Key events
Worcestershire are 34 for 3 at Cheltenham! Matt Taylor has a quick brace and Tom Price in the W column too.
Can everybody stop gettin’ out.
Exciting situation brewing down at the Ageas!
Essex lead Hampshire by 36 runs with 2 wickets remaining, but one of those is the injured Shane Snater who is expected not to bat.
Ethan Bamber has his seventh wicket of the match at Edgbaston. Rob Yates the man to go with a tickle of an edge through to keeper John Simpson. Mousley and Hain currently at the crease trying to get Warwickshire to parity and then perhaps a tricksy lead.
They currently trail by 67 runs with 7 wickets remaining.
“Morning James, morning everyone.”
Dr Cozzer will see you now… (BTL)
“It’s another fine morning in the nation’s capital. If only there were matches happening here. (There’s a decent game on tomorrow in South London , Doc)
“Was there any discussion of ToRoJo’s dismissal here yesterday? I didn’t see any. I watched the footage last night, and then there was extensive discussion on my club’s WhatsApp group. I can see why the umpires gave it (particularly as they don’t have access to the footage), but I think he has every reason to feel aggrieved. Apart from whether or not he hit his stumps after the six was scored (or signalled), I don’t think he did it as part of executing the shot. He swings his bat behind his back, and then holds the pose for a second or so, and then walks back into the crease swinging his bat back.
But I suppose it’s one of those: if you don’t want to be given out wrongly for hit wicket, just be careful not to hit your wicket.”
The good doctor is of course referring to this. Just when you think you’ve seen it all…
Cheltenham… Gloucester… off to boil the kettle and will be humming this for the duration. They don’t make them like they used to!
In case you missed ‘em, here are the overnight scores.
Welcome along also to Worcs and Gloucs who start today down at the Cheltenham Festival.
Division One
Southampton: Hampshire 120, Essex 145-6
Manchester: Northamptonshire 302-5 v Lancashire
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire 275-5 v Kent
Taunton: Somerset 170 v Surrey 138-4
Edgbaston: Warwickshire 60 & 53-2 v Middlesex 199
Division Two
Derby: Glamorgan 408-6 v Derbyshire
Scarborough: Yorkshire 142-2 v Durham
Cheltenham College: Gloucestershire v Worcestershire (begins today)
This re-bound grab makes for hypnotic viewing too. Yes, I have watched it six times this morning.
As the clock ticks round to 11am play is about to begin up and down the land. Keep me informed as to how things are going, I’ve only got so many eyes and ears. Drop me an email, a tweet or join in BTL. PLAY!
Take a look at all the wickets to fall at Edgbaston yesterday. 22 in a day!
We’re all set now. Apologies for locking you out. It wasn’t me guv.
Preamble
James Wallace
Good morning and welcome to Day Two of the Guardian’s county cricket blog. Sequel’s are often better than the original aren’t they? Think the Godfather, Terminator and erm, I dunno – Shrek?
In all honesty today will have to go some to beat the thrills and spills of the first day across the shires. Before we get stuck into day two, why not catch up on how things stand? I’ll be back.
Day One Round Up:
On the day their chairman, Rod Bransgrove, announced he was stepping back from the role after more than 23 years at the helm, Hampshire fell to 120 all out against Essex at the Ageas Bowl. James Vince’s bowlers pegged back Tom Westley’s side in the afternoon to leave the visitors on 145 for six.
England fans would have no doubt rolled their eyes at the sunny scene on display at Old Trafford yesterday morning where Lancashire chased leather during a partnership of 207 runs for Northamptonshire’s Emilio Gay and Luke Procter. Gay eventually fell for 144 as Northants secured only their second and third batting points of the season by scoring 302 for five.
The Overton twins duking it out at Taunton provided the box-office moment of the day in the shires. In this fixture last year Craig was forced to retire hurt after being clocked on the helmet by a bouncer from his younger sibling. That thought was surely not far from the senior Overton’s mind as he strode out with Somerset struggling on 140 for seven in bright sunshine. Four balls later he was back in the hutch after Jamie had sent down a searing delivery that kissed his glove and ended up in Ben Foakes’s mitts behind the stumps. Surrey closed on 138 for four in response to Somerset’s total of 170.
On a bonkers day in Birmingham 22 wickets fell in total on green Edgbaston pitch. Both sides found batting difficult but Middlesex were well on top by the close – a battling 53 from Ryan Higgins saw them reply to Warwickshire’s 60 all out with 199. Ethan Bamber added another wicket to his five for 20 in the first innings as the home side closed on 53 for two, 86 runs adrift.
Nottinghamshire cruised to 275 for five against Kent, Ben Slater falling for exactly 100 at the top of the order and Glamorgan rattled along to 408 for six against beleaguered Derbyshire. Afternoon rain and hailstones meant a truncated day in Scarborough, Durham’s Matt Potts striking with two late lbw dismissals to leave Yorkshire 148 for two at stumps after just 38 overs of possible play.
