Second Division Championship cricket resumes next week with two matches, one of which provides Northants with an opportunity to regain momentum after their defeat inside two days at Manchester two weeks ago. The 'Rose among Shires' have been the pace setters since the start of the season but although they still lead the table by seventeen points, Lancashire have a game in hand and given the heavy defeat they suffered at Old Trafford Northants will be anxious to get back to their early season form on Monday. Given that their chief executive, David Smith was very critical of the Old Trafford wicket on which 18 wickets fell on the first day it will be interesting to see what sort of strip Wantage Road offers next week. The County Ground is hardly likely to be bursting at the seams but if this game doesn't attract a decent crowd to watch four day cricket then it is hard to think of one that will.
The other game in this division starting on Monday is between Glamorgan and Hampshire at Cardiff, two teams that have one win each so far this campaign and who lie seventh and sixth respectively. Both sides are a long way behind the top two and a draw is of little use to either if they have realistic ambitions of gaining promotion. The other five sides in the second tier must wait a little longer before they can reappear in 'whites'. Bottom club Kent open the Cheltenham Festival on July 10th and Essex, Leicestershire and Worcestershire are not in action until the following week.
After this little burst of matches T20 takes over again until August 2nd when Essex will be the odd ones out in having no game. In a posting I made in May reviewing the early weeks of the season I was not very complimentary about Worcestershire suggesting that this would be a year when unusually. they would not be promoted or relegated but the current table sees them in third place, although still 33 points behind Northants They have three wins from the last five games and if leading wicket taker Alan Richardson can keep fit there might be considerable interest in their last match of the season when Northants visit New Road.
Essex's record is almost identical to Worcestershire's and it is only the three points that they have had deducted for slow over rates that puts them fourth rather than third. These two sides meet at Chelmsford in early September but after that Essex conclude their programme with games against the three sides currently occupying the last three places.
Gloucestershire lie fifth with a game in hand. Coach John Bracewell has been bullish about their chances in T20 but their two championship victories have been against teams below them in the table. Much will depend on their two games in successive weeks at Cheltenham. A good start against Kent could be just the lift they need for the visit of Worcestershire to the college ground the following week. My memory recalls a game I saw in the 1999 festival between these two teams when 'Glos' skipper Mark Alleyne invited The Pears to take first knock and they showed their gratitude by making 591 for 7 with centuries for Weston, Hick and Solanki. Despite a second innings hundred for Kim Barnett, Alleyne's men lost by five wickets. Jack Russell was of course keeping for Gloucestershire, I expect he will be present again this year but only to sell his paintings.
Finally and away from county cricket Doncaster now know their opponents in the last 16 of the National KO for South Northumberland heavily defeated Blaydon yesterday. In the village cup Sessay, Sheriff Hutton Bridge and Streethouse all made progress in Sunday's games.
Photograph is from Sessay.
No comments:
Post a Comment