Day three roundup: Bess fires Yorkshire to heavy win over Worcestershire
Yorkshire’s whopping 504-run victory over Worcestershire gave Jonny Bairstow early-season bounce to his boots. Bairstow had declined to enforce the follow-on on Saturday, and batted on, and on, to set Worcestershire an implausible 610 for victory. Dom Bess collected his first Championship century, off just 115 balls, while Dawid Malan biffed an unbeaten 76 and Bairstow an unbeaten 44 – both pole-axing three sixes. Worcestershire’s fielders largely patrolled the boundary. A brow-beaten Worcestershire were then unzipped for 105 to become the first side in County Championship history to lose a match by 500 runs or more.
At Old Trafford, Lancashire, who swapped divisions with Yorkshire at the end of last season, were having a trying day against Northamptonshire. After a hard-fought morning, they lost three wickets in 19 balls just before lunch, one of them the steadfast Keaton Jennings, caught magnificently by Saif Zaib at midwicket, the third player in the match to get out in the 90s. Lancashire were soon following on in the chill of an April wind. Jennings once more strode out, this time making 49, and for the second evening in a row Anderson Phillip found himself drafted in as nightwatchman – he survived.
Spectators at Canterbury rubbed their eyes as audacious centuries by Tawanda Muyeye and Ben Compton sped Kent to an eight-wicket win over Middlesex. A chase of 316 to win had looked a challenge on paper but Zak Crawley pushed the launch button, making 58 off 66 balls, albeit after being dropped at third slip on nought. After he was bowled by Zafar Gohar, Daniel Bell-Drummond fell next ball, but Compton and Muyeye had it in the bag.
Nottinghamshire’s Haseeb Hameed made 92 in the absorbing game against Essex at Trent Bridge, while another hundred from Dom Sibley ensured Surrey are on top at the Oval, despite a debut five-wicket haul for Hampshire’s Sonny Baker.
Sean Hunt, having a match to remember at Hove, took all four Somerset wickets to fall as they chased 595 for victory against Sussex. Ben Raine (81) and the tail rescued Durham’s second innings against Warwickshire at Chester-le-Street. Rehan Ahmed pancaked 77 off 59 balls in his experimental opening position, getting Leicestershire’s second inning off to a cracking start against Derbyshire, while Glamorgan were forced to follow on by Gloucestershire.
Updated
The sun setting towards the other OT, time to pack the pencil case. Congratulations Kent, and Yorkshire, and thanks for you company. See you tomorrow – bye!
Close of play scores
Chester le Street: Durham 387 and 276-8 v Warwickshire 325 and 12-0
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire 347 and 233-5 v Essex 367
The Oval: Surrey 253 and 342-9 v Hampshire 219 and 35-3
Hove: Sussex 294 and 501-7 v Somerset 201 and 125-4
Headingley: Yorkshire 456 and 315-4 BEAT Worcestershire 162 and 105 by 504 runs
DIVISION TWO
Bristol: Gloucestershire 546 Glamorgan 385 and 106-0
Canterbury: Kent 218 and 316-2 BEAT Middlesex 222 and 311 by eight wickets
Old Trafford: Lancashire 228 and 126-2 v Northamptonshire 496
Grace Road: Leicestershire 484 and 291-8 v Derbyshire 393
Kent beat Middlesex by eight wickets!
Canterbury: Kent 218 and 316-2 BEAT Middlesex 222 and 311 by eight wickets
Unbelievable batting by Compton and Muyeye! What have you done to Kent Adam Hollioke?
Deja vu as Anderson Phillip strides out at OT with just a few overs left. KJ gone for 49.
And thank you Romeo for this nuggett of Hampshireness:
“Hampshire beat Surrey at the Oval in June 1982, by 3 runs, Malcolm Marshall taking 7 for 38 to bowl them out for 101 in the fourth innings.”
Would love to jump in the time machine to see that. And Greenidge’s 84.
Yorkshire beat Worcestershire by 504 runs
Headingley: Yorkshire 456 and 315-4 BEAT Worcestershire 162 and 105 by 504 runs
Victory by 22 yards. YJB’s first triumph as captain. Hill 4-23.
