Bob Willis Trophy round-up: Veterans Bell and Stevens star but Glos-Northants abandoned
- Published
Kent's Darren Stevens has now taken 29 first-class five-wicket hauls - 17 of them since he turned 40
The first day of the final round of Bob Willis Trophy qualifying group games will probably always be best remembered for a game being abandoned because of the pandemic.
But, aside from the events in Bristol, where Gloucestershire's game with Northamptonshire was called off just after lunch when it became clear that a non-playing Northants squad member had tested positive for Covid-19, there were plenty of proper cricketing tales to tell.
Top of the list of star turns, yet again, was 44-year-old Darren Stevens' latest five-wicket haul to bowl out fellow South Group challengers Hampshire for just 192.
That was matched by Yorkshire paceman Ben Coad, who returned from injury to take 5-18 for the Tykes against Leicestershire in North Group, while Essex fast bowler Sam Cook was not far behind, taking 4-27 against Middlesex.
But, away from the race to make it to Lord's, the most sentimental story of the day was 38-year-old Ian Bell, in his last first-class game, reaching 50, scoring more runs in the process than he had managed (44) in his six previous Bob Willis Trophy innings put together.
While Bell has been forced to concede defeat to the rigours of time and simply having to overcome too many injuries, that puts Stevens' efforts into even greater perspective - and the ageless Kent man still wants even more.
He came off the field in Canterbury to admit that he is disappointed to have been left out of Kent's T20 squad and wants to go out on loan, as he did last year with Derbyshire.
"I've really no idea why I'm not considered for the T20 side," he said. "I feel I've still got a lot to give in those sticky situations we've found ourselves in.
"At this stage of my career, I don't want to be bowling in the nets or to someone wearing a mitt. I want to be out there in the middle playing games of cricket. I never get tired of taking wickets and what I am really proud of is taking 800 wickets for Kent across all the formats."
North Group
Only two teams can qualify for the late September five-day final at Lord's from North Group, second-placed Yorkshire and leaders Derbyshire.
Both had encouraging first days, but the Tykes should feel slightly the happier as they bid to make up the five-point gap on Derbyshire with which they started the week.
Yorkshire paceman Ben Coad was the first of the day's two bowlers to take five wickets in an innings
While Derbyshire limited Lancashire to just 206-8 off a full 90 overs in the day in Liverpool, Yorkshire bowled out Leicestershire for just 124 in Leeds.
Yorkshire then closed on 36-2 after the weather closed in to strip out most of the final session.
Coad was the Yorkshire star, proving almost unplayable as he took 5-18 in 13.2 overs, well backed by fellow pacemen Matthew Fisher (3-29) and Duanne Olivier (2-49). Only wicketkeeper Harry Swindells, with 36, put up any real resistance.
At the other end of the M62, meanwhile, at Aigburth, Josh Bohannon was the man to hold up Derbyshire with a resolute 94, narrowly missing out on a Liverpool century for the second year running after both Lancashire openers Keaton Jennings and Alex Davies had gone for ducks.
In the battle of North Group's bottom two, Durham shaded it against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge.
At one point they looked in bother on 33-3, but Gareth Harte (72) and Stuart Poynter (50) set the tone, inspiring the lower order, who have so far all made double figures to help their side close on 275-8.
Central Group
Not until Worcestershire have batted against Somerset at New Road will it really be the right time to judge who holds sway in the battle of the top two.
Somerset captain Tom Abell is averaging almost 50 in the Bob Willis Trophy
At one stage, on 93-1, leaders Somerset looked well set, only for the visitors to stumble in the early afternoon session to 139-6. So it's hard to judge just how pleased they were to have totalled only 251. But, after another worthy rescue act from their tailenders, to follow up skipper Tom Abell's earlier 59, that surely has to be considered two batting bonus points won, rather than three lost.
But Somerset might be a touch disappointed that Pears openers Daryl Mitchell and Jake Libby got through the first five overs unparted on 14-0.
Aside from the health risk issues in the Northamptonshire camp, there was on-field frustration for the visitors.
The game with Gloucestershire did not actually matter, other than in terms of pride, as only Worcestershire and Somerset can win this group.
But Northants could at least feel well pleased that they had reached lunch at Nevil Road with the hosts in desperate straits on 66-6, Jack White taking two of the wickets.
Warwickshire's bearded Bear Ian Bell is playing his 312th and last first-class match at Sophia Gardens
It was also a dead rubber in Cardiff for Glamorgan and Warwickshire. But not for Bears batsman Bell.
It has been a rather subdued end to a fine career for the Bears' 118-times capped former England Test batsman, playing out his final days over the last month in front of empty grounds. But at least he has had the chance to hold his bat aloft one more time.
No sooner had Bell, dropped by Nick Selman on 16, reached 50 for the 161st time in his first-class career then they came off for rain at Sophia Gardens.
Then, when they returned two hours later, he was out for exactly 50. But, out of a score of 186, and with Glamorgan having already lost their first wicket on 4-1, Bell's contribution could yet prove useful.
South Group
In the most closely contested of the three groups, in which four teams can still qualify, Essex fast bowler Cook returned a season's best for the leaders as 15 wickets fell on day one against fellow challengers Middlesex.
Essex fast bowler Sam Cook's haul of 4-27 was his best in the Bob Willis Trophy
New ball partner Jamie Porter (3-55) and spinner Simon Harmer (3-34) helped bowl Middlesex out for 138 in 53.3 overs.
But, despite 43 from Paul Walter, Tim Murtagh and James Harris then both took two wickets to leave reigning county champions Essex in peril themselves on 108-5.
Stevens' 5-37 for second-placed Kent against Hampshire was his third five-wicket haul of the summer, and his 29th of an increasingly illustrious career, the last 17 of which have all come since he turned 40.
After taking his wickets in 27 overs across four separate spells, he has now taken 25 wickets in the Trophy at 16.68 apiece. But Kent then lost both their openers in fast-fading light in the 13 overs before the close.
In the late starting game, the one that does not actually matter in South Group, Tom Haines made a superb unbeaten 105 out of 239-3 for Sussex against Surrey.
It was the 21-year-old's second first-class hundred but he had to negotiate both a fiery second spell from Surrey new boy Jamie Overton and a verbal spat with left-arm spinner Dan Moriarty.