Notts go into break top of Division One after bowling out Yorkshire, while Kent struggle in Derbyshire
Nottinghamshire dance into the Championship’s early summer break at the top of Division One, after bowling Yorkshire out just before tea at Headingley. Dillon Pennington took five wickets and Kyle Verreynne six catches behind the stumps. As drizzle hung in the air, and the spectators unfurled their umbrellas, Jack White and Jordan Thompson hung on – until Mohammad Abbas delivered the final blow.
It was another dispiriting day for Kent as Derbyshire dispatched them before lunch. Tawanda Muyeye was caught behind off the first ball of the day, a Zak Chappell lifter, and four wickets fell in eight overs. It was all over bar some last-wicket heave-ho from Grant Stewart. Kent’s fourth defeat in a row leaves them bottom of Division Two, but Derbyshire hover in second, below Leicestershire, with their second win of the season.
Elsewhere, the rain which had stayed away for most of the spring ensured that there were draws at the Oval, New Road and Wantage Road.
Sam Curran’s second 70 of the match helped Surrey to bat for a draw against the energy of Jamie Porter (five for 88) and the guile of Simon Harmer. A 51-ball stand by Jamie Overton and Jordan Clark finally bolted the door on Essex’s ambition on a soggy day. The draw keeps Surrey second in Division One and, in the words of their head coach Gareth Batty, “nicely bubbling away”.
Worcestershire were saved by persistent late-afternoon showers after Warwickshire had reduced them to eight down, with Chris Woakes and Chris Rushworth grabbing three wickets each. Under skies thick with cloud cover, and on a tricksy pitch, Matthew Waite’s unbeaten 44, with support from Ethan Bamber and Tom Taylor, was crucial.
Bold declarations from Northamptonshire and Gloucestershire were thwarted at Wantage Road. Half-centuries from James Sales and Saif Zaib allowed Northants to set Gloucestershire 350. Miles Hammond and Cameron Bancroft got things ticking over nicely but wickets kept things tight until the weather intervened.
And that, my friends, is your lot. Thanks for your company over last two months – it’s been a blast.
Also, a surprise: Notts and Leicestershire top their respective tables by healthy margins, Yorkshire and Worcestershire hang by their coat tails, Kent and Lancs can take a long rejuvenating lie down in a darkened room. We’ll be back on June 22nd, enjoy midsummer!
Updated
Division One Table (seven games played)
1 Nottinghamshire 115
2 Surrey 105
3 Sussex 95
4 Warwickshire 93
5 Somerset 92
6 Durham 84
7 Hampshire 82
8 Essex 75
9 Yorkshire 59
10 Worcestershire 54
Division Two Table (seven games played)
1 Leicestershire 139
2 Derbyshire 108
3 Glamorgan 97
4 Gloucestershire 88
5 Northamptonshire 72
6 Middlesex 70
7 Lancashire 66
8 Kent 65
Surrey DRAW with Essex
A seventh wicket, but just too late. They shake hands at The Oval.
The Oval: Surrey 279 and 289-7 DRAW with Essex 217 and 479
Surrey 12 points, Essex 11
Updated
Worcestershire DRAW with Warwickshire
Worcestershire are saved by the rain.
New Road: Worcestershire 181 and 181-8 DRAW with Warwickshire 227 and 280
Worcestershire 11 points, Warwickshire 11.
Updated
Northants DRAW with Gloucestershire
County Ground: Northamptonshire 469 and 259-6dec DRAW with Gloucestershire 379-8dec and 214-6
Northamptonshire: 13 points; Gloucestershire: 13
The players are popping back at The Oval – half an hour for Essex to finish the job. I’m going to write up for the paper, but do keep chatting BTL.
Back off at The Oval
Hmmm. Think this might be dribbling to a close.
Back on at The Oval
Fourteen overs left in the day –weather permitting - Essex need four wickets.
Rain at The Oval too
Time for a cup of tea.
A wicket at Wantage Road... then rain
A swooping double-handed pickup by Harrison and Northants have a sixth! Bracey on his way for 22, Conway the bowler. Glos need 136, Northants four wickets.
Curran plays a theatrical drive, and caught at backward point. A fourth for a geed-up Porter. Essex chipping away.
That man Calvin Harrison! Big Cam Green widens his boots, cuts, and is caught at cover for 25. That’s his final innings for Gloucestershire in Championship cricket and I hope the mysterious benefactor feels he got bang for his buck – with three centuries, he didn’t let anyone down. Gloucs are now five down
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It’s also the Women’s County Cup Final at Taunton today. Surrey have beaten the Bears in the first semi-final, with two balls to spare.
