Sibley the Best! Records Tumble at The Oval

As we entered the second round of the Kookaburra-ball County Championship, there were more signs that the balance between bat and ball was being tilted too heavily in favour of the bat. Day One in the First Division produced just 22 wickets across the five games, while across all nine first-innings efforts there was a record total of 4508 runs scored (an average of just over 500 per innings). While the logic of trying to encourage bowlers to improve their skillset rather than allowing the Duke’s ball to do the work for them has merit, I’m not sure this is what anyone had in mind.

Other, that is, than the batters at The Oval, which has a justifiable reputation as being the best ground on which to bat in the country. Durham were the visitors and Alex Lees will probably long regret choosing to field first after winning the toss. Dom Sibley was most grateful of all, as he made a mammoth, career-best 305, the seventh highest score in the county’s history, taking 475 balls and 605 minutes to get there. Along the way, he was joined by Sam Curran, who raced to his century in 117 balls, before falling for 108; Dan Lawrence, who took 99 balls to get to three figures on the way to a career-best 178; and Will Jacks who was out for 119 after just 94 balls, having taken only 85 balls to get to his hundred. Sibley and Lawrence’s fourth-wicket partnership of 334 was well short of Bobby Abel and Tom Hayward’s record of 448 set in 1899. However, this Surrey side did beat the record that Abel’s side achieved then, making the highest-ever score for the county: 820 for nine declared. Indeed, it was the fourth highest total in the history of the County Championship. With four centurions in that total, this was the eighth time since 2009 that a Championship side had achieved that feat – and four of those have been at The Oval. Sibley now leads the way as the summer’s top runscorer, with 976, narrowly ahead of Tom Haines on 943.

For Durham, the records were ones you want to avoid: it was the highest score they had ever conceded, outdoing the Lara-led mauling by Warwickshire back in 1994. George Drissell conceded 247 runs (he did pick up Curran’s wicket), which was the most ever conceded by a Durham bowler – indeed, it was the most runs ever conceded by any bowler in county cricket. With only a draw to play for, Durham batted on into the fourth day, with Lees scoring 125 and Matthew Potts taking 90 minutes to score 23. They were eventually all out for 362. In the second innings, Lees scored a second century of the match, making 100 not out, as he and Emilio Gay shared an unbeaten opening partnership of 262, with Gay finishing on 156 not out. The match total of 1444 runs for 19 wickets meant that wickets fell at a rate of one every 76 runs scored. Of the 23 batters who went out to the middle, seven reached three figures. The draw was the least surprising outcome.

Things proceeded along more usual lines at Taunton, where league leaders Nottinghamshire were the visitors. The hosts chose to bat first and made a useful 379, with handy contributions down the order. Ben Slater led the response, scoring 124, before Jack Haynes hit a career-best 157. Jack Leach opened the bowling for the home side, and toiled away for 53.2 overs in taking six for 121, but couldn’t stop Notts from compiling a big score of 509. Somerset had to bat out the final day and made 238 for four, with Tom Kohler-Cadmore finishing on 147 not out, his highest score for the county. The draw meant Nottinghamshire have now fallen one point behind Surry in the title race.

Warwickshire chose to bat first on their trip to Hove, where Sussex made entry on the first day free to all comers, though Jofra Archer – recalled to the England squad – was missing. Although no one made it to three figures, the away side still managed to compile a hefty total of 415 all out, with John Simpson taking five catches. In reply, it was Daniel Hughes who set the home side on their way, making 151, as they looked to clear the deficit. James Coles (150) ensured the hosts would take a useful lead into the second innings, after they were all out for 533. Corey Rocchiccioli continued his excellent start to his career in England, taking six for 173 in 54.4 overs. If nothing else, the Kookaburra ball was giving the spinners plenty of practice. The visitors were able to bat out the final day without undue alarm, ending up on 260 for four.

Essex travelled up to York and decided to bat. Despite skipper Tom Westley scoring his second successive century (107) and the 31st of his career, they made slow progress, eventually being dismissed for 368 in 136 overs. Bazball this was not. Both sides welcomed new overseas recruits, with Abdullah Shafiq joining Yorkshire and scoring just 5, while India’s Khaleel Ahmed opened the bowling for Essex, eventually taking the wicket of Jonny Bairstow. Matthew Revis hit a career-best 150, sharing a ninth-wicket partnership of 169 with Ben Coad, who made 89, the highest score of his career. This helped Yorkshire up to a total of 459, a vital lead. Essex’s batting collapsed to 48 for six in their second innings as Coad and Jack White did most of the damage, while George Hill took one to move him up to 42 wickets for the summer (Kyle Abbott is his nearest challenger, on 38). Jordan Cox (55) led a minor recovery, but the away side were still all out for 131, leaving Yorkshire to chase 41, which they achieved without loss to become the only First Division side to record a win in this round, which moved them above Essex and out of the two relegation spots.

