County wrap: How the Aussies fared in the sixth round

Michael Neser (Glamorgan)

Figures: 4-40, 0-33

Score: 86

Season to date: 16 wickets at 25.37, 186 runs at 46.50

Glamorgan broke their run of four straight draws to start the season with a big win and the Welsh county's Queensland pair again played starring roles. After claiming a hat-trick in a career-best performance during the previous round, Neser began the opening day against Worcestershire with four wickets to help roll the visitors for 109. He then finished the day 33no as Glamorgan also struggled with the bat before top scoring with 86 to catapult his side to a comfortable 10-wicket victory. Neser now has 16 wickets in four matches as he continues his push to added to Australia's Ashes squad.

Marnus Labuschagne (Glamorgan)

Score: 42

Figures: 1-25

Season to date: 363 runs at 72.59, five wickets at 33.40

In a match where Neser's knock was the only half-century of the contest, Labuschagne's 42 on day one was crucial in helping Glamorgan pass Worcester's 109 to build a first-innings lead in difficult batting conditions. He also broke a 72-run seventh-wicket partnership with his off-spin in Worcester's second innings, albeit with a half-tracker that Gareth Roderick played onto his stumps. The world's No.1 Test batter enters his final county hit out before the World Test Championship Final and Ashes in sublime touch with 363 runs at 72.59 in six innings.

Steve Smith (Sussex)

Score: 3

Figures: 0-7

Season to date: 33 runs at 16.50

For the second week in a row, Smith only had one opportunity to bat as a wet outfield prevented play on day one of Sussex's drawn clash with Leicestershire. But he did still manage to provide one of the highlights of the round with a spectacular one-handed grab at second slip to dismiss Rehan Ahmed late on the final day. The Australian No.4's last match of his three-game stint this weekend is a mouth-watering match up at Hove against Labuschagne and Neser's Glamorgan.

Marcus Harris (Gloucestershire)

Score: 7

Season to date: 283 runs at 40.42

Harris's Gloucestershire have had a torrid run with weather so far this season and it was no different against Derbyshire with only 42.3 over possible across the opening two days as they played out their fourth draw of the season with their other match abandoned without a ball bowled. The Victorian opener will be hoping for change of fortunes next round when Gloucester host ladder-leaders Durham and will be looking to recapture his form from the opening game of the county season where he hit 59 and 148 before joining Australia's Test squad ahead of the WTC Final.

Sam Whiteman (Northamptonshire)

Scores: 8, 8

Season to date: 279 runs at 34.87

Whiteman again filled in as Northants skipper for the injured Luke Procter but his woes with the bat continued, dismissed twice by seamer Dane Paterson for a pair of eights in his side's innings defeat. The West Australian looked to have turned a corner in the previous round with a marathon 130no to clinch a draw against Somerset, but in his 20 first-class innings in 2023 the left-hander has passed 50 only three times.

Jordan Buckingham (Northamptonshire)

Figures: 1-48

Scores: 0, 2

Season to date: Two wickets at 87.00

Buckingham's Northamptonshire's slipped to the bottom of the division one table with a big innings defeat to Notts. The South Australian quick bowled 19 overs in Nottinghamshire's only innings, returning a respectable 1-48. 

Sean Abbott (Surrey)

Figures: 0-30, 3-31

Score: 48

Season to date: 14 wickets at 26.78, 186 runs at 46.50

Abbott returned to action after being rested for the previous round and Abbott played an important role in Surrey's nine-wicket win over Middlesex. Despite going wicketless in the first innings, Abbott's 48 from No.8 ensured Surrey's first-innings lead was stretched beyond 150 runs. The NSW allrounder then took an important three wickets in the second innings as Surrey won and jumped to the top of the division one table.

Wes Agar (Kent)

Figures: 3-114

Score: 0

Season to date: Nine wickets at 27.77

Agar had another fine performance with three wickets in Hampshire's only innings as Kent managed to hold on for a crucial draw. The South Australian quick has now taken nine wickets in four innings in his first foray into county cricket. 

Peter Handscomb (Leicestershire)

Scores: 26, 0

Season to date: 395 runs at 56.52

In a match where all eyes were focused on the performances of opposition Steve Smith, Handscomb couldn't snatch the spotlight out for 26 and then a duck as Leicestershire were asked to follow on. The Victorian skipper was out in both innings to left-arm seamer Brad Currie and despite the difficult match the right hander is still enjoying a successful season, with 395 runs at an average of 56 to his name so far.  

Did not play: Peter Siddle, Nathan McAndrew, Cameron Bancroft