Just as I send that, Moeen plays a terrible shot and plonks it straight to mid-off, off Franklin. It *possibly* held in the pitch slightly, but Moeen just didn’t move his feet, and TRJ didn’t need to move his either to take the catch. I don’t think he could quite believe what he did. That’s 112 for three now, and Moeen made 54 lovely runs before that ugly dismissal.
So Moeen Ali has a rather nice half-century, as a cut off Franklin takes him to 53 from 106 deliveries. It’s been pretty trademark stuff, nice drives, chasing pulls and supple wrists. He and Tom Fell – who has 27 – brought their 50 stand up in 75 balls a short while ago too. Middlesex can’t be accused of looking entirely threatening. Moeen edged just short of first slip with soft hands a short while ago but really there haven’t been too many alarms. It’s looking quite easy.
Fell came to the crease shortly after tea when Daryl Mitchell edged TRJ to second slip for 18. I like names that could be sentences and reckon Tom Fell has one of the better names that could be sentences in county cricket.
Lizzy Ammon reports
That’s it from Wantage Road where Northamptonshire have hammered Kent by eight wickets inside two days which temporarily (until the other matches finish) moves them up into fourth place. It’s been a chastening couple of days for Kent and their worrying form in the Championship continues; it’s very odd that given the clear talent and ability there is in the side as can be seen by their success in the T20 blast.
Anyway, Northants win by 8 wickets and it’s au revoir from me at Wantage Road
Richard Gibson writes
The luckless Aaron Finch - seven weeks out with a hamstring tear, now fearing a cracked rib - is awaiting the results of some afternoon scans at one of Worcester’s NHS hospitals (*supply your own jokes about the length of the wait here). Apparently, a mistimed pull off Chris Russell re-directed the ball into his body. Ouch. Meanwhile, Glenn Maxwell has gone to the south coast for a short break following six months of wall-to-wall cricket.
Lizzy Ammon reports
This one is all but done, Northants need just 46 to win after tea in what has essentially been a 1 and half day match having lost the full first day to the weather. Ivan Thomas was the last man to go playing a number 11’s drive outside the off stump and edging behind off Kleinveldt.
Yes the pitch has been green but it really isn’t that that’s brought 30 wickets in five sessions. It’s been some very good bowling and some distinctly average shots. Entertaining but it’s got to be a concern that no one can build an innings
That there is tea, and it’s 48 for one. Ollie Rayner was given the token spinner-before-the-interval over and Moeen Ali – a man who was afforded that honour before lunch and tea yesterday – treated it with the respect it deserved, frankly. The first ball was driven handsomely down the ground for four and later in the over he carted it over midwicket’s head for four. He’ll have a cuppa with 25 to his name, while his captain Daryl Mitchell has 14 from 75. He had three from his first 49, so he’s veritably motored since. We’ve got 45 overs left in the day, which is a rather scary prospect.
Sneakily, James Franklin’s third over (the innings’ 22nd) had seven balls in it!
Lizzy Ammon reports
Bit of a worrying incident here at Wantage Road. A short delivery from Olly Stone hit Mitchell Claydon in the helmet which just about split in two and piece fell off it. Umpires and players were straight up to him to see if he was OK. He seems to be fine if a bit shaken. He’s got a new lid and is carrying on.
I’ve noticed that players and umpires are much more sensitive any time anyone gets hit on the helmet since the tragedy over the winter – they all run straight up to anyone who gets clonked.
Lizzy Ammon reports from Wantage Road
And it’s five for Olly Stone, his second first-class five wicket haul.
Remember me wondering whether Matt Coles will stick or twist? Well we have our answer – he definitely didn’t stick. A wild yahoo outside the off stump saw him edging to Wakely in the slips for 2 leaving Kent 130/8 leading by just 24.
Stone has been very impressive – brisk, skiddy and accurate and he has 5 for 40 off 9 overs.
If Northants somehow manage to lose this match then they’re going to have to quit show business.
So Worcestershire have found their way to 37 for one from 20 overs. Richard Oliver was the man to go, given lbw by umpire Wharf in his former Glammy team-mate James Harris’s first over. Not sure it was out, to be honest.
