Championship team of the week: Overton, Sanderson and Payne... but who joins them in the XI?

The Cricketer looks at the star performers from a rain-affected fifth round of the County Championship

Sam Evans (Leicestershire)

112 vs Surrey

Century number three for the Leicestershire opener - the only player to reach three figures on more than two occasions in the opening five rounds. This was also his second against this Surrey attack, having hit a hundred at The Kia Oval earlier in the competition. As openers up and down the country struggled amid the toughest conditions of the campaign, Evans was simply serene, hitting the rope 16 times on his way to another chanceless landmark score.

Rob Yates (Warwickshire)

104 vs Worcestershire

Not 22 until September yet this was Yates' third first-class century and second of the summer for the Bears. Granted, it did not come amid the pressure of a run-chase with champions Essex, nor against a particularly potent attack led by Joe Leach and Josh Tongue, but it is another notable moment in the uni student's career. Yates appears to have all the shots, a priceless skill when conditions were not ideal for batting.

Marcus Harris (Leicestershire)

101 vs Surrey

The Australian might not have the best memories of playing in England but there is an opportunity to partially re-write the record books at Grace Road. He backed up last week's fifty at Bristol with a three-figure score on home turf. His 195-run stand with Evans went a long way to ensuring the Foxes couldn't be the victims of any fourth-day drama. While partner Evans was dogged, Harris freed his shoulders and crushed the ball regularly through the offside. Wiaan Mulder's replacement has started well.

^{Marcus Harris was one of two Leicestershire centurions in the top three}

Saif Zaib (Northamptonshire)

135 vs Sussex

Probably the most crucial batting contribution of the round. The Northamptonshire academy product went to his maiden senior century, coming in when the hosts were 68 for 4 and struggling in reply to Sussex's 106 all out. He and 'keeper-captain Adam Rossington put on 198 for the sixth wicket to thrust the home side into an unassailable lead. The left-hander punished a Sussex attack which quickly ran out of ideas - bar Ollie Robinson - with nine players taking the ball for at least two overs. 

Steven Mullaney (Nottinghamshire)

117 vs Essex

At 84 for 4, Nottinghamshire might have wondered whether they were going to let Essex off the hook having bowled them out for 99. Captain Mullaney put the pedal down, however, with inclement weather due, to put the Trent Bridge club in charge knowing they still had a day spare to complete victory. His knock, which included him going to 8,000 first-class runs, included 20 boundaries but most importantly was paced perfectly for the situation. The lead was in excess of 200 by the time he was done, and so were Essex.

Michael Burgess (Warwickshire)

101 vs Worcestershire

"It's been a tough month. This is a bit of a relief," said Burgess after he put behind him a difficult start to the term with a fine century in the middle order for Warwickshire. Tim Ambrose's exit stage-left means Burgess has been thrust into the fray as the No.1 'keeper. Scores of 7, 36, 1, 2, 3 and 27 suggested it might be a bridge too far for the 26-year-old journeyman, but he bit back with a timely century; picking up from where Yates left off to give the Bears a credible first-innings knock to protect.

^{Gareth Berg and Ben Sanderson made the perfect team - combining for 19 wickets}

Craig Overton (Somerset)

74, 2-16, 5-66 vs Hampshire

Are we past the phase where great things can be merely enjoyed? Craig Overton is about to test that adage. County cricket's leading wicket-taker is unignorable (32 at 13.96) by perhaps everyone bar England, who know his abilities and drawbacks well. There are suggestions the Somerset quick has picked up a bit more pace, but the reality is these performances have become the norm in recent seasons. As we know, the leap to international level is a great one. Who knows if it can be breached.

Luke Fletcher (Nottinghamshire)

6-24, 2-42 vs Essex

A six in the wickets column for Fletcher for the first time, an inspired return which set up a second win in a row for Notts. The 32-year-old will have bowled in less advantageous conditions before and many of his successes came by dismissing the tail (he finished the innings of 99 off with a triple-wicket maiden) but there are few more deserving of such rewards. The ball that got the in-form Tom Westley on the first morning was a gem.

Gareth Berg (Northamptonshire)

5-18, 4-72 vs Sussex

It was a tale of two bowlers at Wantage Road, both tireless seamers who give their all. They might have been denied an equal share of all 20 Sussex wickets but that does not detract from a glorious performance to secure an innings victory. Forty-year-old Berg broke new ground with his best match figures, which were sparked by a remarkably frugal return on a pitch that did a little off the seam. That was certainly apparent when he produced a cracker of a delivery to dismiss Travis Head first time around, before returning to get rid of the Aussie again on day four.

David Payne (Gloucestershire)

5-31, 6-56 v Middlesex

A classic display of left-arm quick bowling from one of Gloucestershire's unsung heroes. The 30-year-old claimed a maiden 10-for thanks to his fifth and sixth five-wicket hauls of a peculiar career for which this is now one of the crowning moments. Under grey skies, Payne produced some fabulous shape, cramping batters for room and moving the ball both ways. As Middlesex's batting line-up, perhaps the weakest in county cricket, melted away, they became mere cannon-fodder at the Lord's shooting gallery.

Ben Sanderson (Northamptonshire)

5-28, 5-71 vs Sussex

It was a stunning week for Northamptonshire and few of them come without a vital contribution from Sanderson, whose consistent returns defy belief. He has taken a wicket in all 10 innings during the 2021 campaign but this was his most impressive haul of the lot, combining with Berg to take Sussex apart. Bowling dangerman Stiaan van Zyl from his very first delivery of day four, having spent much of the previous 48 hours virtually with his feet up, said plenty about his professionalism. Being right on the money from the outset is what Sanderson is all about.

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