County cricket: Hampshire go top, Middlesex and Somerset draw - as it happened


All the action from around the grounds as Middlesex and Somerset drew, while Hampshire went top by thrashing Warwickshire

Right, time to pack up another round of Championship action. Thanks so much for your company, it’s been a (Natwest T20) blast. Here’s the results from today.

Dramatic finish as @NorthantsCCC scramble through to win off the penultimate ball

Outstanding effort by Durham to make it so close pic.twitter.com/9gORfQkFfD

They have scrambled through for a bye and Northants have won with a ball to spare! What an effort from Coughlin, who ends with 10 in the match and so nearly defends three of the final over, in which he took two wickets. He bowled 20 overs unchanged.

Wicket! Coughlin gets Cobb! He has ten in the match. Two balls left, one required. Eight down.

Match drawn at Trent Bridge! What an escape that is for Notts... They are still unbeaten, and still top of Division Two.

1 from 3...

2 from 4...

Wicket! Rossington becomes Coughlin’s ninth of the match! Two runs required from the final five balls. Or three wickets...

Wide...

Here we go!

The final ball is a swing & miss outside the off stump. Three off the final over to be bowled by Coughlin! #DURvNOR

Wicket! The one and only is gone! Three required from seven.

Chucking it down at Trent Bridge, apparently.

Four! Three needed off eight.

7 off 9 with rain falling harder...

9 required off 11...

Omg so much going on in this game!

Rain starting to come down again at Emirates Riverside as Cobb takes a quick two to long leg. 11 from 12 now required #DURvNOR

Four! Cobb finds a boundary and 13 required from 15...

Dot. Coughlin to Chesney. 18 from 17.

Cobb hits McCarthy for six! 18 required from 18.

Off for rain at Trent Bridge!

Chesney Hughes is in for Northants. We know he’s a hero, but can he reaffirm his status as the one and only?

Raining at Trent Bridge...

Rory Kleinveldt is out! Colly takes the catch off McCarthy. Five down, 26 still required. 23 balls left. Can Durham pinch this?

26 required from 24 at the Riverside. Northants four down.

Great sequence of tweets, these.

He's out next ball! Hughes misses a full toss and is lbw. 182/5. 34 needed.

32 required from 30 at the Riverside. Coughlin has bowled throughout the Northants innings and continues.

News from Trent Bridge!

They're coming back out! Derbyshire need 36 to win with six wickets in hand.

Coughlin gets Keogh and Northants are four down! Caught and bowled. They need 40 from six overs. Surely he will bowl three of them – he has eight in the match.

IVA Wakely is out!

WICKET! Wakely skews one skywards, @JetJennings fields in the deep & @spoynter_90 whips the bail off to run him out for 84! #DURvNOR

And bad light is holding up Derbyshire! Oh no. They need 36.

Exciting stuff at Durham where Northants need 55 from the remaining nine overs...

Just popping over to the Pavilion to talk to the captains. Be back in a bit.

Middlesex took 10 points, Somerset 11.

Thank the lord that is over. Simpson’s second over contained off-breaks, seam up and leggies. Abell ends up with 71, but the last 14 or so should really be expunged from the record books coming, as they did, off Gubbins and Simpson. Foul.

John Simpson is swapping ends.

And now Nick Gubbins to bowl from the Nursery End.

Northants have 17 overs from 5pm to get the 100 they require.

Simpson concedes nine from his first over, kindly helping Steve Davies back into form, Nick Compton comes on at the Pavilion End.

Gurney gets Thakor at Trent Bridge and Derbyshire are three down. Still 113 required.

It has come to this.

Many of you will be aware of the work of Dan Lucas, who died very suddenly in March. This from his girlfriend:

We're organising a cricket match in Dan's memory, August 13th. Event will raise money for @JDRFUK. If you fancy playing or taking part, DM.

Hahaha 20 minutes before a draw can be declared the players are coming back out. What an extraordinary sport this is.

The proudest of days.

Congratulations to @EssexCricket's Dan Lawrence and Jamie Porter on winning their first Lions caps. https://t.co/xJ2d8kNyup pic.twitter.com/4oUQ36uwqA

Derbyshire have another 31 overs to knock off 141 to win at Trent Bridge. Looking at it another way, Nottinghamshire need eight more wickets.

News from Northampton.

