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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Will Macpherson at the Ageas Bowl

County cricket – as it happened

cricket
Two cricket fans take in the action at the Ageas Bowl. Photograph: Andrew Matthews/PA

Day’s end at the Ageas. Hampshire’s best of the season, I’d say. They close 171 ahead, with Notts 99-5 and Ball-less - not literally - for the rest of the game. Brett Hutton’s in for him, we believe.

Anyway, that’s all from me. Writing to do. Ali will be doing something on for Woakesaggedon too. Night all.

A couple of wickets in the last over for Northants but very much Gloucestershire’s day down at Bristol.

Middlesex probably would have taken this scenario at the start of the day’s play.

9 (nine)

They’ve got themselves a card

Wowzer. Chris Woakes.

Notts are five wickets down and we have an interesting situation on our hands. It’s McLaren again, who is bowling a cracking spell, which has now yielded a third wicket. It’s Samit gone now, edging to second slip. 72-5.

Jake Ball is going to Durham tonight. Well, he’s going north tonight. The ECB offered to fly him to Newcastle, but his parents are here, so when play concludes he will drive back to Nottingham tonight, before completing the journey at the crack of dawn. We are desperately trying to work out what the deal is if he’s not out overnight... Assume Brett Hutton, who is said to be replacing him, wouldn’t be replaced by a better batsman if, say, they needed a few more to avoid the follow-on.

Here’s the very fine nut with which McLaren dismissed Brendan Taylor.

Way to celebrate your England call...

Now there’s a 50 for the excellent Nick Gubbins. His fourth of the season. Boy can play.

That’s a peach from Ryan McLaren. Not easy to play, and Brendan Taylor is on his way. Just in the channel, too close to leave, and he’s nicked it through to Taylor. Sean Ervine’s first over draws a huge appeal against Samit, wafting at a wide on. Only the umpire, bowler and batsman didn’t think he hit it, and he survives.

A charmed life for Robbo, by the sounds of thing.

Derbyshire and Kent fans, you have permission to down tools for the day.

Joe Leach on fire, Leicestershire are terrified

Another 50 for Sam Robson at the HoC. This one off 61 balls and that’s his fourth 50+ score at the ground in four games this season. 501 runs for twice out now. Has to be a case to bring him in for the third Test, just as Ollie Rayner should play at the Oval in the last of the summer.

Updated

Bloke can bat:

Just heard about this. What on earth is going on?

We’ve had another wicket at the Ageas. Ryan McLaren, with his first ball into the attack, gets Lumb to nick off and Adams takes a decent catch at first slip. Straight in, and Hampshire well on top. Brendan Taylor - who has had some pretty poor early season form - is looking grand, having upper cut Tino over the keeper’s head. He just hit a sexy cover drive, too.

Sorry Lankys, my work.

Alviro Petersening Surrey:

Rain delays? What the actual?

So here’s the run out of Jake Libby earlier. Not great from the youngster...

Tea at the Ageas Bowl as Lumb - who looked in increasingly good touch and hit a couple of typically brutal fours - and Brendan Taylor weathered the Tino storm. Think we’ve a rather nicely poised game here, guys.

Chris Woakes is celebrating his England recall with a̶ ̶t̶w̶o̶-̶l̶i̶t̶r̶e̶ ̶b̶o̶t̶t̶l̶e̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶A̶c̶e̶ ̶c̶i̶d̶e̶r̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶2̶0̶ ̶R̶o̶t̶h̶m̶a̶n̶s̶ four wickets so far in Durham’s reply. Jack Burnham and Paul Collingwood are the two men to fall since my last update, the former shouldering arms to be bowled for 15 before his captain skewed a drive to Keith Barker at backward point. Durham 119 for five in the 44th over and the home side now very much on top.

Hampshire are ticking. Tino - unleashing a fearful grunt with each delivery - has been working Michael Lumb over. Two balls popped up to wear short leg would have been, so Will Smith stuck a man under the lid. Next ball, Lumb ran through for a single that never looked there and Libby - with a very chilled run - was run out by a brilliant Carberry direct hit from backward point. Carberry celebrated, arms outstretched, as his team-mates went gorillas around him.

The game is on the move at Lord’s and Rayner is still in the wickets.

Seems comments are down once more, which is a right old pain. If any urgent thoughts pop into your mind drop me an email at will.macpherson.freelance@guardian.co.uk. As with the last couple of comment problems, it shouldn’t last long but there’s nothing we here at County Cricket - Live! can do.

