Great start for Joe … no, not that one!
Inevitably, some of the two and a half thousand who gathered here at trent bridge for the opening day of the County Championship season yesterday had braved the chill to watch a no 4 christened Joe bat.
yorkshire’s privilege as the away side of inviting nottinghamshire to bat meant Joe Root was restricted to spells of off- spin, however, leaving Joe Clarke to take centre stage in front of england selector James taylor.
Clarke, who could be called as a witness in the retrial of his former Worcestershire team-mate and close friend alex Hepburn on two charges of rape in Crown Court on Monday, put any off- field distractions to one side with the competition’s first hundred — an unbeaten 109 in a total of 324 for five.
the 22-year- old quit new Road last September and excelled on debut at a time when ashes places are very much up for grabs. He showed some of Root’s elegance in reaching his 14th first- class century and brought up three figures by clipping his 15th four through midwicket.
Clarke does not bat in the problem top-three positions but weight of runs at a bowler-friendly time of year will make a big statement and he was on the periphery of test selection throughout his past couple of years at Worcestershire.
elsewhere in Division One, Sam northeast struck an unbeaten 94 before bad light brought an early close to Hampshire’s home contest against 2017 champions essex. James vince’s team will resume today on 303 for four. there was no play at all between Somerset and Kent at taunton because of rain.
bowling honours went to leicestershire seamer tom taylor, who claimed the season’s maiden five-wicket haul — a career-best six for 47 as Sussex were ransacked for 173 at Hove in Division two. in response, left-armer Mir Hamza struck three times.
More heartening news of recent england discards came in Haseeb Hameed’s return to form following a dismal 2018 season in which he averaged single figures in Division One.
batting at three for lancashire in a fixture that does not hold first-class status as loughborough MCCU have already played two matches this season, the 22-year- old hit an unbeaten 202, his highest score for the first Xi.