The second round of Specsavers County Championship matches did not disappoint, with a host of talking points hitting the headlines. From Sam Robson’s record-breaking heroics for Middlesex, to Hampshire’s dogged resilience despite a host of injuries at Yorkshire. Here’s a look back at the best bits from the last four days.
ROUND TWO RESULTS
DIVISION ONE
Lancashire 332 & 88-2 v Nottinghamshire 242 & 175 – Lancs win by 8 wkts
Points: Lancs 22, Notts 3
Middlesex 452 & 304-6d v Warwickshire 468 – Match drawn
Points: Middlesex 12, Warks 11
Yorkshire 593-9d & 183-8d v Hampshire 453-9d – Match drawn
Points: Yorkshire 12, Hants 10
DIVISION TWO
Glamorgan 348 & 191 v Leicestershire 427 & 115-0 – Leics win by 10 wkts
Points: Glam 5, Leics 23
Gloucestershire 563 v Derbyshire 444 & 260-2d – Match drawn
Points: Gloucs 12, Derbys 8
Sussex 360 & 288 v Essex 320 & 266-7 – Match drawn
Points: Sussex 7, Essex 6
SAM’S THE MAN
Stand up Sam Robson and take a bow. An historic start to the season for the former England batsman, whose scintillating batting performance against Warwickshire will not have gone unnoticed by the national selectors. Not content with a double century – making a new personal best of 231 in the process – in the first innings, the opener then stroked another ton in the second innings to write his name in the record books as the first Middlesex player to achieve such a feat. Keep your phone close…
ROSE BOWL
No not that Rose Bowl, but the Red Rose’s incredible effort with the ball to set up an eight-wicket win over Notts. Lancashire experienced a slight wobble early on in their fourth-morning chase of 86 – Kyle Brown departing after crunching two boundaries and Haseeb Hameed caught off Jake Ball – but the result was never in doubt following the sterling bowling efforts of James Anderson and debutant Neil Wagner the day before. It was a statement-of-intent kind of performance with captain Steven Croft pronouncing afterwards that “we’re not in survival mode. We’re here to win [the league]”. What an end to Yorkshire’s reign that would be?!
FLYING FOXES
Leicestershire started 2016 with a nerveless 10-wicket victory over Glamorgan. Just like the city’s football team, the Foxes defied the critics to put on a superb performance and claim a near-perfect 23 points. Aussie seam bowler Clint Mckay put in a shift with both bat and ball – claiming 6-73 in the first innings and smashing a welcome 63 as Leicestershire made 423. Paul Horton had a debut to remember, finishing 64 not out and scoring the winning runs in his side’s first Championship victory since last August.
Another Essex match, another century for Alastair Cook. The @englandcricket captain’s in good nick #ProperCricket https://t.co/4MpCXHshbv
— County Championship (@CountyChamp) April 20, 2016
Source: ECB