A real danger of cricket breaking out in Northampton. South Africans won toss and bowl. Lions debuts for Lawrence and Porter of Chingford

Light has already improved at Lord’s and I suspect we will come back out...

Off for rain at Durham with Northants needing 100 to win!

Details on an interesting signing. Sam Northeast is a very resourceful recruiter...

Leg-spinner Yasir Shah signs for Championship spell & could make debut on Thursday v Durham at Spitfire Ground: https://t.co/FY0gJelZpT pic.twitter.com/1DrEUtJ9Uw

Off we go at Lord’s and that will surely be that.... hover cover coming on. Light, rain, light rain – no idea why we are off, but we are.

Umpires coming together to talk about the light. Middlesex clearly want this over because they are brining Helm on...

Kent have signed Yasir Shah! Could be available on Thursday against Durham...

The bell has been rung at Lord’s to single that we are five minutes from this match’s final 50 minutes.

Derbyshire two down! Luke Wood with a wicket. 36 for two chasing 216.

Somerset are 129 for three and Abell has taken the opportunity to play himself back into form. He’s looked pretty good for his 52. We will go off for 20 minutes, then come back for a maximum of 50 before hands are shaken. Rain could intervene but it’s dry for now.

Here’s your scores:

Unlucky for Coughlin as Newton edges him between first & second slip, who went at full stretch, but it skids away for four. 99/1 #DURvNOR

IVA Wakely has 50 for Northants against Durham, who need wickets fast. 119 required.

News from Northampton.

Attempting a 4:10 start at Wantage Road for England Lions vs South Africa A - 40 overs per side @AKSnapper @ciaranthomas91

Notts have their first!

Fletcher gets Reece. 16 for one. Chasing 216.

Stirling on, and gets Hildreth! He’s bowling offies, but he’s been bowling leggies lately. Caught behind.

Northants are off to a flyer. 146 to win.

They are playing at Durham. Time for a north-easterner to make a hero of himself, I’d say.

What an effort from Sussex to beat Worcestershire by an innings and seven runs. I thought before the season began that those two teams would be in the top bracket competing for promotion with Notts and Kent, but Sussex had started slowly. Worcestershire’s dressing room rocked a little by Kohler-Cadmore’s decision to leave and subsequent banishment by Bumpy? They had started so well.

Get yourself to Chester-le-Street

Entry to the ground is FREE for the closing stages of this @CountyChamp match! #DURvNOR

Ervine, appropriately, after that magnificent double-ton, gets both the last two wickets! Last man Sunny Singh is trapped lbw and it’s all over! Hampshire have won by an innings and lots.

They go top! That’s their third win, more than anyone else, and they leapfrog Essex, Surrey and Yorkshire into top spot. They are 14 points clear, but have played a game more than the others.

Notts all out for 349 and Derbyshire need 216 to win from what looks like 49 overs.

Wicket! Utterly irrelevant, but a wicket nonetheless. Helm gets Elgar, who had recently scored his 500th run of the season, caught in the slips. 59 for two, and barring anything weird, a mere footnote on the road to a boring draw.

News from the Ageas! One to go, and Sunny Singh is in...

@willis_macp @hantscricket are back on, and Ervine has bowled Rankin! 159/9

Philander gets Shantry! It’s all over.

Well, going to try and start at 3.05pm at Durham with 42 possible... #bbccricket

Read has 50, Notts are nine down. Lead is 192.

Voges news.

Having pulled calf muscle yesterday @acvoges will have scan tmrw when swelling reduces to accurately assess damage. Will play no part today!

Well Somerset definitely aren’t trying to win this. But you can’t blame them for that. It’s going to rain later anyway.

Worcestershire are eight down! Wiese gets Whiteley.

Oh, the folly. Shantry is in and he’s just about to turn this game on its head. 30 behind.

Notts eight down, Luke Wood gone for a duck. Flecth, a bit crook, is in. Lead 191.

Uh oh. They are off for rain at the Ageas... Warwickshire eight down!

Mason, you lovely thing.

WICKET: @masoncrane32 does the business again, a beautiful googly striking Thornton (9) plumb in-front! @WarwickshireCCC 154-8. & pic.twitter.com/4BCzBPpAGn

Crane has got the accountant out and Warwickshire are eight down! Can Hampshire beat the rain?

Notts don’t seem in much of a hurry against Derbyshire. They have lost Hitman Hutton, and are 323 for seven with a lead of 189. Declare!

