Just got back from a very entertaining chat with Tino Best to see Essex got their draw at Glamorgan.
What a fantastic round of Championship cricket; five results, three very decent draws, plenty of collapses on eight decent pitches, and not too much rain. Now let me get on and write about it.
Thank you all so much for your company these last four days, it’s been a (natwest t20) blast. It’ll be Jamie Bowman manning the good ship County Cricket - Live! from Sunday (he’ll be at the Roses match), but I imagine I will be back on these shores before long. Please keep clicking, keep commentating and all the rest. It’s great fun for us ATL when we know you’re reading, and keeps the whole thing viable too!
Speak soon, folks, and thanks for reading.
Nick Browne out at Cardiff. Can the Welsh get up?
That is the game, amazingly:
HAMPSHIRE WIN BY 69 RUNS.
First ball, Gurney tried to hit Crane into the Solent, got a wild edge and was caught at point. No point Read batting when he’s so crocked with so many required. Hampshire’s first win of the season. Well done them!
Samit’s gone. And that might just be that. Crane, bowling round the wicket into some considerable rough, has got Patel to attempt a slog-sweep, and he’s edged an extravagant turner through to first slip. Great bowling. 235-8. Chris Read unlikely to bat with his bad hand.
TINO >>>>>>
WATCH: Magnificent stuff from @tinobest. It's all a bit tense here @TheAgeasBowl. Notts requiring 77 runs. 3 wkts pic.twitter.com/bJyBnoAdi2
— Hampshire Cricket (@hantscricket) May 25, 2016
DRAW AT BRISTOL. WELL BATTED ROB NEWTON AND STEVEN CROOK BUT AT THE MOMENT I’M AFRAID I DON’T REALLY CARE BECAUSE THE AGEAS IS FUN
Fletch and Samit at the crease. I know what you’re thinking: do it in boundaries. Well, we’ve just had the first indicator as to why. Fletch edged Crane wide of slip and the outfield here is slow. Samit ran two as hard as his little sausage legs could carry him and turned for the third, but Fletch didn’t get the memo. The big lad fancied keeping the strike. But Samit was sprinting at him, so Fletch set off the third as the ball was coming into the keeper. Wheater gathered and threw to the non-strikers, but missed by a mile and Fletch made it. Jeeeeeeezzzzz this is tense.
TWO IN AN OVER AT THE AGEAS!!! TWO FOR TINO!!! Double nelson, double wicket maiden!!!
Hutton was roughed up a bit with his first few balls. Then Tino banged one in short and Hutton pulled, straight to Crane at fine leg, who set himself and took a fine tumbling catch, slipping over, before going absolutely gorillas with his team-mates. Patel turns down an easy single to fine-leg off Fletcher’s first ball. Tino has 4-40.
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SHOCK: MATCH DRAWN AT LORD’S. Every game played by either Somerset and Middlesex this season has been drawn.
Oh wow! Tino’s just bowled Christian with the first ball of the second over of his new spell. It’s a yorker, and middle stump is no longer standing. Just. Perfect.
Btw, Tino set off in celebration and Hampshire just chased him. The bloke is magnetic.
Hutton in now; ring field. Two slips, gully. This game is (***)hot. I really want to swear but I really shouldn’t.
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This game is on a rather lovely knife edge. Tino and Crane in tandem now. Christian a bit wafty, and Samit’s never more than 10-15 seconds from slapping to cover. Hutton’s in next and can bat, but with just Gurney and Fletch to follow, this stand really is vital. Read will only bat, as I’ve said before, if absolutely necessary.
The great man Foxy Fowler has been with England!
A big thank you to @englandcricket for inviting me to a training day. Was an honour and hugely enjoyable. pic.twitter.com/6vUKUx9Hcn
— Graemefowler (@GFoxyFowler) May 25, 2016
Steven Crook’s got a hundred! Northants have had one hell of a day.
Shame.
Off for bad light. Somerset 202-7. Hildreth 85*, Overton 19*. #TeamMiddlesex
— Middlesex Cricket (@Middlesex_CCC) May 25, 2016
Huge straight six down the ground from Christian off Crane...
It’s all go here; Hampshire charged 5 penalty runs as Samit edges/misses Crane and it hits the helmet behind, and now Crane has had Christian dropped - very hard, fast chance - at first slip by a furious Ervine. Samit’s got 50 and Notts need 125...
