Haseeb Hameed continued his impressive start to the season with his first County Championship hundred for three years.
It is more than two years since the Lancashire opener played the last of his three Tests but after averaging under 10 during a dreadful 2018 the 21-year-old appears to be back to his best. He made 218 against Loughborough MCCU last week and followed it up with his fifth first-class hundred against a Test-quality Middlesex attack at Lord’s.
Hameed went to his century with a pulled six off Toby Roland-Jones but after five hours at the crease he was caught and bowled by part-time leg-spinner Dawid Malan for 117, which included 17 fours. Responding to Middlesex’s 265, Lancashire reached 267 for 4. Hameed had put on 123 for the first wicket with Keaton Jennings, who made 52, and was thrilled with his efforts.
“I’m very happy,” he said. “It was good to get some runs and spend some time in the middle last week and I took the confidence from that into that innings. I got a few in the middle early which helped, and I backed myself to go out and perform. It was a good battle with guys like Steven Finn and it was nice to come out of it on the right side.”
Across London, Sir Alastair Cook, the player Hameed might replace in this summer’s Ashes, was out for just 11 in Essex’s match against champions Surrey at the Kia Oval. Cook was caught behind off Tom Curran but an unbeaten 87 by Dan Lawrence took Essex to 202 for 4. Surrey had been dismissed for 395 with Ryan Patel (100 not out) making his maiden Championship hundred. Peter Siddle took 6 for 104.
Patel said: “I’ve come through the age groups at Surrey and getting my first hundred, with my mum and dad watching from the balcony on my home ground, is a moment I have always dreamt about, a bit surreal really.”
Academy product Ollie Robinson was another batsman to lodge his first Championship century as Kent piled up 504 for 9, one of four 500-plus totals so far in this round of games, against Warwickshire at Edgbaston. The wicketkeeper-batsman, playing only his eighth first-class innings, scored 143 before the hosts replied on 136 for 3 with Dom Sibley 60 not out.
Robinson said: “It was just relief when I got to the century, just to have proved to myself that I can do it. It was a nice occasion and to have my Dad here as well made it extra special.”
Yorkshire piled up their first 500-plus total for three years against Hampshire at the Ageas Bowl.
Gary Ballance fell for 148 but Jack Leaning and Jonny Tattersall made half-centuries in their 554 for 7 declared. Hampshire were 74 for 3 at stumps but another England hopeful James Vince was out for just five.
Somerset are in a strong position to claim their second win of the season after continuing to dominate Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge. Skipper Tom Abell made 101 and George Bartlett 133, putting on 223 for the fourth wicket before Somerset were bowled for 403, a lead of 140. Notts were 25 for 2 at stumps, Jack Brooks picking up both wickets.
In Division Two, batsmen continued to gorge themselves in Cardiff where Northamptonshire openers Ricardo Vasconcelos and Rob Newton put on 234.
Vasconcelos batted for ten overs in the 90s before reaching his second century for Northants while Newton will resume tomorrow on 85. Glamorgan had earlier made 570 for 8 declared.
Three Worcestershire batsman scored centuries in the same game for the first time since 2007 when wicketkeeper Ben Cox completed an unbeaten 100 before they declared on 553 for 6 against Leicestershire at Grace Road. The hosts replied with 180 for 4, Mark Cosgrove making 67 and Ateeq Javid an unbeaten 55.
At Bristol, Gloucestershire responded with 202 for 5 after Ryan Taylor and Matt Higgins had both taken three wickets in Derbyshire’s 291. The highly-rated left-hander James Bracey made 65 for the hosts.
The only ground where the ball seems be on top is Chester-le-Street where Sussex’s Luke Wells was left stranded on 98 not out when he ran out of partners. Having been 71 for 7 Sussex rallied to 202 and Durham, with a first-innings lead of 22, reached 31 for 1 at stumps.