Nottinghamshire bat on at Trent Bridge. But for how long? Six down, 181 in front and with 62 overs in the game. Surely they will dangle the carrot?

Van Zyl gets Barnard and Sussex have Worcs seven down!

Van Zyl strikes me as quite a typical Kolpak signing; high quality, but taking a few months to find his feet. He has now, and is doing pretty well.

OMG

Should it continue to stay dry, the umpires are planning to inspect at 2:15pm #DURvNOR

If you like your cricket international or to involve David Warner or both, this is the liveblog for you. Steered by two fine men of Australia, Adam Collins and Geoff of the Lemons.

Related: Australia v Bangladesh: ICC Champions Trophy – live!

That’s Hampshire’s biggest crowd this season.

Great news here at @TheAgeasBowl as it remains dry & the players are making their way back out after lunch!

Just three more to go! & pic.twitter.com/ekmAT3qCia

Start due in seven minutes at Trent Bridge! When will Notts declare?

Here come the players at Lord’s.

I gather they are out warming up at Trent Bridge but the rain has returned, which is pants. Here are the scores:

Shortly, we are going to take a lunch break with the weather absolutely fine. 40 minutes, we’ll be off. Later, we’ll leave the field because the weather is definitely not fine...

This was an interesting tweet from m’colleague Barney Ronay last night.

Hearing talk Hampshire not offering Michael Carberry a new contract. Very surprising. And of course not great for other reasons

Mmm. Pretty sure Tom Abell has just absolutely smashed the cover of it through to the keeper off RoJo. But he stood his ground and Jeremy Lloyds said not out, so he stays. Middlesex rather miffed. 2 for one, and 10 mins til lunch. Sun still out.

A brute.

ROJO STRIKES: @tobyrj21 dismisses Trescothick in the first over, who is caught behind by @JohnSimpson_88 #TeamMiddlesex #MIDvSOM pic.twitter.com/lDgxjHC6wP

Did not expect to type that today.

Wicket! In the first over, Rojo has dug one in at Tres, who has gloved it high, and Simpson has taken the catch. 1-1.

Berg gets Ambrose and Warwickshire are in deep trouble... 131 for seven. Only rain will save them, surely.

Matt Le Tissier is in south London.

Decent view for today's sporting action (until rain comes!) thanks @rich_thomo pic.twitter.com/IfeC2bytjL

Whiteley and Barnard have put on 52 across 18 overs and Worcestershire are now 87 behind. Rain due at 4ish.

Middlesex all out (well, nine down) for 358! Murtagh goes caught by Davey at point off Gregory (poor shot), who ends with three wickets to go with his ton. Tres sprinted from the field to pad up – are they going to have a dart? The lead is 85...

So we had a wicket here. Lewis Gregory, what a cricketer, came on and got Tom Helm with his first ball. Clean bowled for 28.

At the Ageas, Abbott has a fourth! Rikki C gone for 0. 122 for six, and miles behind still.

Somerset’s lead is under 100 now. Lord’s pitches are just the pits.

So very out.

WICKET: @Kyle_Abbott87 is at it again! Hain (14) is struck in front & the finger is raised - @WarwickshireCCC now 119-5. & pic.twitter.com/FIpdNx8JM3

Hain is gone to Abbott, and Warwickshire are in deep strife. Five down, and praying for rain.

Time for some Jack Leach.

This game at Lord’s is going absolutely nowhere.

WICKET: What a ripper from @masoncrane32! A corker of a delivery catches Trott's (23) edge & @Sean_Ervine takes the catch - 104-4. & pic.twitter.com/eZPOdeqzQ7

Yes, you are reading that right. He’s gone to Crane, caught at slip. Bears are 109 for four, still 152 behind.

Here’s the Bell wicket. Huge ask for Warks now, even with weather due.

WICKET: @Kyle_Abbott87 makes the breakthrough! He nips one back which bowls Bell (68) & he departs - 104-3. & pic.twitter.com/MWwMamGs0H

Wicket at the Ageas! Abbott gets Bell, bowled for 68. Warwickshire are 104 for three, Trott still there, obvs, and he’s been joined by the ProtoTrott, Hain. Good time for him to get a few.

Jofra Archer never takes unspectacular wickets.

WATCH: @craig_arch with a great delivery to account for Josh Tongue, Sussex's second wicket of the morning#GOSBTS pic.twitter.com/M5kj9r190L

So no third bowling point for Somerset.

