All hail Kumar Sangakkara, who on his Surrey debut has served up a century dripping in class, writes Ali Martin. The left-hander has been purring in this innings, needing 162 balls to reach three figures in 217 minutes at the crease. A booming six over Dean Cosker reaped the most runs but for this observer, a laced drive through extra cover off Craig Meschede – despite two men having been charged with protecting the area – has been the pick. Steve Davies, who got a life on 39 when he edged between wicketkeeper and slip, has been a great foil and is 83 not out. Surrey are 320 for three.
Updated
Sussex have been bowled out for 345 by Worcestershire, and that represents an underachievement by the home side after being 161 for one on a decent track and against an ordinary attack, writes Paul Weaver.
Sussex must have been aiming at 400, or even 450 after making such a powerful start. But at the end of the innings it was the previously humbled Worcestershire players who left the field with a spring in their step.
They took maximum bowling points after taking the last six Sussex wickets for 75 runs. Apart from Ajmal Shazad, who finished unbeaten on 45, the tail was swept away and Gareth Andrew was the most successful of the bowlers with three wickets. It’s been a good comeback by Worcestershire.
Sussex are still averaging 150 runs a session, having reached 300 for six at tea at a very healthy run-rate of 4.68, writes Paul Weaver.
But it is a strange innings, this, and having lost Luke Wright for an aggressive, 67-ball 51, with eight fours, and Ben Brown for 19, both caught in the midwicket area, they still have work to do.
Ashar Zaidi, their Pakistani all-rounder, is now batting with the much travelled Ajmal Shahzad, with the team looking to rebuild. But Worcestershire have clawed their way back into the match.
Sussex have just announced that there are six real ales available on the ground, and looking across the ground there are a lot of people anxious to celebrate Machan’s innings.
Cracking afternoon session at Cardiff sees Surrey 227 for three with 123 runs, two wickets and Kumar Sangakkara purring, reports Ali Martin. The Sri Lankan master is 52 not out with Steve Davies unbeaten on 45 at the other end, their partnership worth 77 runs to date.
Glamorgan got the breakthrough 20 minutes after lunch with Andy Carter getting an inswinger to thud into the pads of Zafar Ansari on 48. It brought Kevin Pietersen to the crease for 37 minutes and nine overs of cricketing porn as he and Sangakkara traded fours in a stand of 39. But with 19 to his name and the blood pumping, Pietersen went hard at Craig Meschede and edged to Colin Ingram at first slip - a very KP dismissal.
Sangakkara has continued on his merry way, with his half-century coming up before the break via a whipped four through midwicket off seamer David Lloyd - his seventh boundary in an innings dipped in varnish.
Davies has lived a slightly more charmed life and was lucky to escape an edge off Lloyd that flew between wicketkeeper and slip on 39.
Updated
Sussex lost a couple of quick wickets here, with Joyce (49) and Craig Cachopa (8) both caught in the slips, but Machan’s onslaught continued after lunch, reports Paul Weaver.
He reached his century from 70 deliveries when he clouted Shantry for his fourth six over midwicket. There had also been 13 fours. And it doesn’t get much easier for Worcestershire despite those wickets, because a pugnacious Luke Wright has just arrived at the wicket and hit three fours in his 12-ball 15. The Sussex score could be useful if they’re still batting at the end of the day.
This was Machan’s third first-class century of his career and when he reached 120 it was his highest score. He won’t forget this performance in a hurry. There might be more interest in watching bigger names in action in Cardiff but there has been no better entertainment than this.
Machan was finally out when he was caught at deep midwicket for 135. He had faced 100 deliveries and hit 18 fours and four sixes. But Sussex are still well placed at 239 for four with the day only half over.
And sadly, Kevin Pietersen’s return to county championship cricket has been brought to an early end, adds Ali Martin. The right-hander, buzzing from his quickfire start, plays a hard, aggressive drive to Craig Meschede, only to edge the ball through to Colin Ingram at first slip. He trudges off, 19 from 28 balls after 37 minutes at the crease. Huge leap and punch of the air from the bowler. Surrey 150-3.
Zafar Ansari may not agree but his dismissal lbw for 48 to a full in swinger from Andy Carter, 20 minutes into the afternoon session, has given Cardiff a treat, writes Ali Martin. Some 41,616 international runs between them, Kumar Sangakkara and new man Kevin Pietersen have already been great value during their first 30 minutes in tandem that has seen the score progress from 111-2 to 144-2. Sanga has laced two drives through the covers and pulled one square, while Pietersen has clipped a four through midwicket and creamed one through extra. He’s also top-edged over the wicketkeeper for four. Great fun.
