County Championship 2021: Group 3 roundup, Saturday, May 8

May 09, 2021

County Championship 2021: Group 3 roundup, Saturday, May 8 Image

All six teams of Group 3 of the County Championship were supposed to be in action on Day 3. Instead, they didn't even bother to walk out as heavy rain across Manchester, Leeds and Northampton dented the chance of any play.

Northamptonshire v Sussex, Northampton

Sussex 106 (Robinson 49*; Berg 5-18, Sanderson 5-28) and 154/4 (Van Zyl 71*; Berg 2-40) trail Northamptonshire 441/9 d (Zaib 135; Robinson 5-58) by 181 runs

Northamptonshire must have bemoaned a day of missed opportunity as Sussex, on the brink of their third defeat, lived to fight another day. Sussex need 181 runs to make Northants bat again, and they have six wickets in hand.

Earlier in the match, Northamptonshire posted a massive 441/9, courtesy a 198-run partnership between Saif Zaib (135) and Adam Rossington (87) for the sixth wicket.

In reply, Ben Sanderson and Gareth Berg shared five wickets each to bowl out Sussex for 106 in the second innings. Berg and Sanderson followed up with two wickets each in the second innings to reduce Sussex to 154/4. If there is some cricket on Day 4, Northants are likely to walk out victorious.

Lancashire v Glamorgan, Old Trafford

Glamorgan 344 (Lloyd 78; Anderson 3-40) lead Lancashire 22/0 (Davies 14*) by 322 runs

No play was possible between Lancashire and Glamorgan on Day 3 of the fifth round of the County Championship. Glamorgan posted 344 runs in the first innings. David Lloyd (78), Callum Taylor (58) and Daniel Douthwaite (61) were the three half-centurions of the match. James Anderson and Saqib Mahmood picked up three wickets apiece.

Lancashire saw off the day at 22/0 on Day 2, and were unable to resume the proceedings on Day 3. Michael Neser bowled a threatening spell that lasted six overs, of which five were maiden, and conceded just a single off the other.

Yorkshire v Kent, Headingley

Kent 305 (Crawley 90; Coad 3-53) lead Yorkshire 240/5 (Ballance 91*; Gilchrist 2-49) by 65 runs

Like the other games of Group 3, Yorkshire versus Kent was ruined by the rain. Gary Ballance is nine runs shy of a century, and apart from that, there is not much to play for.

Having lost three matches and drawn one, Kent will finish off things without victory. On the other hand, Yorkshire will join Lancashire for the next round of the County Championship.