1. Matt shines as he paints town red
Hampshire and Essex, two teams aiming to improve on a disappointing 2025, met at the Rose Bowl to take advantage of the renewed energy that April often brings. The match proved to be a harsh lesson for Hampshire, who were defeated by an innings and a substantial margin. This result signals a challenging season ahead for the hosts.
The standout performer was Matt Critchley, the all-rounder who, surprisingly still under 30, made a significant impact. He came to the crease after captain Tom Westley sustained a broken finger, leading to the first-ever injury replacement in Championship history, with Noah Thain stepping in. Critchley scored a commanding 173 before the declaration halted the innings just shy of 500. Hampshire’s first innings collapsed rapidly with seven wickets falling within 26 overs, and their second innings fared no better, ending with seven wickets down in 22 overs, five of those claimed by Critchley’s leg-spin. Such a performance makes winning impossible for the opposition.
Following the Ashes, there is always speculation about England selections. Critchley, seven years younger than Liam Dawson, whom he outperformed in this match, has similar first-class statistics. Although currently distant from national selection, he remains a viable option.
2. Red-faced Leicestershire left cheesed off
Leicestershire returned to Division One after over twenty years, facing Sussex at Grace Road, a team in crisis, seemingly an ideal opportunity for a morale-boosting home victory. However, cricket rarely follows simple narratives, and experience prevailed.
Ian Holland, unexpectedly appointed captain due to Peter Handscomb’s family commitments keeping him in Australia, joined most other captains (except Lancashire’s James Anderson) in opting to bowl first. Sussex batted through to the opposing captain, Ollie Robinson, who came in at number 10. By the end of day one, Leicestershire were one wicket down and trailing by 346 runs, validating the bold decision.
Robinson is a shrewd competitor on the county circuit, and not only Sussex supporters but others will be hoping leadership can enhance his mental and physical resilience, areas often cited as weaknesses at the international level. Robinson and fellow seamer Henry Crocombe each took five wickets in the first innings, with Crocombe adding four more in the second innings, delivering an impressive personal performance.
Leicestershire fell over 100 runs short in both innings, highlighting the quality gap between divisions, and now face a challenging away match at the Oval.
3. Overton’s declaration overkill
This column frequently critiques captains for excessive caution in declarations, often avoiding defeat at the expense of pursuing victory. Somerset, a team with six Championship runner-up finishes this century, would be expected to heed this criticism. They hosted Nottinghamshire at Taunton on the opening weekend.
On day four, Somerset held a commanding position against the reigning champions, leading by 223 runs with nine wickets in hand. Nottinghamshire faced a demoralizing start to their title defense and a significant points deficit before the Easter break.
Somerset’s stand-in captain, Craig Overton, batted for an additional 34 overs to set a target of 417 runs in 60 overs, inviting Nottinghamshire’s Haseeb Hameed to bat. The pitch was benign, as confirmed by Somerset centurions Tom Abell, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, and James Rew. Overton’s 26 overs yielded only one wicket, indicating the difficulty of extracting dismissals on this surface.
"Faint heart never won fair lady; Somerset drew a match they could have won."
4. Carlson falls short of checkmating Yorkshire
At Sophia Gardens in Cardiff, Kiran Carlson had different intentions. Anticipating that weather later in the season might force Glamorgan into home draws, he sought to capitalize on early opportunities to secure wins crucial for survival in Division One.
Colin Ingram’s century, supported by robust late middle-order batting, and Mason Crane’s five-wicket haul contributed to a 76-run first innings lead. Sensing a chance, especially with Yorkshire’s Jonny Bairstow injured, Carlson declared before lunch on day four, setting Yorkshire a target of 295 runs from 68 overs.
Adam Lyth, eleven years Carlson’s senior, might have questioned the aggressive declaration as he took guard. Yorkshire reached 125 for 1 with 170 runs needed in 33 overs, but Crane dismissed experienced batsmen Sam Whiteman and James Wharton. By the close, Yorkshire were seven wickets down, hanging on for a draw.
While there is no such thing as a moral victory, Glamorgan can take positives from this drawn match.
5. Du Plooy plundering runs again
A chilly Good Friday welcomed fans back to Lord’s for another season. The ground was undergoing construction, with the Allen Stand being upgraded, leaving a gap where the preferred big screen once stood. This absence was felt repeatedly when checking scores.
Leus du Plooy continued his impressive form, following last season’s unbeaten 263 against Gloucestershire with a commanding 182. He received strong support from Joe Cracknell, and their sixth-wicket partnership of 181 established a dominant position. Toby Roland-Jones claimed five wickets, and teenage pacer Sebastian Morgan took four in the second innings, securing an innings victory.
Before play, a minute’s silence honored the late Mick Hunt, a long-serving groundsman affectionately known as "Mr Lord’s" by early-arriving fans. Despite the beautiful turf after winter relaying, the pitch was notably slow, with 16 of 29 dismissals being bowled or lbw, indicative of a slow, low surface.
It suggests that the first week of April may be somewhat premature for traditional summer cricket.
6. Anderson thwarted by Sanderson
Summarizing four days of first-class cricket into a single point would be unjust, as would blaming one individual for the outcome.
Lancashire’s Michael Jones dropped a straightforward catch at third slip offered by Northamptonshire’s No. 11, Ben Sanderson. With four overs remaining, Lancashire supporters were resigned, and their team could not recover.
Credit is due to the Northamptonshire tail, who extended the first innings from 103 for 6 to 258 all out, and the second innings from 50 for 6 to 213 for 9. George Bartlett’s unbeaten 95 led a crucial tenth-wicket partnership lasting an hour. Runs scored after the fall of the sixth wicket are vital in two-innings matches.
