Somerset have just lost their sixth wicket here at Edgbaston, with Lewis Gregory lbw to Boyd Rankin for nine and the visitors 104 for six and the lead 247. Peter Trego is attacking at the other end, with 36 off 34 balls, which has been some effort on a pitch that got harder to bat on all day. Inconsistent bounce has been the issue and has suggested this is already a very good lead, with Keith Barker, Tom Abell and Trego (all hand), Chris Rogers (body, twice) and Gregory (helmet) all struck.
Middlesex definitely enjoyed the better of the afternoon and at tea are 171 for 3. Sam Robson has batted pretty much flawlessly for his unbeaten 93 and John Simpson has made 60, which included a six off Samit Patel that cleared the middle balcony, went in through a window and pingponged down into the Long Room. Their partnership for the fourth wicket is now worth 127.
There has been little in the pitch for the bowlers except a couple, delivered from the Nursery end, that have kept very low and would have caused problems had they been straight.
I’m wondering now whether we will get through the day without interruption. The sky is closing in and looks quite threatening. Rain is forecast tomorrow so I’m told.
They think it’s all Overton. It is now (sorry) with Warwickshire 152 all out in the first innings, 142 runs behind Somerset. It was Jamie who got things moving after lunch in a fiery spell of five overs, three for 15 that saw Varun Chopra, 56, and Rikki Clarke trapped lbw and Keith Barker, after being smashed in the hand by a ball that reared up, then caught behind by the flying Ryan Davies. In a replacement as like-for-like as you’ll get, twin brother Craig then replaced him from the Pavilion End and had Chris Woakes lbw for 22 in his first over. Woakes and Jeetan Patel had helped avoid the follow on with a 10th wicket stand of 17 but things look decidedly ropey for the hosts. Fine display by Somerset and cap doffed to visiting captain Chris Rogers, who has seen most of his moves, both in terms of fields and bowling changes, pay off.
In case you missed this a few days ago, here’s Ian McMillan on Yorkshire...
Nottinghamshire have had a good session with the ball taking three Middlesex wickets, one of them to Stuart Broad, and two in two balls in Brett Hutton’s first over. So at lunch Middlesex are 61 for three in reply to Notts 354. Without Adam Vosges, the Middle Saxons look a batsman light and at the moment it is Sam Robson who has batted without alarm and is 34 not out. I was impressed with Robson when I saw him score his double and single hundreds against Warwickshire a few weeks ago, not because of the weight of runs, although that was impressive in his hunger to stay in, but because he appears to have tightened his game up. I have seen no one better opening the batting this season.
I have also been impressed by Toby Roland-Jones on the occasions I have seen him. He runs in well, if a long way, but has excellent control and hits the bat hard at a good lick. He thoroughly earned his 5 for 61.
Lunch at Edgbaston, where it’s fair to say Somerset will be sitting down for their protein bars the more satisfied of the two sides with Warwickshire 107 for six, trailing by 192 runs after four wickets fell this morning. Varun Chopra sits 54 not out with Chris Woakes on seven. Lewis Gregory got the ball rolling first thing, removing Jonathan Trott caught at midwicket duffing a pull shot on 14, before trapping Sam Hain lbw going across his stumps. Somerset captain Chris Rogers then turned to the medium pace of Jim Allenby and Peter Trego, with both men picking up a wicket apiece. Allenby had Tim Ambrose caught behind, cutting, before Ian Bell, emerging at No7 and running gingerly after a hamstring twinge on day one, caught at slip off Trego on seven trying to play one of his late dabs. Bell is due for a scan now, with Warwickshire believing it to be a grade one tear to his left hammie, the kind that sees one out for a week to two weeks. So not great news with a Test match starting a week on Thursday. England head coach Trevor Bayliss was here to watch him too. Gah.
Some lunchtime reading for you, courtesy of our old friend Gary Naylor...
Somerset’s Lewis Gregory has taken two wickets this morning to see Warwickshire very much on the ropes at Edgbaston, Jonathan Trott clothed a pull shot to Craig Overton at midwicket in the third over on 14 and in what had appeared to be the final ball of his spell he’s trapped Sam Hain lbw, falling over slightly while jabbing down on the ball. The Bears are 60 for four and still no Ian Bell, with Tim Ambrose joining Varun Chopra out on the middle. Once they go five down time off the field is irrelevant for Bell.
We have the start of the Middlesex innings now, as Nottinghamshire were bowled out inside the first half hour of the day. No century for Samit Patel, who was caught off Roland-Jones, who then finished off the innings by bowing Harry Gurney. 5-61 for him was reward for some excellent bowling.At the moment we are watching Jake Ball bowling to Sam Robson. I rather like these contests, each with a point to prove.
Greetings from warm but hazy Edgbaston, where Warwickshire appeared to have the better of the first day yesterday when they bowled out Somerset for 295, only for two late wickets and news of a hamstring injury to Ian Bell take the gloss off slightly. On Bell, bumped into him outside a little while and he said he will be going for a scan later to assess the injury, although he intends to bat when the next wicket falls, provided enough time has elapsed (he reckons about another 15 minutes) after spending the evening session off the field. Warwickshire now to resume on 27 for two after Ian Westwood and nightwatchman Boyd Rankin fell in that tricky late seven-over dig. Varun Chopra and Jonathan Trott, promoted above Bell, to get proceedings underway.
Morning all,
Today we have Ali Martin at Edgbaston for Warwickshire v Somerset and Mike Selvey at Lord’s for Middlesex v Nottinghamshire. Here are their reports from yesterday:
Warwickshire v Somerset
Middlesex v Nottinghamshire
Enjoy the cricket.
