County pride and England chaos relegated Hundred to summer undercard | Ali Martin

Franchise tournament remains an enigma after an unexpectedly dramatic men’s international summer and a thrilling Championship title race

After pumping astronomical sums of money into English cricket, the headline act of the summer should probably have been the Hundred’s rebirth under private ownership. After all, the decks were relatively clear.

There was no Ashes series or Indian arm-wrestle in Test cricket to hog the limelight, rather a small-plates menu of touring teams. The Women’s T20 World Cup was on home soil, but for all that it outdid its 50-over equivalent in 2017 by way of engagement, the men’s football World Cup dominated. Plus, folks kind of knew Nat Sciver-Brunt’s England side was not quite ready to derail the Australian machine.

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South Africa power to ODI series win as Australia’s middle order struggles again

  • Bavuma and Miller smash centuries in second ODI

  • Australia batters fall 32 runs short despite strong start

Temba Bavuma and David Miller both struck centuries as South Africa defeated Australia by 32 runs in the ⁠second one-day international in Johannesburg, securing victory in the three-match series with a game to spare.

Australia sent their hosts in to bat and South ⁠Africa amassed 365 for ⁠nine in their ​50 overs, before bowling the visitors out for 333 in 49.5 overs to win a high-scoring encounter. The Proteas continued their recent dominance over their rivals with a 19th ODI ⁠win in their last 25 meetings.

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Abell’s 307 offers solace for Somerset as season slips into sepia – as it happened

As Warwickshire celebrated the title, Tom Abell gave fans of the repeat runners-up something to cheer at Taunton

Caught at long on, aiming for the rope, and finishes one run short of Joe Clarke in the highest run-scorers of the year league. Handshakes from Pope and Worrall as he walks off with no fuss.

Somerset, 731 all out, have a first-innings lead of 301. Do Surrey have one last collapse in them?

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Warwickshire clinch County Championship title with victory over Leicestershire

  • Warwickshire beat Leicestershire by an innings & 79 runs

  • Ethan Bamber’s five-wicket haul seals title for Bears

Warwickshire were crowned County Championship champions after beating Leicestershire by an innings and 79 runs at Edgbaston on Saturday. They entered the third day needing seven wickets to clinch the title, while the visitors required 182 more runs to send them back in to bat.

Chris Woakes got the hosts off to the ideal start by bowling Sol Budinger for 47 and the former England all-rounder soon struck again when his delivery to Jonathan Tattersall was caught by Rob Yates at slip.

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