So, Yorkshire hung for their draw. Well done them.
Thanks all for your company these last four days - it’s been a blast, it really has. Well, until the damned rain came.
I’ll be back on the blog on Sunday from the Ageas Bowl, where a Vinceless Hampshire face Nottinghamshire. See you all then. If it’s your thing, I’ll also be on the Test match OBO tomorrow, so drop by and say hi.
Ciao!
Still going at Taunton. Can they? Can they?
Samit skies one off Wright and is caught in the offside by Sam Hain. 124, he made. Brilliant, but Warwickshire win by 53.
Two consecutive sixes for Samit. If you’re not watching this, do it. There’s another six, as Barker drops it on the fence.
Not a great look for Glamorgan...
Utterly, utterly bizarre match. @GlamCricket, chasing 269 to win, lost 10 wickets for 56 runs after being 87-0. 🏏🤔 #bbccricket #mindflip
— Isabelle Westbury (@izzywestbury) May 18, 2016
Bird has been bowled! Samit’s final partner is strolling to the crease: it’s Harry Gurney. They are still 73 runs short.
Well done the Glosters:
WICKET/WIN : Lloyd (20) edges Taylor to Roderick and @Gloscricket beat @GlamCricket by 125 runs #GLOvGLAM 1/2
— Gloucestershire CCC (@Gloscricket) May 18, 2016
SAMIT’s GOT HIS TON. Brings it up with his fifth six off his 68th ball. Smacked low down the ground. Magnificent scenes - his 23rd first-class ton.
Chris Rogers smells blood:
17 overs remain in the match with 5 wickets to get! Very attacking field in place#ComeOnSomerset!#SOMvYORKS pic.twitter.com/bxeWkXDr8l
— Somerset Cricket (@SomersetCCC) May 18, 2016
Samit Patel is doing work.
Blimey. Patel launches his namesake for three sixes in an over. He's up to 94* from 55, Notts 142-8. https://t.co/I0mC6zLclB #NottsvWarks
— Nottinghamshire CCC (@TrentBridge) May 18, 2016
Well done Durhamites.
Onions removes Kerrigan's off stump and leaves Livingstone stranded on 60*. A great performance 💪 #DURvLAN
— Durham Cricket Club (@DurhamCricket) May 18, 2016
Oh, right...
Rain and bad light halts play at Bristol with Glam on 142/8
— Glamorgan Cricket (@GlamCricket) May 18, 2016
News from Trent Bridge, where Notts are six down. Samit is 69 off 46, though...
Groundstaff twitching now as dark clouds loom over Smith-Cooper Stand.
— CulleyCricket (@CulleyCricket) May 18, 2016
It’s too wet for cricket, but the Surrey lads are playing some football. With goals (set up by Jason Roy) and everything. Tom Curran was first out onto the field, just playing by himself and, somehow, he just nailed the ball onto the second floor of the Pavilion.
Arun Harinath says he’s the worst, but Rory Burns wasn’t too complimentary about Curran’s skills. Steve Davies is the best on show, apparently, although he’s donning the keepers’ gloves at the minute.
Really sorry I don’t have any cricket to tell you about.
Killer stat if you’re into your killer stats.
Glamorgan's average score when the fifth wicket has fallen in the County Championship this year is 135.5. That isn't good enough
— Peter Miller (@TheCricketGeek) May 18, 2016
That is that at the Oval, I’m afraid to say. Not sure I agree with the decision, but it’s not up to me.
Afraid to say that is it..very wet out there...match ends as a draw....
— Surrey Cricket (@surreycricket) May 18, 2016
The 3.30 inspection is happening here.
One game is over:
Match drawn at Northampton as the sides shake hands. DBD ends on 69*. Unbeaten double century for Denly and 3 wkts for Qayyum in 1st inns.
— Kent Cricket (@kentcricket) May 18, 2016
The end sounds nigh in Northampton...
Raining heavily at Wantage Road - could well be end of game #bbccricket
— Alex Winter (@_alexwinter) May 18, 2016
Cricket in Chelmsford! We really should get some here, but not sure we will.
Play set to resume at 4.00 p.m. and there are 33 overs remaining. #EssvDer
— Essex Cricket (@EssexCricket) May 18, 2016
I say that, and Mitchell gets a wicket, Finch caught and bowled! Sorry Daryl, for slighting you. Sorry Sussex fans, for jinxing you.
Have Worcestershire given up? Daryl Mitchell has brought himself on to have a bowl.
The only thing that can stop Bell-Drummond is bad light. They are off the field now, and it’s an early tea.
Where are we going to get results, then?
