Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Will Macpherson at Lord's

County cricket: Finn takes 8-79 in Middlesex win, Surrey v Somerset – as it happened

Tom Abell of Somerset celebrates with his team-mates after dismissing Gareth Batty of Somerset.
Tom Abell of Somerset celebrates with his team-mates after dismissing Gareth Batty of Somerset. Photograph: Jordan Mansfield/Getty Images

County roundup: Somerset and Yorkshire face crunch days

While Middlesex were winning at Lord’s, their relegation rivals, Yorkshire and Somerset, were left facing defining sessions today. At Headingley, Yorkshire are 56 for three, requiring another 119 to beat Warwickshire. The visitors were bowled out for 251 in their second innings, with Jonathan Trott making 59 and Tim Ambrose 49. Yorkshire lost Adam Lyth, Alex Lees and Kraigg Brathwaite (who fell to the final ball of the day). Gary Ballance has 16; if he can guide Yorkshire to victory, they will move two points above Middlesex.

Somerset finally dismissed Kumar Sangakkara for 157 at The Oval, but reached a premature stumps – bad light and rain intervened – four down, still 51 behind. Sangakkara’s fourth 150 of his golden summer took Surrey to 433, a first-innings lead of 169.

Somerset were left with two overs to survive before lunch but lost Marcus Trescothick, caught in the gully off Sam Curran. Stuart Meaker trapped George Bartlett and James Hildreth lbw, before Gareth Batty bowled Eddie Byrom. Defeat would send Somerset back into deep trouble as they prepare for Middlesex’s visit next week.

At the Ageas Bowl, Dan Lawrence made his third century of his first season in Division One but Hampshire face a battle to retain their top-flight status. Essex lost Ravi Bopara and Lawrence, both to Fidel Edwards, and lead by 69 runs with five wickets in hand.

Rain prevented much progress in the Division Two promotion race at Wantage Road. Nottinghamshire moved to 107 for three. They require 207 more, while Northamptonshire need seven wickets. At the Riverside, Durham need 259 more to beat Sussex, who made 302 in their second innings.

That's all folks!

Right, time to sign off. Thank you for your company and great to see so many of you earlier. Here’s the scores on the doors.

Division One:

  • Middlesex beat Lancashire by 36 runs
  • Essex 76 & 247-5 v Hampshire 254
  • Yorkshire 296 & 65-3 v Warwickshire 219 & 251
  • Somerset 269 & 113-4 v Surrey 433

Division Two:

  • Durham 385 & 5-0 v Sussex 346 & 302
  • Notts 151 & 107-3 v Northants 194 & 270
  • Glamorgan 442 & 62-1 v Gloucestershire 399-8d
  • No play yet at Derbyshire and Kent...

I will be back at the Oval tomorrow. See you then!

And stumps at Headingley! Yorkshire lose Brathwaite last ball of the day and are

Stumps at the Ageas! Essex five down, 69 ahead.

Updated

Durham need 264 to beat Sussex!

Well bowled!

Lawrence gone! Porter in as mightwatchman... five overs left tonight.

100 for Dan Lawrence! What a guy. Essex 243 for four, leading by 65. That’s his third of the season.

Yorkshire two down! Lees gone! Caught behind off Jeets...

Wicket at the Ageas! Ravi gone to Fidel. Essex 50 in front with six wickets in hand.

Somerset trail by 51 runs with six second innings wickets in hand.

And we are officially off for the day here at the Oval!

So they are back on at the Ageas!

Yorkshire are one down! Lyth gone, to Ryan Sidebottom! 17 for one. 158 more required.

And Yorkshire are 11 for none and need 164 more to beat Warwickshire.

Updated

Inspection at 5pm at the Ageas.

I’m back! It’s raining here and I see no prospect of play...

Right, I am going to hotfoot it across town in the hope that there’s some cricket to watch. Play nicely in my absence. Warwickshire are building an interesting little target, aren’t they?

Updated

Play abandoned for the day at Northampton. On the final day, Northants need seven wickets, Notts need 207 runs.

Warwickshire are eight down, 157 ahead, with Patel in. He’s their best hope...

Here’s a picture from earlier.

At the Oval, they are off for bad light. Somerset four down, still 51 behind.

So, confirmation that Haseeb Hameed has a broken finger on his right hand.

Middlesex, meanwhile, are third... Here’s the tables.

