Roundup: Amla and Geddes power Surrey to commanding score
Two superb centuries, by Surrey old and Surrey young, swept the Division One leaders past 400 and to maximum batting points. Hashim Amla, 39, had been averaging 21 this season but on a good pitch, against a weary and sometime wayward Kent bowling attack, form suddenly hit his veins, ball yomping back over the boundary, easy as you like.
At the other end Ben Geddes, just 20 and in only his third Championship game, made his first Championship century. Both fell for 124, and were ushered off to standing ovations from an excellent crowd sprinkled liberally about The Oval and blissed out by June.
Jamie Smith also raced to fifty, before being bowled in the last over of the day, and with Sam Curran coming on like a super sub, screaming to an unbeaten 26-ball fifty with a six off Jacob Duffy, things had progressed a quite a lick. They too play Baz-ball, who toil in the County Championship. It was a long day for Kent captain Jack Leaning, who had looked at the green-tinged pitch and plumped for a bowl.
Things proceeded nearly as quickly at Northampton, where Emilio Gay and Josh Cobb jogged to rapid half centuries against the county champions; while Rob Keogh blasted 130 in quick-time. A late unbeaten 55 from Lewis McManus rubbed salt in the eye.
At Chelmsford, four late wickets by Simon Harmer on a spin-friendly surface had Hampshire in a fix at 68 for six. Earlier in the day they had been cock-a-hoop to have Essex 105 for seven, until Shane Snater, fresh from an England mauling with the Netherlands, made a free-flowing 71.
Derbyshire’s Shan Masood became the first player to pass a thousand runs in 2022 during his 46 against Sussex, lbw to the returning Steven Finn, while Wayne Madsen finished unbeaten on 171.
Haseeb Hameed picked up his second century of the season for Nottinghamshire, in the top of Division Two table clash against Middlesex, building a firm base for Lyndon James and Steven Mullney to put on 151 for the fourth wicket.
Three wickets for left-armer Jack Morley gave Lancashire the upper hand against Gloucestershire at Bristol, despite a hundred from Chris Dent; and Ed Barnard saved the day for Worcestershire yet again, with a brilliant 131 against Glamorgan, picking up the debris from 63 for five. Joe Leach then took three for 21 to reduce Glamorgan to 32 for three.
Superb batting here at The Oval, topped off by a cameo for the ages by Sam Curran. Hundreds too for Haseeb Hameed, Chris Dent, Rob Keogh, Wayne Madsen and Ed Barnard. And wickets, at last, for Simon Harmer. The summer has properly started. I’ll be back tomorrow, till then, take it easy.
Right, as Surrey surf towards 400, I need to write this up for the paper. Pls keep updating BTL, if you haven’t turned over to the England chase (they’re doing alright).
A lip-smacking straight drive from Jamie Smith to bring up the Surrey 300.
Elsewhere in Division One, Essex have been bowled out for 238, respectability courtesy of Shane Snater, who bashed a run a ball 71. Three wickets for Dawsom, Three for Abbott.
Chris Dent’s unbeaten 68 has put Gloucestershire in a sprightly position against Lancs: 170-3.
And a century for Rob Keogh at Northants, who have express-trained to 339-5 against Warwickshire.
Amla walks slowly off the The Oval, after a whisk to midwicket where a grateful Cox accepts the gift. A standing ovation after a classy knock. The gatekeeper closes the little wicker gate behind him: Sir, you’ve still got it. Is there another player on the circuit who wears No. 1 on his shirt? Surrey 284-3.
Northants are out Surrey-ing Surrey, Baz-balling the County Champions to 300-5. 94 off 95 for Rob Keogh, while Gay showed the way with 70 off 79 and Cobb 88 off 103.
“Sophia Gardens is ‘in CARDIFF’ and you can walk to it from the central station in twenty minutes, and it’s a nice walk along the riverbank and through the park.”
@tjaldred I hope you noticed Joe Denly's magnificent keepy-uppy skills in the field just now that earned a round of applause from a knowledgeable Oval crowd. Darren Stevens is sat near me and shouted "Stop posing" at Denly.
Unbelievable that Hashim Amla has been averaging 21 this season, he’s hitting the ball like a man with form flowing through his veins.
