Duckett Blasts Nottinghamshire to the Top
The top two in Division One met at Trent Bridge, where Sussex were put in to bat. Josh Tongue took full advantage and picked up five for 44, his second five-wicket haul of the season to date, to help dismiss the visitors for only 169. Ollie Robinson and Jayden Seales both took four wickets for Sussex, but 85 from skipper Haseeb Hameed helped Nottinghamshire up to 300 in reply; Tom Clark took four catches. Sussex did better in their second innings, reaching 278, with Farhan Ahmed taking four for 54. A target of 148 was swiftly achieved, for the loss of one wicket, with Ben Duckett taking just 23 balls to reach his half-century as victory was wrapped up inside three days. Sussex’s Tom Haines (with 513) is the only batter to have scored 500+ runs in April, while Nottinghamshire’s Fergus O’Neill (21) is the only bowler with 20+ wickets to his name this season.
Meanwhile Surrey moved into second place, ten points adrift, after they beat Somerset at The Oval in three days. After the away side was put in to bat, Jordan Clark took five for 68 to help dismiss them for 283. Surrey hit back with a total of 367, before Somerset crumbled to 119 all out (at one point collapsing from 25 for one to 38 for seven), leaving the hosts to chase just 36 for victory, though they did lose two wickets in getting there.
Worcestershire’s woes continued, as they hosted Durham, but fell to defeat in two days. Durham chose to field and were rewarded by dismissing the hosts for 162. New overseas signing Codi Yusuf took two for 36, but it was loan signing Jake Ball, playing his first first-class game since last August, who did the most damage, finishing with figures of five for 47. Durham fared no better with the bat, bowled out for 136. Ben Raine and Yusuf each took four wickets in Worcestershire’s second innings, as they stumbled to 81 all out, setting the visitors a target of 108, which they achieved for the loss of four wickets.
In the Second Division, Leicestershire travelled to Bristol and narrowly edged home inside three days after they also chose to field first. James Bracey’s unbeaten 93 helped the home side up to 252 all out, with Ben Green taking a career-best five for 63. The away side took a small first-innings lead after they replied with 262, Dominic Goodman achieved a maiden five-wicket haul to finish with figures of five for 54. The hosts could muster only 152 in their second innings, leaving a target of 143. Goodman picked up four early wickets to leave Leicestershire struggling on 42 for five, but 47 from Ben Cox helped set his side on the way to a two-wicket win that put his side top of the table.
The game at Derby was the only one to go into the fourth day, and began with Middlesex choosing to field. Martin Andersson hit the only century of the round (and his second of the season), making a career-best 107, as the home side compiled a hefty total of 472. The visitors could muster only 315 in reply, falling just short of the follow-on total, and were duly asked to bat again. Middlesex duly batted out the final day, finishing on 307 for seven, with four batters going to their half-centuries. The draw meant Derbyshire are 13 points adrift of Leicestershire.