A rain delay in the second semi, where Blaze are 75 for three in 13 overs against Lancashire Thunder.
The final is due for 6.45pm BST but that looks as if it will drift a little.
It’s windy at Wantage Road, switch over to see Bartlett’s shirt become a rippling sail as he trots in. I’d missed Miles Hammond being out just before tea, for an excellent 80. Northants need four wickets, Glos 172 runs.
That didn’t take long: they’re back out, as the spectators wipe down their seats with a cloth.
The rain is falling again at The Oval, though Essex are reluctant to leave the field.
Three games left – tea at Wantage Road, rain at New Road and Rajitha v Curran at The Oval.
Notts BEAT Yorkshire by 163 runs
Mo Abbas with the final wicket, a sixth catch for the immaculate Verreynne. Five wickets for Pennington, four wins for Notts, who finish the spring block with a flourish.
Headingley: Nottinghamshire 228 and 393-8dec BEAT Notts Yorkshire 159 and 299 by 163 runs
Yorkshire 3 points, Nottinghamshire 19 points.
Updated
Over at Chelmsford, Jim is following England’s efforts to grab a clean-sweep.
Quietly, Gloucestershire are padding along. Hammond 59 from 97, Green yet to get going, 12. Glos 169-3, need 181.
Jack White is a lucky boy, edging Pennington just short of slip. Notts put collective heads in collective hands. A great stat from Dave Bracegirdle on the BBC – Notts have only won at Headingley four times in red-ball cricket.
I’m beginning to think that hanging my washing out at lunchtime was a mistake. If it’s whistling over the Pennines. Yorkshire, you’re in luck. Patterson-White wheels in, White prods away, and Yorkshire survive another over.
So eyes swivel to Headingley, where Yorkshire’s batsmen are taking a leisurely drink. Abbas has the ball, White must defend.
Rain, rain, rain
Off at The Oval, with Surrey five down, needing 217. Sam Curran 53 not out.
Off at New Road, Warwickshire need two wickets, Worcs 146 runs. Waite 44 not out.
Off at Wantage Road, Bancroft out for 60, Green has joined Hammond, 57. Glos need 216, Northants seven wickets.
Two teams, once alike in infamy:
Mickey Arthur: “We threw the first punch and got big runs and Kent were the team who played under pressure for the game.
“We want to have that winning mindset all the time and be a team that’s hard to beat and once you become that team the next step is winning and winning is hard.
“Getting over that final hurdle is tough and we are still very much in that progressive phase but I’m really liking what I’m seeing and the attitude, the belief and the confidence that is coming out of the dressing room now is no end so I’m very, very happy.”
Adam Hollioake: “We were behind the run of the game from the beginning. We didn’t bowl well in the first hour and we know how important that is.
“And then scoreboard pressure, we weren’t able to contain them and when a team gets 587 in the first innings they’re not losing from there so we were just trying to bat to save the game.
“Scoreboard pressure and momentum is a real thing in professional sport and I think that was the main thing here.
“it doesn’t take a genius to work out that we’re not batting well enough and not bowling well enough so those are the things we are going to have to work on before we come back, we don’t play another four day game until the last week in June so we’ve got a bit of a break from them now.”
Fifties for Cameron Bancroft and Miles Hammond!
Good on Gloucestershire for going for the win -116 for two, need another 234.
Pennington the man since lunch. Coad slopes off after squaring up and giving Verreynne a little gift behind. . Pennington has five and Yorkshire are almost done.
They're off for bad light at New Road
With Warwickshire licking their lips … two Worcs wickets needed.
And Jason Roy gets a pair! Porter is suitably fuelled as Harmer drops to his left and scoops up an edge with one hand. Surrey five down.
Updated
At Headingley, Bess edges Pennington behind, and about a minute later, Foakes does the same thing to Porter at The Oval. Tick. Tock.
📹Here's how Pennington took his fourth!#YORvNOT | 📺 https://t.co/odtZgMvjZm pic.twitter.com/8afkaFWvZu
— Nottinghamshire CCC (@TrentBridge) May 26, 2025
Updated
That Headingley sky looks as if it is about to belch rather large amounts of water. Bess and Thompson glance upwards and cross their fingers. A snorting bouncer from Pennington. Yorks 262-7.
This initial stretch of Chris Woakes’ legs is going rather well, a third wicket at New Road (and a sixth in the match) – and it is Ben Allison who is drawn into prodding at the ball, and gets a nick behind. Worcs eight down, 155 to win.
