Ed Barnard stars for Worcestershire in losing cause against Somerset; Warwickshire thrash Northants by an innings
Sunday 22 April 2018 20:13, UK
Essex survived a spirited comeback from Lancashire as Jamie Porter’s four-wicket haul sealed a nervy 31-run victory in Specsavers County Championship Division One.
Porter (4-54) uprooted Joe Mennie's leg stump to dismiss Lancashire for 288 after the Australian (56) and Jordan Clark (59) had rallied the visitors from 195-7 against the defending champions at Chelmsford.
Porter, who bowled Haseeb Hameed (1) and trapped Alex Davies (71) leg before earlier in the day en route to match figures of 9-80, seemed to end Lancashire's chances when he pinned Clark lbw with 77 runs required.
But Mennie found an ally in No 11 Matthew Parkinson (4no) during a stand of 42 before Liam Livingstone's men slipped to a second straight loss after last week's reverse against Nottinghamshire.
Somerset, meanwhile, started their season with an 83-run success at home to Worcestershire, who have now begun life back in the top flight with consecutive defeats after losing at Hampshire last week. SCORECARD
Lewis Gregory (3-35) and Tim Groenewald (3-51) were the pick of the Somerset bowlers - Gregory, who has been approached by another county, knocking two stumps out of the ground when he castled Daryl Mitchell as the Pears were shot out for 195 in their second innings.
However, Joe Leach's visitors will be buoyed by the performance of all-rounder Ed Barnard, who claimed match figures of 11-89 and scored 50 in the first innings and an unbeaten 45 in the second.
Barnard wrapped up the hosts' second knock with the second ball of the morning by cleaning up Groenewald leaving Somerset stalwart James Hildreth unbeaten on 111 in a total of 255 all out.
Yorkshire are on the brink of victory over Nottinghamshire at Headingley, with the visitors collapsing to 181-8 chasing 403. SCORECARD
Ben Coad (4-55) has done the brunt of the damage, taking his tally of wickets for the match to eight, after contributing 33 runs to a 10th-wicket partnership of 77 with Tim Bresnan (68no) in Yorkshire's 334, in which Gary Ballance (82) top-scored.
Ollie Pope (145) scored his second Championship century for Surrey - both of them now coming against Hampshire - as the London side set James Vince's team 472 for victory at the Oval. SCORECARD
Pope shared a 131-run stand with Ben Foakes (81) for the fifth wicket as Surrey declared on 407-9 before Hampshire closed on 116-4 - off-spinner Amar Virdi picking up the key scalps of Vince (33) and Hashim Amla (21) lbw.
In Division Two, Warwickshire completed an innings and 48-run triumph over Northamptonshire at Wantage Road - Ryan Sidebottom (4-61) bagging 10 wickets in the match as the hosts were all out for 218, with only Adam Rossington (58) passing fifty. SCORECARD
Middlesex are up against it at Derbyshire, with the 2016 champions slumping to 86-3 in their pursuit of 442 - the home side had earlier declared on 333-3 with Luis Reece (157no) and Ben Slater (99) putting on 219 for the opening wicket. SCORECARD
Colin Ackermann (186), meanwhile, starred for Leicestershire as the Foxes replied to Sussex's 438-8 declared with 422-9 declared - Luke Wells, unbeaten on seven in Sussex's second dig, taking four wickets. SCORECARD
Plus, Glamorgan are bossing proceedings against Gloucestershire in Bristol, with the hosts stumbling to 133-5 and trailing by 157 after the Welsh county racked up 526-9 declared. SCORECARD
David Lloyd hit a career-best 119 for Glamorgan, sharing a record eighth-wicket stand of 117 with Marchant de Lange (50no), who went on to snare three of the Gloucestershire wickets to fall.
