Championship Div 1 - May 23

The showers continued to disrupt play to a large extent up and down the country today.

Essex v Surrey, Chelmsford

Day 1 close Surrey 337-8 (Bicknell 117*, Thorpe 52, Napier 4-73)
Day 2 close Surrey 376 (Bicknell 141, Azhar Mahmood 77, Thorpe 52, Napier 4-82, Brant 3-94) and 7-0, Essex 252 (Dakin 59, Flower 51, Bicknell 4-67, Ormond 3-68)

Jonathan Batty struck a career-best 168* as Surrey progressed into an unassailable position against Essex today. Aided by rapid knocks of 51 by Adam Hollioake and a customary thrash by Ally Brown of 64 in just 57 balls, Surrey moved on to 381-7 before the rain returned, giving the visitors a lead of 505 runs. For Essex, Graham Napier stuck well to his task, ending with four wickets for the second time in the match.

Surrey 376 (Bicknell 141, Azhar Mahmood 77, Thorpe 52, Napier 4-82, Brant 3-94) and 381-7 (Batty 168*, Brown 64, Hollioake 51, Napier 4-124), Essex 252 (Dakin 59, Flower 51, Bicknell 4-67, Ormond 3-68)


Leicestershire v Middlesex, Leicester

Day 1 close Middlesex 201 (Noffke 40, Maddy 5-49, Masters 3-33), Leicestershire 19-3 (Keegan 2-12)
Day 2 close Middlesex 201 (Noffke 40, Maddy 5-49, Masters 3-33), Leicestershire 136-8 (Cook 4-33, Keegan 3-40)

Leicestershire's first innings went into a third day as the weather continued to vent its spleen over Grace Road. In a game which seems destined for a draw, creative captaincy excepting, just an hour's play was possible as the home side closed in on a batting point with Snape still undefeated.

Middlesex 201 (Noffke 40, Maddy 5-49, Masters 3-33), Leicestershire 167-8 (Snape 40*, Cook 4-33, Keegan 3-40)


Sussex v Nottinghamshire, Horsham

Day 1 close Sussex 330-5 (Montgomerie 105, Cottey 58, MacGill 3-96)
Day 2 close Sussex 619-7 (Prior 133, Montgomerie 105, Innes 103*, Elworthy 3-107, MacGill 3-172), Nottinghamshire 85-1 (Welton 45*, Gallian 36)

Nottinghamshire, requiring a mammoth 470 to avoid the follow-on set off in pursuit of their target with gusto. At 4-139 and with man of history James Kirtley bowling well, the target seemed a very distant prospect.
Enter Kevin Pietersen and Bilal Shafayat, and the pair totally dominated the late morning and afternoon sessions. Shafayat scored a fine 71 at just the wrong side of a run a ball, and when he was dismissed the pair had added 193 for the fifth wicket. Pietersen's three hour innings brought the reward of a fine century, and when he was finally dismissed, last man out for 166, Nottinghamshire were still 49 shy of their target.
Mushtaq Ahmed's 37-over marathon brought him the reward of six wickets for 163.
It was no surprise when the visitors were asked to bat again, and in the two hours of play which remained, Darren Bicknell and Jason Gallian reduced the arrears still further with an unbroken opening partnership of 103.

Sussex 619-7 (Prior 133, Montgomerie 105, Innes 103*, Elworthy 3-107, MacGill 3-172), Nottinghamshire 421 (Pietersen 166, Shafayat 71, Welton 50, Mushtaq Ahmed 6-163) and 103-0 (Bicknell 61*, Gallian 38*)


Warwickshire v Kent, Edgbaston

Day 1 close Warwickshire 195-7 (Troughton 120, Saggers 3-41)
Day 2 close Warwickshire 280-9 (Troughton 120, Betts 46, Saggers 4-50)

Neil Smith duly completed his half-century as the home side took their first innings on to 311 before Saggers picked up his fifth wicket of the innings.
Kent had a frustrating time of it themselves as intermittent rain and bad light continually threatened to interrupt proceedings. After Tredwell departed early, Michael Carberry and Ed Smith added 89 for the second wicket. Carberry departed for 58, leaving the visitors on 128-3, but Blewett and Walker saw them safely through to the close with no further alarms.

Warwickshire 311 (Troughton 120, N Smith 57, Saggers 5-62), Kent 196-3 (Carberry 58, Sheikh 2-64)


Posted by Eddie