That’s all the action for today
At Lord’s, Middlesex drew with Warwickshire in the end after they failed to reach a target of 270 to win in a minimum of 54 overs. Thanks for all your comments throughout the day. Bye!
Will Macpherson at Lord’s
Two more quick ones mean Warwickshire are the only side who can win this now, surely. Joe Burns remains on 50, but both Morgan and James Franklin chopped on, both to Rankin at balls they could have left alone. Neil Dexter enters the fray to dig in. 20 overs left, six wickets required for Warwickshire, a surely insurmountable 164 runs for Middlesex.
Latest in Middlesex v Warwickshire, from Will Macpherson
OK. That changes things. Robson played half-forward to Clarke and nicked through to Ambrose and two balls later, Compton did the same and sent it to Chopra at first slip. Both good nuts. So Eoin Morgan joins Joe Burns to the crease. If Middlesex are to have a dart, these are the men to do it. But it also leaves the door ajar to Warwickshire. 80-2, 190 required, 28 overs to get them. All three possible.
Will Macpherson at Lord’s
Middlesex have moved on to 70-0. No urgency at all, but the pitch is still doing a bit, so perhaps they’re just doing well to survive. Still time for a tilt but I sense it’s unlikely. The four overs eaten up by the Warwickshire last pair would be very handy for both teams here, to be honest. 31 overs to go and we’re headed for an early, although not too
early, handshake.
Graham Hardcastle wraps things up at The Oval
Rory Burns needs 15 more for his first century of the season. He has shared 135 and counting for the first wicket with Zafar Ansari, who has 40. Surrey’s is lead 154 with 27 overs left in this match. We won’t get that far, however, as an early handshake is very much on the cards. Lancashire will maintain a 31-point lead at the top of Division Two over Surrey, who have played six and have a game in hand. Surrey will take 13 points from this draw, and Lancashire 12.
Will Macpherson reports at Middx v Warks
Unfortunately, I think we’re drifting towards a draw here. It’s tea, 15 overs are gone and Middlesex’s openers aren’t exactly flying along, while Warwickshire can’t find the breakthrough. It’s 44-0. Middlesex might have a platform for a dart but both sides need something special.
Richard Rae’s take on Leicestershire’s victory at Chelmsford
It happened. Leicestershire have won. And again, because it bears repeating: Leicestershire have won. At the 38th time of asking. I’ve just been on the outfield, talking to the players, after listening to the Foxes sing a song they haven’t sung, in the championship, for two and half years: It’s a take on the Fields of Glory, a song by a group called the High Kings – available on social media, I believe – adjusted to incorporate the words ‘Fields of Grace Road’. And very splendid it sounded. And hearing it, with one or two Leicestershire supporters in tears, was what sport is all about, really.
It might just be a second division county game, of not great consequence to most, but it’s of huge consequence to those who cared, and when the Foxes lost four wickets while adding just 30 runs, the tension was almost unbearable. It was heart-warming to see a Leicester-born player take them over the line in Lewis Hill, though the contributions of Angus Robson (120 and 71) and Andrea new signing Agathagalou didn’t half help. It was, said “Aggers”, who boasts a 100% record for Leicestershire, the best feeling he’d ever had on the field.
Graham Hardcastle writes from The Oval
Little to report in the first half of the afternoon session as Surrey advance their second innings serenely. They are 70-0 after 21 overs, leading by 89. There are 50 overs left in the match, although we won’t see all of them courtesy of a 4.50pm handshake. Rory Burns is 49 not out as he bids for a third fifty of the season. It’s a nice enough day around London today, but I wouldn’t say it’s bare chest weather. A couple of punters to my left in the OCS Stand beg to differ.
More from Will at Lord’s
Just as I was getting really frustrated at Middlesex’s inability to get Warwickshire’s last three, they’ve folded and we have a game with just about enough in it in all directions. Jeetan Patel had a few fine slogs – a six over deep backward square, stepping across his stumps to Finn was a particular highlight – but was then bowled by TRJ. Very next ball (start of new over) Roland-Jones caught Ambrose at mid-on off Finn. After three (rather important) overs resistance, Finn had Chris Wright plumb lbw.
Will Macpherson reports from Lord’s
We’re back out after lunch and Tim Ambrose has become the third player in this match to be hit hard in the unmentionables. Yesterday, Neil Dexter was in real pain and today both Chopra and Ambrose have been struck. The physio has been out for nearly five minutes; Ambrose was on the ground and is now bent double. Not nice.
Lunch was surprisingly eventful. I went out to the middle with lots of other happy fans. I spotted a strange sight – a very relaxed looking Jonathan Trott having a chat with Adrian Chiles, of all people. Must be mates in Birmingham. Next thing I knew I was being whisked off the pitch by an extremely officious steward because I had a (Lord’s official branded) ploughman’s sandwich with me. Had to eat it outside the boundary rope, apparently.
Ambrose is back up and we’re playing again.
More reaction to Leicestershire’s win against Essex...
