Somerset beat Yorkshire at Taunton by 118 runs, while Surrey held out to foil Lancashire’s victory bid at Old Trafford
After all the doom and gloom that was a smashing little round, and even life on the final day. A few lively hurrah’s from Pope and Foakes, Bopara and Gary Wilson and lots of wickets for Jake Ball and Tom Bailey, who had a superb match. Great to see Cook get runs too - like to think there was one more season for him before he retires to midwifery services on the farm. Thank you all for your good cheer and goodnight!
Round-up
So, that’s it for the day. Ta-ra.
Handshakes at Old Trafford - close but no cigar. A super little game, despite the washout of the first day, and finishing in glorious sunshine. No centuries but runs for Foakes, Borthwick, Livingstone, and a fistful of Lancashire’s tail. Wonderful bowling figures for Tom Bailey, 4 for 13 this innings and 4 for 54 in the first. Lancashire 12 points, Surrey 8. Pootling to a close at Grace Road and the Ageas too, where Bopara is 73 not out!
The fat lady warming up but not yet in full voice... another one down here at OT - Surrey 177 for six. Pope c Livingstone b Bailey 41. Surrey still 27 behind.
Eight in the match now for Bailey, who also made a career-best 66 with the bat.
A WICKET! Surrey 176 for 4 Foakes c Vilas b Bailey for 57. Still 28 behind...
And Lancashire take the new ball. Bailey to Foakes. 11 overs left.
A wicket falls at Grace Road, Critchley for 38. Derby 164 for 6.
It’s winding down everywhere. At Grace Road Wilson and Critchley have put on 54 for the sixth wicket - now 160 for 5. Essex are 205 for 5, Bopara has 48. He and Foster have put on 30 since Cook fell.
And that is fifty for Foakes, off 102 balls, eight fours. A chanceless innings. Nowt too flashy but careful, calm and very, very handy.
3⃣ in an over for Ben Foakes
He's sharing a vital partnership with Ollie Pope in the middle here. #LANvSUR pic.twitter.com/G3YpJOb8fI
The new ball is due to be taken in five overs -Lancashire’s very last hope as a kind of lethargy settles over proceedings here. The sun is out and hot, the umpire at square leg is stretching his legs, the shadows are long.
I see that Dawid Malan has suggested using a pink ball in early championship games to try and get more overs in...
“We could have had a full day we’d had a pink ball because there was no rain around. We were literally sitting around for four hours of bad light.
“We’re lucky that we’ve got lights now – we never had them before – but we still got hardly any cricket in. It might be worth the ECB looking at using pink balls this time of the year.
“If you have a ball you can use under lights in the pitch black it probably makes sense to use it at that time of the year when you’re probably going to lose more cricket, instead of the middle of summer.
Sorry … pressed that too early, but anyway now he’s out. Caught behind for 84 and Essex are 148 for 4 and there goes the lovely Cook comeback hundred story.
Here at Old Trafford I’m told that the pivotal point of the day happened when Pope was dropped by Vilas in sixth over after tea when Lancs were 114 for 5. Also, I must reveal to you all that it is T-shirt weather in Manchester.
Gosh, everyone has been busy. But great to see Cooky still there …
Down on the south coast, Essex are rattling along. Cook has passed fifty (58 and counting) with Ravi Bopara also at the crease – currently on 25 with Essex 114-3.
And as the players finish off their
egg sandwiches and swiss rolls
protein shakes, here’s where we stand before those still playing get back out there...
Division One
The last wicket to fall for Worcestershire was Josh Tongue, bowled by Harry Gurney.
And while I was totting up the scores as tea kicked in, Somerset wrapped things up at the County Ground. Yorkshire finished on 202, with the hosts winning by 118 runs.
At New Road, it’s all over on the stroke of tea... Worcestershire are all out for 149 in their second innings. Notts win by an innings and 41 runs
Famous last words from Tanya... another wicket down at Old Trafford. The Elgar-Foakes partnership fails to reach tea, Elgar nicking behind to go for 14.
Somerset are homing in on that victory. Brooks caught and bowled by Tim Groenewald. Yorkshire are 191 for eight now, with 41 overs remaining and still 130 runs behind.
It’s not going well at Grace Road for Derbyshire, who are now 55 for 4 after captain Billy Godleman was trapped leg before.
Worcestershire have reached the heady heights of 100 for 6, and the Yorkies battling too at 158 for 6 with a fifty for Leaning. I’ve got to dash off now for a bit, but the desk will keep this updated. Sure nothing much will happen while I’m away.
ARghg - a wicket. Surrey 68 for 3, Burns done by Livingstone’s prodigious bounce and turn, Burns c Jennings b Livingstone 33.
Essex now 61 for 3, they’ve lost 3 for 9. Lawrence lbw Abbott 6.
But Cook still there. That’s the way to do it...
Don't bowl there to Alastair Cook! #HAMvESS pic.twitter.com/yEHx4XQH9h
And Westley is out now, caught at first slip without scoring. Not a great round for England there-and-there-aboutsters. Vince’s 40-odd looking better all the time. Essex 54 for 2.
And another at New Road. Worcester 89 for 6. A second for Fletcher. And Derbyshire 43 for 3, Slater goes for 27.
Essex fair racing along, , well they were, now 54 for 1. Browne c Adams b Wheal 26. Cook 28 not out.
And another one down at Worcester, 75 for 5 now, Rhodes c Moores b Fletcher 8.
