County Championship Round-Up - Week 5: Warwickshire, Onions on song as Lancashire continue to falter

Warwickshire now have a four point lead, as well as a game in hand over second placed Nottinghamshire at the top of Division One after a nine wicket victory over a fancied Durham side at Edgbaston. Last year’s runners-up have been without opening bowlers Chris Woakes and Boyd Rankin so far this season, but their understudies have ensured that they have not been missed too much. Keith Barker and Chris Wright, who was struggling to make Essex’s four day side in Division Two a year ago, have forged a successful partnership, and cut through the experienced Durham batting line-up twice in this game. Barker, who recorded the incredibly impressive analysis of 17 overs, 8 maidens, 5 for 33 in the first innings took the wickets of captain Phil Mustard, England past in the form of Paul Collingwood and England future in Ben Stokes. Meanwhile Wright’s scalps included Michael di Venuto, Ian Blackwell and Graham Onions, who demonstrated that his efforts in South Africa two winters ago were no fluke by top-scoring with 38 as his side made only 163. Barker was also the pick of the bowlers second time round, with similar figures of 5 for 37 to complete 10 wickets in a match for the first time in his career. When Barker bowled Onions for 1 Durham had a lead of only 35.

Warwickshire’s other strength has been batting depth and, whilst only Ian Bell, who returned to form with 120, got past 40, and they were at one stage languishing at 14-4 the support of Darren Maddy (35), Tim Ambrose (39) and Jeetan Patel (30*) ensured that the England man guided his team to a lead of over a hundred after each side had batted once. Graham Onions was again impressive with 4-74, and is making a strong case to again become a central part of England’s plans. Varun Chopra, hitting his own wicket, was the only man to fall as Warwickshire eased towards their target.

Warwickshire fans, including 606 v2 poster Fists of Fury are now confident of a title challenge. Fists of Fury commented that, “Big names aren't needed. Runs are needed, and they've got plenty of those within this team regardless of whether Bell or Trott play, I'd say. Woakes, lest we forget, is a cracking batsman”.

Andre Adams has good memories of previous encounters against Lancashire, including three quick wickets to wrap up the title for Nottinghamshire in 2010, and 10 wickets against the same opponents at Southport last year. He repeated that feat this week in the first Championship game at Old Trafford since that decisive match two years ago. His first innings figures of 7 for 32 were the best in first-class cricket for a bowler who appears to have got better with age and he followed that up with 3 for 18, as his team secured a crushing 185 run victory with two sessions to spare. Lancashire’s unsung batting line-up were the glue behind the team’s surprise success last season, but they have had little to celebrate so far in 2012. Nobody reached fifty in either innings on this occasion.

A feature of this match was the presence of three England Test bowlers – James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann. All three impressed at times, and Anderson took 5-82 in the decisive Nottinghamshire second innings. But he spent extended periods off the field, with a minor niggle and a virus, and Broad never quite found the rhythm that has propelled him into becoming one of the world’s leading fast bowlers, going at 4 runs an over throughout. Swann took five wickets, including twice Ashwell Prince, who has been a previous ‘bunny’ for the off-spinner. Nottinghamshire were themselves reduced to 169 all out first time round, thanks to the efforts of Glen Chapple (4-44) and Simon Kerrigan (4-45), as Michael Lumb top scored with 69. But their second innings effort of 304, featuring fifties from the in-form Lumb (62) and Chris Read (54), ensured that Lancashire were chasing an unlikely 328.

The match between Middlesex and Worcestershire at Lord’s seemed headed for a certain rain-affected draw until captains Chris Rogers and Daryl Mitchell agreed to contrive a situation where all three results were possible on the final day. The visitors were 45-2 in their first innings, trailing the London club by 282 when they declared, and Rogers agreed to forfeit his side’s second innings. With a difficult chase likely, first impressions were that this was a waste of an opportunity for a side likely to battle relegation to secure valuable bonus points. But Worcestershire still needed another 155 runs to secure even a single point, with two wickets already down, and so the reasoning for the decision can be understood, given the number of points on offer for a win. In the event Mitchell’s side could only manage 150 as the four-pronged Middlesex seam attack comprised of Tim Murtagh (3-39), Steven Finn (2-30), Gareth Berg (2-20) and Toby Roland-Jones (3-29) dominated precedings. Earlier in the match Joe Denly had scored an unbeaten 134, his first century since swapping Canterbury for the Home of Cricket, and openers Sam Robson and England captain Andrew Strauss had made 59 and 49 respectively in a total of 327 for 7 declared.