Groenewald bowls a maiden to Franklin. From the other end, it’ll be Josh Davey to Tom Helm. Surely it was a Joverton morning? One over to get two wickets for a vital point.

Trott and Bell continue to resist Hampshire... 90 for two now with rain due later.

Tim Groenewald bowling to James Franklin in the Chris Rogers derby. Somerset have 12 balls to get two wickets and a third bonus point.

No play before lunch at Trent Bridge.

Covers off, players out. This is not a drill.

Worcestershire have lost two! The nightwatchman, Tongue, goes to Archer. Strife. Still Barnard, Lloyds Leach and Shantry to come, but they have one hell of a task on their hands to keep that unbeaten record up.

The light is much better here and the rain has stopped. Suspect we’ll have some cricket before long.

Worcestershire have lost their fifth, and it’s a big one: Ben Cox goes to Philander, caught in the cordon. 126 for five... 141 behind.

Oh dear. A draw up there then.

@willis_macp already raining like hell in Durham, soaked trousers on the way to work, doubtful there'll be any play

Sounds like the day might already be done at Durham...

Northants colours being lowered from the pavilion. Waiting for the inevitable here... #bbccricket

Looks like the only on-time start is at Hove. But the players are now out at the Ageas.

Along with the five remaining county games, England Lions are supposed to be playing a day/nighter at Northampton against South Africa A today. I imagine Jamie Porter and Dan Lawrence will play.

It’s now raining at Lord’s. So we are off for rain/light/light rain [delete as applicable].

For what it’s worth, I think the light is good enough. But I always think that. Oh well...

The players have come out and now they are going off again. Light too grim, apparently.

And start delayed at Chester-le-Street too... Players coming out at Lord’s.

Here’s yesterday’s report and roundup – one of nine (9!) cricket stories on the Guardian yesterday. I really suggest you read it.

Related: Yorkshire cruise to win over Lancashire to close in on leaders Essex

Delayed start at Trent Bridge...

Shameless as ever, here’s a podcast for you to drink in.

Related: FCC cricket podcast: Gareth Batty on England, money and the state of spin

Let’s hope so! We should get a prompt start at Lord’s, but expect some rain later on.

@willis_macp let's hope for no rain!

Hold the back page!

It is official as of 10:25am. @spoynter_90 @GrahamClark16 @RyanPringle @CameronSteel2 @Colly622 @Coughlin92 @richo18howu @BunnyOnions pic.twitter.com/2TRQYBl26z

Proper catch from Alex Hughes.

Superb catch from the man in close for @DerbyshireCCC pic.twitter.com/l4Jv45a5E8

I liked this from what I thought was a spectacular concert at Old Trafford last night. Lancashire’s CCC’s best performance of the weekend, although I do worry a little bit about the state of the pitch...

https://t.co/qs6whcK3yB releasing his inner umpire at the Emirates Old Trafford. #OneLoveManchester #out pic.twitter.com/l8tvRwsSvW

Morning Stuie! Gonna see lots of rain today?

@willis_macp morning will!

Amazing moment for @ngubbins18 today as @sachin_rt presents him with his ceremonial Middlesex cap #TeamMiddlesex #Legend #LittleMaster pic.twitter.com/BvvDKUNolL

The man from BBC London is in optimistic mood...

Two overs remain for Somerset to take two wickets for max bowling points at some stage other than that this game is done... #bbccricket pic.twitter.com/BzfsUXVKWB

Something quite cool just happened on the Nursery Ground at Lord’s. Some chap called Sachin Tendulkar appeared to present Nick Gubbins with a special embroidered county cap.

In other news, the hover cover is on.

Welcome to a new week, and the final day of action of the latest round of Championship action. I’ve hot-footed it from Leeds (where, because it’s all about me, I saw my first result of the season yesterday, with Yorkshire thrashing Lancashire) to NW8.

I don’t suppose I’m about to see another result, to be honest. There’s some weather about and we are still only in the game’s second innings. But if the weather was to hold, perhaps Somerset could skittle Middlesex, smash a few then get bowling again? The champions are a man down, after all (Adam Voges has a groin injury and had to retire hurt yesterday). Jonathan Trott, Ian Bell and rain stand in Hampshire’s way.

Related: Yorkshire cruise to win over Lancashire to close in on leaders Essex

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