The good news just keeps coming for Middlesex! Batty bowls Byrom, and Somerset are 98 for four, still 66 behind!

Well, that was a very special game of cricket indeed. Magic from Finn, carrying the weight of Roland-Jones’s absence. Middlesex only really looked like winning when he was bowling.

They are off to Taunton next week, and it looks a real biggie...

I’m off to find out the extent of Hameed’s injury, and to hear from those involved. Just a brilliant game.

Middlesex win by 36 runs!

Parkinson nicks Finn to first slip and, after the umpires discuss, he’s given! Finn takes a whopping 8 for 79! Middlesex win by 36 runs and takes 20 points...

Updated

Hameed and Parkinson, of course, are best mates from school.

37 to win. One from Malan’s over, to Parky. 184 for nine.

A word for a very special celebration from Rayner. Being mobbed his team-mates, he jinked through all of them. Magic.

Hameed survives his first four balls. Hand comes off the bat as soon as he hits one. Still Malan this end. 38 to win, Parky on strike.

Not sounding good at Wantage Road...

Oh my goodness what a grab! McLaren has tried to guide Finn over the slips. Rayner, at second, dives to his left, and sticks up his huge right paw to take a brilliant catch! Finn has seven, Lancs need 38 and Hameed is in!

Haseeb Hameed is in the changing room, padded up. Maybe it’s two wickets required for Middlesex, then.

Finn just bounced Parkinson and it’s not that fair. 41 to win.

Somerset are three down, still 90 behind. Meaker, a man who makes things happen, gets Hildreth lbw.

Steven Finn is back. He has six for 77. Lancashire need 42. McLaren, on 35, on strike.

Warwickshire have a lead of 100, five down...

Shot! Murtagh drifts on to McLaren’s pads and he’s flicked for four... 42 to win...

Matt Parkinson has a career best, 10...

Somerset 58 for two! Meaker gets Bartlett...

Stuart Meaker of Surrey celebrates dismissing George Bartlett of Somerset.
Stuart Meaker of Surrey celebrates dismissing George Bartlett of Somerset. Photograph: Jordan Mansfield/Getty Images

Updated

Dawid Malan coming on to bowl...

They are back on at Headingley and Lamb is gone. Warwickshire effectively 88 for five...

Tense at Lord’s. Murtagh and Harris just probing away, Lancashire going nowhere fast.

This is Steven Finn’s first first-class since 2015!

Proper catch.

Wicket! Middlesex are nearly there and that is an awesome catch! With third man in, Jarvis has tried to ramp Finn, and been caught brilliantly by Voges, diving at first slip! Parkinson coming out, 63 required.

Really is a shambles at Chesterfield. And, after a great performance to win at Hove last week, a huge embarrassment for Derbyshire CCC. Hard to avoid the conclusion that they care more about staging concerts than cricket.

This man finds batting against Durham very easy. Has about 500 runs against them this year.

Wicket! Harris strikes in his first over back and Middlesex – we reckon – are two wickets away! Bailey, with that horrible side-on technique, is gone lbw. Could have been going down? Who knows, when you’re hopping round the crease like that. 157 for seven, 64 required.

No, waiting for official word. But think it’s very unlikely, unless in an absolutely desperate emergency.

Rain at Headingley...

It’s not a great shot, but Clark had been playing his shots so don’t blame him.

Wicket! A big one, and five for Finn! Clark follows one which drifts away outside off, and Simpson takes a fine catch diving low to his right! 150 for six, 71 required.

They are off for bad light at Wantage Road. Notts need 207, Northants need seven wickets.

75 to win...

Not sounding much like Hameed will bat again, it has to be said.

Geoff Wignall writes:

Surely anyone whose cricketing lifetime includes one Richards also includes another? True, Barry hadn’t the proving ground of Test Cricket, but it’s very difficult to think of him as a lesser batsman.

I agree absolutely about Sanga though. It always seemed astonishing that it took the punditocracy so long to recognised his worth.

Warwickshire four down! Patterson gets Trott. The lead is just 61.

That is just an excellent catch.

On the way back out at Lord’s...

Sanga the best batsman I’ve seen live.

They certainly could.

So that’s bad news for Somerset, losing a wicket on the stroke of lunch. And Tres, too. Apparently a super catch at third slip off Scurran.

Lunch! Scores on the doors

Here’s where we are.

