Key occasions
Time for me to write down up – with Surrey almost there, however dealing with Hampshire with their tails up. Nijjjar counting bowling factors for Kent (three); Rob Keogh powering on for Northants, 153 not out; Middlesex nonetheless three down – however with Eskinazi retired damage; alas, Somerset, 111-8.
In Division Two, a whole lot for Bedingham and Clark as Durham cost towards Leicestershire; 100 for Reece, and a close-but-no-cigar 96 for Guest in Derbyshire’s 300-2; Gloucestershire 4 down, 89 behind Sussex; and Worcestershire in sniffing distance of some batting factors, 230-5.
BTL stays open, tuck in!
The lights are on on the Ageas Bowl, and there will likely be no superb second of Championship-clinching glory for Dom Sibley, as he’s Abbased. Surrey 1-1 within the gloom.
Hampshire 219 all out
Rory Burns runs off the pitch with the urgency of Champions, after Mohammad Abbas provides the umpire no selection. Five wickets for Lawes, three wickets for Roach. No Trophy caught in limbo on the M1 this yr.
100 for Rob Keogh… and a 3rd bowling level for Surrey
At the arse-end of the season, Keogh enjoys some Rice Krispies – although he’s misplaced Zaib and McManus, Northants 214-6.
And after an outstanding innings of 78 for Ben Brown, he’s snaffled at slip by Joverton. Now simply two factors–300 runs – wanted for Surrey make certain of the Championship.
Wickets a go-go: Banton and Abell have almost doubled the rating for a paper-thin Somerset, from 37-6 to the riches of 65-6. And two Gloucestershire wickets down already – to make it 12 for the day at Hove, with a session to play. Lancs immediately 8 down, after dropping 4 for 23 after the dismissal of Bohannon for 113. Hampshire 180-8 and Middlesex stiffening the sinews at 70-3 towards Notts.
And simply as I open my teatime Twix, Fuller is lbw to Cam Steel, which leaves Surrey only one wicket away from three bonus factors for the day. Hampshire 172-8.
Roach high-fives every of his teammates off the sphere as they clatter up the metal steps, spikes clanking like a bundle of backyard rakes within the breeze. Time to take a fast stroll and seize a espresso. Back quickly!
Just beginning to get a bit chilly on the Rose Bowl, the place Cameron Steel is rolling in to Ben Brown and Fuller. A neat little half century for Brown, and a cracking 4 from Fuller sends Jamie Overton spinning by means of cowl. The airplane timber around the boundary waver within the wind. And that’s the fifty partnership for the eighth wicket simply earlier than tea. They sup and dine at 168-7.
Tea time scores
Southampton: Hampshire 150-7 v Surrey
Canterbury: Kent v Lancashire 231-5
County Ground: Northamptonshire 136-4 v Essex
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire v Middlesex 33-1
Edgbaston: Warwickshire v Somerset 37-5
DIVISION TWO
Chester-le-Street: Durham 275-4 v Leicestershire
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan v Derbyshire 198-1
Hove: Sussex 202 v Gloucestershire
Headingley: Yorkshire v Worcestershire 130-4
100 for Luis Reece
As Durham accumulate their fiftieth – fiftieth!!! batting level of the season at The Riverside, Luis Reece has knocked up his third hundred of the season for Derbyshire towards Glamorgan.
So Sussex crawl to 202, because of 56 from naughty-boy Jack Carson. Five for Taylor, three for Zafar. They’ve taken tea, as they’ve at New Road, the place Worcestershire are 130-4.
After 4 balls, Middlesex are 0-0. And gosh, Somerset?? 24-4. Two for Rushworth, one for OHD, one for Barnard.
Middlesex to bat
Having received the toss…
Contracts, contracts
Andy Umeed has signed a contract extension with Somerset until 2025.
Jake Ball and Samit Patel each launched by Notts.
Ollie Robinson set to increase take care of Sussex.
Century quantity 4 for street-fightingTM Josh Bohannon – what a quietly glorious season he’s had. Leading scorer in Division One. Lancs making Kent sweat – 199-4. Still no play at Trent Bridge which, with their rivals struggling, coulc be candy music to Middlesex.
Northants (98-4) retaining Essex’s tail up: Harmer-Cook-Porter-Porter. Greater than or equal to Abbas-Barker-Abbot-Dawson? Or even Roach-Worrall-Clark-Lawes-Overton.?
