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CC2: Worcs close on Title

Monday, September 8 2003

Worcestershire closed on the Division 2 Championship with a 101-run win over Hampshire at the Rose Bowl. Batting first after winning the toss, they slipped to 106/4 before Stephen Peters (87), Justin Kemp (90) and Jamie Pipe (104*) - a maiden first class ton - saw them to 364.

Gareth Batty took 3/77 in the Hampshire reply as despite 70 from Simon Katich and 50 from Shaun Udal, they ended 99 short. The veteran off-spinner also starred with the ball, taking 4/69, but Kadeer Ali (79) and Vikram Solanki (77) ensured that the hosts would be set 413 to win.

Skipper John Crawley's 88 was the best effort in the chase, as Batty picked up 4/94 to see them end up on 311 all out, taking 5 points to the Pears' 21.

Matthew Hoggard took career-best figures of 7/49 as Somerset slumped to 120/8 before Steffan Jones (61*), Richard Johnson (30) and Nixon McLean (15) saved face with 108 for the last two wickets. Boundary-filled knocks from Craig White (93), Damien Martyn (87 retired hurt) and Darren Gough (83) helped the Tykes run up 410 despite the loss of Martyn and Kirby to injury.

Neil Edwards' 90 was the outstanding effort in the Cidermen's reply of 313 but 132 was never going to test the Yorkshiremen strolled home from 26.1 overs, Anthony McGrath making 67* to take the match by 22 points to 3.

There was a similar but more one-sided story at Wantage Road as Durham (2) capitulated to Northamptonshire (22). Jeff Cook's 5/31 helped skittle the Northerners for 190 despite Paul Collingwood's 68 before second-wicket pair Mike Hussey (187) and Philip Jacques (147) put on 268 of Northants' 538/7 declared.

Gordon Muchall's 62 and Martin Love's 84 were the only notable contributions in Durham's second knock of 263 as they subsided to an innings-and-85-run defeat, confirming Northamptonshire's promotion at the same time as they mortally wounding their own hopes.

Derbyshire (5) slipped to another defeat at Bristol where Gloucestershire (21), still harbouring hopes of promotion, narrowly missed out on maximum batting points when Jonty Rhodes' 137 anchored their 401 all out - the 400th run coming just after the 130-over time limit for bonus points.

Michael di Venuto's 75 and Stephen Stubbings' 103 were countered by John Lewis' 7/117 as Derbyshire were bowled out for 321, a deficit of 80, and Craig Spearman's 85-ball 87 set up a Gloucestershire declaration at 209/8, setting the visitors 290. At 155/2, they looked well set, but after Di Venuto (80) and Stubbings (63) fell, Luke Sutton (41) was the sole Derby hope. When Lewis (4/66) bowled him with 14 balls to go and the deficit at 20, it was all over, Derbyshire's brave attempt to gain the win had failed, and they were still firmly rooted to the foot of the table.

[b]Points[/b] (Matches Played)
1 (P) Worcestershire 221.75 (14)
2 (P) Northamptonshire 209.00 (14)
3 Yorkshire 164.50 (14)
4 Glamorgan 161.00 (14)
5 Gloucestershire 159.00 (14)
6 Durham 151.75 (14)
7 Somerset 135.00 (15)
8 Hampshire 118.00 (15)
9 Derbyshire 100.00 (14)

Posted by Neil