Division One:

  • Lancashire 165 & 135-5 v 233 & 152
  • Somerset 269 & 5-1 v Surrey 433
  • Essex 76 & 226-3 v Hampshire 254
  • Warwickshire 219 & 136-3 v Yorkshire 296

Division Two:

  • Notts 151 & 107-3 v Northants 194 & 270
  • Gloucestershire 170-1 v Glamorgan 442
  • Sussex 346 & 53-0 v Durham 385
  • Derbyshire v Kent is officially a farce

Enjoy your sarnies, and speak shortly.

And there’s lunch. Lancashire need 86 to win.

Somerset are 5 for none in their second innings after bowling Surrey out for 433. Trego ended up with five.

Well I’ve just been down to the Compton for a chinwag with the assembled BTLers. Lovely to see so many there.

For some reason, not sure what that reason is, we are charging on here after the scheduled lunch break. Vilas was caught behind pulling, Finn’s fourth wicket. So Lancs are 134 for five, needing 87 to win.

Durham all out for 385! A lead of 39.

So Sangakkara has 1,407 runs at 117.25 in 13 innings across nine matches this summer. Eight tons, four of them more than 150.

Sanga takes his leave.
Sanga takes his leave. Photograph: Jordan Mansfield/Getty Images

Updated

Sangakkara is out! He made 157. What a magnificent human he is. He’s out to Abell, which feels a bit strange. 416 for seven are Surrey as Batty joins Clarke with a lead of 147.

Just had another all-run four here, which is magnificent news. Lancs 89 for four.

Hameed’s blow was to the right hand, we think. The one he hurt in India was his left.

Bell gone, caught behind off Patterson! Warwickshire lead by 32 – enough? – and are three down.

Rayner on, and Vilas getting after him. 10 from the over...

Off for rain at the Ageas...

Luke Wood gone! Notts 91 for three, and Buck with the wicket. Pujara in, on a pair.

Hampshire have the new ball, with Essex 40 ahead.

No he’s not, he’s retiring hurt. Hameed made 23. Lancs now effectively 75 for five...

They really are taking a while to fix Hameed up here. Looks like he’s carrying on.

150 for Sanga! Hero. Surrey 397 for six. That’s his fourth 150+ score of the season.

Hameed appears to be getting a bit of treatment for a blow to the right hand from Jimmy Harris... He has 23 (one added this morning) and Lancs are 75 for four.

Good start to the day for Notts... 82 for two, with Luke Wood, the nightwatchman, still at the crease. 232 to win with Che and Samit to come.

Sanga is still there, obvs. Surrey lead by 113 and he has 147.

Warwickshire two down! Banks gone, to Brooks for 29. They lead by nine. Trott and Bell together.

They are on at the Ageas, by the looks of things. Essex three down for 30, basically.

Collingwood and Ramprakash to coach North-South

The Durham captain, Paul Collingwood, will coach the North team in the second edition of the ECB’s North-South series, which will move for 2018 from the UAE to Barbados. The England batting coach, Mark Ramprakash, will coach the South, who won the inaugural series 3-0.

The first two games of the series will take place at the Kensington Oval on 18 and 21 March, with the third at the Three Ws Oval on 23 March. The champion county match between the MCC and Essex will also move from Abu Dhabi to Barbados, and be played on 27-30 March. It will be a day-night match played with pink balls. England Lions are playing “Test” and 50-over matches in Barbados and Antigua in February and March.

With Trevor Bayliss and Paul Farbrace (the South’s coach in 2017) with England on the tour of New Zealand), Collingwood will be assisted by Paul Franks, the Nottinghamshire assistant coach, because his team won the Royal London One-Day Cup in July. Andy Flower, the Lions coach, will be Ramprakash’s sidekick, as he was for Farbrace in 2017.

The two 13-man squads for the series will be finalised when the Lions squad is named in December.

Scores level at Headingley! Warwickshire one down.

Four down! Murtagh ruins Finn’s ten-fer! Chanderpaul pinned in front. It doesn’t look quite right to me, but he’s gawwwwn. 53 for four, and Lancashire have lost three for 13 this morning.

Lend a bloke a hand!

So Chanderpaul is in. With Hameed.

Wicket! A dribbler from Finn traps Croft in front and Lancashire are 52 for three!

There’s the first wicket of the day. Not great from Livingstone, but a lovely nut.

