The hosts were 58 for five at stumps, adding to a first innings total of 358. In Division Two, England great James Anderson marked his first competitive outing since his international farewell last June by taking two wickets for Lancashire to help reduce Derbyshire to 112 for four at Old Trafford. Vintage Jimmy Anderson — Rothesay County Championship (@CountyChamp) May 17, 2025 Derbyshire trail by 346 runs after the struggling hosts, who are seeking a first win of the season, posted 458. Cameron Green's unbeaten century helped Gloucestershire hit back against Kent at Bristol. His knock of 102 off 150 balls, plus 69 not out from James Bracey, propelled the home team on to 307 for four in response to Kent's first-innings total of 424. All-rounder Ben Kellaway led the way with 95 off 104 deliveries as Glamorgan tightened their grip on their contest with Northamptonshire in Cardiff. Cam Green playing absolutely beautifully here in Bristol 🔥 #BecomeGlorious — Gloucestershire Cricket 🏆 (@Gloscricket) May 17, 2025 Captain Sam Northeast (67), Kiran Carlson (54) and Timm van der Gugten (61) also impressed in a total of 424, before seamer Andy Gorvin took two wickets in the penultimate over to leave the visitors on 49 for three in their second innings, trailing by 190. Peter Handscomb returned to haunt his former county Middlesex with a knock of 87 as Leicestershire kept their noses in front at Lord's.
The Independent
17-05-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Alex Lees' half-century helps Durham close in on Nottinghamshire total
Durham trail Rothesay County Championship Division One leaders Nottinghamshire by 87 runs following half centuries from James Minto, captain Alex Lees and Emilio Gay. Gay will resume unbeaten on 74, alongside Ollie Robinson (25), after respective knocks of 67 and 82 from openers Minto and Lees helped the hosts reach 320 for four at stumps on day two at Chester-le-Street. Ben Foakes hit 86 and Kurtis Patterson registered 85 as Surrey established a 129-run advantage against Yorkshire at the Oval. The reigning champions closed on 384 for seven, with Yorkshire's George Hill taking four for 58 after his side were bowled out for 255 on day one. Archie Vaughan hit 80 as Somerset made 338 before enforcing the follow-on against Sussex at Taunton. Sussex will resume on 127 for four in the second innings, trailing by 59 runs, after opener Tom Haines made 50 before being trapped lbw by Migael Pretorius. At Edgbaston, pace bowler Kyle Abbott took five for 47 to put Hampshire in command against Warwickshire. Abbott's second five-for in successive games helped dismiss Warwickshire for 194 before the away team – spearheaded by Fletcha Middleton's 76 from 124 balls – moved on to 159 for six in their second innings to lead by 265. Essex trail Worcestershire by 259 runs after being bowled out for 157 following three wickets apiece for Tom Taylor and Matthew Waite. The hosts were 58 for five at stumps, adding to a first innings total of 358. In Division Two, England great James Anderson marked his first competitive outing since his international farewell last June by taking two wickets for Lancashire to help reduce Derbyshire to 112 for four at Old Trafford. Derbyshire trail by 346 runs after the struggling hosts, who are seeking a first win of the season, posted 458.
BBC News
17-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Durham batters fight back against leaders Notts
Rothesay County Championship Division One, Banks Homes Riverside (day two)Nottinghamshire 407: Hameed 206*; Yusuf 4-99Durham 320-4: Lees 82, Gay 74*, Minto 67; Abbas 2-74Durham (5 pts) trail Nottinghamshire (5 pts) by 87 runsMatch scorecard James Minto, Alex Lees and Emilio Gay starred with the bat as Durham fought back on day two of their County Championship clash with was well and truly Durham's morning as Minto, who came in as nightwatcher to see out one over at the end of day one, became the county's youngest ever half-centurion at the age of 17 years and 172 days. He played beautifully along with his skipper Lees to take the hosts to lunch without hit back in the afternoon, picking up three wickets including Minto for an excellent 67 and Lees for a gritty 82, but Gay remained calm and composed in the evening to pass fifty and get his side to 320-4 at the close, still trailing by 87. Minto, who had only scored 40 runs in his four previous first-class matches, looked the part with the bat as he dominated the Nottinghamshire bowling attack in the morning session with some lovely strokes and the left-arm bowler, who opens in club cricket, demonstrated skills that could see him develop into a genuine on 2-0, Minto and Lees kicked things off in the morning. The former got the first boundary of the day with a lovely cover drive for four off the bowling of Brett teenager frustrated the experienced bowling pair of Mohammad Abbas and Hutton as he played some nice shots including a delightful cut shot for four. He then played two more glorious strokes on the offside from the bowling of was happy to be a foil to Minto's aggression, but he picked up his first boundary of the day as he guided one past third for brought up his first career half-century from 61 deliveries with his eighth boundary of the day, but Nottinghamshire restricted Durham before lunch with Rob Lord and Freddie McCann keeping things got the breakthrough soon after lunch with Hutton getting Minto for a fantastic 67 as he went for one shot too many, pulling one straight to Haseeb Hameed at square leg. Lees went to his fifty soon after, with the milestone coming from 96 deliveries and he was joined in the middle by England Lions man Ben McKinney, who looked good in the early stages of his continued to underline his attacking intentions as he plundered a McCann ball straight down the ground to the boundary, but shortly after he edged an Abbas ball to Kyle Verreynne to depart for continued to tick along nicely with Gay joining him in the middle and the ex-Northamptonshire man helped Durham steer the ship in the face of some tight bowling from the then picked up a rare boundary as he pulled a Lord delivery to the rope to relieve a bit of pressure and Gay followed that up with a nice shot through the got a second life just before tea, after he edged a Lyndon James ball towards Joe Clarke at first slip but he could not take the chance with the Durham man on 30. However, they did get a big breakthrough in the next over as Lees was caught behind for 82 with Liam Patterson-White the one to get the Durham economical bowling continued into the evening session as Gay and new batter Colin Ackermann struggled to find the boundary, but the latter broke the shackles as he drove a Patterson-White ball down the ground for was making the league leaders pay for the drop as he became the third Durham player to pass fifty in the innings, with his coming from a more attritional 113 second new ball came for Nottinghamshire and runs started to flow for Ackermann who played a delightful shot off Abbas for four, but he then departed for 37 as he edged a beauty from Abbas to Verreynne behind the stumps to give the visitors a much-needed Robinson joined Gay at the crease and played a lovely shot through the covers to take Durham to the 300 mark and the pair took Durham to stumps without further loss. ECB Reporters' Network supported by Rothesay
BBC News
14-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Teenager Minto signs pro contract with Durham
Young fast bowler James Minto has signed a first professional contract with Durham, with his rookie deal running until the end of the 2026 was handed his first-class debut last September against Surrey at Kia Oval when still only 16, and became the second youngest bowler since World War Two to take a left-armer, now 17, played for England Under-19s on their tour of South Africa in the winter."It's great to see James rewarded for the excellent performances he has put in for Durham over the last couple of seasons," said, external Durham's director of cricket Marcus North."He has impressed with his skills but his maturity and match awareness at just 17 has been impressive."
