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

County cricket – as it happened

Newly top-of-the-table Lancashire celebrate another Surrey wicket.
Newly top-of-the-table Lancashire celebrate another Surrey wicket on their way to victory. Photograph: Dave Thompson/Getty Images

That’s the close of a fine day at the Ageas, amid a fine day of Championship cricket. We’ve already had a couple of results, which is great, and we should get one here tomorrow. Hampshire are 270 ahead with two in hand and a pitch that is doing a bit. Looks plenty, especially with Chris read crook.

Thank you so much for joining me today, it’s been a belter. More of the same tomorrow, so come say hi from about half 10. Go well this evening. Ciao.

A lot going on at Derby....

Ooohh. Little bit going on at Derby.

Samit’s got a couple in an over! First Smith went for 61, his first 50 of the season, trying to slog-sweep and caught at midwicket, and now Tino is gone for a pair; plumb LBW. Eight overs left and Hampshire’s lead is 247.

What a fantastic round of games. A belter at Durham, a brilliant finish in store here at the Ageas. And a couple of beauties already finished. Drink it in, guys. Drink it in.

Plenty to look forward to here:

Middlesex have a lead but have lost a Rayner.

Bumble knows what’s what:

Right, so Reece Topley’s out for three months. Partial stress fracture of the lumbar spine. No, me neither.

Adam Wheater played a very stupid shot to get out to Fletcher, trying to pull but just being caught at mid-on off the top edge.

Wright got another at Edgbaston, I see. What a finish we have in store there.

And now Wright has three! Jennings gone. Warwickshire now on top.

Alsop is gone here, too, inside-eding Gurney, who has eight in the match, through to Empty Wessels, still deputising for Chris read behind the stumps.

Essex have a wicket.

Two for Warwickshire, two for Wright! Borthwick goes and Durham are 77 for two...

And we have a wicket here! Gurney gets Ervine lbw with one that stays low. 102-4. The lead is 183, which looks quite large.

Gareth Batty as no-nonsense as ever.

So Woakes-less Warwickshire have their first wicket, Stoneman pinned in front by Wright. There’s plenty of life in that game yet.

Tea at Lord’s:

And at Edgbaston, where Durham are in good shape and the game in the balance.

It’s tea here and, at 99-3, Hampshire are right in charge. Very important, very fine contributions from Smith and Ervine. No risks, nothing flash, just careful accumulation against an attack that, once Fletch and Gurney are off, looks very pedestrian indeed.

Btw at the game I’m watching, Smith and Ervine are just accumulating nicely. 161 the lead. Belting finish in prospect with both ball (Duke, not Jake, he’s in Durham now) and pitch doing plenty.

Duckett gone at Bristol. Northants still 237 behind. Today or tomorrow?

In a game that I had all but written off (Derby-Kent), there may just be a little bit of life yet. Shiv Thakor’s excellent game has continued - he’s followed a ton with three-fer - and Kent are still 207 off with three wickets in hand. Follow-on, perchance?

Nick Gubbins on fire:

And Kervezee (In Love) has done it! He sends Shreck for a couple of fours to seal the job: Worcestershire beat Leicestershire by seven wickets having bowled the hosts out for 43, the lowest Champo total since the Lankys skittled Essex for 20 in 2013.

Worcestershire become the first team to win a game in the Champo this season having elected not to have a toss, too.

Klinger last out for 142 and Northants have one hell of a job on to save that game.

(You drive me) Kervezee has obviously got a teetime near Leicester; he wants to get things done, and has 17 off 12. Worcester require ten to win.

Congratulations Lancashire:

This:

Yarkshire, the champions, meet table-toppers Lancashire. Battle Royale.

Updated

So we have our first result! Wagner gets Curran and Surrey - sans Burns - are nine down and thus all out for 107. They lose by an innings and 96, which is a lot.

Which result will come next? Worcestershire’s dismantling of Leicestershire, I reckon. Young Joe Clarke to see the Pears home in what will forever be known as Lloyds Leach’s match.

One of the finest achievements of the county season to date?

FYI folks - Surrey women are playing Middlesex women at the Oval tonight. Entry is free, why not go down? The bars are all open and it should be a neat little showcase for the women’s county game.

And I think we are going to get our first result very soon indeed... With Burns absent, just one Surrey wicket stands. Hopefully Tom Curran can keep fighting the good fight and carry his bat. 11 for Jarvis is a magnificent effort.

Updated

I have to say, this is an absolutely *insert swear* spectacular round of Championship matches, isn’t it? Sounds like there’s a bit of life in all the pitches - bar Derby, perhaps, and - again, with that dishonourable exception - we are going to get results all over the shop. All sorts of different bowlers are taking wickets and there are some big runs about too. Lovely stuff.

Fun, depending on which team you support.

This game is on the move, and Fletcher and Gurney have another wicket each. Adams got a beauty from Fletch, which took the edge and was well pouched at slip by Christian, then Gurney has squared up and bowled Dawson. The lead is 105 and we have a veritable belter on our hands.

Just scenes at Grace Road.

Opening bat Tom Curran still there, though:

9-27 since yesterday morning. Who does he think he is, Chris Woakes?

Tell you what, there’s been so much going on, I’d rather forgotten about this excellent match at Edgbaston. Durham need 237 to win. What a belter.

More bad news for Surrey, who are staring right down the barrel now.

This will make some Yorkshire fans feel rather uncomfortable... I’ll say this much; Chris Barrett, the Sydney Morning Herald’s news man, is very, very rarely wrong.

