Now the middle of April, the weather was terrible and the season of the County championship started lot of joy seam bowlers across the country!
The conditions dictated that it essentially green-seaming machines round in the first round of fixtures with just one century scored in five matches in which the ball was actually struck.
Credit must go to Liams Livingston and Dawson as the only spinner to take wickets in the division – presumably having been forced to take the ball from the hands of the average horse – but neither the first County team of the week as the seamers dominate…
Rajasthan vs Kolkata
April 18, 2018, 3:00 PM
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Daniel Bell-Drummond (Kent)
With the new ball, doing all sorts across the country, it was not a good week to be an opening batsman. He was dismissed on four in the first innings, bell-Drummond made 61 only 63 balls in the second. A rare highlight for Kent, as they slipped to a five-wicket defeat to Gloucestershire.
Benny Howell (Gloucestershire)
Having been trapped LBW for a third ball duck in the first innings, in any other week in Howell is to be considered as an unusual choice to make our team of the week. However, with Daryl Mitchell 35 best any knife in the division, it is possible to collect, but bell-Drummond to the side, no other knife in the second tier capable of reaching 50 or Howell’s unbeaten 52 in Gloucestershire successful chase against Kent gets it good.
Ian Bell (Warwickshire)
James Vince (Hampshire, captain)
After quite a mixed winter for England, Vince showed his class with a fine 74-ball 75 on the opening day of the campaign. A good week for the captain of Hampshire was capped off when he took the catch to seal victory over Worcestershire.
Ben brown (Sussex, wicketkeeper)
Was appointed as the new Sussex club captain before the start of the season, brown has made the perfect start as he struck a patient 91 against Warwickshire and snaffled four hooks. He removes his gloves to Tim Ambrose, who pity to miss, scoring 81 and six catches in the same game.
David Wiese (Sussex)
Visa arrived at nine for Sussex at Edgbaston, but after scoring a hundred and opening the season, he earned a promotion to the dizzy heights of no 6. All-rounder scored 106 in the shade behind the ball as the visitors scored 374 and also chipped in with four first-innings wickets.
James Harris (Middlesex)
Middlesex made a winning start in their quest to return to the top flight for the first time asking and Harris played an important role in that. He hit unbeaten 46 to help the hosts past 200 and then produced a brilliant spell with bowl, with 5-9 in 5.2 overs as a specialist were skittled for 71. He wasn’t finished and added another four wickets in the second innings specialist to help middlesex wrap up victory inside three days.
Kyle Abbott (Hampshire)
Seven wickets in the match sees South Africa to oust his teammate Hampshire Gareth Berg (75no and three wickets) to take his place in our XI. After the first three innings, Abbott dismantled the Worcestershire top order in their second and hit harder than useful 51 with the bat as well.
Ollie Stone (Warwickshire)
Jake Ball (Nottinghamshire)
After playing the first ashes test in Brisbane, the ball was the invisible man for the rest of the tour and has remained in the national team of New Zealand series. However, in County cricket terms, additional assistance to the bowlers, he remains a quality performer. He took Haseeb Hameed cheap and broke a lower order in Lancashire in their first innings at old Trafford, taking 5-43 and followed it up with 4-14 in the wonderful hosts second innings.
Harry Gurney (Nottinghamshire)
Removing Hamid and Alex Davis missed three days, gurney set the tone for a manic last morning at old Trafford when he trapped Keaton Jennings LBW in the first over of the day. Thence, Lancashire capitulated from 58-2 to 73 and gurney took 6-25. Added to 2-18 in their first innings and although Notts did incredibly hard work his 10-run chase, the left-armer and his side were able to celebrate a resounding victory in his first game back in division one.
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