"One more year" was the cry from the Surrey faithful as Sangakkara delivered yet another sumptuous century, and relegation-threatened Somerset found a new lease of life against Lancashire.
LONG LIVE THE KING
Kumar Sangakkara returned to action for Surrey and immediately set about restoring world order. The King, as he’s affectionately known in SE11, had no sooner landed in England than he’d scored yet another sublime century. The Sri Lankan superstar caressed a magnificent 164 off 187 balls, racking up his seventh ton in just eight matches this summer. Someone please tell us why he's retiring?!
FOAKES MUSIC
Sanga wasn’t the only one giving a batting masterclass at the Kia Oval on Wednesday. As the hosts built a commanding first innings total of 592, wicketkeeper Ben Foakes played some superlative shots en route to his eighth first-class century. Will the 24-year-old be joining the England squad for a winter in Australia?
👀 Here's a look at all of Ben Foakes' boundaries from his 1️⃣1️⃣0️⃣ today against @YorkshireCCC in the @CountyChamp.👏#FoakesOn🔥 pic.twitter.com/LdANcXthRj
— Surrey Cricket (@surreycricket) September 13, 2017
BASEMENT BATTLE
After the Day One wash-out at Uxbridge, the last thing Middlesex needed was another but that’s pretty much what they got as they managed to reach 76/3 against Hampshire before the wet outfield posed too many problems. Fellow strugglers Yorkshire are 421 runs behind against Surrey, but last week’s big win seems to have spurred relegation-threatened Somerset on. They bowled Lancashire out for just 133 thanks to another Jack Leach 5-for, a staggering 202 runs behind, and enforced the follow-on.
Another 5️⃣ wicket haul for @jackleach1991 as @SomersetCCC enforce the follow on v Lancs
— County Championship (@CountyChamp) September 13, 2017
Also good news for 🏆 chasing @EssexCricket pic.twitter.com/gJlIpmeHof
CHAMPIONS ELECT
It may not have been the most exciting cricket ever aired on Sky Sports but Essex’s march to the title continued with another steady day’s progress at Edgbaston. Former Bear Varun Chopra was unlucky to fall two runs short of his ton, while Dan Lawrence chipped in with a stoic 78 to give the Eagles a 168-run lead. They then declared to have a mini crack at Warwickshire's openers. The Championship could await on Day Three...
AUSSIE RULES
After going into this match with a top score of 70 from two spells at Gloucestershire, Australian opener Cameron Bancroft carried his bat for an impeccable 206. Striking 23 fours and one six in his 393-ball knock, Bancroft shared a stubborn last-wicket stand of 111 with Matthew Taylor (36) to dash Kent’s hopes of an unlikely promotion place.
DOUBLE CENTURY! Magnificent from @cbancroft4 👏👏👏
— Gloucestershire CCC (@Gloscricket) September 13, 2017
He hits 2⃣0⃣0⃣ from 390 deliveries.
Glos 379/9 @CountyChamp pic.twitter.com/2HaCVp3f1Y