JACK BUTLER: As Essex and Somerset progress to the Lord's final, The Cricketer looks at the outstanding performances during the final round of action in the Bob Willis Trophy group stage...
Two solid knocks at the top of the order from Roy Burns as he hit a century in the first innings and a fifty in the second of Surrey's six-wicket victory over Sussex. The England opener's maiden century of the county season - and first of 2020 - included 15 fours and came at a strike rate of 85.12. Class is permanent, it seems.
Tom Haines' second first-class hundred came off 249 balls and featured sixteen fours before he was trapped lbw by Amar Virdi. The 21-year-old combined with both Aaron Thomason and Delray Rawlins for century stands as Sussex posted 415 in their first innings, but somehow still ended up on the wrong side of the result at The Kia Oval.
Lammony's second first-class hundred in only his fifth match was as composed as it was vital. In an evenly poised game, the 20-year-old carried his bat after a magnificent 107 against a well-disciplined and experienced Worcestershire attack, guiding Somerset into the Bob Willis Trophy final at Lord's.
Duckett, who last played for England in 2016, hit his 21st triple-figure score in the professional game. His second century in this year's red-ball season came off 210 balls and included 23 fours. The Nott's left-hander averaged 68.88 in the reduced red-ball season after finishing 36* on the final day.
A majestic century in the first innings and an enterprising cameo late on day four, @BenDuckett1 enjoyed his time batting against the Durham attack #NottsvDur pic.twitter.com/KKSisnypWn
— Nottinghamshire CCC (@TrentBridge) September 10, 2020
The other half of Notts' 200-run third-wicket partnership was Clarke who hit his 17th first-class hundred against Durham. The 24-year-old, who previously struck 100 of 44 against Durham in the Blast, made 133 to guide Notts past 400 in their first innings.
Arguably an emotionally swayed pick but it would be difficult to leave him out. Two consecutive fifties for the five-time Ashes winner, who then fell 10 runs short of a century in his final innings in red-ball cricket. The England legend's 90 featured a dozen fours as we saw the majestic and trademark extra cover drive for the final time in the first-class game. No, you're crying.
In a week of disappointing returns for 'keepers, Hosein impressed with a solid 84 and two catches. The Derbyshire keeper faced 226 balls as he ground away for some valuable runs before he ran out of support. A solid knock on a pitch where no-one was able to pass three figures.
🎥 Bell departs for 90 and receives fantastic applause.
— Warwickshire CCC 🏏 (@WarwickshireCCC) September 8, 2020
He leaves the crease in red ball cricket for the final time.
Thank you, @Ian_Bell. 🤝
Live Stream 🖥 https://t.co/GF2Y5nl0As
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🐻#YouBears #GLAvWAR pic.twitter.com/aNnenFVe8g
Stevens picked up a 5-for in the first innings, and four in the second. Without the new ball, which was given to Grant Stewart, Kent's all-time leading wicket-taker was unlucky to finish with nine wickets in the match. Indeed, he would have ended with a 10-for had Kent held some regulation catches in the cordon - six went down in the opening two days of the game.
Coad went through the Leicestershire middle-order on his way to a first-innings five-wicket haul, picking up the wickets of Rishi Patel, Aaron Lilley and Harry Swindells. With three wickets in the second innings, Coad was at the heart of a Yorkshire bowling line-up that skittled Leicestershire for 124 and 161 on their way to a comprehensive 10-wicket victory.
A young left-arm spinner taking a 5-for in both innings is the kind of thing that happens when you don't play red-ball cricket in early April. Moriarty impressed in his second first-class match for Surrey with 11 wickets across the two innings. Arguably a bit expensive, but when you're returning consecutive scalps does it matter? Another spinner at The Oval with huge potential.
✅ 11 wickets in the game
— Surrey Cricket (@surreycricket) September 9, 2020
Daniel Moriarty is the first bowler to take five wickets in three successive innings in his first two matches in inter-county cricket on first-class debut. 👏 pic.twitter.com/hUEXPIR4zm
Rushworth, who took his 500 first-class career wickets last month, impressed with a first-innings hat-full. Picking up four of the Nott's top five - Ben Slater, Haseeb Hameed, Tom Clarke and Steven Mullaney - the 34-year-old lacked support from the rest of the attack. His 7-108 was a stark contrast to the Nott's final first innings tally of 422 all out.
As ever there are some honourable mentions. Apologies to Zak Crawley who misses out after some fine form continued for Kent with a knock of 105 at a fine strike-rate. Elsewhere, Danny Lamb hit a fifty and took seven wickets as Lancashire beat Derbyshire. In Chelmsford, the leading Bob Willis Trophy wicket-taker, Simon Harmer, picked up seven wickets for Essex to take his total for the red-ball season to 34.
Yorkshire's Jordan Thompson and Kent's Harry Podmore both took five wickets. Finally, James Coles took his maiden first-class wicket for Sussex by dismissing Ben Foakes and returned in the second innings to see off England opener Burns.
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