County Championship 2006

[Vrock]

We can use this thread to discuss the Championship for this season and any news related.

This is the second game for most sides and I'll just pick up on a few of them.

Lancashire vs Durham: This game could be an early season burner for both sides, Mal Loye at least ensuring that Lancashire stay in this game with a patient 114 and Chapple has continued his fine start to the season with the bat with 83 down the order.

Yorkshire vs Warwickshire: A relatively low score of 316 was not the call for the day for Warwickshire who were put into bat by Yorkshire, interesting to note that batsmen, sorry, bowler Jason Gillespie only took the solitary wicket for the cost of 50 runs.

Somerset vs Worcestershire: After a sparking hundred against Kent at the weeked Marcus Trescothick has been brought back down to earth with a 15 ball duck, it seems he's had a mixed bag of form so far. Getting to 400 after the lower order fired big time has kept Somerset in this game. The returning Zaheer Khan who is looking to get back into the Indian national frame taking four wickets.

[adamberry]

Originally Posted by Vrock

Somerset vs Worcestershire: After a sparking hundred against Kent at the weeked Marcus Trescothick has been brought back down to earth with a 15 ball duck, it seems he's had a mixed bag of form so far.

Heh heh heh...that'll teach him! But seriously, that's quite worrying. It seems he can't get first-class runs for love nor money. Would he get back into the England setup with this form...I wouldn't call him up, that's for sure. He probably should though.

Warwickshire looked a little disappointing to be fair, most batsmen getting themselves out while relatively well set. Anthony McGrath took 4 wickets for Yorkshire in a good bowling effort. Wood started off his innings well: 15* from 8 balls at the end!

Ed Joyce hit a century for Middlesex (130), he was last man out in their 333. Robbie Joseph (IMO the best prospect in Kent's ranks, possibly the best quick we've got) took four wickets and Justin Kemp three. Well set for Kent to amend their innings defeat against Durham last week...

Lancashire playing very well, 388-7 against Durham. Loye hit 114 and Chapple 82 (from just 73 balls). Most of Durham's bowling's been expensive, they seem to be struggling as expected as the start of the season.

[Collyisamackem]

Not that we struggled last week when we beat Kent by an innings. Lancashire have a very strong batting order, but as we have shown so do we. I think it could easily end in a draw.

[adamberry]

Originally Posted by Collyisamackem

Not that we struggled last week when we beat Kent by an innings.

I'm not disputing that for a second, Colly! I really feel Durham are on for at least a mid-table finish, if not a slight challenge for the title itself. Draw's the most likely result, especially if early-season weather plays its part. The Middlesex-Kent game's almost certain to be affected, rain forecast tomorrow (I think, we could do with some anyway!).

[Andy Mellon]

Great partnership from Ravi Bopara and Andy Flower yesterday! Nearly an Essex 3rd wicket record. Ravi is a real prospect, and its good to see him repay some of the faith the A Team selectors have shown in him!

[Vrock]

Lancashire are looking on top after passing the 400 mark this morning, Durham's reply is hanging onto Muchall making a century, currently 70*. Currently four wickets down with just over 200 scored.

Warwickshire secured a 100 run lead against Yorkshire after bowling them out for 216, not one Yorkshire batsmen passing 50 runs. Warwickshire currently one run to the good with only one over bowled.

To go for a different set of games now, Sussex are looking on top at the moment after a 43 run lead into the second innings, they are currently 46-1 in a low scoring game as of yet.

Essex have really piled on the runs, all 639 of them in their first innings (prepare for some gloating from Andy ) with three centuries from the batsmen, Simon Jones collecting one soliraty wicket for four less than a ton himself.

[Collyisamackem]

I see Marcus Trescothick has collected a sorry run of scores in the last two weeks in the CC. In this game he has made 0 and 5, and last week it wasn't much better. Maybe he's just rusty having not really played since Pakistan?

Durham - I think we're definitely back in the game. Currently 239/5 with Muchall not out on 83 and Colonel Mustard on 4, trailing Lancs (421) by 182. Seems a few of our bats have made starts but not converted to fifties and then hundreds, with Gary Breese just being dismissed by that dangerman Mark Chilton ( ). Anyway, Hopefully we can get to 400, but we need a big partnership between these two and maybe more inspired lower order hitting from Gibson et al?

If we do that and then bowl well in our own conditions, who knows what might happen?

[adamberry]

Kent starting to find a little form: bowled out today for 308, just 25 behind Middlesex. Matt Walker hit 123 (Kent's first ton of the year ) with good support from van Jaarsveld. Our middle order batting still seems to be misfiring: no-one after Walker made over 15. Really need to sort that out quickly!

...oh goodie, Amjad Khan's just taken Ed Smith's wicket...for the sixth (i think) time in about a year!! Right at the death too, boy we needed a breakthrough like that!

[greg]

Yorkshire are doing well.NOT

Having said that i did tip Warwickshire to win the league this year so being gubbed by the team i think is the best isn't so bad.

How many straws am i clutching

[Collyisamackem]

Hmm, from 239/5 Durham are 277/9 overnight, with Callum Thorp and Neil Killeen at the crease. Joy. Going to have to bowl and then bat supremely well to avoid a defeat here. Without Muchall's second century in as many innings, we'd be following on by now!