Worcestershire liked what they saw of the Rose Bowl pitch when they arrived at Southampton and batted first. Despite two early losses, Jake Libby (a career-best 228 not out in 438 balls and 621 minutes) put on 395 for the third wicket with Adam Hose (another career-best of 266 in 253 balls, with 31 fours and seven sixes). Libby could have gone on, but after 160 overs took pity and declared on 679 for seven. It was Worcestershire’s third highest score in their history, just 22 runs behind the best. Hampshire had no answer. They were bowled out for 221, only Tilak Varma topping fifty (56), as Tom Taylor took four for 42.  With 37 overs and a day to bat out, they were asked to follow on. After 117 overs Hampshire had reached 294 for four, and the game was saved.

In the Second Division, there was a big upset when struggling Middlesex travelled up to Grace Road to face the runaway league leaders. Put in to bat, the away side took full advantage to amass a total of 534. Sam Robson made 133 while Ben Geddes hit a career-best 137. In only his third first-class game, 19-year-old Naavya Sharma ripped through Leicestershire’s middle order, taking four wickets in just 11 balls. They never recovered and were bowled out for 205 and had to follow on. Things didn’t improve in the second innings, and they tumbled to 202 all out to lose by an innings and 127 runs inside three days. It was their first defeat of the summer, opening up the question whether they could sustain their form to the end of the campaign.

Their travails gave Derbyshire a chance to close the gap at the top, as they took on another struggling outfit in Lancashire at Chesterfield. The visitors chose to bat and Keaton Jennings made his 33rd century (106) before Chris Green hit his maiden century (121) to guide the Red Rose up to 367. George Balderson picked up four for 71 to provide a rare bowler’s highlight in the round as Derbyshire were bowled out for 261. Lancashire took complete control in their second innings, amassing 406 for six declared, with Ashton Turner top-scoring with 121 not out. That left the hosts with a massive target of 513 to aim for and, by the start of the final day, they had reached 139 for three, but at least Wayne Madsen was still batting. He at least carried on, finishing on 95 not out, but the rest of the team fell away, with Balderson taking four more wickets. Derbyshire were eventually all out for 251 and Lancashire had won by 261 runs to secure their first victory of the summer and moved up to sixth in the table. Derbyshire, meanwhile, trailed Leicestershire by 31 points at the top. The top two will meet in the next round.

Canterbury was another ground where the batters were well on top, and Kent had no hesitation in deciding to bat first. Skipper Daniel Bell-Drummond justified his own decision with a score of 158, while Harry Finch made 118. The home side declared on 566 for eight. Yuzvendra Chahal, who had returned to Northamptonshire before this game, must have wished he’d delayed things a little longer, as his 42 wicketless overs cost him 129 runs. The visitors saw that daunting total – and raised it. First of all, Ricardo Vasconcelos made 100, then Calvin Harrison hit his maiden century (122), before Saif Zaib (196 not out, his highest score) and Justin Broad (a maiden century of 157 not out) came together for the seventh wicket and put on an unbroken county record 298. This therefore became the ninth occasion since 2009 with four centuries in an innings. With just 14 wickets falling in the first three days (one of them a run out), this was not a pitch any bowler was going to look back at with any fondness. Northamptonshire eventually declared on 722 for six, the fourth highest score in the county’s history, while Matt Parkinson ended up with figures of one for 200. In the second innings, Chahal fared much better, taking four for 51 as Kent struggled to reach 160 for eight to claim the draw. The match aggregate was 1448 runs for just 22 wickets, at an average of 65.81.

Finally, Gloucestershire were asked to bat when they travelled to Sophia Gardens. James Bracey compiled 133 as his side brought up a total of 380, Timm van der Gugten taking four for 61. Glamorgan responded with an impressive 528, Colin Ingram hitting his second successive century (117) and his 26th overall, two days short of his 40th birthday. He added 254 for the fifth wicket with Ben Kellaway (139), who has been one of the emerging stars of the summer. Kellaway added to that reputation in the visitors’ second innings, taking a career-best six for 111, thus completing the match double. Gloucestershire finished on 255 for seven as they held out for a draw.