Notts surprise defeat stalls title ambitions as Yorkshire move clear
Press release 9 July 2010
In the latest round of Division One matches, title hopefuls Nottinghamshire suffered a surprise defeat at the hands of Essex whilst Yorkshire, who beat Warwickshire at Headingly, stretched their lead at the top of the table by 21 points as the LV= County Championship race passed the halfway point of the season.
Needing 200 for victory, after Warwickshire had been dismissed for a second innings 371, Yorkshire chased down their target in 37 overs in a tense final day run chase. 20 year old, Jonathan Bairstow, emerging as Yorkshire’s hero with an unbeaten 64 as the home side crossed the line with fourteen balls to spare. The win, Yorkshire’s fourth of the season, is surely a significant step towards their first title for nine years.
At Chelmsford, few would have given Essex a chance of winning this fixture after the first morning of the game having been bowled out for a measly 154 in their first innings. But, from this session onwards, they showed plenty of resolve to secure only their second Championship victory of the season. Essex’s up-and-coming fast bowler Maurice Chambers starring with the ball returning career best figures of 10 for 123 as the league leaders were humbled by 143 runs inside just three days. The win moves Essex up to fifth in the table on 97 points, ahead of Durham (93 points), Hampshire (92 points), Kent (79 points) and Warwickshire (76 points).
Elsewhere, Hampshire managed to climb off the foot of the table with a well earned win over injury-hit Kent at the Rose Bowl. The victory would have been particularly sweet for Hampshire’s opening batsman, Michael Carberry, who left Kent in unhappy circumstances, making the highest score of this match, a careful 158, in a first innings total of 553 which put the home side in the driving seat from the very first session. In reply Kent could only muster 251 and 191 resulting in a humiliating defeat by an innings and 111 runs. To add to Kent’s woes their captain Rob Key was struck on the hand in their second innings and was forced to retire hurt with a broken finger that will keep him out for three weeks.
In Division Two, Northamptonshire wrapped up a convincing 10 wicket win over table toppers Glamorgan with a day to spare at Northampton. An impressive first innings 494, including 127 from David Sales, put the home side in charge. After Glamorgan were dismissed for 207 in reply a Northants win was always the likely outcome. The game’s highlight came in Glamorgan’s second innings when South African all-rounder, Andrew Hall, took the first first-class hat-trick for Northamptonshire since Richard Williams way back in 1980. The win sees Northants move into third place on 123 in the table behind Gloucestershire (124 points) and Glamorgan (128 points).
Middlesex remain bottom of the table on 82 points, with Derbyshire just above them on 83. Surrey lie third bottom on 86 points.
The next round of LV= County Championship Division One matches begin on Tuesday 20 July when Durham host Lancashire at Emirates Durham ICG, Yorkshire travel to Chelmsford to take on Essex and Warwickshire play Nottinghamshire at Edgbaston. In Division Two, Surrey entertain Northamptonshire at the Oval.
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