Somerset and Essex are in the final of the Bob Willis Trophy, but their players make up only three of the XI in the last Bob Willis Trophy team of the week.
Tom Lammonby (Somerset)
Not just one of the performances of the round, but one of the innings of the season from the Exeter-born 20-year-old. He carried his bat for 107 in the third innings of Somerset’s must-win clash against Essex, propping up their total up to 193. There was scant support – the next highest score was Josh Davey’s 21 from No.9 – and the Cidermen had just enough to beat the Pears and seal a place in a Lord’s final.
Rory Burns (Surrey)
After a tough summer in England’s Test side, the Surrey captain found the step down a level to his liking. Facing a steep Sussex first-innings total, he plundered 103 from just 121 balls to take the Three Feathers within reach of the away side’s score, adding 52 in the second dig to secure a come-from-behind win.
Zak Crawley (Kent)
Another who looked a cut above this level, Zak Crawley made a tricky chase seem simple against Hampshire. Needing 181 to win in a low-scoring game, England’s No.3 smashed a century at better than a run a ball, giving his oft-discussed first-class average a healthy boost in the process.
Ian Bell (Warwickshire) (C)
Joe Clarke also had a strong claim to the No.4 spot, but we’ve let heart override head on this one. In his final first-class outing, the Duke compiled two high-quality half-centuries, replete with a greatest hits selection of his finest strokes, before departing within 10 runs of a valedictory ton. He always did leave you wanting more.
Ben Duckett (Nottinghamshire)
The highest score of the round from a player slowly feeling his way back to himself. He’s always tended to be feast or famine, and this, his second century of the competition, was proper glutton, with 23 boundaries in his 210-ball 150. Also chipped in a lightning 36 to give Notts brief hope of a dashing chase late on the final day.
Harvey Hosein (Derbyshire)
Wisden.com couldn’t split the two wicketkeeping rearguards, so both have made the cut. Derbyshire were 44-5 when the 24-year-old stumper came to the crease and soon slid to 61-7. With bonus points crucial, their campaign seemed crocked. Instead the alliterative gloveman set to work, dragging Derby up to 178-8 before falling in heartbreaking fashion. They would miss out on a batting bonus point, which would have seen them qualify for the final with a win, by five runs.
Adam Wheater (Essex) (wk)
Successful in his hunt for bonus points was Adam Wheater, who came in with Essex 87-5 and was unbeaten on 83 not out when their innings came to a close at 236.
Darren Stevens (Kent)
The 44-year-old metronome continued to defy the aging process. Kent’s unlikely final hopes came to nought, but with 9-72 in the game, Stevo confirmed his status as one of county cricket’s most devastating operators, ensuring the Canterbury side finished with a win.
Ben Coad (Yorkshire)
The wiry Yorkshireman continued to stake his claim as the country’s best new ball exponent outside of the Test team, claiming an almost laughably miserly 8-41 as Yorkshire beat Leicestershire to claim the bragging rights in the North Group.
Sam Cook (Essex)
He might still by Essex’s ‘Little Chef’, but the gap in importance between him and England’s leading Test runscorer to the Eagles is narrowing. His figures this week were 7-51, helping Essex to an in-the-end simple win, and a place at the Home of Cricket showpiece.
Dan Moriarty (Surrey)
One of the finds of the summer continued to toil away to great effect. Just two first-class games in, the slow left-armer already has three five-fors to his name, finishing with heroic figures of 11-224 as Surrey finally broke their winless first-class run against Sussex.