Wicket! Two down, and in emphatic style! Finn jags one back, Livi has a heave, and he’s bowled him! 48 for two!

Ah ha! I’ll pop downstairs at some stage in the morning session. I trust Busfield will be wearing a natty shirt so I can spot you all.

A rain delay at Cardiff too.

Two huge play and misses outside off in the first three balls of the day from Livi...

Starting on time at Headingley, which is good. But not at the Ageas, because of bad light. I’m convinced Essex won’t lose that game.

Finn to get us going to Livingstone then, with three slips and two men on the hook.

These are my favourite sort of days: when you know there’s going to be an outcome. Five minute bell just rang: Middlesex need to be much better today than they were yesterday.

By tea I expect to be at the Oval for the final session there.

About 15 minutes away from play here at Lord’s, then. Lancashire need 175, Middlesex need nine wickets.

Nice trip to Barbados!

Morning Stuie! Lots more batting to do on flat one for the Glosters...

More dampness at Chesterfield; 12.30 inspection there for the third successive day. They might as well call the match off now.

Morning all it's the morning call!

Good morning! Happy Thursday, and welcome to a defining day of county cricket - live! I’m Will Macpherson, and I’m at Lord’s, ready and raring to guide you through the day’s play here and all over the land. This game might not go the distance today, so I’m likely to hotfoot it across town to the Oval to see how things go down there. Hope Sanga is still batting, not least because he would have about 300 by then.

There will be a result at Lord’s today. Middlesex best not be on the wrong end of it. They need nine wickets. Lancashire need 175 runs. Middlesex have the pitch on their side but are without Toby Roland-Jones and bowled abysmally last night. Must do better.

At the Oval, The King is putting on another clinic, with Somerset his latest – and sixth – victims this summer. Essex are scrapping like it matter – it doesn’t, really – against Hampshire, while Yorkshire are in charge against Warwickshire, but there could be a bit of rain about there. Big Rory’s Match at Wantage Road is bubbling beautifully, and Northants are right on top. Upsets ahoy! Here’s where we are:

Division One:

  • Lancashire 165 & 46-1 v Middlesex 233 & 152
  • Surrey 328-6 v Somerset 269
  • Warwickshire 219 & 49-1 v Yorkshire 296
  • Essex 76 & 208-3 v Hampshire 254

Division Two:

  • Notts 151 & 33-2 v Northants 194 & 270
  • Gloucestershire 161-1 v Glamorgan 442
  • Durham 321-6 v Sussex 346
  • No play yet between Derbyshire and Kent

Yesterday’s roundup is here. Read it, please.

You can contact me! Here’s how:

Thanks in advance for your emails and your tweets and your comments, I look forward to hearing what you’ve all got to say. And so all that leaves me to say, as ever, is enjoy the cricket. There really isn’t that much of it left!

Updated

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Khloe Kardashian feared Lamar Odom reality show could 'jeopardise family brand'
Khloe Kardashian feared Khloe and Lamar could "jeopardise the family brand" but her then-husband pushed for the show.
BANG Premier
BANG Premier
“I laughed my head off! Like, ‘Oh my God, what have we spawned?’” Keith Richards shares his response to the Sunset Strip shredders of the 1980s
Richards never had any interest in becoming a lead player – and the early innovators of the shred movement did not change his mind
Guitar World
Guitar World
“A few years ago, I decided, ‘I'm just going to play trumpet every day, no matter what. And after a couple of years of doing it, I'm going to make a record’”: Flea covers Frank Ocean and explains why he’s scratching a long-standing itch on his new album
Watch him doing double duty on trumpet and bass in the company of Jimmy Fallon
MusicRadar
MusicRadar
Anna Kendrick And Kieran Culkin’s Reactions To An Interviewer’s Michael Cera Comment Are Going Viral Again
“I think the interview is projecting his own insecurities here.”
Bored Panda
Bored Panda
Nicki Minaj Sued Over $275K Unpaid Concert Production Costs — Firm Claims Bills Ignored for Years
Nicki Minaj is embroiled in a legal battle as a production company claims she owes over $275,000 for concert production costs. The lawsuit highlights financial risks in the entertainment industry.
International Business Times UK
International Business Times UK
Age Of Attraction Could Become My Love Is Blind Replacement, But It Needs To Fix Some Things
I can see a future but with many changes.
Cinemablend
Cinemablend
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.
Download on the AppStore Get it on Google Play