Since, Moeen Ali has done what Moeen Ali does, aching a couple of lovely drives through the covers and down the ground. It’s slow going but the sun’s out, so that’s fine.
Lizzy Ammon reports
Olly Stone has worked up a proper head of steam and has bowled a hugely impressive spell taking 4 for 40 in 8 overs including two really good Yorkers that got Ball and Tredwell LBW. He’s brisk and accurate and is increasing in confidence especially after a real good spell in the T20 at Headingley last week.
This match may well finish today given that Kent are 129 for 7, a lead of just 23. It’s a tricky one for Matt Coles now who’s just joined youngster Ryan Davies at the crease. Does he stick or twist? One suspects he will twist.
Lizzy Ammon has some news from Wantage Road
David Smith has been speaking to BBC Radio Northampton about being turned away on Friday night.
“We turned up at the turnstiles and were told I couldn’t come in but my son could,” he told BBC Radio Northampton.
“I wasn’t given a reason at all - I was just told it had come from the board.”
The match was the third Northants game that Smith had gone to since leaving Wantage Road. He was allowed to watch matches against Birmingham Bears and Derbyshire T20 matches and does not understand why the Lancashire game was any different as he had paid for a ticket.
“We were a bit stunned, a bit embarrassed and quite sad no one had the decency to come to talk to me.” He said. The club have been asked for a comment but have said they won’t be saying anything on the matter
Richard Gibson reports
Just 48 minutes of play were possible at the start of the afternoon session until the rain, that had hung in the air for a while, became heavy. But by that time Nottinghamshire had slipped to 133-7.
Two full deliveries earned Jack Brooks lbw awards against Samit Patel and Alex Gidman before a similar mode of dismissal did for Riki Wessels with the first ball sent down by Ryan Sidebottom in a new spell from the Football Stand end.
Meanwhile, Aaron Finch has been dispatched for an X-ray after being struck in the ribs by pace bowler Chris Russell in the Second XI Championship match at Barnt Green.
Lizzy Ammon reports
Darren Stevens was just starting to get into his flow making a brisk 22 in a good partnership with Joe Denly but he’s just edged to Wakely off Olly Stone leaving Kent four down and still trailing by six runs.
There’s a bit of news from Wantage Road that former Chief Executive David Smith who left his post here at the end of last season was turned away at the gates as he came down to the watch the T20 match on Friday night. The Club are refusing to make any comment on the matter but as Smith’s son is on the books here at Northants it seems very petty.
Lizzy Ammon writes
Poor Adam Rossington has had a bit of a torrid time behind the sticks, he’s conceded 10 byes none of which of been his fault. Always seems harsh to me when byes go against the wicket keeper even when the bowler is firing them wide both sides of the wicket.
Kent have lost a wicket since lunch that of captain Sam Northeast shouldering arms to a ball on off stump. Kleinveldt’s seventh wicket of the match and leaving Kent three down still trailing by 50. Can’t see this one going past lunchtime tomorrow but I’m very often wrong about these things.
Middlesex are all out for 309, as Morris gets a pretty dodgy looking LBW decision from Umpire Wharf against Rayner, who was very surprised. Worcestershire will be happy bunnies, I reckon. Four each for Leach and Shantry, none for Mo or Saeed. Looking forward to watching Moeen bat.
In other news, both Adam Voges and Chris Rogers are here.
And action! Middlesex patted it around for a couple of overs but Joe Leach – apparently a man of many nicknames, he’s “Lloyds” at the moment, for some reason or other – has got two in two balls! James Harris was absolutely plumb in front to one that stayed low, then TRJ nicked off first ball, straight into the safe hands of Alex Gidman at first slip. With five slips in place, Dial M for Murtagh rolls into the covers for a nonchalant single.
That’s a fine over for bonus points, too. Middlesex brought up 300 and Worcestershire nabbed full bowling points – remarkably for the 35th time in 36 matches. Bad over for Moeen Ali though, that’s two wickets he could have had! Shantry searching for a five-fer from the other end.
Richard Gibson reports
It’s positively Arctic here. And that’s just inside the air-conned lecture theatre. Outside, under the floodlights, Nottinghamshire have toddled off for lunch with the score reading 85-4.