There’s something about The Oval that, despite its size, it feels more intimate than the other Test grounds on a day of county cricket. Paul Edwards’ reasoning is that it is more embedded in the city than any other Test ground - all the others, eg Headingley, Edgbaston, are in a part of the city. The Oval is just in LONDON.
And on his Oval Championship debut, fifty to 20 year old Ben Geddes : 113 balls, 9 fours, and a master at the other end. Right, what’s happening round the grounds?
The day is long and looking longer for Kent. Geddes gets a (half) life as Linde can’t grab on at backward point. Surrey 205-2 an hour after lunch. Anyone who is a frequent Oval visitor - is this a usual Sunday crowd? Very impressive.
Ed Barnard, Ed Barnard - something intelligent and witty, Ed Barnard. Anyway, he’s batting like a petit prince again and it’s a travesty if he moves to Warwickshire - though who can blame him for wanting the big time. He’s zipped along to 41 not out, a partnership of 55 with Roderick. Worcs 128-5.
Squiff through the slips and that’s fifty for Hashim Amla, 71 balls, seven fours. Fifties too for Haseeb Hameed at Trent Bridge (Notts 141-2) and Derbyshire thoroughbred Wayne Madsen. Derbys 138-4.
@tjaldred yet more woe for the Kent bowlers. What a grim season - yet another 500+ total looms. I know it looks a bit green, but what was Leaning thinking?
Aye. Defensive move I suppose. Perhaps a desperate one - a loss here and a win for Northants (a game in hand) and Kent are down in the doldrums with Somerset and Gloucestershire.
With genuinely hordes of people gathering on The Oval turf - to look at the pitch and play some cricket, time for me to grab something to eat. Back soon!
Today at The Oval, there’s a partnership between the Alzheimer’s Society and Surrey CCC. Anyone with dementia living locally, plus their families, can apply for complimentary tickets at The Oval over the next four days. Please email tpeters@surreycricket.com for further details.
Surrey getting some nice juicy pre-lunch snifters here. Six Kent bowlers in action before lunch, 132-2.
Essex in a spot of trouble, two wickets falling in three balls to Ian Holland: Walter for 24 and Pepper on nought. Westley holding on desperately till sandwiches, not out 32. Essex 70-5.
Notts have recovered from the early loss of Slater to TRJ, currently 106-2: 37 to Has, 17 to Clarke.
Plucky Sussex have reduced Derbyshire to 85-4: a wicket each for Finn and Haines, two to Hunt. Masood out for 46, shortly after passing the thousand run threshold.
Worcestershire, whose season is sinking into the bog, 67-5 against Glamorgan. What can super-saviour Barnard (10 not out) do?
While at The Oval, Hashim Amla has just passed 19,000 first-class runs.
Derbyshire’s dead cert falls for 46, lbw to Steven Finn, but not before he clocks up four figures for the season - and wins the race. A dream signing, and a great double act with Mickey Arthur.
No sign of Moriarty or Virdi in the Championship at all this season. Moriarty has played a few T20s but nothing at all for Virdi. Time to go on loan? And that’s a wicket! Patel snaffled off Milnes for 40. Surrey 64-1.
Injuries galore for Kent: Gilchrist, Stevens and Podmore injured and Surrey tucking in, nice and easy, 41-0 after seven overs. A nice crowd, sunning themselves.
Surrey rattling along at a good pace, 28-0 after just 20 minutes. Elsewhere round the grounds, wickets are wobbling: at New Road (Worcs 10-2), Chelmsford (Essex 7-1), Northampton (Northants 13-1), Hove (17-1) and at the big boys top of the table Division 2 clash at Trent Bridge (Notts 9-1).
Also sending a loving CCLive! shout out to cricket writer John Stern and his gorgeous new wife Suzanne, who had a wonderful wedding yesterday in London.
Good morning from The Oval! It’s a gorgeous day and Kent and Surrey are out in the nets on the right of the ground going through their paces. The hot team news from south London is that Sam Billings has been fast-tracked up to Headingley as a like-for-like replacement for Ben Foakes, who has gone down with Covid.
Eight games in progress in this round of Championship matches, and the first since the midsummer sun started its weary journey towards winter.
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