Posted by After whipping the first division’s whipping boys, Northamptonshire, with their whipping boy whipping whip, Middlesex are now 19 points ahead of Yorkshire and 22 ahead of Sussex, both of whom have a game in hand. Yorkshire would need to win to go top. Sussex would need to really, really handsomely win to do so.
Yorkshire’s next match is against Lancashire, so all they really need to do is bat competently and the rest should take care of itself. Sussex’s next match is against Middlesex, so they won’t go top, but nor will they lose that game in hand.
A lot of Middlesex’s success thus far has been built on the work done by their openers. This is great news for England, in that Sam Robson is averaging about 50. However, it’s bad news for England, in that his opening partner, Chris Rogers, is averaging almost 50 per cent more and scoring almost 50 per cent quicker as well. Rogers even treated himself to a six at one point.
Perhaps still a little too soon to book the open-topped bus to tour around North London come late September?
But that’s ok isn’t it? This is one of those rare leap-summers where the moon’s alignment with Cassiopeia means that England are not playing five tests and a couple of dozen one-dayers against Australia.
Or have they sneaked another triple-Ashes into the schedule when I wasn’t paying attention?
They’re doing it at night Ed, so no-one will notice. So far we’re losing 4-0 in the three-match series.
I feel there’s a slight lack of respect for Somerset on this otherwise excellent blog. I know they hadn’t won their latest match when this post was written, but surely they need mentioning as part of the chasing pack. Really, everybody should support them as they are still the only team not to have won the county championship. And wouldn’t it be great for Marcus Trescothick if he was at the helm when they do it? As a fellow 38 year old, he is currently making me feel less spent by his heroic time-reversing exploits. In fact, I venture to say he should perhaps be held in the same immortal esteem as Rob Key – chubby, jovial, un-dislikeable, capable of wonders. Come on KingCricket, buck your ideas up.
Leave it with us…
Plus, the Somerset twin that doesn’t get any attention for not bowling uncontrollably fast is looking like a all-round-thwacker in the making.