Yorkshire ended the day with a lead of 69 despite a dreadful first innings while Marcus Trescothick suffered a broken metatarsal at Old Trafford
Related: Joe Root and Alastair Cook out for ducks as Yorkshire just edge it against Essex
What a day - ridiculous goings-on at Chelmsford; a cruel injury to an old warhorse, I won’t say on his swansong, and youthful blooming at Old Trafford; wickets galore at Hove and Sophia Gardens. Young runs at The Oval – Rory Burns and Ben Foakes give Ed Smith something to mull over tonight – and runs too for the carthorses put out to grass by England: Trott, Bell and Patel. Have a lovely Friday everyone.
News from OT: Marcus Trescothick has a broken right fifth metatarsal and is out for the foreseeable future, too early to say if he will play again this season.
Close of play round up to follow
Yorkshire resistance starts to crumble: 97 for 2, a second for Siddle - Lyth, whose name is definitely missing a vowel somewhere, 27.
Hampshire 23 for 3, Vince lbw Fletcher 5.
Jonny Bairstow has gone, bowled by Peter Siddle off an inside-edge for 50. That left Yorkshire at 77/1, with the score now moving to 92/1. Scores level. The Bairstow dismissal culminated into the Australian quick giving Bairstow a send-off. We still have 15 and a half overs to bowl tonight, so things could change very quickly. At the moment, it feels like Yorkshire have the advantage.
A standing ovation for Bartlett, pushing forward at Mennie and wonderfully caught by Livingstone leaping like a ... jackknife at second slip. What a super innings – 110 off 210 balls. Patient, watchful but full of plucked-off-the-tree shots. Somerset 294 for 4.
And fifty for Barstow! 43 balls, 6 fours, 1 six. Yorkshire 77 for 0.
Tim Murtagh is on the prowl at Hove, two for 5 as Sussex stutter to 7 for 2 (continued below)
RAYNER AND MURTAGH COMBINE
Great bowling from @tjmurtagh
A stunning catch from @Ollie2rayner
Salt the man to go, with the score at 5/2!#TeamMiddlesex pic.twitter.com/kNh5Q9ZwoU
Yorkshire have topped their first-innings total of 50 in a flash. They have moved to 59/0 in the 12th over, with Jonny Bairstow unbeaten on 39 off 35 balls. It’s funny how this game works isn’t it. For the first two sessions, not an over went by where a batsman looked secure at the crease. Now, Essex don’t look like taking a wicket. The White Rose county are just 33 behind, and I suspect Ryan ten Doeschate and Anthony McGrath will be getting a bit twitchy given what’s to come in the away dressing room.
And with an edge past slip that’s a glorious HUNDRED for Bartlett off 189 balls, 12 x4, 1 x 6. His debut first-class century, in the same innings as Marcus Trescothick made his 65th, showing great patience, before England’s new selector, in glorious sunshine. Give the man a cigar. His highest first-class score before this was 39 last week against Yorkshire.
Meanwhile at Chelmsford, Yorkshire are 34 without loss with Jonny Barstow leaping up the order to open with Lyth and thrashing about for 26 including a 6. At the County Ground against the tourists, Northants wicketkeeper Adam Rossington is stumped for 90, six wickets for Shadab: Northants 249 for 9.
Yorkshire have opened the innings with Adam Lyth and Jonny Bairstow, with the latter making his intentions very clear. In the over just bowled, the sixth, he cracked Sam Cook for six and four over mid-off’s head to help Yorkshire to 27-0. He’s just done exactly the same to Jamie Porter as I type - 33-0 in the seventh. In a flash, the Essex lead is 59.
And Notts are all out: 302 in just over 69 overs, Gurney stranded on 16; Edwards 4-94. Middlesex all out too, for 230, Robinson 7-58! Yorkshire hit the heady heights of 6 for 0. And a half-century for Trott! Well played that man. A paean here from Jonathan Liew
This week's column, on the grotesquely underrated Jonathan Trott. https://t.co/yJ6v4aJbtQ pic.twitter.com/7il1I7MdnR
And a century for Rory Burns! 225 balls, 9 x fours: a first Championship hundred of the season for him. An interesting stat here too
A century for Rory Burns. Most @CountyChamp runs by openers since the start of last season:
D. Mitchell 1,331 (45.9 average)
R. Burns 1,259 (50.4)
M. Stoneman 1,241 (51.7)#countycricketlive pic.twitter.com/E3hnCXUaLG
Essex have been bowled out for 142, a first-innings lead of 92, on the stroke of tea. We still have 31 overs to be bowled in the day, so maybe that one-day finish is not out of the question. Will firm up the stat later, but talk in the press box was going back to the 1950s for the last time that happened in the Championship.