Warwickshire update: As suggested earlier, Chris Woakes will be replaced by Josh Poysden for the third and fourth days of this match. Seamer for leg-spinner. Should be fun.

What. A. Catch. Tino Best opens the bowling to Steve Mullaney and sprays a couple down the legside. Then, third ball, Mullaney gets a thick edge and Ryan McLaren, leaping like a salmon to his left at gully, plucks the ball from nowhere and it’s 0-1.

Two for Woakes now with Scoddyborthwig nicking off to Tim Ambrose behind the stumps for 24. Durham 97 for three ... what did I say about clusters..?

“Caught behind”

This is a brilliant, brilliant interview with Stuart Broad, which I thoroughly and heartily recommend you get stuck into. He’s a very interesting guy, is Broad.

Another 80 for Tom Westley today, but he’s gone now. He’s certainly in the selectors’ thoughts...

Finally, Hampshire are 270 all out, after a very useful/pesky [delete as applicable] 10th wicket partnership between Tomlinson and Crane took 50 minutes over 35, which carried the hosts past a second batting point. Looks a reasonable total; not quite par, but not far off. Pitch has done a bit and it’s swung round corners at times. The last wicket stand was fun, with Tomlinson looking to milk it through leg, and Crane just slogging a bit. Neither really timed the thing, and eventually Crane skied Samit looking to hit him onto the Downs, and was caught by Read, who barged short leg out the way.

Marcos RoJo at his best.

News from Edgbaston is that Durham are 92 for two, with the Chester-le-street-bound Chris Woakes having just bowled Mark Stoneman for 36. Nice ball, had the left-hander in two minds whether to go forward or back and, having chosen the latter option, chopped down onto his stumps. Scott Borthwick - Scoddyborthwig in the language of the modern day cricketer - is 21 not out and looking in very fine order. Hard to see wickets in clusters on this pitch...

Here’s Dial M for Murtagh’s fifth, which I sense Ryan Davies may not want to see again:

Youth:

That’ll do lad

Anyone at Old Trafford got any thoughts on how Stuart Meaker is bowling? I see he’s recently got Hameed to chop on, and has figures of 9-2-15-1, which is encouraging. He’s been very unlucky with injuries in recent times (and most recently a bit stupid, as was well-publicised), but has been recorded on the gun as bowling 98mph, so is a rare talent. This winter, Surrey funded a trip for him to link up with the England Performance Squad bowlers in South Africa, and it was said he was bowling better than last year, when at times he couldn’t land it on the cut strip. He’s a good bloke with a great sense of humour so would be nice to see him back to his best.

Nice grab, this:

Two cases of London joy, here:

Trego continues his stellar form.

Two wickets for Surrey up at Old Trafford will please the neutrals but cause some discomfort BTL, I’d imagine. Batty did for Tom Smith on his return, and now Tom Curran’s done for Proctor’s stumps.

Gurney has another wicket, that of Tino, looking to slug it over cow. He was hit on the pads and the ump had no hesitation in triggering. 235-9. Gurney has four. Hants 235-9.

And now McLaren’s gone in the same over, defending forward, edging, and being caught well by Wessels at first slip, diving to his left. 234-8. Tino survived a big LBW shout first ball. It’s hooping all over the place, by the way.

Tom Alsop has dragged himself from the crease, having been done by some very late Harry Gurney swing and nicking off. He made 72, his best for Hampshire, and played really well. Hampshire are 232-7 and Tino is in.

Change telecom providers guys. Colly says you should.

Nice hands. sir.

Comments are back folks.

This question is crazy easy and could win you tickets to the first day of the second Test on Friday. Go on, give it a shot.

Thanks Romeo for getting in touch to let me know the blessed comments are down again. As he said, maybe they have gone for lunch. It’s a site-wide problem and there ain’t much I can do about it sadly. Anyway, if you have any pressing and lucid thoughts on what’s going on around the shires then do get in touch. I’m available on the twitters @willis_macp or by email at the cumbersome will.macpherson.freelance@guardian.co.uk. Drop me a line and I will stick your thoughts ATL, as long as they’re not foul-mouthed, of course.

In the meantime, Middlesex have kindly given us some highlights of yesterday’s play. Check ‘em out here.