Updated
Muyeye is whooping along at Canterbury, helping Kent past 200 with a six. And with that, time for me write up for tonight. Do keep chatting BTL though, with Yorkshire on the brink of their first win in Division One for some time.
Some excellent rebuilding work being done by Raine and Bedingham at CLS – 71, brick by brick for the seventh wicket. The lead now 256.
HH has his first fifty of the season at Trent Bridge, Notts 161-3. Porter his picked up Clarke for 19. The lead is 141 and this game could bubble into a thriller.
Surrey are accumulating at The Oval, though Smith has been out for 84. The lead 335 over Hampshire who haven’t won at the Oval since about 1950.
And in the two first-division games that have rattled into the fourth innings, Somerset are already two down in their mammoth chase at Hove. Hunt has Vaughan and Dickson already in his back pocket. Worcestershire look unlikely to repeat the last round’s heroics, now 90-6 at Headingley.
Glamorgan follow on
A decent effort by Glamorgan, 385 all out, but alas not enough. Bashir not out 22. Five wickets for SACA’s Zaman Akhter. Glos trail by 161.
Some repair work being done on the OT pitch here, but Procter continues at his old ground.
Tea at Canterbury. Kent only need 152, with Compton (59) and Muyeye (39) rolling their shoulders and ready to go. If they win, they owe a huge thanks to Zak Crawley for going out in a blaze of energy. Zafar Gohar, surely, the key for Middlesex.
At last:
The @ICC has finally stepped up to give financial support to the Afghanistan Women’s cricket team. Pitch Our Future has showed them the way. The finances will now make the required support possible. #Afghanistan
— Alison Mitchell (@AlisonMitchell) April 13, 2025
Tea-time-ish scores
DIVISION ONE
Chester le Street: Durham 387 and 158-6 v Warwickshire 325
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire 347 and 142-2 v Essex 367
The Oval: Surrey 253 and 282-4 v Hampshire 219 rain stopped play
Hove: Sussex 294 and 501-7 v Somerset 201 Somerset need 595 to win
Headingley: Yorkshire 456 and 315-4 v Worcestershire 162 and 72-3 Worcs need 538 to win
DIVISION TWO
Bristol: Gloucestershire 546 Glamorgan 363-8
Canterbury: Kent 218 and 154-2 v Middlesex 222 and 311 Kent need 162 to win
Old Trafford: Lancashire 228 and 45-1 v Northamptonshire 496
Grace Road: Leicestershire 484 and 228-5 v Derbyshire 393
And that’s tea – Darren LEhman marches out in shorts, fleece and gilet to have a hard stare at the pitch. Scores round the ground to follow.
At Trent Bridge, HH is approaching fifty, Notts 1116-2 in their second innings. Harmer two in two.
Still raining at The Oval
Sussex bat on, and on, at Hove, the lead over Somerset now 556. Simpson needs eight for his century. Four wickets for Leach, two for Archie Vaughan and an arm-aching 84 overs between them.
Worcestershire’s quest for 600 runs looking ropey at Headingley, with both openers out already, 53-2.
Harrison starts his second-innings spell, tall, long fingered, a black watch on his left wrist. The wind blows cold and long, Jennings stands, hand on waist, legs crossed, the burden of last year’s six Lancashire defeats on his back. Lancs 41-1. Tea four overs away.
Warwickshire paw the earth. McKinney gone, caught for 33 off Barnard. Every wicket so far this innings has been taken by a man whose surname begins with a B. Perhaps Bedingham, limping out at No. 8, can counter the dark magic. Durham’s lead over Warwicks, 187.
Events have moved quickly, and most alarmingly, for Kent, both Crawley and DBD bowled by Gohar in successive balls. Kent 92-2.
Fifty for Crawley, 100 for Ingram!
58 off 65 balls and still going like the clappers (nine fours, one six). Compton a more placid 33. Kent need 225 to win. Should Middlesex be feeling a bit green about the gills yet?
Glamorgan have made the most of Bristol’s placid pitch, with Colin Ingram propping up the innings with 103, except they’ve suddenly lost two for four – Cooke bowled by Akhter for 56 and Ingram losing his stumps to Singh Dale for 102. Glam an-all-at-once less healthy 337-7, trailing Glos by 209.