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There is a stream of Glamorgan’s game with Essex here, and you’re mad not to be watching it. Dan Lawrence just got out, and the Glammys are pushing for their first win since July 2015.
Kent, briefly, are top of the table and they’re not afraid to tell us
Not a bad start to 2016. Join us on Sunday as we aim to continue our unbeaten run.
— Kent Cricket (@kentcricket) May 25, 2016
Tickets: https://t.co/FOurGBIugD pic.twitter.com/YcqRdjzLmT
We have our fourth result of the round! Kent fly home with 18 from three balls from Alex Blake.
Awesome win @kentcricket ! 🙌🏼 #topofthelog
— Sam Billings (@sambillings) May 25, 2016
Well done to Durham!
Another special win today against a very good side.Some young players showing a huge amount of maturity, oh and ridiculous amounts of skill
— Graham Onions (@BunnyOnions) May 25, 2016
Probably haven’t given Northamptonshire enough credit for their sterling work in Bristol today. They are 237-4 for the day and with 34 overs remaining, that is probably that.
Tea here at the Ageas, no more wickets. Notts need 128 in 39 overs, with four wickets in hand, really. Read highly unlikely to bat.
Advice from the man sat to my right:
Samit or bust for Notts. This could be a belter. If you're in Southampton, get a car with half a tank, jump onto the M27 or take the A27...
— Vithushan (@Vitu_E) May 25, 2016
Game on here! Taylor has slapped Crane to Tino at mid-on, and the great man took a fine catch, before hurling the ball into oblivion. 10-man Notts need 129 more, and have four wickets really. Think Read will bat if absolutely necessary, but the man is wearing a proper plaster cast.
Suddenly, things are looking dreamy for Nottinghamshire, even if Read isn’t batting. The stand between Taylor - who is looking a million dollars - and Samit, who is trotting along and recently edged Crane between keeper and slips, is 96 from 20 overs. Tino is now bowling some wild stuff, and twice has gone through the keeper for four byes/wides with wild bouncers. Dangerous times for Hampshire.
Rayner doing his thing:
Here's the 5th wicket as big @Ollie2rayner gets Trego with @James_Harris9 taking the catch in the deep! Five to go! pic.twitter.com/V1lC1Iy4G0
— Middlesex Cricket (@Middlesex_CCC) May 25, 2016
Spin wizard @Ollie2rayner strikes again @HomeOfCricket to get rid of Gregory! Top catch by @jecfranklin Four to go! pic.twitter.com/NqRMdz4KKv
— Middlesex Cricket (@Middlesex_CCC) May 25, 2016
RAYNER HAS ANOTHER!!!
I like this tweet, because of the optimism. Can they get the 284?
Essex 50 for 3, Nick Browne 31*, Dan Lawrence 1* and there are a minimum of 47 overs remaining. Another 284 runs required to win #GlavEss
— Essex Cricket (@EssexCricket) May 25, 2016
Tino bowling to Samit at the Ageas Bowl... The stuff dreams are made of.
This game surely has too much to do, but 2 in 2 for Rayner has it on the move...
WICKET - Somerset 156-6. Gregory c Franklin (slip) b Rayner 0. #TeamMiddlesex #bowlingOllie
— Middlesex Cricket (@Middlesex_CCC) May 25, 2016
With 47 overs after this one, Somerset are 109 ahead with four in hand.
Here, Brendan Taylor has 59, and Samit 34, as the pot bubbles. Beautifully poised with all four results very much possible.
This is a great picture:
Action shot of Trego scaling the Lord's fence after both he and Hildreth (top) took an unscheduled comfort break. pic.twitter.com/gjn9PqGKRF
— Phil Makepeace (@AlteredCourse) May 25, 2016
Can Glamorgan? Can they?
WICKET! Ravi Bopara fends a ball from Michael Hogan to Aneurin Donald at 2nd slip and goes for 6. Nick Browne 28*. 46-3. #GlavEss
— Essex Cricket (@EssexCricket) May 25, 2016
DBD doing as DBD does...
DBD reaches 50 for the 5th time in five @CountyChamp matches off 68 balls (7x4).
