Opener spot looks to be set in stone
MARK STONEMAN continued to blow away remaining doubts about who should partner Alastair Cook in the Ashes this winter with a century on his return for Surrey.
The opener batted his county into a great position against Yorkshire on day one with 131 as first-class cricket returned to the Oval for the first time since the crossbow bolt abandonment late last month.
But the wider picture was Stoneman’s 171-ball knock gave him a seemingly unshakeable grip on the No2 slot for England, barring an injury before the end of the County Championship season.
Stoneman made few errors in an innings that blended watchfulness with outright aggression until edging Tim Bresnan to Shaun Marsh at first slip.
By that stage, he had lasted the best part of 57 overs showing the benefit of his exposure to international cricket with a 178-run partnership with Rory Burns (75) for the first wicket.
Kumar Sangakkara marked his return from the Caribbean Premier League by reaching a sublime 85 not out late in the day, while Ben Foakes is also unbeaten on 64.
Sangakkara has now scored 1,171 championship runs this summer, at an average of 117.10, and the Sri Lankan is joined in the top three of Division One runscorers by Stoneman (959) and Burns (922).
Gary Ballance, on his second first-class match back since fracturing a finger on international duty in July, will have the chance to make his case for the Australia tour on the same stage, most likely today.
Likewise Tom Westley, who was made to wait for his chance to impress selectors after Essex, chasing a first top-flight title since 1992, elected to field first against Warwickshire at Edgbaston.
Warwickshire, who look sure to be relegated, slipped to 58-3 before the middle order put some meat on the bones. But Essex regained the initiative to dismiss their hosts for 201, before closing on 69-0.
Lancashire started the day 36 points behind the Division One leaders in second place and need a victory against Somerset at Taunton to extend the title battle into the penultimate round of matches.
They ended it still searching for Somerset’s final wicket, with the hosts on 330-9.
FLAGS flew at half mast at the Oval yesterday to mark the passing of Jan Brittin, England’s leading female Test runscorer, who died from cancer at the age of 58.
Brittin hit five Test centuries during a 27-Test, 19-year career and also played a leading role in England’s 1993 World Cup win against New Zealand at Lord’s.
Director of England women’s cricket Clare Connor, who played alongside Brittin, said: “JB was one of the most unassuming cricketers you could meet, but she was pure class. An outstanding cricketer and a lovely person.” SAM WARBURTON will miss his chance of another crack at the All Blacks after being ruled out for at least four months to undergo neck surgery.
Warburton aggravated an old injury in training with Cardiff Blues this week and will be operated on shortly, putting him out of action until the end of the year.
The Lions captain was due to play for Wales against New Zealand in the autumn Tests, on November 25 in Cardiff, but that has been scuppered by the news he will go under the knife.
Warburton will also miss the Tests against Australia, Georgia and South Africa and faces a race against time to be fit for the Six Nations opener against Scotland on February 3.
He was rested from the first two games of Blues’ Pro14 campaign following his summer exertions but was expected to come back shortly and prove his sharpness for the November campaign.
Blues head coach Danny Wilson said: “It is a major blow for all concerned. It is a long-standing issue Sam has had. He gets pain and discomfort on and off.
“The feeling was that the two months off to allow that to completely settle without any rugby would do him the world of good.
“He’s frustrated because he would have thought after two months he would have been quite fresh. But it is the right thing to do.”
Warburton led the Lions in their series draw against the world champions this summer, although he was on the bench for the first Test in Auckland after struggling with a knee injury.
Only the second man to skipper the Lions on two tours, after Martin Johnson, Warburton gained huge respect from the New Zealand public and players in the tied series.
Any hopes he had of settling the score with the Kiwis, and helping Wales to a first win over New Zealand since 1953, were kicked into touch with this latest blow.
The 28-year-old, who has won 74 caps to add to five Tests for the Lions, has had a list of orthopaedic setbacks that would make even Jonny Wilkinson wince.
The flanker has had six operations and an estimated 17 injuries in the last decade and has missed 28 out of 102
It’s a major blow for all concerned, he is frustrated