September 10, 2024

Westley’s Century Rescues Essex from Collapse in Gloomy Conditions

In a weather-affected Vitality County Championship match, Essex recovered from a precarious position thanks to a crucial 142-run partnership between Tom Westley and Paul Walter. Their stand came after Essex was in trouble at 86 for 4.

Tom Westley anchored the innings with an unbeaten 108 off 214 balls, his highest score of the season, holding firm as Essex ended the day at 262 for 5. Paul Walter also played a key role, scoring 72 off 106 balls, including 10 fours and a six. This innings was Walter’s third half-century in his last six matches, overshadowed only by a century against Durham in June.

Nottinghamshire faced a challenging day. Despite promising performances, including pace bowler Rob Lord’s 2 for 53 from 15 overs, the team struggled to contain Essex. Lord, just 23 and in his second Championship game, took two of the first four Essex wickets to fall.

Delayed Start and Early Essex Wickets

On a mostly cloudy and damp day, shortened by 22 overs, Nottinghamshire chose to bowl first in their bid for only their second win of a challenging season. The decision was made despite their recent morale boost from a hard-fought draw against Surrey.

Play began 70 minutes late due to light drizzle, which followed the 10:30 am toss. Essex quickly lost Dean Elgar, who was caught by Haseeb Hameed at mid-on off a delivery from Rob Lord. Robin Das, who had just survived a dropped catch at slip, was dismissed for 20 after edging a Lyndon James delivery to second slip.

Luke Fletcher bowled 13 consecutive overs before and after lunch, causing problems for Essex’s Tom Westley, including a painful delivery that hit his box. Fletcher’s persistence paid off when he dismissed Matt Critchley, who left a delivery that moved back sharply.

Debutant Luc Benkenstein made a promising start with a stylish pull for four but was dismissed for a thin edge off Lord’s next delivery.

Walter and Westley Build Century Stand with Stylish Boundaries

Westley and Walter quickly put together their first fifty partnerships in six overs as the conditions brightened and the Kookaburra ball softened in the afternoon. Westley reached his half-century in 79 balls, including five fours, with a particularly impressive off-drive against Fletcher.

Walter also settled in well, first driving James to his initial boundary and then elegantly lofting Farhan Ahmed twice to the boundary. Their century partnership ended in 26 overs when Westley pulled Lord to fine leg. The next ball, Walter pulled through square leg for his eighth boundary, marking his 65-ball fifty. He then scored four and six off Liam Patterson-White’s spin.

Walter’s innings ended after 42 overs when he attempted a sweep off Ahmed but was caught in the gully. Shortly after, a few overthrows allowed Westley to reach his century from 193 balls, aided by sloppy fielding.

Jack Davies Scores 91 to Set Up Strong Middlesex Position

Tom Price Takes Five Wickets as James Bracey Claims Seven Catches

Jack Davies scored a career-best 91, helping Middlesex set a solid platform after Gloucestershire chose to bowl first in their Vitality County Championship match at Lord’s. Davies and Josh De Caires, who made 64, added 120 runs for the sixth wicket, leading Middlesex to 377 before being bowled out.

Max Holden contributed 77 runs early on, setting a foundation for Middlesex. Gloucestershire’s James Bracey stood out with seven catches behind the stumps. On the bowling side, Tom Price shone with a season-best 5 for 81, supported by Ajeet Singh Dale’s 4 for 70.

Gloucestershire’s Young Debutant Impresses as Middlesex Settle

Gloucestershire, featuring 19-year-old debutant Archie Bailey among their seamers, quickly reaped the rewards for choosing to bowl first. A sharp delivery from Ajeet Singh Dale knocked back Sam Robson’s middle stump.

Bailey, making an early entrance into the attack in the sixth over, nearly made an impact with his first ball, which edged Max Holden’s bat but fell just short of the slip fielder. Middlesex slowly found their rhythm, with Mark Stoneman accelerating the scoring with a series of boundaries. He reached 42 before attempting a hook off Tom Price, only to top-edge it for a simple catch for Gloucestershire’s keeper, James Bracey.

Stoneman’s dismissal ended a 71-run partnership with Holden, who was short of a half-century at lunch. Holden reached 50 shortly after the break but was dismissed on the next delivery by Price, who had him caught off an edge. Price and Bracey combined to remove Ryan Higgins, who was caught trying to play a shot outside leg stump. Bracey added another catch when he took out Holden after Singh Dale’s return at the Nursery End.

Davies Shines with Bat as Middlesex Builds on Partnerships

Jack Davies displayed excellent form, playing aggressive shots, including pulls, cuts, and a six-off spinner Zafar Gohar. He and Josh De Caires formed Middlesex’s fourth partnership of over 50 runs. Davies reached his half-century with a streaky shot, edging a delivery from Tom Price over the keeper’s head for a boundary, which also secured Middlesex’s first batting bonus point.

De Caires had a chance when Cameron Bancroft dropped a catch off Bailey just after tea but capitalized by confidently playing the spinners and hitting Zafar for another boundary. He reached his second half-century of the season with a strong performance.

Singh Dale returned with the new ball and initially let Davies off the hook with a leading edge that went through the slips. However, Davies was dismissed in Singh Dale’s next over, edging a delivery into the gloves of James Bracey. De Caires followed soon after, adjudged lbw to a ball that moved similarly to Singh Dale’s earlier deliveries. Tom Price finished the innings by dismissing Luke Hollman and Henry Brookes.