Still a bit to play for

posted by John Winn

Two outstanding innings and some more undistinguished batting from Notts served to keep the championship pot simmering if not boiling as it enters the last week of the season on Tuesday.

The highest of the two innings came from Middlesex captain Chris Rogers whose 203 not out helped his side secure a draw against Somerset at Taunton and the five extra points thus gained mean Middlesex will start the key final game at Old Trafford with a 19 point advantage over Lancs. This is a very large deficit to overturn in one match and the probability is that it will be the red rose that is  relegated.

 No less worthy than Rogers' innings was that by Hampshire's Will Smith who batted through the two sessions possible at Southampton with little support from anybody else to secure a draw against Kent when during the afternoon defeat had looked likely. Hampshire took ten points when it might so easily have been five and thus plumped up their cushion over Essex for the final round of matches next week. Essex have been on a charge lately with five wins out of the last six and had polished off the hapless Leicestershire in two days. Essex entertain leaders Worcestershire while Hampshire travel to Cardiff (as does this blogger). Current standings are, with all having one match left,
Worcestershire 235 Hants 217 and Essex 207. How Essex must have yearned for the last Hampshire wicket to fall yesterday.

 

In his posting yesterday Brian posed the question who will finish third and Notts the current holder of the position must simply stand and watch next week whilst possibly Sussex and Durham overhaul them and push them down to fifth. Three losses in as many weeks have seen the Trent Bridge side's season turn sour and yesterday they showed  little more resistance against Sussex than they had a week ago  against Yorkshire. For their last match Sussex visit the other East Midlands centre of haplessness, Wantage Road and are no doubt licking their lips at the prospect of a haul of points that will keep them third or even push them up to second. How much prize money the Martlets receive will also depend on the outcome of Warwickshire v Durham at Edgbaston. The Bears have a 15 point advantage over Sussex with Durham a further two points adrift. All things are possible and I leave it to the reader to speculate further.