We’ve seen a remarkable innings by Sussex’s Matt Machan, who at one point looked likely to score a century before lunch, even though he didn’t come to the wicket until the end of the sixth over, reports Paul Weaver.
Machan, who played for Scotland in the recent World Cup, moved to 28 without the need to run, hitting seven fours, mostly fluent drives. Then, after a couple of singles, he flicked Jack Shantry over midwicket for six for a 17-ball 36. He reached his 50, off just 27 balls, with a virtual replica of his previous six off Shantry.
Worcestershire tried to slow things down by bringing on the Sri Lankan off-spinner Sachithra Senanayake. But Machan struck his second ball for four and hoisted his fifth over midwicket for his third six. Worcestershire must wait until the middle of the season before the reconstructed Saeed Ajmal joins them, and that could feel like a very long time on this evidence.
Towards the end of the morning session Machan lost a great deal of the strike, and he was also limping having run a rare quick single. But at the break he was 87 not out, despite facing just 64 balls. There were 12 fours and three sixes.
At the other end Ed Joyce had been no slouch either, hitting six fours in his 44. But the morning belonged to Machan, and to Sussex, who lunched on 153 for one. The home side have made light of the absence of Yardy and Nash.
A wicket on the stroke of lunch slightly takes the gloss off an otherwise dominant morning from Surrey, who go into the interval 104 for one after winning the toss and electing to bat, writes Ali Martin. Rory Burns had just brought up his half-century from 91 balls when Graham Wagg got one to climb and find the edge, with Mark Wallace holding on behind the stumps. At the other end Zafar Ansari sits 47 not out from 90 balls, having been joined at the crease by Kumar Sangakkara – who has called for his new team-mate Kevin Pietersen to be reinstated by England. The Sri Lankan survived four balls before the break, the third of which saw him clip one off the pads and drop a foot short of leg gully for a heart-in-mouth moment. Five bowlers used by the home side, with the spin of Dean Cosker introduced in the 24th over. Wagg has been the pick, having given Burns a working over early on.
The latest from the sunny Swalec in Cardiff is that Surrey openers Rory Burns and Zafar Ansari have enjoyed a fine first hour, sitting on 19 and 14 respectively with the score 36 for no loss, reports Ali Martin. Burns got a bit of a working over in the fifth over from the left-armer Graham Wagg with a succession of short deliveries that twice saw him lose control but drop the ball safe. That is as troubled as either opener has looked, with Wagg and new ball Andy Carter, on loan from Nottinghamshire, having since been seen off and replaced by David Lloyd and Craig Meschede. The latter has been hit for four fours in his three overs, the pick of which was a straight drive from Ansari.
It’s a two-sweater day at the County Ground despite the brilliant sunshine, writes Paul Weaver in Hove, and Worcestershire have made a bright start to their match against Sussex despite being asked to bowl after losing the toss.
In the sixth over Luke Wells edged Charles Morris to gully where Tom Kohler-Cadmore took a sharp catch low down. That was a big relief to Tom Fell, who had dropped the same batsman at third slip in the previous over, bowled by Gareth Andrew.
Sussex might have hesitated before deciding to bat because they are without two of their most experienced players, Michael Yardy, who is ill, and Chris Nash, who has a hamstring injury.
Worcestershire have been beaten in six of their last seven away matches to Sussex and it feels as if this yo-yo county are already fighting the likelihood of another relegation following their heavy defeat at the hands of Yorkshire in their opening game.
To make it more difficult for them they are without Moeen Ali, who is joining up with his England team-mates in the Caribbean. Sussex are on a high after their win away to Hampshire in their opening game.
Good morning, good mornings Ali Martin, from a cool but sunny morning in Cardiff for this second weekend of County Championship action and the Guardian’s blog thereof. As I fought through crowds to get to the Swalec Stadium to cover Glamorgan versus Surrey, I marvelled at the pulling power of two batting stars such as Kumar Sangakkara and Kevin Pietersen. Turns out the RHS Flower Show is taking place in neighbouring Bute Park. But with entrance to the ground free of charge today Glamorgan are expecting a healthy turnout. Get down to the ground if you are in the area.
Elsewhere, in Division One my colleague Paul Weaver is settling into his deckchair at Hove to watch Sussex take on Worcestershire, while champions Yorkshire – with Andrew Gale back in charge after the completion of his ban (read my exclusive interview here) - are at Trent Bridge to face Nottinghamshire, with Warwickshire starting their season at home to Hampshire.
And in Division Two, aside from the Pietersen show, we have Essex and Kent starting their campaigns at Chelmsford, while Derbyshire host Lancashire. Vic Marks has rather neatly teed up the day here.