Updated
I’m told there will be a further and final inspection at 3.30pm. The practice wickets are the issue, all soggy and stuff.
Is this game about to get really interesting?
Sussex are past 300 now at New Road. 309 for 6, the lead is 96. 44 overs left. Finch 27 and Brown 14 #GOSBTS
— Sussex CCC (@SussexCCC) May 18, 2016
The umpires and Lee the groundsman don’t look that keen. They are plodding round the outfield looking for puddles; reckon they have found a couple and are about to call things off.
Samit nudges the hat-trick ball into the legside for a single. Lovely.
Both wickets stayed low, apparently. Enjoy, Notts.
Updated
Wessels gone leg before first ball! Barker is on a hat-trick...
Updated
Listening in to the commentary from Trent Bridge, as Keith Barker bowls Smith, and it sounds like the pitch is doing plenty. Gonna be tough going for Notts, you sense.
There is cricket happening at two more grounds - Trent Bridge and Wantage Road, and the sun just popped out for a moment here.
Cricket!
Nine off 70 for Alex Lees. Impressive dig in.
I see both Worcestershire and Durham have got the tricky-sixth-wicket. The cricket is on the move. Sort of.
Properly cursed Matt Machan there. By the way, Ben Cox is the best keeper in the country. (In my extremely humble opinion). Wouldn’t be a total surprised if he left Worcester at the end of this year, mind.
WICKET.. Machan is caught behind by a one-handed effort from Cox off Leach. Gone for an excellent 66, Sussex 286/6, lead by 74 #GOSBTS
— Sussex CCC (@SussexCCC) May 18, 2016
Another inspection at 3pm here. Covers are coming off. Still pretty soggy so who knows if we will get some cricket.
Elsewhere I see Matt Machan has dropped below a run a ball, which is a shame.
The Oval is getting its kit off. Well, the covers are being peeled back.
Updated
And a start time at Trent Bridge!
After 2pm inspection, start at TB at 2.45pm. 47 overs to play. #countycricketlive
— CulleyCricket (@CulleyCricket) May 18, 2016
We have a start time at Northants-Kent! That’ll be 2.40.
A wee bit of optimism while the umpires inspect.
Glimpses of blue to the west but the radar tells us that there are still more showers on the way. #TeamMiddlesex
— Middlesex Cricket (@Middlesex_CCC) May 18, 2016
The good news is that rain is not exclusive to county cricket.
Torrential duke @RCBTweets - bad news for @imVkohli & co..#IPL2016 @SkyCricket pic.twitter.com/GAmqQ9Pcgt
— mark butcher (@markbutcher72) May 18, 2016
Good news from Taunton!
Play resumes at Taunton, Jamie Overton to continue to Will Rhodes
— Graham Hardcastle (@tykestravels) May 18, 2016
At the Oval, the umpires have gone to the groundsman’s hut. Lee, the big bear of a groundsman, is holding court. Don’t think it’s actually raining at the moment. Do we dare hope?
No mucking about from Matt Machan...
That's 50 for @mattmachan from only 40 balls. He's hit three fours since lunch. Taken Sussex past 250. 255 for 5, a lead of 42 #GOSBTS
— Sussex CCC (@SussexCCC) May 18, 2016
Right, there’s nothing much happening by way of cricket here, so I thought I’d round up where each of the wet games are at:
- Essex-Derbs - very wet, no inspection on the horizon, by the sounds of things
- Northants-Kent - these lucky lads have an inspection scheduled at 2pm, so very soon
- Notts-Warwicks - same drill here, a 2pm inspection. Plenty of optimism among the players that they would get on earlier. Tough game for Notts to win from here, mind.
- Somerset-Yorkshire - this lot are off too after Somerset took the wicket of Adam Lyth. Lots of showers about
- Surrey-Middlesex - last and certainly least, we have no inspection scheduled here. I’m told the weather is due to clear up, but play feels a fair way off.
There is play in three games, but will it be dry enough to get some results? Perhaps at Durham....
Updated
Well it would be pretty much lunchtime by now. It’s still raining and it’s still murky and we have heard nothing.
Taylor’s gone at New Road, I see. Bit of batting still to come for Sussex but that’s a major blow, you’d say. How much do we reckon Worcestershire will be chasing? Dig in going on at Taunton, while Lancashire are, well, in some strife....
Sussex lead, and in some style by the sounds of things. This game has a bit in it yet.