They’re on at The Oval, but Curtis Patterson is walking off, Porter zips one through the gap and Patterson, suddenly off balance, can just glance behind him with a shrug. Surrey 143-3.
Rain at The Oval and a wicket at Headingley, where Revis dabbles at Pennington outside his off stump and Verreynne takes the catch. Yorks 244 for seven.
Lunchtime scores
Division One
Chester-le-Street: Somerset 172 and 267-3 BEAT Durham 277 and 159 by seven wickets.
Southampton: Sussex 297 and 23-1 BEAT Hampshire 154 and 165 by nine wickets.
The Oval: Surrey 279 and 142-2 v Essex 217 and 479 Surrey need 276 to win
New Road: Worcestershire 181 and 159-7 v Warwickshire 227 and 280 Worcs need 168 to win
Headingley: Yorkshire 159 and 239-6 v Nottinghamshire 228 and 393-8dec Yorks need 224 to win
Division Two
Derby: Derbyshire 587-5dec BEAT Kent 326 and 247-9 by an innings and 14 runs
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 383 and 8-0 BEAT Middlesex 155 and 235 by ten wickets
Grace Road: Leicestershire 457 BEAT Lancashire 206 and 248 by an innings and three runs.
County Ground: Northamptonshire 469 and 259-6dec v Gloucestershire 379-8dec and 54-2
Derbyshire BEAT Kent by an innings and 14 runs
Another dispiriting morning for Kent, Muyeye gone to the first ball of the day, then four wickets lost in eight overs. This is Kent’s fourth defeat in a row, but Derbyshire’s rise to sit below Leicestershire, with their second win of the season.
Derby: Derbyshire 587-5dec BEAT Kent 326 and 247-9 by an innings and 14 runs
Derbyshire 23 points, Kent 2 points
Can Ben Allison draw on little brother Charlie’s success yesterday? Would be handy for Worcestershire, who are now seven down after Brookes was bowled by Bamber. 176 needed for the improbable win.
Sam Curran slaps Jamie Porter for six to get off the mark. At Headingley, Abbas is sending down some heavenly jewels, but still has no reward. Yorks 238-6.
Dom Sibley also decides to do some off-road driving, dancing down and off the pitch to Harmer, only to find Pepper doing the business once more. Surrey 115-2.
Brookes and Waite are zipping along rather nicely at New Road all of a sudden – 143 for six, 184 needed. While at Headingley, Mohammad Abbas has the new ball.
At Wantage Road, a disappointed Charlesworth slopes off after kissing McManus behind. Glos 27 for one.
Back on at The Oval
One over lost, Jamie Porter and Tom Westley point fingers and rearrange the field. Patterson and Sibley resettle.
Grant Stewart is taking his (understandable) frustrations out on the Derbyshrie attack. One, two, sixes fly off Pat Brown. Derbyshire may even have to bat again at Canterbury.
Rain stops play in London
The groundstaff are ready and yes, off they come at The Oval, Surrey 107-1.
My mind has floated back to 2023, when Dom Sibley made the slowest century in Championship history and Surrey chased 501…
I quite fancy Gloucestershire to do this…
The games at Canterbury and New Road are in competition to be first over the line. Kent are now eight down, in reality nine because of the injured Jake Ball, as Parkinson is sent on his way for one. A couple of hundred miles north west, Barnard has Rob Jones caught behind for 10, Worcs 87-6.
Northants declare! Gloucestershire need 350 to win
After 45 minutes of heave ho at Wantage Road, Northants have reached their personal target. Zaib 56, Sales 70, Bartlett 18, McManus 26. Gauntlet thrown.
Burns spreadeagled on the grass, bails on the ground. He trudges off, pulling off his gloves. Beaten in the air by Harmer, an agile Pepper does the rest. Surrey 76-1.
And now D’Oliveira follows at New Road…a third for Rushworth. This turning into rather a sad little procession.
Worcestershire lost two in two balls and suddenly that run chase tilting uphill – one for Woakes, one for Rushworth., Roderick and Kashif gone.
The Harmernator has the ball at The Oval.
Not a great start for Kent – Muyeye caught behind first ball of the day. He doesn’t want to go – indicates that it came off his body – but go he must. Kent 162-4, the talented young Benjamim joins Leaning at the crease.
Updated
And as Rory Burns and Dom Sibley set about their taks, here is centurion Charlie Allison from last night: “It’s a very good feeling! This is my sixth match at this level and I’d yet to get to fifty so to go on and make a hundred was a real thrill.
“To do it at such a great ground like the Oval, and in the very first match I’ve ever played here, is also very special.
