County Championship: Ben Foakes shines for Surrey towards Warwickshire at Edgbaston

Ben Foakes scores high-class century for Surrey towards Warwickshire on the second day of their LV= Insurance coverage County Championship match at Edgbaston; additionally landmark day for son of former England captain Michael Atherton

Ben Foakes underlined his intention to nail down the England wicketkeeper’s
spot with a high-class century for Surrey towards Warwickshire on the second day of their LV= Insurance coverage County Championship match at Edgbaston.

Foakes struck a composed unbeaten 132 to supply the spine as Surrey stored the champions within the area for nearly two days on the way in which to an imposing 428 for eight declared.

It was not a flawless knock, as he was dropped within the slips on 37 and 54, however these have been uncommon aberrations in over six hours of spectacular focus and resolve because the 29-year-old confronted 263 balls and hit 18 fours and one six.

With assist from Ollie Pope (58) and Jordan Clark (50), Foakes lifted Surrey to a complete with which they are going to goal to place their hosts beneath critical strain.

In 12 overs earlier than the shut, Warwickshire faltered to 16 for 2 in reply, dropping Dom Sibley for a first-ball duck and skipper Will Rhodes for six.

Matt Critchley marked his Essex debut with a century that went up by way of the gears and heaped extra distress on a Kent aspect stored within the area for 5 periods at Chelmsford.

The close-season signing from Derbyshire was lastly final man out for 132 as Essex constructed on the first-wicket platform of 220 established between first-day centurions Sir Alastair Cook dinner and Nick Browne to plunder 514 from an ailing Kent assault.

Kent’s prime order was shorn of the likes of Zak Crawley, Jack Leaning, Sam Billings and George Linde for numerous causes however Nick Compton eked out a affected person 47 in negotiating 33 overs within the night and decreasing Essex’s lead by 122 runs for the lack of Daniel Bell-Drummond.

Joe Weatherley masterfully scored his highest County Championship rating as Hampshire constructed an enormous first-innings lead over Somerset.

Opening batter Weatherley had solely beforehand scored one first-class century – 126 not out towards Lancashire in 2018 – however waltzed to a superb 168.

Ian Holland and the usually fashionable James Vince notched half-centuries as Hampshire rode to 428 and right into a first-innings benefit of 248 runs.

Ben Inexperienced, after taking three for 31, and Tom Lammonby weathered six overs beneath the lights to finish the day 15 with out loss.

Rob Keogh and Gareth Berg rescued Northamptonshire with a century stand for the eighth wicket to offer their aspect the sting towards Gloucestershire at Wantage Highway.

The pair got here along with Northants stumbling in direction of a sizeable first-innings deficit after James Bracey’s hundred had engineered the guests’ restoration to 223 all out.

Wicketkeeper Bracey showcased his all-round expertise with 5 dismissals as Gloucestershire lowered their fellow Division One newcomers to 129 for seven in reply.

Division Two

Tim Murtagh claimed the 900th first-class wicket of his profession however Derbyshire made respectable progress as they replied to Middlesex’s 401 on day two at Lord’s.

The performing skipper introduced up his landmark 7,961 days after he had taken his first scalp in 2000, thudding a ball into Billy Godleman’s off-stump by way of an inside edge.

It was additionally a landmark day for Josh de Caires because the son of former England captain Michael Atherton took his maiden first-class wicket.

Shan Masood’s 91 for Derbyshire allowed the guests to succeed in 177 for 4 after bowling out the hosts on the stroke of lunch, Alex Thomson returning 4 for 103 for his greatest figures in County Championship cricket.

Steven Finn rolled again the years on his Sussex debut as he picked up three wickets together with England hopeful Haseeb Hameed for 5 to go away their match towards Nottinghamshire finely poised.

In solely his sixth County Championship match since June 2019, the previous England seamer eliminated Hameed and Joe Clarke in an excellent new-ball spell of two for 19 from seven overs as Nottinghamshire slumped to 52 for 4 replying to Sussex’s 375, which included a maiden hundred by Tom Clark.

Finn returned after tea to finish a fifth-wicket stand of 108 between Lyndon James (63) and Steven Mullaney, however Mullaney was 79 not out at stumps with Nottinghamshire 214 for 5, trailing by 161.

An unbeaten century by Brett D’Oliveira in his first match as membership captain put Worcestershire in a powerful place towards Leicestershire.

The 30-year-old all-rounder, handed the job after Joe Leach stepped down on the finish of final season, compiled a advantageous, measured innings to complete on 118 not out because the guests to the Uptonsteel County Floor posted a first-innings complete of
348.

On the shut, Leicestershire have been 42 for 3 in reply, having been six for 3 after Leach and Charlie Morris took early wickets with the brand new ball.