County Championship team of the week: Robson, Vince and Stevens are in... but who else makes our XI?

The Cricketer picks a standout XI from the first round of County Championship fixtures

Sam Robson (Middlesex)

165 & 13 vs Somerset

The first centurion of the County Championship summer (mark that down for the end-of-season quiz), Robson made 165 out of Middlesex’s first-innings total of 313 against a fine Somerset seam attack in difficult conditions. No one else contributed more than 28. Although ultimately the effort came in a losing cause, Robson will certainly have done enough to get some suggesting he is only three or four big innings away from England contention.

Jake Libby (Worcestershire)

180* vs Essex

Nottinghamshire’s loss could well be Worcestershire’s gain this season, as the opening batsman began the campaign in sensational form against Essex. Chelmsford in April is one of the more daunting trips for first-class counties, and when your side is 145 for 6 in the shadow of a formidable 490 for 9, even some of the sterner flowers would wilt. But Libby produced the sort of obdurate, obstinate knock that defines the very best openers in the domestic game, shared in a seventh-wicket stand of 244 with Ed Barnard, and carried his bat for 180. Bullseye. 

Tom Westley (Essex)

213 & 8* vs Worcestershire

Easy on the eye as ever, Essex’s captain made an ominous bow in the 2021 County Championship with his 213 against Worcestershire. Spending two minutes shy of nine hours at the crease, Westley faced 408 balls and hit 32 fours. It was a classy start from a classy batsman, his highest score for five years and the second double ton of his career: coincidentally, the other also came against Worcestershire

^{James Vince made a double century against Leicestershire}

David Bedingham (Durham)

57 & 180* vs Nottinghamshire

In his first appearance as Durham’s overseas player, South African batsman Bedingham made the best possible impression with his highest first-class score. Bedingham’s 180 not out in the second innings set Durham up with a shot at victory over Nottinghamshire, and came at a rollicking rate as well (78.95), with three sixes and 15 fours from 228 balls.

While the north east county eventually had to settle for a draw, Bedingham’s performance (he also contributed a half-century in the first innings) will have provided one of several major boosts for Marcus North, James Franklin and Co at the Riverside.

James Vince (Hampshire)

231 vs Leicestershire

Yikes, this was some introduction to the county season from one of the domestic game’s most aesthetically delightful batsmen. Vince treated Leicestershire’s attack with elegant disdain, straight driving his way to 231 from just 220 balls. He reached 100 in 81 balls, the fastest he’s ever reached the landmark in first-class cricket, and did all his damage in less than six hours at the crease, as Hampshire pummelled their way to 612 for 5 before declaring.

Ben Foakes (Surrey)

26 & 133, 2 dismissals vs Gloucestershire

After a modest couple of years in red-ball cricket for Surrey, the wicketkeeper delivered a timely reminder of his very many talents. His 133 in the second innings at Bristol put his county in a commanding position (at the time).

Graeme van Buuren (Gloucestershire)

0 & 110* vs Surrey

That Gloucestershire secured a memorable win over Surrey was thanks in large part to the destructive batting of their middle-order batsman. This was Van Buuren’s first century in five years and was the perfect tonic to a first-innings duck. Along with captain Chris Dent, he shared in an unbroken partnership of 193 to knock off the required 228-run target in less than 38 overs. Boof.

Darren Stevens (Kent)

116* & 2-59 vs Northamptonshire

He doesn’t get older, he only gets better. Kent’s ageless allrounder, at the age of 44, hit his 35th first-class century and then claimed 2 for 59 opening the bowling during his side’s draw with Northamptonshire. To think, Kent nearly released this county cult hero not so long ago.

Ed Barnard (Worcestershire)

128 & 3-67 vs Essex

The allrounder’s maiden century helped steer Worcestershire from real peril against Essex to a relatively comfortable draw. Barnard is one of county cricket’s hidden gems, this won’t be the last time he reaches three figures for the Pears. A useful start with the ball saw him get through 27 overs for just 68, while claiming the wickets of three of the Essex top five: Nick Browne, Dan Lawrence and Paul Walter.

^{Darren Stevens keeps on rolling back the years for Kent}

Lewis Gregory (Somerset)

10, 62*, 5-68 & 1-47 vs Middlesex

You can generally count on Somerset’s seaming allrounder to deliver early-season wickets and, at a chilly Lord’s, he did just that with 5 for 68 in the first innings against Middlesex. A further wicket followed in the second innings, and he was on hand to hit the winning runs after making a vital unbeaten half-century from No.8 as Somerset successfully chased 285 on a fourth-day deck.

Liam Norwell (Warwickshire)

5-32 & 2-87 vs Derbyshire

The first man to claim a five-wicket haul for a county this season, Norwell put daggers through Derbyshire’s new-season optimism in his first over by claiming two wickets without shipping a single run. His 5 for 32 in the first innings of the match came at a miserly economy rate of just 1.78. 

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