We were just saying that Josh Bohannon hadn’t found his mojo since that 205 against Kent last year, and he unfurls a peachy extra-cover drive for four. Lancs 25-1.
Bad light at The Oval
They’ve gone in for an early cup of tea in south London, Surrey 284-4, a lead of 316 over Hampshire. Sibley is out, caught off Dawson for 105, Smith still there on a quick-fire 84.
Warwickshire have turned the tables at Chester le Street, Durham now 90-5, lead by just 154. First-innings centurion McKinney still standing, 27 not out, but he’s lost the rest of the top six. Four wickets for Michael Booth, fresh from his unbeaten half century.
Sibley, Crawley and more
Down in Canterbury, Crawley has made 37 of Kent’s 45-0. Dom Sibley has his second solid century of the match at The Oval, Jamie Smith his companion on 68. Surrey’s lead over Hampshire now 298. At Trent Bridge, Hameed and Slater have made a good start to Notts’ second innings, 67-0.
Ah. An inswinger on a cold day does the business - cracks into Jones’ pad. Guthrie is certain and the ump raises the finger. Lancs 0-1.
Yorkshire declare - Worcs need 610 to win
YJB smashed 44 in double-quick time, Malan walks back undefeated on 76. A long haul now for Worcs – can they really hold on for a second game in a row?
Lancs follow on, 268 behind
And that is that my friends, Hartley caught at mid-wicket – a fourth for Harrison – Bailey following soon after – a third for Broad. Jennings goes again.
Kent need 316 to win
Zak Crawley is in one of those moods. He’s so far hit three fours and a six in his 18 not out.
Yorkshire haven’t declared. And Dawid Malan has fifty. YJB on a run a ball 11.
Dom Bess’ century has put Yorkshire in a very perky position at Headingley. The lead is 540, a lunchtime declaration expected. Hope it is warmer than it is at OT, where one of the photographer is wearing a heated gilet and the Northants fielders are walking out after lunch with, almost to a man, hands shoved deep in their trouser pockets. Justin Broad has the ball from the Statham end.
Lunchtime scores
DIVISION ONE
Chester le Street: Durham 387 and 54-2 v Warwickshire 325
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire 347 and 14-0 v Essex 367
The Oval: Surrey 253 and 224-2 v Hampshire 219
Hove: Sussex 294 and 334-4 v Somerset 201
Headingley: Yorkshire 456 and 243-4 v Worcestershire 162
DIVISION TWO
Bristol: Gloucestershire 546 Glamorgan 251-5
Canterbury: Kent 218 v Middlesex 222 and 311 Kent need 316 to win
Old Trafford: Lancashire 217-8 v Northamptonshire 496
Grace Road: Leicestershire 484 and 86-0 v Derbyshire 393
There’s been a slight hiccup at OT. First Jennings became the third man out in the 90s in this match, clocking to midwicket when Saif Zaib took a fabulous catch, then Balderson was lbw next over to Zaib, who came into today’s match with four wickets for nine, and now has five for 13. Lancs 217-8, still 129 in arrears of the follow-on target.
To placate VirgilHits BTL, an entry on Warwickshire whom I accidentally dropped in the Division One thicket. Durham’s lead over Warwicks is now 108, Ben McKinney today playing second fiddle to Alex Lees, who, as I type, has just been lbw to Michael Booth. Warwicks added another 38 runs this morning, with the aforementioned Booth left high and dry on 58. Three wickets for Hogg, three wickets for Doggett.
“Is there any reason,” asks Mike Daniels, “why 1st slip is a default position? I’ve seen many edges the past couple of days go to 3rd, which has been vacant, and cost the fielding sides catches and runs. Why not go with 2nd and 3rd and leave 1st open? The pace of the bowlers and the wickets seem to dictate the ball going squarer rather than fine.”
Mike, this isn’t really a me question. One for the hive mind I think. But I’ve asked around the press box and the consensus seems to be that you leave first slip open at your peril as you look really stupid if one flies by. Add a second and third rather than leave a gap.
Leicestershire, incidentally, are batting again and that new opening parternship going like the clappers. Rehan Ahmed 43 not out – nine fours, Budinger 26 not out. Leics 70-0.