Ryan Sidebottom, in his first outing since the opening-round victory over Worcestershire, claimed the latest wicket when a delivery lifted on Steven Mullaney and the diving catch was swallowed up by wicketkeeper Andrew Hodd, deputising for England’s weekend hero Jonny Bairstow.
And that start has happened. Jack Shantry - chasing what would be a fine five-fer - to continue the over he started to James Franklin last night. James Harris replaces Franklin, who was caught at leg slip. 16 overs lost by my count, which doesn’t seem very many.
Gary Naylor’s weekly country cricket roundup is on the site... and he is not happy about the Kent Spitfires kit:
Lizzy Ammon reports from Wantage Road
The wicket theme of this match continues as Kent have lost two quick wickets both LBW. Neither looked great decisions to me. Daniel Bell-Drummond’s looked high to me and Rob Key’s sounded like there might have been a bit of bat, he certainly gave the umpire quite a glare as he walked off. So Kent are 25/2 and still trail by 81.
Much as no one likes boring run fests, this one has gone a bit too much the other way but it does look as though we’ll have a positive result which will be a much needed 16 points for one or other of the sides.
Kleinveldt and Azharullah are bang on the money again in these early overs. Except as I type that Kleinveldt fires some filth down the leg side.
We’ve also not got a working scoreboard here at Wantage Road. Normally that happens when someone plugs the press box kettle in.
Richard Gibson reports from Yorkshire v Notts
For 55 minutes Nottinghamshire defied the Yorkshire seamers but, as so often proves the case, it was the introduction of Steven Patterson from the Football Stand end that altered the complexion of the morning’s play.
A delivery of extra bounce found the shoulder of Brendan Taylor’s bat and Alex Lees pouched a loopy catch to first slip. The unheralded Patterson sent down more dot balls than any of his peers in the top flight of the County Championship in 2014 and has improved his ratio marginally to 83% this season. Drying up the run rate has been his mantra for success and after Tim Bresnan pinned former Yorkshire batsman Michael Lumb lbw, Patterson made it three wickets for the hosts in 22 deliveries when visiting captain James Taylor was given out caught behind.
It certainly did not please the England one-day batsman, who gesticulated with his bat halfway back to the dressing room and then struck the advertising boards with it further on his journey. But the decision given by Graham Lloyd, or Bumble junior, left Notts 53-3.
Meanwhile, Finch’s woes continue. Having been overlooked for this contest, the Australian Twenty20 captain - only just returned from seve weeks sidelined with a hamstring tear - has retired hurt against Worcestershire 2nds at Barnt Green after being struck in the ribs.
I nearly had some cricket to tell you about. We were due to start at 12.30, with an early lunch at half one. The covers were off, the stumps were in, Ollie Rayner had his pads on and Worcestershire were warmed up.
Alas the rain is back. The players are returning to the sanctuary of the rather unsightly pavilion. The main cover is back on (Gus Fraser was the man to take the stumps out, which was a nice touch) and the umpires are in the middle. It’s very much “you’d-stay-on-it-but-you-wouldn’t-start-in-it” territory. Umpires went out for a look and have said that lunch being taken now. Inspection in a bit and hopefully action at 1.15 or something like that.
Lizzy Ammon reports
A quickfire 50 from Richard Levi got Northamptonshire’s lead above 100 but he’s lost his middle peg to Claydon and Northants are all out with a lead of just 106.
Kent faced three balls and the umpires have taken them off as there’s some drizzle in the air. Although the windows of this box are so dirty I can’t actually see it.
It looks like there’s play at Headingley and about to be some at Uxbridge so Mssrs Macpherson and Gibson will keep you entertained whilst I grab a cup of Rosie Lee and dunk a caramel digestive in it. Have you ever had one of them – they are heaven in biscuit form.
And again from Lizzy Ammon...
Clearly sent my first update too soon. Darren Stevens has taken two in two to get rid of Steven Crook for 22 with a classic little Stevens in swinger. Then next ball Kleinveldt edged to Tredwell in the slips. So Northants are nine down with a lead of 91 but in what might well be a low scoring game a lead of 100 or so might be very very handy.
