Middlesex’s Nick Gubbins made 150 not out away to arch-rivals Surrey because the delayed English county season got underway on Saturday. In a season minimize brief by the coronavirus, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) determined it will be unimaginable to finish the standard two-division County Championship programme in full. As a substitute they opted to create the Bob Willis Trophy, named after the previous England quick bowler and captain, who died aged 70 in December. The brand new competitors sees the 18 first-class counties cut up into three regional teams — North, Central and South — the place they may every play 5 matches, going through their native rivals as soon as.
The 2 groups with probably the most factors will then play a five-day last within the autumn.
Surrey had hoped to welcome spectators to the Oval, having seen 1,000 followers flip up for a observe match towards Middlesex at their south London headquarters final Sunday.
However these ambitions had been dashed with fewer than 24 hours remaining when British Prime Minister Boris Johnson introduced Friday he was placing the break on a pilot scheme to welcome again spectators to main sporting occasions due to a COVID-19 upsurge.
The lack of a crowd did not deter Gubbins, nonetheless, after gamers, officers and employees all remembered these affected by the outbreak previous to play, earlier than — as has occurred throughout England’s current internationals towards the West Indies and Eire — taking a knee in assist of the Black Lives Matter motion.
Promoted
Gubbins, as soon as talked of as an England prospect, managed simply 530 Championship runs final season at a mean of 22.
However the 26-year-old left-hander carried on from the place he left off along with his pleasant hundred towards Surrey by hitting 17 fours and a six to go away Middlesex on 264-Four at stumps.
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