England spinner Shoaib Bashir had a spell to forget when he conceded a joint-record 38 runs in an over in a County Championship match between Surrey and Worcestershire on Monday in which Dan Lawrence smashed five consecutive sixes.
Bashir, who only joined Worcestershire on loan from Somerset earlier this month, had toiled away through 37 overs for 2-124 before being on the receiving end of some stunning Lawrence six hitting.
With Surrey on 437-9, Lawrence launched two sumptuous maximums down the ground before a third was carried over the boundary rope, which left Bashir hunched over in disbelief.
Worse was to follow for the rookie off-spinner, who impressed during England’s 4-1 series defeat in India, when a pair of floated up deliveries were also swatted away by Lawrence. The Surrey batter was denied a place in the history books when the sixth ball of Bashir’s over was sent down for five wides.
Bashir, in only his 12th first-class match, overstepped with his next delivery, while Lawrence took only a single before the carnage ended when Dan Worrell nobly blocked out the last ball of a memorable over.
The over matched a County Championship record set by Alex Tudor for Surrey against Lancashire in 1998, when Andrew Flintoff hit 34, with Bashir was subsequently replaced and finished with 2-162.
Lawrence was out for 175 when Ben Allison had him caught by Jake Libby to dismiss Surrey for 490, before he took two wickets as Worcestershire slumped to 147-7 in reply.
Elsewhere, Durham’s Ollie Robinson boosted his England Test hopes by making 198 to help his side reach 587, before Paul Walter (80 not out) and Matt Critchley (51no) helped dig Essex out of trouble from 120-4 to close on 249-4.
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Josh Bohannon (182no) and Luke Wells (150) put on a record stand of 312 for Lancashire as they ended day two on 402-4, leading Kent by 158 runs, having batted through two full sessions without losing a wicket.
Tom Abell’s unbeaten century led a strong response for Somerset in their clash against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge, putting on a 157-run third-wicket partnership with Tom Lammonby (87), as the visitors reached 293-4 in reply to 360.
Division One scorecards
Keith Barker (6-74) and Kyle Abbott (3-64) gave Hampshire the upper hand against Warwickshire, dismissing the hosts for 254 before increasing their lead to 132 by closing on 88-2.
In Division Two, Peter Handscomb continued his fine form for Leicestershire with 92 runs in a tough test against leaders Sussex, taking the Australian’s tally to 640 runs in this season’s Championship, while Marnus Labuschagne top-scored for Glamorgan with 93 to extend their lead against Northamptonshire in Cardiff.
Division Two scorecards
Derbyshire opener Luis Reece posted a maiden Lord’s hundred against Middlesex. The 33-year-old shared a third-wicket stand of 111 with Wayne Madsen and brought up his century from 176 balls to reach stumps unbeaten on 123, leaving the visitors 308-4 and trailing by 125.
Yorkshire were bowled out for 456 against Gloucestershire at Scarborough, despite a 307-run opening stand between Adam Lyth and Finlay Bean the previous day, and the visitors then slipped from 128-2 to 168-7 to leave them 288 behind and struggling to avoid the follow on.
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