Keaton Jennings has made 31 first-class centuries, but never against Northants. 13 runs to go.
With an hour or so gone, let’s wander through the Division One thicket.
Essex have shimmied a small lead over Notts, 359-9. Cook on what must be an extremely annoying 24 not out.
The odd ball is keeping low at The Oval, where Surrey have lost Ollie Pope for 65, but Sibley ploddeth on, 73 not out. Jamie Smith has just pinged his fourth boundary in 23 not out. Surrey 182-2, the lead over Hampshire 216.
Sussex now have a lead of 391 over Somerset, who have at least kept the run-rate in check. Haines a wicket for Archie Vaughan for 141.
And Yorkshire are flying, adding 103 this morning, Dom Bess 71 not out. YJB the next man in. The lead over Worcestershire is 468 – a declaration at lunch?
A message drops from Christian Ryan, my annoyingly brilliant friend and author of Golden Boy and Feeling is the thing that happens in 100th of a second who has just flown in from Australia. “Picked up an Observer at Dublin airport, bad timing from the someone who pulled the curtain on the sun …” Hey, at least every game is in play, although one fears for Kent this afternoon.
And after three extravagant pulls for four, Hurst gives Vasconcelos some catching practice. He beats the bat against the air, furious with himself, and trudges off. Enter Luke Wells. Lancs 162-5.
Things have progressed without too much incident so far this morning at OT, Northants have kept their attacking fields, Lancashire their restraint. Lancs 152-4.
Elsewhere in Division Two: Leaning has picked up a second wicket to get rid of the dangerous Geddes (75), Middx 262-7. Singh Dale has dismissed the dangerous Carlson, Glamorgan 175-4 and looking down a sink-hole. And Derbyshire are nine down at Grace Road, 105 behind. Four wicket for Van Beek, who dismissed Andersson and who in the words of Mike Daniels “has firmly established himself as a favourite here very quickly.” Derbys 379-9.
At Hove, where Sussex look likely to pick up their first Division One win since 2015, things are moving on rapidly. Haines is now unbeaten on 128, Clark on 44.
For those interested in Second XI county cricket, the format has changed for this year. Instead of it resting on a final points average, the counties have been split into three groups of six, with the two teams finishing with the best record playing in a final to decide the winner.
Mike Daniels is tucked inside the scorebox at Grace Road, where Martin Andersson’s hundred yesterday has probably ushered the game towards a draw.
“As Tanya says, Cricket in April is here: beanies, cloud cover, hot coffee, floodlights and umpires in gloves, and who can blame them?”
Ignore me, Old Trafford is now ablaze with bright sunshine as Harrison resumes the over that was terminated early last night with the dismissal of nightwatchman Phillip. Hurst has joined Jennings.
Updated
“Top of the mornin’ to you Tanya!” Hello there, Tim Maitland.
”I’ve lamented the decline of Nelson in the past, but, as someone who has etched permanently on his retinas the vision of certain parts of David Shepherd’s ample frame jiggling disturbingly each time the scoreboard ticked past multiples of 111, you can surely understand that events at Canterbury are on my mind.
”What if, instead of fading into the memory, Nelson had captivated the minds of the Millenials and Gen Z? The very idea of Middlesex teetering on DOUBLE-double Nelson (222 all out and now 222-6 overnight, for those not paying attention) could have had huge crowds queuing past the Nackington Road End muttering conspiracy theories ranging from the fact that a rip in the space-time continuum is about to swallow the ground whole through to the likelihood of Middlesex losing their last four wickets without troubling the scorer further.
“Cue the massive anticlimax of a jogged leg bye off the first delivery of the day.”
Ken Grime next to me muses on Lancs’ follow-on target – 347 for those interested. Keaton, time for another daddy-ton.
Have arrived at Old Trafford to see the players back in woolly hats and long-johns warming up. A photograper says there is rain in the air, and a steward says snow is forecast next week. Oh well, it was nice while it lasted.