— Kent Cricket (@kentcricket) May 25, 2016
Kent 84/1 chasing 175 to win. pic.twitter.com/b1LVke4o8A
Hundred up for Notts and a really fascinating period of the game coming up. With Taylor and Patel at the crease, Notts can win it. Without them there, I’d say they can’t (although Dan Christian is in next). Taylor has played a beautiful upper cut, and Samit is being Samit, depositing Dawson for a lovely hoicked legside four. 107-4, 198 to win. Read surely won’t bat, so five wickets required.
Lovely description here:
.@Colly622 on @chriswoakes' 9-36 at Edgbaston: "It was like facing 90mph leg breaks." More: https://t.co/g3T7PxS1YE pic.twitter.com/bBy2Ecp5PQ
— County Championship (@CountyChamp) May 25, 2016
Another wicket at the Ageas! Empty Wessels has been drawn into a drive by McLaren. The ball has nipped away a fraction and he’s been caught behind.
Seconded.
Westley is absolutely incredible off his pads. Times it so well. #countycricketlive
— Peter Miller (@TheCricketGeek) May 25, 2016
Rob Newton adds the one he needed for a ton. He’s gonna need a few more to save the game.
First match of the season and a battling century for Rob Newton. Northants need the fight to continue this afternoon... #bbccricket
— Alex Winter (@_alexwinter) May 25, 2016
So I’ve had a bite to eat so I thought I’d actually do my job and chat to you all about what is going on around the grounds...
- A wicket for Glamorgan on the stroke of lunch! Can they force their first win (in any format) since July last year?! Essex bat deep and bat big, so I wouldn’t rule them out yet. The equation: Glamorgan need 9 wickets, Essex need 322 runs, and there are 66.5 overs remaining.
- Kent are off to a flyer in their pursuit of 175 against Derbyshire. The equation: Derbyshire need 10 wickets, Kent need 149 runs, and there are 65 overs remaining.
- Rob Newton has 99 for Northants and is digging in to save the game against Gloucestershire. The equation: Northants trail by 18 runs, with five wickets in hand. 65 overs remaining.
Up in Div One:
- James Hildreth is doing his thing at Lord’s. The equation: Somerset lead by 46, with six wickets in hand. 66 overs remain.
- And here at the Ageas Bowl, Tino Best is having a great time. Nottinghamshire are three down chasing 305, but Chris Read probably won’t bat. Notts require 255 more runs, Hampshire need seven (six, really) wickets. 69 overs left.
What an afternoon we have in store. How good is county cricket?!
Lunch here at the Ageas and Notts are 50-3, still 255 away, and having just lost a third wicket.... McLaren has got one to bounce and nip at Mullaney, who edged to first slip...
Mes (who has a real name!) has been in touch ATL:
“I’m doing incantations for Glamorgan to take a wicket,” he writes, :(I bowed to the better judgement of HPG and Captbnut on the declaration). So I’m singing this iny my head (at work):
Mae bys Meri-Ann wedi brifo,
A Dafydd y gwas ddim yn iach.
Mae’r baban yn y crud yn crio,
A’r gath wedi sgrapo Joni bach.
Sosban fach yn berwi ar y tân,
Sosban fawr yn berwi ar y llawr,
A’r gath wedi sgrapo Joni bach.”
I have absolutely no idea what this means. No idea.
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Middlesex women beat Surrey women last night in what sounds an absolutely cracking event. Good job all round. The Middlesex skip Izzy Westbury shows off the spoils.
Results aside, big thanks to @surreycricket for another great event last night. Pioneers. #favouritelondonground pic.twitter.com/bOBwJo3gKt
— Isabelle Westbury (@izzywestbury) May 25, 2016
Kent flying along, aren’t they. What a game to win that is.
Right, I notice comments are down again. Hold fast they will be back soon but there’s nought I can do about it. Feel compelled to tell me something? Sub-140 character thoughts to @willis_macp and more conherent/longer thoughts to will.macpherson.freelance@guardian.co.uk. Fire away.
Now I’m not in the business of giving P**rs M**gan air-time on County Cricket - Live!, but this made me smile...
Peace in our time! #kp #strauss @BMWPGA pic.twitter.com/q5RvuEelJn
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) May 25, 2016
Elsewhere, things are happening, aren’t they?
Derbyshire, what have you done? Kent need 175 to win.
Glamorgan have declared (well batted Mr Bragg), and Essex need 334 from 70, I believe.
Middlesex, good on you. Somerset are 60-4 and lead by just one. Hildreth the key, you’d say. Both sides looking for their first non-draw, so up the result!