Two within the again pocket of the Champions, with Kemar Roach steaming in once more. Hampshire could have used up all their resolve towards Essex. Hants 97-6, three for Lawes.
Second Division etchings:
Leicestershire clawing again Durham after a flyer – Durham 170-4, two wickets every for Scriven and Wright.
Derbyshire breezing alongside properly at Sophia Gardens, 142-1, with Reece 79 not out.
Not nice information for Sussex followers, dropping three for nought, one of many three Haines (62). Five wickets for Matt Taylor. Sussex 140-8.
And Coad and Hill not making issues straightforward for points-seeking Worcestershire, 78-4.
Apologies all, my lunchtime meanderings didn’t seem as I used to be unaware that I had misplaced the wifi connection. Sunny on the beautiful Rose Bowl – I’ve been transformed. Let’s go around the grounds.
Lunchtime -ish scores
Southampton: Hampshire 60-4 v Surrey
Canterbury: Kent v Lancashire 106-4
County Ground: Northamptonshire v Essex rain, no play earlier than lunch
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire v Middlesex rain, no play earlier than lunch
Edgbaston: Warwickshire v Somerset rain, no play earlier than lunch
DIVISION TWO
Chester-le-Street: Durham 116-2 v Leicestershire
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan v Derbyshire 95-1
Hove: Sussex 114-4 v Gloucestershire
Headingley: Yorkshire v Worcestershire rain, no play earlier than lunch
And that’s Surrey’s first level within the bag. James Vince, sure it was, caught at slip. Hampshire 53-3.
A pleasant scattering of supporters right here as Vince drives Jamie Overton down the bottom and the Rose Bowl sighs a cheerful sigh.
With lunch approaching, Lancs have already given Kent one helpful level – now 98-4, with Bell a 3rd wicket for Quinn, for 40. Still raining at Trent Bridge.
Kemar Roach is keen for the celebration to begin – Hampshire wobbling at 35-2 after he bowled Nick Gubbins for a fairly eight, and had Toby Albert caught at second slip. Enter James Vince.
All aboard the Parky roundabout. Matt performs for Durham on this final spherical earlier than becoming a member of Kent on the finish of the season. Callum carries the drinks for Leicestershire right now earlier than shifting to Durham within the autumn. Durham 112-1.
If your ideas are turning to worldwide cricket (how dare you), the third ODI between England and Ireland will wriggle into motion at 12.30pm. Tim de Lisle is prepped and able to take you thru it:
Graham Taylor has despatched me a beautiful image of a double rainbow over New Road right now, however I can’t add it so that you’ll simply must belief me.
“As Worcestershire hope for just two points to win promotion to Division One from their county game against Yorkshire ,today a double rainbow appeared over the New Road ground. Surely there is real hope at the end of the rainbow.”
It appears to be like like there will likely be play at Headingley shortly, Yorkshire have received the toss and despatched Worcestershire in.
In Division Two: Alex Lees has, unusually, fallen early, however Michael Jones and Scott Borthwick are battering Leicestershire’s forlorn hopes, Durham 90-1. Harry Came and Luis Reece going alongside properly towards Glamorgan, Derbyshire 68-0. And Sussex, into the ultimate spherical and not using a sniff of something, and with out Pujara once more, are wobbling towards Gloucestershire, 76-3. Tom Haines (43 not out) and Jack Carson are restored to the facet after being banned final week.
“Hi Tanya”, Hello Stephen Anniss. “Ironically, the sun is shining and it’s warm(ish) up here in Manchester. Hope you get some play down on the south coast.”
I did ponder that as I trundled in the direction of the gray. But in keeping with the Met Office there ought to be shiny sunshine right here by one o’clock. Hope it stays good in Manc too.
I feel I’ve solely been to the Rose Bowl as soon as earlier than, in 2003, after I lined the primary T20 sport from a press tent on the boundary and there was area around the rope for a bouncy fortress and face portray. Massively modified now clearly. First impressions: beautiful timber around the boundary and very impressed by the Arlott Atrium, a genuinely good place for followers to have a cup of espresso/ sit and learn the paper/look ahead to the rain to cease.