Saturday's round-up
The real Manchester spring closed in at Old Trafford, the floodlights warming up as someone pulled the curtain on the sun. Northamptonshire, delighted with the turn of events, just as Lancashire came out to bat, picked away at the red rose. With five overs left, Marcus Harris, who had batted like a prince for his 43, turned a half-volley from Raphy Weatherall off his ankles straight to Justin Broad at midwicket.
Anderson Phillip was drafted in as nightwatchman, lasting six balls, before being speared lbw in the final over to Calvin Harrison. Keaton Jennings walked off in the gloom, yet another fifty under his belt, but Lancashire are 357 behind and four wickets down.
Earlier, Northants had painstakingly reached their highest total here, guided by 95 from Lewis McManus and a highest first-class score of 56 by Harrison. Tom Hartley, playing his first match of the season, picked up three wickets in a long but zone-finding spell of 33 overs.
Middlesex had the best of the Division Two game at Canterbury, which is zipping along at a perky pace. Steve Eskinazi’s 57 plus an unbeaten 73 from Ben Geddes, dropped a couple of times along the way, helped them to a second innings lead of 226, with four wickets in hand. First-innings parity had looked in sight for Kent, but they fell just short when Kashif Ali was run out for 17.
The Yorkshire captain, Jonny Bairstow, declined to enforce the follow-on as they ten-pinned through Worcestershire at Headingley on a pitch that gave some joy to the faster bowlers. Worcestershire had made sedate progress through the morning, only to lose lost eight wickets for 46 in 25 overs after lunch, Yorkshire’s slip-cordon catching with velcro hands.
There were more runs for Jordan Cox, this time a crowd-pleasing 82 in a tightly-fought game at Trent Bridge. Essex closed 46 runs in arrears against Nottinghamshire, with Matt Critchley unbeaten on 50 and another half-century for Paul Walter, run-happy at the top of the order while Dean Elgar is on paternity leave with twins.
Sussex spun Somerset on a dime at Hove, a first Division One century from Tom Haines giving them a lead of 339 at stumps. Haines reached 99 with a straight six, his century with four sent back down the ground with a flourish. Somerset had recovered from 79 for seven thanks to an eighth-wicket partnership of 110 between Lewis Gregory and James Rew, who was stranded on 80 after Somerset lost their last three wickets in 15 balls. Sean Hunt finished with a career-best five for 48.
Three wickets for Dan Worrall, in the running behind Sam Cook and Chris Woakes for an England place this summer, helped give Surrey a first-innings lead at the Oval. Hampshire were indebted to a fizz-bang 37 from Kyle Abbott. After his bat-carrying century in the first innings, there were more runs for Dom Sibley in the second, an unbeaten 55, accompanied by Ollie Pope, who reached his half-century by swatting Sonny Baker for consecutive sixes.
There were runs aplenty at Bristol, Gloucestershire reaching 546, Glamorgan’s reply was led by a half-century from Sam Northeast. Martin Andersson’s maiden first-class century helped Derbyshire out of a sticky situation at Grace Road. His unbeaten 101 from No 8 hauled his side out of the follow-on mire after Leicestershire had made 484.
A disciplined Durham bowling attack had Warwickshire in trouble at Chester-le- Street, until half centuries from Kai Smith and Michael Booth saved their blushes. Ben McKinney had time to pass 150 in the morning before he was caught behind, Warwickshire’s 18 year old Taz Ali then polished things off, finishing with four for 66.
Scores on the doors
DIVISION ONE
Chester le Street: Durham 387 v Warwickshire 287-8
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire 347 v Essex 301-5
The Oval: Surrey 253 and 136-1 v Hampshire 219
Hove: Sussex 294 and 246-1 v Somerset 201
Headingley: Yorkshire 456 and 61-1 v Worcestershire 162
DIVISION TWO
Bristol: Gloucestershire 546 Glamorgan 146-3
Canterbury: Kent 218 v Middlesex 222 and 222-6
Old Trafford: Lancashire 139-4 v Northamptonshire 496
Grace Road: Leicestershire 484 v Derbyshire 346-8
Preamble
Good morning! Palm Sunday dawns dull but fine, at least in the north west. Saturday felt like a transition day, with things primed to spark into life today. Big tests in store particularly for Kent, Lancashire and Glamorgan. Play starts at 11am, do drop by for some Sunday chuntering.