DURHAM HAVE WON, CONGRATULATIONS DURHAM! Just a shame Colly couldn’t see them home a day before turning 44, but that is a spectacular effort. Well done. How often has a guy taken a nine-bag and not won?
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Apologies if I’ve been a bit quiet, I’ve been perambulating the Ageas’s Bowl in pursuit of a black americano, which I now have, and am sipping.
While this may sound like a dereliction of duty, it was not without cricketing rewards. I come bearing news, and it ain’t good for Nottinghamshire: I bumped into Chris Read, off to throw white balls at Greg Smith in the nets with Peter Moores. He has a proper cast on his left wrist. Can’t see him batting today; can’t see him batting for six weeks or so...
We have had another wicket too, and it belongs to Tino! The sheer chutzpah of the bloke is a sight to behold. He’s struck Lumb on the pads (again - there was a huge appeal earlier) from round the wicket and after about ten minutes up went the finger. Make your mind up below. Lumb was looking good after a decent working over: he absolutely nailed a pull into the small of Tom Alsop’s back at short leg. Looked very sore.
WATCH: Terrific @tinobest! Never short of pace, or a passionate @CountyChamp celebration! pic.twitter.com/OdQUvb2yGR
— Hampshire Cricket (@hantscricket) May 25, 2016
Tinooooooo! He’s got Libby, and the hosts are on the move. Couple of throat balls were followed by a fuller one, which was duly nicked. Tino is making loads of noise.
Derbyshire are making a bit of a hash of things, aren't they?
Tino’s first ball has just cracked into a ducking Mullaney’s back... This is going to be fun. He had Lumb, particularly, in all sorts of trouble a couple of days ago.
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I see there’s been a fourth wicket at both Derby and Bristol, and Keaton Jennings has his third hundred of the year up at Edgbaston. I’m backing us to get four more results today.
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The lead is 300 at the Ageas! Declaration, slogging, wicket all incoming. These two - Crane and Tomlinson, who on-drove his first ball for three played some nice shots - and, oh, there’s the declaration. Will Smith’s on the balcon calling them in.
Nottinghamshire will need 305 to win off 86 overs. Light roller being used as I type. Good game, good game.
Gurney has his ninth wicket of the match! He’s got one to nip back at McLaren, and it’s struck him - a bit high perhaps - and the finger went up. Empty Wessels - still keeping - threw down the stumps too so he was probably out on two counts. 282 is the lead.
There’s a bit going on around the grounds; Middlesex are all out, 47 ahead, and Jack Leach has a five-fer. Very good few days for the J.Leaches.
On Durham charge, with Jennings onto 98. Paul Collingwood is 40 tomorrow! Would be a decent birthday present if they could pull this one off....
Here, Ryan McLaren, who is looking a cracking overseas signing once again, has taken Hampshire past 200, and a lead of 281. We’re on declaration watch.
No full report from me yesterday I’m afraid, as England decided to go announce what a few of us had long suspected: that Reece Topley was facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines. There’s the round-up at the bottom of the piece, though.
In the report’s absence, mind, I’d recommend reading this from Selve. Just a lovely piece on how we seldom think about the guards we take.
Morning all here's the morning call!
Good morning, how are you all? I’m at the Ageas Bowl, where - unlike the last couple of days - the sun isn’t shining. But it’s not going to rain. Hampshire’s last three batsman are going to come out for a bit of a swing. They’re currently 270 ahead, so Notts already require the highest score of the match to win. They failed in a smaller chase against Warwickshire last week, of course, but Samit had some fun. This should be a cracking day.
There are five other matches to be completed too. It should be a short, but excellent, day at Edgbaston, where Durham require not too many, and Warwickshire still need six wickets. Could Chris Wright trump Woakes and get ten?! At Lord’s, they’re starting on time despite some doubt, and it’s looking very drawy. What do I know, though?
In Div 2, one game is already complete, and there are three to run. Could there, improbably, be results at Derby and Cardiff? And how long will it take Gloucestershire to see off Northants?
Enjoy the great game, folks, and be sure to barrack hard below the line.
Today we have Will Macpherson at the Ageas Bowl to cover Hampshire v Nottinghamshire. Here is his report on the news from Hampshire yesterday:
And, in case you missed it last night, here’s Mike Selvey’s column:
Enjoy the cricket
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