If it is September it must be Scarborough

 posted by John Winn

And so it is, for on Sunday Yorkshire take on Somerset in the second round of the last stage of matches in this season's county championship. Yorkshire come into the match still 16.5 (sic) points behind Group 1 leaders Warwickshire after a most frustrating day at the Ageas Bowl yesterday. I followed events closely on the streamed service as last pair Kyle Abbott and Brad Wheal held out for the final six overs. As the light faded Yorkshire raided the helmet cupboard and employed spin at both ends but to no avail. Wheal faced twenty two balls without scoring and Abbott batted for nearly an hour for his nine not out as Hampshire finished 215 short of their nominal target. Yorkshire took 12 points from the match, Hants 11. Just one more wicket would have given Yorkshire another 8 points and taken them above Hants and Somerset in the table. 

Both teams will probably apply the  'must win' label to next week's game at North Marine Road. Somerset travel to Yorkshire on the back of a fearful thrashing by Notts, a game which they lost 23 to 2 on points and the mood among their supporters expressed through social media is that once again the most coveted prize has eluded them. Yorkshire are still handicapped by the low number of points they carried forward from phase1(see above) In the other two matches in the top group Notts, no doubt cocker hoop after their first win at Taunton in first class cricket since 1985 take on Lancashire at Trent Bridge while leaders Warwickshire entertain Hampshire. Remember all matches start at 10:30. 

A family celebration prevents me seeing any cricket on Sunday but I will be at NMR on Monday and Riverside on Tuesday. It has been a frustrating week for Durham members with this week's scheduled game with Surrey being called off late on Saturday night when a Surrey player tested positive for covid. The cynic in me says that the match would have been played had Surrey been in with a shout of the championship but as the teams are in Division Two that of course was not the case. Glamorgan, covid permitting, make the long trip to County Durham and Durham will be seeking revenge for the defeat to the Welshmen in the Royal London Cup final last month. 

Sticking with Scarborough readers might just recognise this signature as that of Ted Dexter whose death was announced two weeks ago. I collected it on or around the 31st of August 1957 at Scarborough when as part of what was then the traditional festival Yorkshire played MCC. Dexter came to Scarborough after a very successful season with Cambridge University and lined up in a MCC side which included Bill Edrich, Doug Insole, Trevor Bailey and Frank Tyson all of whose signatures I collected at the match in question. Yorkshire won the match by 8 wickets with Dexter ct Binks bowled Wardle 30 in the first innings and bowled Pickles 0 in the second. 'Lord Ted' stayed on the Yorkshire coast for the second match of the festival this time representing the Gentlemen in their match with the Players when in the second innings 'driving powerfully' he hit 88 before being caught Taylor bowled Trueman. 

Dexter of course went on to be captain of England and was one of the most exciting batsmen of that era. It is commonly acknowledged that his innings against the West Indies at Lord's in 1963 is one of the greatest test match innings ever played. He hit 70 off 73 balls with ten fours from an attack including Hall, Griffith, Sobers and Gibbs. My father only went to Lord's once in his lifetime, nice timing for he was there to see that innings.