And Essex are all out for 142, a lead of 92. Gird yourselves Yorkies. And Trotty sups tea on 42, on this grand day for England oldies.
DIVISION ONE
The Oval: Surrey 176 for 3 (Burns 84 not out, Foakes 41 not out; Leach 2-34)
We still have seven overs remaining in the afternoon and 39 in the day, with Essex just having reached triple figures - a feat greeted by hearty applause from the home faithful. They have moved to 109/7. Tim Bresnan has taken the last three wickets to fall to keep Yorkshire’s hopes of a Houdini act alive. Simon Harmer and Peter Siddle are at the crease. Siddle has just whacked Bresnan for six over long-on. To add to the drama, there’s the odd topless spectator knocking around. English summers, eh!
Another wicket at Old Trafford: Somerset 215 for 3 – Hildreth c Clark at mid-off b Mennie for 5. Somewhat earlier Anderson hit the grumpometre, lost his cool and threw a ball at the striker’s end and hit Bartlett on the back of the legs. The men in white coats conferred and it looks like a warning for Anderson. All in front of new selector Ed Smith who arrived to see the end of Trescothick and a lovely debut fifty from Bartlett, his first first-class 50 in his sixth match.
Elsewhere, Rory Burns has 83 and Ben Foakes 35 for Surrey, 173 for 3; Notts 253 for 6, Wessels nearing 50; Essex 93 for 7, Bresnan 3 for 12; Middlesex 189 for 8 with a sixth wicket for Robinson and 62 not out for Max Holden and, good heavens, Glamorgan, who somehow slipped totally off my radar, were bowled out for 94. Kent already 18 for 1 in reply. Leicester 176 for 2, Northants 199 for 7 against Pakistan and Trotty 24 not out in Warwickshire’s 236 for five.
Pantomime proceedings at Old Trafford … Trescothick hoicks Parkinson for four, no foot movement at all, then a couple more ... 99! That’s it … a HUNDRED … he raises his bat, pure arm movement, legs perfectly still. Then he hobbles about to accept a handshake or two. This is a run-out waiting to happen. It is as if he is wearing iron boots. Ah, there we are, he edges behind, tries to cut Livingstone’s first ball and is CAUGHT, limps off the field for 100: c Vilas b Livingstone. A second first-class century at Old Trafford. Somerset 200 for 2. And a little bit of Friday afternoon happiness.
It gives you an idea of how crazy this game has been that there has been the odd mention in the press box, more in jest I grant you, of a one-day finish. However, that is very much out of the window now with Essex at 68/4 and leading by 18. At 12/3 it wasn’t the daftest suggestion. Ravi Bopara was the last wicket to go, caught at first slip off Steve Patterson. Dan Lawrence is unbeaten on 45 as we approach the midway point of the afternoon.
And, just five away from his century, Trescothick pushes off for a single and collapses on the pitch. The physic comes out, everyone faffs about then Trescothick limps around using his bat as a walking stick. It barely merits description as a hobble - but he seems determined to stay out there. Renshaw emerges as his runner. This could be interesting.
... as with a nudge off his hip Trescothick moves on to 95. Here’s a vintage shot
SHOT! Trescothick slams Mennie away through cover and moves to 68*
Somerset 139/1 (37.1)#LANvSOM pic.twitter.com/J60tOgwCXn
May the fourth be with the Essex groundsman- thank you Paul Frame
Happy Star Wars day. Old Jedi master v new Jedi @EssexCricket #CookvRoot pic.twitter.com/y2jmJhDhE3
News of England ancients: At Edgbaston Bell out for 44, Trott in, Warwickshire 172 for 3. Patel out for 73, a third wicket for Fidel Edwards at Trent Bridge.
Essex are just four runs behind Yorkshire for the loss of three wickets and Middlesex are recovering with an unbeaten 44-run partnership between Holden and Simpson. Here Trescothick is only 14 away from his hundred, he and Bartlett’s century partnership came in 168 balls.
