Key events
Essex’s Dean Elgar, a centurion himself, was full of praise for Jordan Cox’s hundred last night:
“Jordan is one of the most special cricketers in England at the moment. We are very grateful to have him playing in this game – I guess it is England’s loss they didn’t play him.
“It is our gain to have Coxy around. He’s been in amazing form for us through the whole season. The selection for the Test squad is something that he’s been working towards.”
And Rory Burns paid tribute to Graham Thorpe after making his highest first-class score, against Lancashire:
“It is nice in a game that is being played in Graham Thorpe’s memory to get my career-best score.
“Thorpey had a big influence on my career, both as a coach here at Surrey and when I played for England, so it is special to do well.
“It was also very enjoyable batting in a long partnership with Ben (Foakes). We always seem to bat well together and hopefully our stand has helped to set us up for a win in this game.
“I declared to give us eight overs to try to get in among them again in their second innings this evening but the bad light forced us off so that is a bit disappointing. But we have to concentrate on taking ten wickets and try to get over the line in the match, whether there is rain on tomorrow’s third day forecast or not.”
“A world-class player for England over a long period of time”
It won’t be a surprise to Surrey fans how easily Jamie Smith has taken to Test cricket.
Injury news: Mark Wood
Bad news for Durham, Mark Wood won’t take the field today at the Old Trafford Test after picking up a thigh injury.
Friday’s round-up
While Jamie Smith was making hay at Old Trafford, the country’s other wicketkeepers flexed their wrists in the County Championship.
Jonny Bairstow bristled with intent as he marched out like a soldier in burning boots at North Marine Road. His boundary-heavy 57 delighted supporters sitting on the wooden-slatted benches in the face of a mischievous wind, but he was one of five players to fall to Jack Carson, and his wicket precipitated a middle-order collapse. Still, Yorkshire have a valuable first-innings lead over Sussex.
Jordan Cox, released by England on the eve of the Test, slammed a vivacious 141 off just 124 balls on a slow Southampton pitch, after Essex were inserted by Hampshire’s James Vince. Cox took the tempo, which had been slow and steady in the hands of Dean Elgar and Tom Westley, and wrestled it into a galloping pony. Alongside, Elgar fashioned an elegant third hundred of the summer, finally out for 136. But with the first day lost to rain – and terrible weather predicted for Saturday – Essex will need the game to fast-forward on Sunday to keep leaders Surrey in near sight.
At the Oval, where Surrey ground Lancashire’s attack into flour, Ben Foakes made his highest score of the summer, a classy 82 against a rosy-cheeked attack of ingenues. But the drinks were on home side’s captain, Rory Burns, who hit a fluent and career best score of 227 as Surrey declared on 444. And James Rew made 49 at Edgbaston, bolstering Somerset’s middle order with Kasey Aldridge, but Ed Barnard’s five-fer ensured Warwickshire finished on top.
At the other end of the Division One table, Kent’s second innings started disastrously when Ben Compton was run out for a duck, though his opening partner Tawanda Muyeye finished unbeaten on 80. This after Worcestershire had knocked up a lead of 276, Akeem Jordan finishing with five wickets on his Kent debut.
Scores on the doors
DIVISION ONE
New Road: Worcestershire 447 v Kent 171 and 104-2
Edgbaston: Warwickshire 337 and 27-1 v Somerset 239
The Oval: Surrey 444-9 v Lancashire 204 and 4-0
Southampton: Hampshire v Essex 404-8
Chester-le-Street: Durham 531-7 dec v Nottinghamshire 220-8
DIVISION TWO
Merchant Taylor’s School: Middlesex 250-7 v Northamptonshire 207
North Marine Road: Yorkshire 326 v Sussex 189 and 26-0
County Ground: Derbyshire 429 v Glamorgan 168 and 39-0
Bristol: Gloucestershire 227-3 v Leicestershire 402
Preamble
Good Saturday morning to you! Hope your Friday night was worth waiting for. Around the grounds, time to push on as day three dawns.
If you’re rolling along to the Test at Old Trafford, the weather is perky, for now. If you’re heading elsewhere, bring waterproofs. The Met Office’s comforting words: Heavy rain moves across the south through the morning, clearing the southeast by the afternoon. Sunshine and heavy showers follow, with winds increasing in the north to begin with but turning drier in the southwest later. Feeling cooler.
