Bob Willis Trophy: Rory Burns hits ton for Surrey as Essex and Somerset edge nearer final
- Published
Surrey captain Rory Burns' last century was his 101 for England against New Zealand in Hamilton 10 months ago
Surrey skipper Rory Burns made his first century of 2020 on his Bob Willis Trophy debut, while Ben Duckett also reached three figures for Nottinghamshire.
But it was a day when most attention was on the fast-changing group tables as the final round of qualifying games reached their halfway point - and it starts to become a little clearer as to which two teams might line up at Lord's for the final on 23 September.
Of the eight teams who began this week still in with a chance, it was not a great day for those in the North Group.
Only two teams can still make it to Lord's, leaders Derbyshire and second-placed Yorkshire. But the Tykes could not even get on the field because of rain in Leeds and, for most of the day, Derbyshire probably wished they hadn't in Liverpool.
They have one glimmer of light, however. An eighth-wicket stand between Harvey Hosein and Mattie McKiernan, which has so far lifted them from 61-7 to 120-7 against Lancashire - and within 80 runs of the batting bonus-point that would at least keep their hopes alive.
But, while the games in the north of England stalled, South Group leaders Essex and Central Group table toppers Somerset rallied to set up the likelihood of an intriguing meeting between last year's top two in the first-ever Lord's red-ball final.
Essex look on the verge of beating Middlesex, who ended the day at Chelmsford just 25 runs ahead in their second innings with only four wickets left.
Somerset are less well advanced in the Central Group's meeting of the top two at Worcester. But after taking the last nine Pears wickets for just 77 to earn a 51-run first-innings lead, they now have a massive psychological advantage.
North Group
The key to the whole of how days three and four might pan out seems to be in the first session between Lancashire and leaders Derbyshire at Aigburth, where unlikely heroes Hosein and Lancastrian McKiernan will resume on 120-7, having so far put on 59 for the eighth wicket, and needing to make that magic 200 to get a first batting bonus point.
Derbyshire's hopes of a rare Lord's final looked dashed when, inspired by three wickets from Danny Lamb on his 25th birthday, the visitors collapsed against the young Red Rose seamers.
But wicketkeeper Hosein, who has so far made 44, and McKiernan, born not far up the East Lancashire Road at Billinge, stopped the rot.
Derbyshire would almost certainly still have to go and win the game but, if they can at least salvage that fourth bonus point, then they could still finish with a better points total than expected South Group winners Essex.
Not even having two Yorkshiremen standing as umpires could help weather-hit Yorkshire at Headingley against Leicestershire.
Any hope of play was finally ended when Peter Hartley and James Middlebrook called things off just after 16:00 BST because of the unplayable outfield.
After losing a third of the day's play on day one, Yorkshire have now lost a little over 450 overs combined in their three home North Group games.
"It's been frustrating, if we're being honest," said Yorkshire bowling coach Rich Pyrah. "We won the first two games away, with the next three at home, where we play well. But we've not played more than two days in either of the last two games, added to the rain this week."
As for the battle at the bottom, Nottinghamshire produced the batting performance of the day against Durham.
Twice-capped England batsman Duckett hit an unbeaten 146, his highest score against county opposition in thee years, aided by 74 not out from Joe Clarke as Notts reached 251-2 before weather intervened.
Central Group
Following Sunday's coronavirus-related abandonment of the Gloucestershire-Northamptonshire game, there were only two remaining matches in Central Group.
Billy Root, younger brother of England captain Joe, hit an unbeaten 51 to help Glamorgan edge into a first-innings lead against Warwickshire in Cardiff.
But the most important fixture was the table-topping duel at New Road, where Worcestershire, in second place, began the week six points adrift of Somerset, the best off of the three group leaders.
Somerset paceman Craig Overton has taken 26 wickets at an average of 10 in the competition
Chasing the 251 made by Somerset the previous day, the hosts looked well set on 123-1 when rain forced an early tea.
There was even talk of what sort of total the Pears might consider declaring at in an attempt to force a positive result from a game they have to win. But that quickly evaporated against the smoothly purring Somerset pace battery of Craig Overton, Josh Davey, Lewis Gregory and Jack Brooks.
They shared out the wickets as Worcestershire collapsed to 200 all out - only just scraping one batting bonus point. Remarkably it is the first Somerset have conceded in their five Trophy games to date, as the previous highest score against them in four matches in this competition was 182.
South Group
Reigning county champions Essex look the best bet to win their group, reach Lord's and stay on course for a possible third red-ball trophy in four years after dominating day two against Middlesex at Chelmsford.
Adam Wheater's 83 not out, his highest score in three years, helped Essex to 236, a fourth bonus point and a commanding first-innings lead of 98.
Fast bowler Aaron Beard then took three wickets in 21 balls after tea to leave Middlesex on 123-6 second time around, a slender lead of 25 - and now needing something of a miracle to avoid defeat.
Although that looks likely to settle South Group, the chasing pack still have pride to play for.
Hampshire were up against it at one stage in their second innings after three wickets for Harry Podmore and two more for the remarkable Darren Stevens helped Kent reduce them to 23-5 with a precarious lead of 44. But that advantage had been extended to 129 by the end of the day after an unbroken 85-run stand between Lewis McManus (50) and Tom Scriven (42).
As for events at The Oval, back-to-form Burns' ton came on his first red-ball appearance for Surrey in 14 months in a superb opening stand of 164 with Scott Borthwick. But their departures started a run of four wickets for just six runs in 19 balls as Sussex hit back to leave the hosts on 171-4, in pursuit of the 415 piled up by Jason Gillespie's side in his last game as coach.
- Published6 September 2020