And from Palf, for you Galactus:
@tjaldred Not cricket, but proof that we cricket fans are also (sometimes) total geeks. I think Galactus will enjoy this. Courtesy Mel Hynes on facebook, who was there and took the pic. As she said: well played Heathrow. May the 4th be with you! pic.twitter.com/tsr8tC9gm9
More post-prandial mishaps: Surrey have lost a couple: Borthwick c Cox b Leach for 10, and Ryan Patel for 10: 99 for 3. And a clatter at Sophia Gardens as Glamorgan lose 3 for 10, a couple of wickets for Darren Stevens. Fifties for Michael Carberry and Paul Horton at The Riverside in an unbeaten opening stand of 114. And 37 not out for Bell at Edgbaston.
And here Trescothick moves steadfastly onwards against tight Lancashire bowling. An off-drive off Mennie after lunch had the press-box tummy-up and purring in appreciation. And he’s still pretty nimble between the wickets. Somerset 143 for 1.
Time to praise a batsman. But, knowing my luck, I won’t get to the end of this post before he is out. Dan Lawrence has played very nicely for 31 to just take the sting out of things for Essex. One cover drive off Jack Brooks was particularly pleasing on the eye. Where all the attention is on England’s present in this game, it could be that we are looking at their future in this instance. Essex are 38/3 and trail by just 12.
New session, same story. Yorkshire have a wicket, their third of the innings, as Ben Coad bowls Nick Browne for seven to leave Essex at 12/3. “50 looks a bloody long way off here” says one spectator in front of me with an accent that’s more Batley than Brentwood.
Sandwiches sitting solidly - wicket already .... Glamorgan 57 for 1: Selman lbw Stevens 33. Oh and at Chelmsford, Essex now 12 for 3, Browne b Coad 7. And a very difficult dropped catch first ball after lunch at Old Trafford. Trescothick on 54 cut to backward point where Croft made a valiant leap. And Vilas has taken the gloves here, Davies still on the field but not behind the stumps.
Division One
The Oval: Surrey 87 for 1
Very, very strange events at Chelmsford headline another eventful morning’s play. Yorkshire won the toss, batted, and were bowled out before lunch; Essex are currently not looking much better at 10 for 2. Ducks already for Cook, Westley, Lyth and Root. Here at Old Trafford Somerset are trundling along against the boldly haired Anderson and the impressive Lancashire attack. Fifty for Trescothick – treasure him while he lasts. Solid starts too for Surrey, though a run-out, alas, for Stoneman, and another run-out at Trent Bridge – this time Ross Taylor on 47 - as Notts race away to 137 for four. A rapid 52 not out for Samit Patel. Wickets at Hove, where Middlesex are 81 for 5, with Oliver Robinson taking all wickets to fall, 5-33. A steady morning for Glamorgan, Leicester and Warwickshire too.
Lunchtime scores to follow shortly.
So, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow and Alastair Cook have fallen for seven runs between them this morning. Yorkshire have the breakthrough as they defend 50. Cook, another poor shot to add to the morning collection, is caught behind off Jack Brooks for nought. And, as I type, Tom Westley plays an awfully expansive drive and loses his middle stump to Brooks. Essex are 2-2.
A 68-ball 50 for Trescothick at Old Trafford. Seven fours and a real treat for the not-bad crowd who’ve turned up. The shots are still there, plus the old authority, and a quick study through the binoculars is very revealing. He’s a reliably well-upholstered presence, but also an inveterate fiddler – gloves on, gloves off, tuck shirt into trousers, re-tuck shirt into trousers in, flick invisible pieces off grit off the pitch, pat grass, remove helmet. And repeat. Trescothick’s only century at Old Trafford came in May 2001 v Pakistan, just saying, though he has a remarkably consistent first-class record here: 15 matches, 9 fifties, 1 hundred, average 48.1
Yorkshire have been bowled out for 50 inside 19 overs, with Peter Siddle finishing with 4-7 and Sam Cook 5-28. In terms of low totals, it is Yorkshire’s lowest since posting 43 against Surrey at the Oval in 1973. Geoff Boycott played in that match.
This is incredible. Yorkshire are 49/9 having just lost Steve Patterson and Jack Brooks to Peter Siddle in the 17th over, caught behind and caught at third slip respectively. Gary Ballance has to have a dart now with only Ben Coad left for company. He has 21.
And a wicket at The Oval, Stoneman run-out for 28, which you can watch here, thanks to the Surrey cricket feed that now features a GIANT picture of Kohli dominating Big Ben and the London Eye. Surrey 51/1. Notts whizzing along to 100 off 111 balls.
