Renshaw pushes Aussie case with second county ton

Queensland's Matthew Renshaw has cruised to his second ton of the county season as he continues to stake his claim for a Test recall with an Ashes series in England on the horizon.

Renshaw finished with 146 off 313 balls for Somerset in Chelmsford as they ate away at Essex's mammoth first innings of 9(dec)-505.

The 26-year-old left-hander struck 17 boundaries that included a number of powerful lofted drives off Essex's South African Test off-spinner Simon Harmer before he was out when he feathered a short delivery down the leg-side after tea.

But the match seems destined for a draw with Somerset ending day three on 3-359, with 864 runs accumulated across the three days for the loss of just 12 wickets.

Renshaw remains on the fringes of Australian selection after being named as a standby player for the national side's three-Test tour to Pakistan in March.

He was selected for the Australia A tour to Sri Lanka in June but missed a golden opportunity to impress in front of national selectors with his 68 in the first 50-over match his only score of substance during the four-game tour that included two first-class matches.

Renshaw now has 620 runs at 47.69 in eight matches opening the batting for Somerset in division one this season after spending the past couple of years in the middle-order for Queensland.

"Renshaw was outstanding," said Somerset head coach Jason Kerr.

 

"People talk about pressure in sport and on the back of being behind 500 runs we needed a good start and partnerships. The way Matt played Harmer in particular was outstanding."

Renshaw's Somerset teammate Peter Siddle (2-69) claimed his 700th career first-class wicket during Essex's first innings when he dismissed Aaron Beard for 11 after earlier trapping veteran English opener Alastair Cook lbw for his 699th scalp.

The veteran Tasmanian seamer is eighth highest wicket-taker among active players Harmer with 800. James Anderson who tops that list with 1,055 wickets.

Elsewhere, Siddle's former teammate at Victoria, James Pattinson, set Nottinghamshire on course for victory against Sussex at Trent Bridge with his first five-wicket haul of the season.

The 32-year-old's 5-56 helped roll Sussex for 143 with Notts holding a 381-run leading heading into day three.

His Victorian teammate Marcus Harris found some form with 62 for Gloucestershire but they still trail Northamptonshire by 27 runs with only five wickets remaining in their second innings.

The former Test opener also endured a lean run of scores during the 'A' tour to Sri Lanka, reaching 30 on three occasions but failing to pass fifty.

Yesterday's half century was the 30-year-old's best outing since his 124 for Surrey in April, but he is still enjoying a fine season for Gloucestershire with 546 runs at 36.40 in eight matches.

Australians in 2022 County Championship

Derbyshire: Hilton Cartwright, Hayden Kerr

Durham: Nic Maddinson

Essex: Mark Steketee

Glamorgan: Marnus Labuschagne, Michael Neser

Gloucestershire: Marcus Harris

Middlesex: Peter Handscomb

Northamptonshire: Matt Kelly

Nottinghamshire: James Pattinson

Somerset: Matt Renshaw, Peter Siddle

Warwickshire: Nathan McAndrew

Get the full rundown of Australians playing county cricket in 2022