‘BABY BOYCOTT’ HAMEED STARTS TO BOOM AGAIN
HASEEB HAMEED continued his impressive resurgence with a first County Championship hundred for three years.
Last season the ‘Baby Boycott’ suffered a desperate time, getting a top score of 31 for LANCASHIRE and an average of just 9.7
It was an amazing fall from grace for a onceprodigious opening bat who impressed drew comparisons with England legend Boycott on his Test debut in 2016.
Now the 22-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 England pace bowler Toby Roland-jones.
After five hours at the crease he was caught and bowled by another England man, part-time leg-spinner Dawid Malan for 117, which included 17 fours.
Responding to Middlesex’s 265, Lancashire reached 267-4. Hameed had put on 123 for the first wicket with Test opener Keaton Jennings, who made 52.
“I’m very happy,” he Hameed. “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.
“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 202-4. Surrey had been dismissed for 395 with Ryan Patel (100 not out) making his maiden Championship hundred.
Aussie quick Peter Siddle (below) took 6-104.
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 504-9, against WARWICKSHIRE at Edgbaston. The wicketkeeper-batsman, playing only his eighth first-class innings, scored 143 before the hosts replied on 136-3 with Dom Sibley 60 not out.
Robinson said: “It was a relief when I got to the century, just to have proved to myself that I can do it.”
YORKSHIRE piled up their first 500-plus total for three years against HAMPSHIRE at the Ageas Bowl. Gary Ballance fell for 148 in their 554-7 declared. Hampshire were 74-3 at stumps but another England hopeful James Vince was out for just five.