One-Day Cup – Surrey suffer record loss to Essex

Surrey suffered a record One-Day Cup defeat as Essex thumped them by 244 runs at Chelmsford.

They asked the hosts to bat first and watched Essex rack up 417-6 with Ireland all-rounder Curtis Campher hitting a career-best 123 off only 68 balls on debut.

Then young 19-year-old Charlie Bennett took 5-36 as Surrey were bowled out for 171 with 12.2 overs to spare.

Worcestershire Rapids went top of Group A with a four-wicket win away to Derbyshire Falcons, while Hampshire moved into the top three with a commanding seven-wicket success over Leicestershire Foxes.

In Group B, Middlesex made it three wins in a row with a 28-run win over Warwickshire in Rugby.

Previously winless Essex were asked to bat at a sun-baked Chelmsford, and promptly smashed an inexperienced Surrey attack to all parts for their record One-Day score.

Matt Critchley made 58 at the top of the order and Luc Benkenstein hit 83, but it was the partnership between Campher and Simon Harmer that provided the fireworks.

They added 175 in under 16 overs as Campher, in the first of just three games for Essex in this competition, walloped 12 fours and six sixes in his highest-ever List A score off only 68 balls, with Harmer equalling his best in this format with 68.

Surrey were never in a position to threaten Essex’s mammoth total with Cameron Steel’s 49 the only modicum of resistance.

Bennett took 5-36 in only his fourth game at this level as Essex put a seal on their remarkable 244-run victory.

The result was record defeat for Surrey in the competition, and they sit second bottom of Group A with one win from four games.

Worcestershire are now top of the group with three wins and a tie, but they were under pressure when Derbyshire’s Caleb Jewell and Matthew Montgomery were together.

In the grounds of Repton School, their 150-run partnership took them to 196-1 in the 32nd over.

But Australian Jewell went for 113 and Montgomery eight short of his century as Derbyshire slipped to 315 all out, crucially with 17 balls not used up as Ben Allison and Khurram Shahzad claimed three wickets apiece.

The Rapids were soon 11-2, but Brett D’Oliveira and Jake Libby (69) turned things around with a stand of 183.

D’Oliveira was eventually out for a personal-best score of 138 off 118 balls to leave Worcestershire 272-5, but 19-year-old Daniel Lategan on debut steered his side home on 42 not out by four wickets with 11 balls to spare.

Hampshire made it three wins out of four with a strong display to see off Leicestershire Foxes at the Rose Bowl.

The visitors batted first, but were kept in check by some fine bowling from South Africa seamer Kyle Abbott up top as he eventually finished with 3-36.

Sol Budinger (65), Shan Masood (57) and Ben Cox (55) all passed 50, but the Foxes were eventually bowled out for 252 in the penultimate over.

In reply, a magnificent opening stand of 202 between Ali Orr and captain Nick Gubbins set up the victory.

Middlesex’s momentum in this competition continues to grow with a third win in six days as they moved level on points with Yorkshire and Somerset at the top of Group B.

It was not going to plan at halfway after batting first against Warwickshire as they were bowled out for 217, with Jake Lintott taking 5-37 with his left-arm spin.

But it was a sign of things to come as Luke Hollman’s best figures of 4-27 led the way, as the hosts lost seven wickets to spin to be all out for 189

Middlesex captain Ben Geddes was the top scorer in that match with 48, only two days after his side had enjoyed a record run-chase in the One-Day Cup of 390-5.

After being on the end of that chase, Durham suffered another damaging home defeat.

Northamptonshire decided to bat first at Banks Homes Riverside and finished on a more than respectable 321-8.

James Sales made 117 – his first century in this format and smashing his previous top score of 35 not out – as he shared century stands of 119 with New Zealand batter Tim Robinson (63) and 102 with Justin Broad (59).

That total proved more than enough for the Steelbacks as two wickets each for Luke Procter and Luke Guthrie reduced Durham to 49-4.

From there, the innings subsided with Durham eventually out for 171 in only the 32nd over.