@RichMRae Telling contributions by all @leicsccc players with bat, ball or coin over 4 days.Positive minds,positive cricket
— Chris Anderson (@Anderson_Leics) June 3, 2015
@leicsccc Great work boys
— Leicester Tigers (@LeicesterTigers) June 3, 2015
Graham Hardcastle writes from The Oval
Surrey have gotten themselves through what could have been a tricky seven-over period before lunch with very few alarms. A half shout for caught behind down leg-side is the closest Lancashire came to a wicket. Zafar Ansari and Rory Burns have taken the score to 18-0, which is a lead of 37 with a minimum of 64 overs left in the match.
I digress a touch, but there will be some chuffed members of the Lancashire dressing room when they see the Leicestershire second-innings scorecard, with Andrea Agathangelou 42 not out on debut. Agathangelou, the first Cypriot to play county cricket, was released by the Red Rose at the end of 2014 and was a popular figure at Old Trafford. OK, maybe not with PA Announcer Matt Procter, who once had to check how to pronounce Andrea. He was told “just call me Aggers”. When the right-hander next walked in to bat, out came the message: “The incoming batsman, Aggers Agathangelou!”
Meanwhile, Will Macpherson at Middlesex v Warwickshire
That there is luncheon at Lord’s. A spectacular spell of bowling from TRJ and Harris – 4 wickets, 2 runs, 19 balls – has thrown this game open and it’s right in the balance; all three results still possible. Warwickshire are 144-7 lead by 226 with three in hand. Middlesex need those three very quickly to stand a chance. Compton said last night they’d back themselves to chase anything inside 260. Eoin Morgan might have some fun this afternoon, though.
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There’s plenty of emotion from Leics fans this afternoon after their wait finally came to an end.
I'm fifty bloody seven, seen us win 3 County Championships, 3 T20's etc & I'm crying like a baby 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂#foxesfamily #offtothepub
— James Hawkes (@jamesjhawkes) June 3, 2015
We know it's been too long since the last one, and it is only a start, but we had to start somewhere. Thanks for your support
— Leicestershire CCC (@leicsccc) June 3, 2015
Leicestershire win first County Championship game since 2012!
They’ve done it… after 38 matches and 933 days, the Foxes have won a County Championship game. In the end, the victory came in some style. Lewis Hill hit Nijar high over square leg for six to level the scores, before knocking off the winning single. Leicester won by six wickets, finishing on 163 for four. The winning innings was built on the 71 from Angus Robson and a quickfire 42 off 41 balls from Andrew Agathangelou.
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Leicestershire bring up 150 and require 13 more runs to clinch their first County Championship game since 2012 with six wickets in hand.
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Another update from Will in London
And now Barker is gone! He’s just flicked TRJ to Burns at midwicket and Warwickshire have lost four wickets for two runs in 19 balls!
Will Macpherson with the latest from Lord’s
Well, Charles. Warwickshire are 127 for six and all of a sudden our best chance of a result is further collapse. Harris has snared both Chopra and Evans lbw, while TRJ has got Evans leg before too. Middlesex are ticking, two men in on zero, the lead is 209 and they’ll fancy a real crack at anything below 270, you’d think. 73 overs left in the day. Game. On.
Richard Rae fills in the details at Chelmsford
Foxes now four down – Robson has gone for 71, catch taken by James Foster off James Porter. Lewis Hill now at the crease, with 41 needed for that long-awaited win. Squeaky-bum time …
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Leicestershire … four down.
Graham at The Oval reports again
Lancashire have been bowled out for 429, which means their last four wickets added 321 runs. Kyle Jarvis made 47, sharing 52 for the 10th wicket with Simon Kerrigan, who finished 34 not out. Zimbabwean Jarvis is the man who shared a century stand for the last wicket in the second innings of the opening round win over Derbyshire, so he certainly has form. Surrey, for whom Stuart Meaker and Matt Dunn took three wickets each, have a lead of 19 runs and will face a nervy half hour of batting before lunch. Get through that and it’s match drawn. A lunch score of 15-3, things might be different.
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Graham Hardcastle writes on Surrey v Lancashire
Lancashire have picked up their fifth batting point by reaching 400-9. Make that 406-9 as Simon Kerrigan dances down the track and whacks Zafar Ansari for a straight six. Make that 412-9 as Kerrigan whacks Ansari over long-on next ball. He is building a love affair with this ground, you know.
Will Macpherson writes from Lord’s
Some – just a little – movement at Lord’s. Good day so far for the Robson brothers – Angus is doing his thing at Chelmsford and here Sam has just pulled off one of the better run outs you’ll see this season. Trott nurdled the ball past him at short-leg and called for one and made it a third of the way down before realising Chopra didn’t fancy it. Four strips away, on the turn, with just one stump and no man at the wicket, Robson produced a direct hit. Slow trudge off for Trotty.
