Tea at Trent Bridge sees Notts 116 for five, needing 53 more to beat Surrey, who have whirred back into life thanks to Tom Curran and Ravi Rampaul. It was a cruise for the first 72 of the Notts chase, before a collapse of five for 28 in the space of seven overs. Curran’s three in seven balls gutted the middle order after Ravi Rampaul got the initial wicket of Mullaney lbw for 42. Rampaul then profited from a loose waft from Samit Patel to bag his second and see Notts 100 for five. Chris Read took 20 balls to get off the mark as the nerves jangled but sits eight not out. Kudos to opener Greg Smith, who missed out in the first innings and dropped two catches in the field, for remaining unbeaten on 44 while the chaos unfolded at the other end.
Two wickets in an over for Tom Curran sees Notts 85 for three chasing 169, with two beauties to remove Michael Lumb and Brendan Taylor. The first saw left-hander Lumb push away from his body and edge behind, before Taylor, fourth ball, saw one bounce a fraction, take the thumb of his right hand in defence and fly to Jason Roy at second slip. Game starting to come alive here.
The force is with Steven Mullaney here at Trent Bridge, with the opener, fresh from a sparkling century in the first innings, helping Nottinghamshire race to this target of 169. The right-hander has been lashing cover-drives, as on day one, and has just pulled Ravi Rampaul over square leg for a meaty six. Mullaney is 42 from 41 balls, with Greg Smith 23 from 38 at the other end. Nottinghamshire 72 for none and looking at maximum points here, Surrey staring at defeat.
Nottinghamshire set 169 to win after the final Surrey wicket falls, with Mark Footitt backing away and toe-ending to Brendan Taylor at cover off Brett Hutton. Surrey 389 all out following on, with Arun Harinath top-scoring on 137 from 270 balls. Jake Ball was the standout for the hosts, finishing with figures of five for 98 from – his second first-class five-fer – after picking up Sam Curran, lbw for 28, and Gareth Batty, lbw for six, to add to his three wickets yesterday evening. Little suggest it will be a tricky chase ... we’ll find out after lunch.
Warwickshire in control of the match at Ageas Bowl. All out for 360, they lead Hampshire by 158 on first innings with 77 overs remaining. The pitch ought to be good enough for Hampshire to bat that out comfortably enough but they do not look the strongest of batting sides.
Ian Bell’s innings came to a close when he mistimed a clever slower ball from Tomlinson and skied a steepler to mid on. But his 174 has already given notice that he is no spent force, particularly now that another middle order vacancy has appeared in the England team. He batted a minute shy of seven hours, and hit 20 fours, including one this morning upper cut over first slip, and another reverse swept.
An hour gone here at Trent Bridge and Surrey continue to frustrate Notts, with just the one wicket taken and the lead up to 127. Sam Curran batted very pleasantly for his 28, opening the morning with a four clipped off his pads from Gurney and helping himself to four more, the pick being a punched drive dow the ground off Jake Ball. But it was Ball, with the new ball, that sent the 17-year-old packing when he got one to just nip back from around the wicket and trap him in front. Arun Harinath remains 136 not out at the other end, with Tom Curran on two. Surrey 349 for six, the new ball is eight overs old.
Indeed I am at the Ageas, taking advantage of the welcome early morning press box shade before the sun moves round to fry us all later. Play is about to start with Ian Bell on 130 and Rikki Clarke newly in, a wicket having fallen to the last ball of the day.
It is hard to see a result here unless Warwickshire kick on a little and then Hampshire bat particularly badly on what is now a decent batting pitch.
Morning all and welcome to the fourth day in this first round of County Championship fixtures. Greetings too from sunny Nottingham, where Surrey will be resuming 297 for five following on, a lead of 76 and with the new ball due in seven overs.
Nottinghamshire’s to lose, you would say, although if the very capable Sam Curran hangs around with unbeaten centurion Arun Harinath and the likes of Tom Curran, Gareth Batty and Ravi Rampaul bat their averages (15, 24, 13)… we could yet get a tense run chase. Felt like the pitch was a bit easier yesterday though – despite ball beating bat still – and so they would have to go some.
Elsewhere I see Northamptonshire and Sussex has already been declared a draw, leaving Ben Duckett 282 not out and saving scribes in the press box from working out when the earliest ever first-class triple century was scored in England.
Selve is at the Ageas, I hope, where the late loss of Chris Woakes sees Warwickshire 283 for six in their reply to Hampshires 202 and leading by 81 runs. The Duke of Bellington is 130 not out.
While at Chelmsford, Essex need just 59 more runs, with 10 wickets in hand, to chalk up their first win of the season, with Alastair Cook and Nick Browne at the crease.
There will be #declarationspeculation once play resumes at Chester-le-street – an inspection is due at 11am – where Durham sit 300 runs ahead in their second innings against Somerset. Keaton Jennings, son of Ray, is 105 not out. England selector James Whitaker was in the press box here at Trent Bridge yesterday and sounded very impressed.
Worcestershire versus Kent. Sigh. A ball is yet to be bowled and any play will depend on an inspection at midday.
Updated
Morning all.
Ali and Mike will be here soon. In the meantime, here are their reports from yesterday:
Nottinghamshire v Surrey
While the cricket felt somewhat secondary at Trent Bridge after the news broke that Nottinghamshire’s James Taylor has been forced to retire because of a heart condition, the game itself now sits nicely poised going into the final day, with Surrey 297 for five and leading by 76 runs following an unbeaten century from Arun Harinath.
The left-hander will resume 114 not out, with Sam Curran yet to score, after a day in which the visitors fought back in their second innings, following on. With the pitch losing a touch of its menace, Nottinghamshire will be looking to the second new ball to do damage in seven overs time and grateful to a late intervention by their spinner Samit Patel. Continue reading
Hampshire v Warwickshire
The premature retirement of James Taylor has opened holes in the England top five. Only Alastair Cook and Joe Root can be sure of their places so this early season will see some skirmishing.
It was a timely century then that Ian Bell scored for Warwickshire, a poke in the ribs for James Whitaker and his fellow selectors just to let them know that a day past his 34th birthday does not mean he is quite ready to collect his pension. Continue reading
Enjoy the cricket