That there is lunch at the Ageas Bowl. Hampshire will be pretty pleased with their session, as they’ve lost just two wickets. 20-year-old Tom Alsop, who has 69, has looked great, while McLaren recently drove Fletch beautifully down the ground for four.

Meanwhile, Matt Coles has worked blooming hard for a five-fer at Derby:

This is magical. It’s Saggers’ birthday and the great man is celebrating his 44th by umpiring Gloucestershire-Northants. Just how he imagined it, you’d think.

I’ve just noticed that Lloyds Leach has four wickets this morning! Magnificent news, unless you’re from Leicester.

New ball taken at the Ageas. And it’s (almost) England’s Jake Ball with it in his hands. Alsop, who has been excellent, is beaten first up.

Great to see Shiv Thakor make his maiden Derbyshire century. He’s one of those players who everyone around the circuit seems to rate highly and wants to do well.

A few overs before the new ball, Adam Wheater is gone. Gurney was going round the wicket, and he seems to have cramped Wheater up and he’s inside-edged it and been caught brilliantly by a diving Chris Read behind the sticks. Hampshire brought up their first batting point next ball as McLaren got off the mark.

In other news:

Updated

Warwickshire 313 all out here with Chris Wright’s middle stump sent cartwheeling and bails flying off like a couple of white dog poos off a homemade firecracker (an insight into my childhood there). Graham Onions with the last two wickets, finishing with three for 69 after removing Jeetan Patel for 27, caught at mid-off by Mark Stoneman attempting a ambitious straight drive. Over to Durham’s batsmen...

Make yourself feel old by looking at this:

Good news for the Glosters. Not so much for the Northants mob, mind. Gary N riffs on Craig Miles in his weekly blog. Boy can bowl.

Apologies, it seems the comments have been going haywire across the site. I think they are back now, so let’s see. Email me at will.macpherson.freelance@guardian.co.uk if the problems persist. I have no idea how to sort it, but at least I could stick your wonderful thoughts ATL and we can keep the discussion rolling.

Ali, as he said ATL a short while ago, will be dropping us a few updates today too, which is just swell.

A fine 50 - his first in the Champo - for Tom Alsop here. He’s only 20, is a gun at short leg, and is batting better than I’ve seen him before. As you’ll have read in yesterday’s round-upy, reporty number, he has made two 150s in the last week. All. Good. Signs.

Updated

Good morning from Edgbaston, where I find myself again, somehow. Now I’ll only be dipping in and out but can report that Warwickshire are 304 for eight and Jeetan Patel has played some lovely crunching drives for his unbeaten 26. Interesting scenario for you. The pitch is playing well and the sun is out ... but after today Chris Woakes flies/drives/trains up to Durham and so what chance the home side dropping the extra spinner, Josh Poysden, into the side with a view to turning the screw on the fourth day? Anyway, just putting it out there. Hope everyone has a great day.

Gary Naylor’s weekly round-up is here! Insightful as ever.

Ball has sprayed it around a little this morning. I wonder how he’s travelling the 300-odd miles to Durham this evening. Any suggestions? Certainly wouldn’t fancy the drive. ECB helicopter? Gurney replacing him now.

Meanwhile in St John’s Wood:

I know we see plenty of Glammy love/misery BTL. I know it’s probably naughty to link to a rival site, but this is a decent look at what’s going on there this season.

Hildreth is gone at Lord’s now, and Hildreth has all three this morning. Middlesex, you’d say, in charge all of a sudden...

Vintage Murtagh, this. He got Allenby a couple of balls later, too.

Updated

Anyway, so the M25 caused me to miss the first over or so this morning but I am here, and the sun is shining, so I guess all is right with the world.

There has been a wicket, and I did not miss it. Clever bowling from Luke Fletcher, the great man, as Slug Ervine is bowled for 42. He was forward, with a straight bat, to a full delivery, but somehow it’s got through. Did a bit in the air I reckon, but would like another look. Adam Wheater’s out in the middle.

I see at Lord’s that Dial M for Murtagh has already done for Buck Rogers. That new ball working.

Enjoy the cricket today, and pray the rain stays away.

Updated

Morning all! I’m late. Sorry. Really, I am. Send complaints to the M25.

Morning all,

Today we have Will Macpherson at the Ageas Bowl for Hampshire v Nottinghamshire. Here is his roundup of yesterday’s action:

Enjoy the cricket

Updated

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