WICKET: Stoneman is run out by Barnard for 28.
Surrey are 50/1 with Scott Borthwick next to come in. #SURvWOR pic.twitter.com/Vbe44n6wC7
It has certainly done a bit this morning, the ball which got Jonny Bairstow indicated that - nipped away and took off-stump from Sam Cook. But there have been a number of loose shots too. Harry Brook could have left his alone, Adam Lyth and Joe Root were not committed to their strokes when driving and Che Pujara lbw playing across the line. Yorkshire’s rebuild job has been left to Gary Ballance and Jack Leaning, who have 16 and seven respectively. They have taken the score to 41-5 in the 15th. Crikey, that’s twice it’s happened to me this morning. Wickets as I type. Leaning is trapped lbw by Peter Siddle, also playing loosely. Make that 41/6.
And a wicket falls at Old Trafford, Somerset 65 for 1. Renshaw, who had been engaged in an intriguing battle with Tom Bailey, repeatedly beaten before driving him with ferocity down the ground for four past a ducking Trescothick, suddenly has a moment of madness. He flicks uppishly off his legs and is caught by Jordan Clark for 21.
Samit Patel has just hit 21 off a Fidel Edwards over at Trent Bridge, where Notts are 81 for 3.
A busy first half hour at Old Trafford where Somerset have rattled along to 48 without loss. Marcus Trescothick navigated through his notoriously tricky first few overs by throwing the bat about, unbothered by the bleach beacon running in towards him. Tom Bailey conceded one fewer run off his first over than in his entire 19 against Surrey in the second innings here last week. And the sun has just come out.
Elsewhere, Middlesex are two down, Gubbins out for 8; Notts 27-3, Fidel Edwards two for 2. And 22 for 5 now at Chelmsford. The three ducks on the Yorkshire scorecard might be some light-relief for David Hopps, part of the old-time Guardian Hopps-Selve double-act who was hoping to win a seat last night in Elmet and Rothwell.
This is my most successful joinery since I was shunned from Woodwork lessons as a 14-year-old. (Only 1 in 3 are falling apart). "But I can't do art either, Mr Norman." "I don't care, at least you're not going to lose a finger doing art." https://t.co/8y3Oda83b0
Would you believe it! Joe Root is out for a golden duck, caught at first slip by Alastair Cook off Sam Cook. There’s a quip in there somewhere. Yorkshire are 9/3 in the fourth over and Cook was on a hat-trick having had Adam Lyth caught behind with the first ball of the over. He had earlier enticed Harry Brook into poking a slip catch to Simon Harmer at second slip, meaning three wickets in five balls split between overs.
Root was driving on the move to the young Essex seamer before trudging back to the pavilion. Che Pujara and Gary Ballance are at the crease now. Hang on, Pujara’s gone too. Lbw to Porter for 9. Yorkshire are 11/4.
Oh no! Arrived at Old Trafford to find that Haseeb Hameed has been dropped. And also Jimmy Anderson has had an interesting bleach job … Also, it is cloudy, Somerset are batting and Trescothick is 15 not out.
Yorkshire have opted for a toss, won it and elected to bat here at Chelmsford, meaning time at the crease today for Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow. The visitors have opted to play seven batsmen and no spinner, with Steve Patterson returning from a broken finger to play for the first time this summer. Left-arm twirler Karl Carver drops out of the team after one match in which he did not bowl a ball against Somerset at Taunton at the weekend.
It is a glorious day - warm and sunny. I’ve even spotted some sun cream going on to a few faces in front of the press box. The quirk of the county fixture list means this is the return clash between these two sides, although not a ball was bowled at Headingley last month due to the wet outfield. In fact, it is actually the third time these two have met in the last five Championship games given they both ended the season here last September. That, a comprehensive three-day victory for Essex, is still fresh in the memory for both sides. Ravi Bopara plays his 200th first-class match.
We’ve somehow already hobbled along to the fourth round of Championship matches, with lots of alluring fixtures to look forward to. The weather seems kinder, so fingers crossed for fewer brolly-watch updates.
The final face cards in the England pack are being played today: Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow and Jimmy Anderson return for Yorkshire and Lancashire. In the last few days we’ve also learnt that dear old Jonathan Trott will retire at the end of this season and, contrary to what you may have read on the County Blog last week, Virat Kohli will play for Surrey – for three Championship matches and at least three One-Day Cup games in June.
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