Chopra is on the move, too. He moved to 50 with a glorious late cut and just scored back to back boundaries off Finn. He’s 69, lead is 196 and, if Laurie Evans can find a bit of biff, could be substantial enough for a fun declaration at lunch.
Richard Rae on Essex v Leicestershire
One down at Chelmsford. Matthew Boyce gone to Jesse Ryder for 24. Robson still at the crease on 62, now joined by Ned Eckersley. 76 to go...
Graham Hardcastle reports from The Oval
A wicketless opening 40 minutes for Surrey has seen Lancashire advance their first innings to 373-8 after 99 overs, opening up the prospect of them claiming maximum batting points. That would be some achievement from 108-6 yesterday afternoon. Kyle Jarvis and Tom Bailey have shared an unbroken 63 for the ninth wicket.
Will Macpherson with the latest from Lord’s
We didn’t get that eventful start I was looking for, I’m afraid. There have been a few plays and misses and some lovely shots, though. Trotty has played a wonderful straight drive and that nice controlled pull he does, both off Roland-Jones, while Chopra seems to know exactly where the fielders are; earlier he dissected deep square and fine-leg with a sweetly-timed flick, and now he’s beaten deep cover-point with the loveliest drive. Marvelous. Lead is 165.
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Richard Rae reports from Chelmsford
At the end of the first four overs Angus Robson, brother of Sam, has passed 50, hitting four boundaries, in his knock of 55 with Leicestershire’s target now down to 86 runs.
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Good morning
I think Proust said that when he first went to Venice, his dreams acquired an address, writes Richard Rae. Well, for supporters of the Leicestershire county cricket club, that address is Hayes Close, Chelmsford: somewhat less romantic, perhaps, albeit that the sky has a similarly nacreous hue this morning, but for many, just as meaningful - as long, that is, as the Foxes score the 108 more runs they need to complete victory over Essex this morning. With ten wickets remaining, and on a wicket which has steadily improved from the spiteful green beast of the first day, it should be a stroll in an Essex park. If there’s one thing the last two and half years and 37 matches - yes, it really has been that long - has taught those supporters, however, it’s to take nothing for granted. The more so since it’s been more than four years since they last won away from Grace Road. There was some talk about hiring a coach to travel from the East Midlands this morning, and as one supporter pointed out, the last time they did that, they had to take out insurance against being held up by Dick Turpin.
But it has been an awfully long time, the more so because Leicestershire has one of the most impressive domestic records of the last 40 years: three county championships, two Sunday Leagues, three one-day trophies – the B&H Cup – and of course, three T20 competitions. It’s made the last few years, and all the accompanying jibes and criticism, even harder to take. The fact is, though, that without a rich benefactor, or a council prepared to loan and then write off tens of millions of pounds, Leicestershire has always punched above its weight. It’s done so while producing a stream of young players, many of whom have moved on, and go on to play for England - of the current crop, Stuart Broad, James Taylor, Harry Gurney and Luke Wright spring immediately to mind, and there’ll be more to come.
New head coach Andrew McDonald has said he doesn’t want to see massive celebrations over one win, understandably, but equally, he’ll appreciate the importance of the club throwing the gorilla off its back. It will be just a start - but a start nonetheless. And if happens, poor Essex will no doubt come in for plenty of stick for being the county against which the run finally ended - but the fact is, Leicestershire have some very good players, and they were going to put together four days of good cricket sooner or later. Well, they’ve managed three. Another good session, and that will be enough.
And here’s Graham Hardcastle at the Oval for Surrey v Lancashire:
For the first day in four, I’m delighted to report that there are no issues regarding the weather. The sun is out, and although there are plenty of clouds around, they don’t look threatening at all. It’s just unfortunate that there is little prospect of a positive result for either side after Lancashire avoided having to follow-on last night through James Faulkner and Jordan Clark, who shared 183 for the seventh wicket as the visitors recovered from 108-6 in reply to 448. They will begin this morning on 342-8.
Faulkner was of the view after close that “there’s still 96 overs left, so anything could happen”, but it would take something extraordinary for me not to be writing up a draw later on. I would be amazed if Lancashire, especially, agree to setting anything up with their position at the top of the table looking secure, so I have been trying to come up with a scenario which would see a positive result arrive naturally. The only one is Surrey being bowled out in the region of 100 in their second innings and Lancashire attempting to chase down 200 from late afternoon onwards.
And here is Will Macpherson at Lord’s, with Middlesex v Warwickshire:
Morning all from Lord’s. This one is nicely poised, but not nearly as nicely as if Warwickshire had scored a few more runs or Middlesex had managed a couple more wickets in a frankly slightly dull final session yesterday. Instead, the draw is favourite. Chris Wright said last night that Warwickshire would bat until lunch – ie until they couldn’t lose – before looking to win, while Nick Compton said bullishly and, probably with no basis in fact due to the difficulty of scoring so far, that he thought Middlesex could chase 250 in 60 overs. We shall see. What we must pray for is early action, either way. All three results remain possible and I don’t want a draw. Weather looks decent – go cricket!
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