Henry denies Leach the 10th! But what an effort from the pair of them to bowl Leicestershire out for 43; four each for Henry and Leach, and a pair of run outs, too.

Gubbo finally goes.

Up at Old Trafford, Surrey really are in all sorts; could Tom Curran carry his bat? And can Joe Leach get the, and his, 10th at Leicester?

We’ve had a wicket here, Gurney’s late swing doing for Carberry, who walked. Fletcher can’t believe that Adams hasn’t just been given caught behind. Went right up to the batsman’s face to have a good celebration. No dice.

MICHAEL KLINGER IN RUN-MAKING SHOCK

Uh oh Surrey.

Lovely stuff.

I enjoyed this:

Just Joe Leach, Selve.

Should Robson be called up just for the two Lord’s Tests this summer?

If you want to know a bit more about Middlesex’s new centurion Nick Gubbins - and he’s a lovely lad - there’s a podcast here. You might enjoy. (Sorry, that’s a shameless plug)

Andy Bull has written on Chris Gayle. It’s good, obviously.

Oh, Tino.

Oh my, Surrey are up against it at Old Trafford.

I take that back about it being lunch. Look like we will get one over in.

Hell of a game being set up at Eggybaston, isn’t there?

Tino’s bowled Gurney now and is having some real fun. 189 all out, and 81 behind. Think that’ll be lunch.

Nick Gubbins has his maiden first-class ton, having thrice been out in the 90s. Well done, young man. A star in the making.

Fletcher is out and Chris Read is having another bat. Doesn’t look like he’s moving too easily. Tino is just bowling bumpers to Gurney.

And, then:

30 for 7 (SEVEN, sieben, sept, siete) at Grace Road! Leach again. He’s two from 10 in the match.

Sharp. Hand(s).

Sam Robson has chopped on for 99! He’s missed out on a fourth century in four at Lord’s. Well batted that man.

By the way, both Robsons have been dismissed by a J.Leach today.

We’ve had another couple of wickets here too, as Hutton just pulled Crane to midwicket, where Jimmy Adams took a fine diving catch to his left. And another now! Off Dawson, Sean Slug Ervine has taken another outstanding catch. Empty Wessels has edged hard and Ervine has just stuck out a mitt and it’s been caught! 173-8 and Harry Gurney is in. No Chris Read yet; doubt he’ll bat this innings.

Lloyds Leach on fire!! Leicestershire in disarray.

Christian is out here; Crane came on and the Aussie tried to hit him back to Worthing. He missed, and was bowled. 149-5.

So, there are some interesting goings on around th grounds, aren’t there? Now, I don’t want to sound like a know-it-all, but when a colleague and I saw Rory Burns had been ruled out, we suggested that Tom Curran might open. And so he is, and digging in nicely. 0 off 17. Grand, but by god they ask a lot of the youngster.

On Middlesex roll! Gubbins and Robson looking good. And Worcester! What a fight back. Matt Henry proving a very fine signing indeed.

Anyway, here Notts are doing well. Christian had just 3 off 36 but has biffed a couple of fours, while Empty Wessels now has a patient 50. Game on.

Oh, Surrey.

So we have our first bit of meaningful action of the day as Tino - who has swapped to the hotel end but looks every bit as fired up as yesterday - has hit Empty Wessels on the grille. He’s fine and is carrying on, but it was quite a nasty blow and their was plenty of concern from umps and fielders. Empty has Dan Christian with him.

I see Essex are all out with a lead of 53. Bit in that game yet, you’d say. And how can the Worcester last pair get to Leicestershire’s 316.

Has to be said, there are many better poised games than in recent rounds. Good to see.

Of all the reasons to retire an innings, this is a pretty good one:

Just seen this. Bad news indeed for Surrey. Get well soon, Rory.

Gather Duckett is keeping wicket for Northants as Rossington is a bit injured too. So there are plenty of glove-exchanges going on.

Here are Middlesex’s very handy highlights of a very handy day for Middlesex.

Morning all it's the morning call

Good morning from the Ageas Bowl, where the weather could hardly be better, and we have a very nicely poised game on the cards. Here’s the report of yesterday’s play, when Tino Best and Ryan McLaren - fire and ice - gave Hampshire their best day of the season. Notts look a bit all over the place, but there’s plenty in this game, and they have plenty of batting left. Let’s hope the game keeps zipping on.

Here’s some news on this game (Brett Hutton has replaced Ball, by the by). Read was struck on the hand and has retired hurt; will bat again if necessary.

Elsewhere, we’ll discover how Warwickshire find LIFE AFTER WOAKESAGGEDON, as they look to assert their dominance over Durham, while Surrey need to bat long and deep against Lancashire, if they can pick up the final wicket. Sam Robson and Nick Gubbins resume very well placed indeed for Middlesex against Somerset at Lord’s.

In Div 2, Worcester need to scrap at Leicester, Gloucester are dominating Northamptonshire and Kent need to bat big on a Derby road. Last but not least, Essex have built a little lead over Glamorgan.

Enjoy that there cricket, and say hi BTL. Cheers.

Updated

Morning all,

Today we have Will Macpherson at the Ageas Bowl to cover Hampshire v Notts. Here is his match report from yesterday’s play:

And here is Ali Martin on Warwickshire v Durham:

And, finally, here is Gary Naylor with his round-up of the week’s action:

Enjoy the cricket.

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