“I was nervous at the start of the innings - I was on a pair! But as soon as I inside-edged that first boundary, to get off the mark, I felt calm and I just concentrated on playing the ball.
“I will always remember this innings and for Noah [Thain], one of my best mates, to be at the other end to give me a hug when I got to the hundred was just perfect really.
“The pitch was definitely a bit slower today than it was earlier in the game but there is still something in it for the bowlers and I’d like to think we have enough runs on the board and that we can go on to win the match tomorrow.”
Off we go! My money, and yours?, with Essex, Warwickshire, Notts, Derby and a draw at the County Ground.
Weather watch
Starting on time at Derby, Headingley, The Oval, Northampton and New Road and that’s your set!
There may be interruptions. The Met office says: Sunshine and showers today, heavy in the north perhaps with hail and thunder at times. Cloud thickening from the west through the day with a spell of prolonged heavy rain arriving into the west during the afternoon. Breezy.
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Two ends of the rainbow from Grace Road last night:
Keaton Jennings: “We were short with the bat, short with the ball and that’s why ultimately you end up with a three-day loss. They are a side who have their tail up and they kept us under pressure but we have to do better as a batting unit. Only one score over fifty in the whole game is not enough.
Lewis Hill: “Having five seamers gives us a chance to rotate and the way they bowl as a pack, they are relentless, bowling for each other, sticking to their plans. They do not give the batters any kind of let-up and they have been like it all season for us.
”This season’s side has to be the best I’ve played in during my time at the club, on performances and the quality of players. Five wins puts us in a good position, obviously, and four in a row all inside three days is just crazy, but going forward we have to take it game by game, not get ahead of ourselves and just see where it takes us.”
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Sunday's round-up
Lancashire thrashed by Leicestershire while Kuhnemann bowls Glamorgan to victory over Middlesex
Josh Hull hurtled back to catch Tom Hartley off his own bowling and Leicestershire romped to their fifth victory of the season, all in three days, floating yet further ahead at the top of Division Two. Keaton Jennings batted until shortly after tea for a valiant 112 for Lancashire, but from there Rehan Ahmed and Hull wrapped things up. There wasn’t even time for Leicestershire to take to take the new ball.
Matt Kuhnemann, at Sophia Gardens for one game only prior to the World Test Championship final, filleted through Middlesex to finish with career-best figures of six for 53, ushering Glamorgan to their third win a row. A barnstorming 57 from Toby Roland-Jones ensured Glamorgan would have to bat again – but only just.
Tom Lammonby eased Somerset to an uncharacteristically calm victory over Durham at Chester-le- Street. His unbeaten 104, and 73 from Tom Abell, smoothed Taunton brows on a pitch where 31 wickets had fallen over the first two days.
Jack Carson collected five for 26 – his best figures of the summer – as Sussex romped to victory over Hampshire at Southampton.
There was joy for Essex’s Charlie Allison who crunched 140 – a maiden first-class hundred – at the Oval. Allison, whose previous highest score was 28, batted beautifully and, together with fellow 20-year-old Noah Thain, painted a pretty picture for Essex’s future, as Surrey were set 418 for victory.
Ben Compton did his best to hold the fort against Derbyshire, 156 in the first innings followed by 49 in the second as Kent were forced to follow-on. Yorkshire, set 463 to win, were beguiled by Nottinghamshire’s Liam Patterson-White who grabbed three for 25. Cameron Green scored a fabulous 118 as Gloucestershire made a brave declaration against Northamptonshire.
Scores on the doors
Division One
Chester-le-Street: Somerset 172 and 267-3 BEAT Durham 277 and 159 by seven wickets.
Southampton: Sussex 297 and 23-1 BEAT Hampshire 154 and 165 by nine wickets.
The Oval: Surrey 279 and 32-0 v Essex 217 and 479 Surrey need 386 to win
New Road: Worcestershire 181 and 57-2 v Warwickshire 227 and 280 Worcs need 270 to win
Headingley: Yorkshire 159 and 176-5 v Nottinghamshire 228 and 393-8dec Yorks need 287 to win
Division Two
Derby: Derbyshire 587-5dec v Kent 326 and 157-3
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 383 and 8-0 BEAT Middlesex 155 and 235 by ten wickets
Grace Road: Leicestershire 457 BEAT Lancashire 206 and 248 by an innings and three runs.
County Ground: Northamptonshire 469 and 158-4 v Gloucestershire 379-8dec
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Preamble
Hello! It’s a beautiful Manchester morning, everything three times more alive after the rain, and we roll into this last day of the spring block of matches. Do join us, play starts at 11am.