Steve
In Division One, nothing doing other than the late-start right here on the Rose Bowl (Hampshire 1-0) and Lancashire’s shoddy begin at Canterbury – Wells, Jennings and Croft all out in single figures. A rebuild below method from Bohannon (26) and Bell (18). Lancs 54-3.
Standing by a pile of sawdust, Kemar Roach runs in. So let’s go around the grounds:
I’ve arrived on the Ageas Bowl, simply in time for play to begin – although the sky doesn’t look that promising.
Umbrella updates: pitch inspection at The Rosebowl at 10.45, no play earlier than lunch at Edgbaston, raining at The County Ground.
An e-mail to brighten my morning, good day Rob Lewis!
“First of all, thank you for your enlightening coverage over what has been a strange but exciting season.” [thank you!it’s been fun, hasn’t it]
“I was musing on the fact that in 1960, when I started following cricket, Surrey and Yorkshire were duking it out at the top of the table, and The Man From U.N.C.L.E. was about to break onto our tv screens. Today, we hear that the star of that show, David McCallum has died at 90, and Yorkshire might be about to become the winners – of the wooden spoon. At least my team, Surrey, should be crowned champs over the next 96 hours. So at least something is in the right order in this disordered world.”
Gary Naylor’s invaluable round-up of all issues county cricket:
Weather watch
My train has come to a grinding halt somewhere outside Basingstoke, but the weather in north Hampshire is grey – and the start is indeed delayed at Southampton, as well as The County Ground, Trent Bridge, Edgbaston and Headingley.
Sue watch
Thanks to Romeo for reminding me that Sue Redfern smashes another glass ceiling today by being the first female to stand in a County Championship game.
Street Child World Cup
Ahead of the men’s 50-over World Cup, the second edition of the Street Child Cricket World Cup is up and running in Chennai: 19 teams from 13 countries split into three groups, two international and one Indian. The charity was set up to advocate for street-connected children, give them a voice, raise awareness, and campaign to give them better protection, respect and support – the tournament give those children a global platform as well as an international tournament to play.
Follow the video games on YouTube right here:
A cracking piece on Ravichandran Ashwin, who bowled like a dream towards Australia on Sunday.
England gamers could but be part of the celebration after their last ODI towards Ireland in Bristol right now, as Ali Martin studies:
Fixtures
Southampton: Hampshire v Surrey
Canterbury: Kent v Lancashire
County Ground: Northamptonshire v Essex
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire v Middlesex
Edgbaston: Warwickshire v Somerset
DIVISION TWO
Chester-le-Street: Durham v Leicestershire
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan v Derbyshire
Hove: Sussex v Gloucestershire
Headingley: Yorkshire v Worcestershire
Division Two Table
1 Durham 209
2 Worcestershire 162
3 Leicestershire 140
4 Glamorgan 131
5 Sussex 130
6 Derbyshire 104
7 Gloucestershire 95
8 Yorkshire 89
Division One Table
1 Surrey 213
2 Essex 193
3 Hampshire 173
4 Warwickshire 170
5 Lancashire 152
6 Somerset 140
7 Nottinghamshire 129
8 Kent 99
9 Middlesex 98
10 Northamptonshire 74
Preamble
Hello! The morning slowly lifts as the train cuts down the country, the skies grey and the leaves turning. It’s a late dawn. In just over a month the clocks go back – time to tug the curtain across another cricket season.
But not quite yet. We have a final round to play – with the Champions still to be crowned. Surrey can win – for the third time since 2018 – if they collect just five points from their final game against Hampshire at The Rose Bowl. Essex will have to settle for second place unless Barker, Abbott and Abbas deny Surrey any batting points in a crushing defeat, and Essex amass maximum points at The County Ground – where Alastair Cook may or may not be playing his final first-class game.
At the bottom end of the table, there is a bruising battle ahead between Kent and Middlesex over who will avoid joining Northamptonshire in Division Two next year. Kent, who have a one-point advantage, play Lancashire at Canterbury; Middlesex travel to Trent Bridge.
In Division Two, Durham have already been crowned Champions, and Worcestershire can secure the second promotion spot if they get two points against Yorkshire – who could yet escape the wooden spoon despite their points deduction.
Plus fantasy points, end of season gongs and a final four days of BTL chat. Play starts at 10.30am, do join us.
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