County Test Review: Division One

Hampshire vs Yorkshire

From an overnight score of 225 at a loss of 4 wickets, Hampshire got to 410 on Day 3, courtesy of Ben Brown's 83 and a 73-run partnership at the ninth wicket. Due to Jordan Thompson's four-wicket haul and other bowlers bowling economically, Yorkshire managed to sneak out an 18-run lead at the end of the first innings. Yorkshire commenced their second innings hoping to expand the lead by a significant margin but found themselves struggling as they lost their three crucial wickets in the form of Adam Lyth, George Hill and their potent run scorer Harry Brooks to Keith Barker. This three-wicket haul of Barker gave Hampshire a hope of defeating Yorkshire at home for the first time since 2008. Day 3 stumped at 101/5 with momentum sailing towards Hampshire.  

Kent vs Gloucestershire 

Continuing from a score of 232/3 and a trail of 206 to cover, Jack Leaning and Jordan Cox built a 254-run stand at the fourth wicket, scoring 128 and 158, respectively, to help Kent sail to the massive total of 564 in the first innings. This gave them a 126-run lead. Gloucestershire's Tom Price took a fifer and restricted middle-order to add any further to the total.  

In response, Gloucestershire went to Stumps on Day 3 at 37/5. Jacob Duffy ripped through Gloucestershire on the third day at Canterbury, who scalped four wickets to return with an astonishing figure of 2-1-8-4. Still trailing by 89 runs, Gloucestershire is in a tough spot, and if Kent bowlers continue bowling fire like this, they keep a scope to win by an inning.  

Somerset vs Surrey 

Lewis Gregory helped restrict Surrey for 382 as Gus Atkinson and Daniel Worrall failed to add even a single run to overnight's tally. This left Somerset with a deficit of 202 at the end of the first innings.

However, by the end of Day 3, Somerset succeeded in creating a lead of 117 runs, making Surrey wait to wrap for victory, which looked quite sure looking at first innings deficits. Day 3 looked in favour of Surrey when Somerset slipped to 119/4. But Lewis Goldsworthy had other things in mind as he hit a career-best score of 67 before Lewis Gregory took to the fields to further weigh the inning with his unbeaten 71. By the stumps of Day 3, Somerset succeeded in building a precarious lead of 117 with two wickets remaining. A day that started well for the home side with Gregory's two wickets ended to give a competitive Day 4.

Warwickshire vs Lancashire 

With 12 runs trailing and one wicket remaining on stumps of Day 2, Lancashire fell one run short on the first innings as Liam Norwell completed his fifer to bundle them out for 291. 

Warwickshire racked up another substantial total and set a 329-run target. Alex Davies starred as he played a swashbuckling inning of 121 off 211. Tom Bailey and Will Williams scalped seven wickets to destroy the top-order as other batters struggled to score runs. Michael Burgess' 46 and 55 from the bat of Henry Brookes came in very handy towards the end to take the scoreboard to 327/9d. Towards the end of the day, Lancashire got through four overs without losing a wicket and now needed 324 runs to win.