Hampshire’s to date disappointing campaign continued, as they were beaten by Northamptonshire at Wantage Road. This was Northamptonshire’s first win of the season and was reliant on the efforts of a bowling attack minus the rested Chaminda Vaas. England Lion Jack Brooks (2-39 and 2-53) again had success, but it was the young all-rounder David Willey (3-53 and 5-39) who stole the headlines. A number of batsmen got starts for the hosts but only David Sales (58) made a half-century. Young players Chris Wood (4-52 and 3-58) and James Vince (46*) came to the fore for Hampshire early in the game, but couldn’t prevent a sizeable target of 297 being set in the fourth innings. Michael Carberry managed 61 but the side, led by Simon Katich in the continued absence of Jimmy Adams, were bowled out for 179 in just over 40 overs.

Derbyshire remain top of Division Two but missed out on a victory over Gloucestershire which seemed almost certain at one stage. Captain Wayne Madsen (101) led the way for the leaders with his first century since taking over from Luke Sutton, and was well-supported by Wes Durston (68) and Dan Redfern (55) amongst others as his team made 388. Tony Palladino, with figures of 5-47, helped restrict Gloucestershire’s reply to 206 all out, at which point Madsen enforced the follow-on. But things did not go at all to plan from this point on. Four Gloucestershire batsmen completed half-centuries, including overseas player Kane Williamson, whose 128 was reminiscent of his superb rearguard action for New Zealand against South Africa at Wellington earlier in the year. Fellow Kiwi and stand-in captain Hamish Marshall (90), the French-born Benny Howell (64) and Ian Cockbain (63) were the other fifty makers in an eventual total of 409 for four which secured a draw.

In a week dominated by the sudden departure of Ajmal Shahzad, Yorkshire thrashed wooden-spoon holders Leicestershire by an innings and 22 runs. Jonny Bairstow, who is now making an excellent case for Test consideration, scored 182 at the intimate ground at Scarborough. 90 from Anthony McGrath and 80 from captain Andrew Gale ensured that the promotion favourites put on 447 in their first innings. All-rounder Wayne White (5-90 and 67) was one of few Leicestershire players to return home with something to show for his efforts. A dismal response of 116, in which the part-time medium pace of McGrath was responsible for four wickets left the visitors following-on, and despite an improved effort of 309, in which Matthew Boyce made 122 and Josh Cobb 69 as well as White’s 67 they were some distance from victory. Steve Patterson (5-77) was the best Yorkshire bowler in the second innings.

South African international Alviro Petersen scored 145 out of an Essex first innings total of 259 for 9 declared at the Swalec Stadium. The innings came against his former county Glamorgan, whom he departed in somewhat controversial fashion at the end of last season. Petersen is an under-rated cricketer and England will need to take him as seriously as they will some of the better known South Africans this summer. This knock was the difference between the two sides in a hotly contested first innings. Ex-Surrey man Stewart Walters made 69 for the hosts, but an explosive spell of 4-25 from young Tymal Mills restricted Glamorgan to 187. The impressive Huw Waters (3-33 and 5-47) did the bulk of the damage in the Essex second innings, including the wickets of Petersen (4) and top-scoring Tom Westley (52). But the Chelmsford-based side were able to declare with a lead of 238, and if it weren’t for the poor weather would have expected to secure victory. Charl Willoughby had taken four wickets to reduce the hosts to 99-5 when the elements closed in and the match was drawn. Glamorgan remain bottom of Division Two.

shelsey IMO, Alviro Peterson is massivley overrated...he has one good innings and then goes on a poor run of form, for a few games!

i was massively overwhelmed when i found out he was going to be our overseas this yearr.

Ha, I managed a quote in there, good work, mate!