Lizzy Ammon reports
A very good Monday morning to you from Wantage Road where we had 17 wickets yesterday. Northamptonshire rather made a Horlicks of things when they should have put themselves into an unloseable (is that even a word?) position.
Half centuries from Keogh and Wakely got them to parity but they went from 133 for two to 193 for seven thanks to Matt Coles changing ends and finding some real pace.
So far this morning, Steven Crook has played a couple of streaky edges through the slips and Levi has been dropped at third slip but they’ve gone on the counter attack and have added a brisk 37 so far.
It’s cloudy and a bit chilly but dry for the moment. And the Northants shop has a new book in stock I’m told. No word on what that book actually is though.
Morning all, so it’s raining quite hard at Uxbridge and it looks pretty set in. The players are milling about but aren’t going to play much cricket any time soon. Middlesex are 289 for seven overnight with Ollie Rayner eight and James Harris set to come in after his namesake Franklin fell to the last ball of the day. Middlesex haven’t won here since 1991 and this rain (or, in cricket talk “this bit of weather”) isn’t doing their push for victory any favours. Right now there’s loads of covers on and the groundsmen are getting soaked tending to them. There’s a delayed start, and a big one. Due to stop just after 12, I’m hearing. So maybe an early lunch and play at 1.30ish? Just a guess.
In cricket’s stead, I’ve just taken on ESPNcricinfo’s Vithushan Ehantarajah – oft of this parish – at pool in the clubhouse. Now I’m not one to brag, but the first game was a fine come-from-behind win for Macpherson. I then went two up with a drubbing, but the third, frankly, was an embarrassing series of missed pots, shanks and white-balls-on-the-floor. It ended with Vish fouling on the black, which near enough said it all. The locals, it’s fair to say, were underwhelmed. But it’s a win for the Guardian liveblog, I’m pleased to report.
More sport – of some form or another – to come.
Richard Gibson sets up the day
Greetings everyone. We may have just waved goodbye to the longest day of the year but it’s sweater weather up at Headingley and the pitch here is of a greener tinge than I can remember. No surprise then that Yorkshire captain Andrew Gale has decided to bowl first. What might be something of a surprise, however, is that the champions have left out not one but two overseas players.
Aaron Finch, the club’s primary import, was in the match day squad but it was decided on Saturday that he would play in the second XI fixture against Worcestershire at Barnt Green with no obvious other candidate to drop out of the top six. Glenn Maxwell, who has featured in the last two Championship fixtures and has played in a Test match for Australia within the last 12 months, was signed primarily as a Twenty20 specialist with the promise of red-ball cricket if opportunity presented itself.
Veteran left-armer Ryan Sidebottom returns from a calf injury and has just taken the new ball against his former county while England’s Stuart Broad lines up for the visitors - his first Championship appearance for 12 months and a token run out ahead of next month’s Ashes.
Elsewhere, Will Macpherson is at Uxbridge watching Middlesex, who lost their unbeaten record to Yorkshire here last time out, against Worcestershire and in Division Two, Elizabeth Ammon is trying to keep up with the tumble of wickets in the fixture between Northamptonshire and Kent at Wantage Road.
Updated
Morning all,
Today we have Will Macpherson at Uxbridge for Middlesex v Worcestershire, Richard Gibson at Headingley for Yorkshire v Nottinghamshire and Lizzy Ammon at Wantage Road for Northamptonshire v Kent. Here are links to yesterday’s reports:
Middlesex v Worcestershire
Middlesex grateful for James Franklin’s century
Right now the only thing in cricket more fashionable than a New Zealander is a New Zealander captain. Thus it was fitting to see James Franklin help Middlesex recover after a disastrous start in which four wickets fell in the first 80 minutes, even if he did become Jack Shantry’s fourth victim in the day’s final over.
Northamptonshire v Kent
Kent collapse under attack from Mohammad Azharullah
Getting under way 23 hours after it was supposed to, this match between the bottom side, Kent, and fifth-placed Northamptonshire has moved on at rapid pace, with 17 wickets falling in the day.
Enjoy the cricket