Matt Machan hooks Henry for six behind square to put Sussex in front of Worcestershire. 217 for 4 now, Taylor 56 and Machan 23 #GOSBTS
— Sussex CCC (@SussexCCC) May 18, 2016
Rain-watch continues:
UPDATE: Umpires to have another look at 1:30pm. #NORvKEN
— NCCC (@NorthantsCCC) May 18, 2016
Brydon Carse looked a really good cricketer when he played here at the Oval a fortnight ago. He’s doing work again now...
WICKET! Two in two overs for @CarseBrydon as Procter edges and Borthwick takes a superb reaction catch at second slip! 97/4 #DURvLAN
— Durham Cricket Club (@DurhamCricket) May 18, 2016
Boo! Down with this sort of thing.
RAIN STOPPED PLAY! Derbyshire 174 for 1. Hamish Rutherford 31*, Tom Taylor 19*. Only 7 overs possible today so far. #EssvDer
— Essex Cricket (@EssexCricket) May 18, 2016
At the Oval, the groundsmen are playing with the covers; they might even be coming off.
Meanwhile the word from Trent Bridge is that the player are expecting to be on the field in an hour or so, which is great news, because a belting finish lies in wait.
No debut for Jake Ball tomorrow, by the way...
Cook confirms England team v SL: Cook, Hales, Compton, Root, Vince, Stokes, Bairstow, Moeen, Broad, Finn, Anderson.
— Tom Collomosse (@TomCStandard) May 18, 2016
Seems as good a time as any to plug what happened yesterday. There’s report from Surrey-Middlesex and a round-up from everywhere else...
Nice piece on Rangana Herath by Vic here...
SOMERSET HAVE ENFORCED THE FOLLOW-ON
All three stumps sent flying as Overton bowls Patterson. Yorkshire all out for 311. Somerset unsurprisingly enforce follow-on
— Graham Hardcastle (@tykestravels) May 18, 2016
An Oval regular speaks:
When you can barely see The Shard or the London Eye from the scorers' box, you know it's bad. #countycricketlive pic.twitter.com/3l86H7pbhZ
— Phil Makepeace (@AlteredCourse) May 18, 2016
Properly humming it down in south London now.
This is good news from Taunton, mind:
Players will be back out in 10 mins, due to start at 12
— Graham Hardcastle (@tykestravels) May 18, 2016
Updated
Hello, sorry for being a little quiet - just had a couple of loose ends to tie up. Anyway, the news from here is that there is no news. It’s still raining, the covers are on and the Middlesex lads are playing cards. It’s Toby Roland-Jones and Nick Gubbins v Adam Voges and James Franklin (or, as Gubbins calls them, the Grandpas) at 500. Will tell you who wins as we hear.
Here’s the radar, and it doesn’t look too pretty.
Anyway, there is cricket elsewhere! On Sussex chug - through a slight rain delay - at Worcester as they look to save the game, Durham are making inroads into the Lankys, who are having some fun, while Gloucestershire are doing their best to set up a tough chase for Glamorgan. Rain elsewhere, but I see a few inspections on the horizon. Fingers crossed...
Updated
Looks like fun at Durham...
And it’s raining again at the Oval... We are not going to get any play for ages.
Conveniently, it’s the best it’s been all morning as the umpires wander out to inspect. There is more forecast, but you never know.
As far as I can see, we will have prompt starts in Worcester and Durham, but we will have to wait elsewhere...
Well good morning once again. There is, I’m afraid, and as predicted, a bit of weather about.
This, I feel, might be our most important resource today. It’s a great website, and a trusted friend of Lawrence Booth, esteemed editor of Wisden and some say the father of the Guardian’s cricket liveblogs. So keep your beady eyes on it, there’s plenty of the wet stuff about...
The rain is coming at Chelmsford ahead of Day 4's play v Derbyshire #EssvDer pic.twitter.com/EHsquJItoO
— Essex Cricket (@EssexCricket) May 18, 2016
Current scene at Trent Bridge. A prompt start to day four of #NottsvWarks looks unlikely! pic.twitter.com/FAue9e9Vya
— Nottinghamshire CCC (@TrentBridge) May 18, 2016
Wet morning here in Taunton and the groudsmen are working hard. Rain has subsided, but extensive covers remain #SOMvYOR
— Graham Hardcastle (@tykestravels) May 18, 2016
Anyway, the news where I am, at the Oval, is that there was plenty of rain early this morning and, although it hasn’t rained for nearly an hour, the covers are only just being peeled back. We have had no warm-ups yet and the umps will inspect at 10.50. No great urgency, I have to say.
Anyway, more as we have it. Let’s hope it all passes.
Morning all,
Today we had Will Macpherson reporting from Surrey v Middlesex. Here is his report from the Oval yesterday ...
... And his roundup from the rest of the action:
Enjoy the cricket
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