And it’s very tense here at OT. Surrey are poking about, twitchy as anything. They have only scored four since lunch.
Leaning doing a stirling job at Taunton - 41 off 101 balls as Yorkshire recover slightly, 147 for 6, needing 174 to, ahem, win.
That Borthwick wicket in full
#WicketWatch: @TomBaildog has his second wicket after the lunch break.@surreycricket are 54/2.
Live stream ️ https://t.co/qFIPAHnEXF pic.twitter.com/eC8F9PFddi
Another wicket for Ball at New Road. After a valiant stand of 45 between Fell and Head, Head lbw Ball 29. Worcs 62 for 4.
Four maidens since lunch here at OT. And there’s a WICKET - Borthwick totally misjudged a ball from Tom Bailey which nipped back and hit the stumps. Surrey 53 for 2
We really need Vic on Bressie’s valiant 15 as Yorkshire brazen it out at Taunton. I’m not sure where he is but I’m sure he could conjure up something suitable.
And the game’s off at Hove. Eight points each for Sussex and Gloucester.
And the dominoes are toppling at Grace Road. Derbyshire 9/2. Madsen lbw Aaron 0
A wicket at Grace Road: Reece lbw Raine 0 Derby 8/1
And a breakthrough at OT, fifth ball after lunch. Stoneman, strangled round his legs, c Vilas b Bailey 29. Surrey 53 for 1.
And some surreal news from Cardiff:
SOPHIA GARDENS// Glamorgan's stadium has been renamed 'Sophia Gardens Cardiff' - echoing the name used by the venue from 1967 to 2007
Read more https://t.co/T8WVaSCRLP pic.twitter.com/3Btv5ppBi6
Don’t want to show off or anything but i’ve just had the most delicious ramekin of chocolate mousse from the OT kitchen. Something to mention at the Lancashire AGM tonight, should anyone be going.
Lunchtime scores:
Lunchtime round-up: Yorkies holding on with their finger-tips, Worcestershire with their finger-nails. Surrey have withstood tight, tight Lancashire bowling, but lady luck has plumped up the cushions and settled down in Surrey’s parlour.
Leicester have declared and are giving Derby a go at last, Cooky 11 not out at the Ageas.
Huge shout against Burns on 19 for a catch to silly point - but the batsman seems unconcerned. The umpires chat about it ... but not out. Yesterday evening’s bite seems to have vanished from the OT pitch .
And a cataclysmic clatter at New Road, Worcestershire now 17 for 3. First innings top-scorer Joe Clarke c Moores b Broad 4.
And another one down at New Road. Worcestershire 14 for 2, Mitchell b Ball 3. Still, they’ve seen off two overs of Broad ...
Hampshire have declared 351 for 7. Cooky smoothing back the hair from his bonny face and padding up...
The bell is tolling for Yorkshire: 103 for 6. Hodd lbw C Overton 1. Overton 2-27.
And it has been called off for the day at Lord’s: Glamorgan 8 points, Middlesex 6.
Second ball of the innings... D’Oliveria c Taylor b Ball 0
And Worcestershire are 1 for 1...
Another wicket at Taunton: Yorkies 99 for 5 - Waite c and b Overton 6. Whither that there Yorkshire grit?
Mennie replaces Onions. Surrey have seen off the opening pair and are weathering the storm. Burns a painstaking 5, Stoneman a nervous 6.
Eckersley out for 54 at Grace Road.
Nine wickets down at the Ageas for 288: Tongue four for 76 and a brisk 38 for Stuart Broad. It’s calmed down a bit for Yorkshire, 93 for 4 but progress is slow. McManus is out at the Ageas, a wicket for Sam Cook. And a fifty for Eckersley at Grace Road.
The Lanky bowlers are testing Surrey’s nerve here. Jordan Clark replaces Bailey at the Statham End. Bailey bowled five overs for five runs.
And this was Ballance, there and not.
Nottinghamshire 252/7: Moores c Cox b Tongue 43 pic.twitter.com/qCOIOhDCxl
And runs from Stoneman, off the mark with a crisp cover-drive off Onions
Tom Moores out for that 43, a third for Tongue, Notts: 262/7
Stonemanwatch: 0 off 11 balls so far and on the recieving end of some sharp stuff from Onions and Bailey.
Vilas behind the stumps here again, and Chanderpaul off the field with what we think is his cold-weather contract clause.
And at OT a man with a heavy roller perambulates off the pitch as the umpires come out.
A wicket down at the Ageas, Rossouw to Siddle. 252 for 5. Going well at Grace Road
Yorkshire 55/2. Ballance and Lyth: solidity personified.
Play everywhere except Hove, Lord’s and Northampton and Canterbury, where the tour match has been abandoned.
Ooops, WICKET first ball of the day at Taunton. Pujara c Davies b Gregory 6.
Cold weather news: they’ve counted five people in the crowd at Hampshire, where they’re playing, and Peter Siddle is bowling in a woolly hat. He’s just split Rossouw’s bat.
Where’s Wally?
The players ages warming up and the weather is set fair for the final day of our @CountyChamp match with @surreycricket resuming their first innings on 231-9 at 11am. #LANvSUR pic.twitter.com/TFvzzoUm3j
And good morning from Old Trafford for the final day of this, the third round of Championship matches. An impatient wind is rattling the flags on top of the pavilion but a yellow orb is occasionally visible through the northern cloud cover. There should be play here all day but prospects round the country are mixed as the deluge hits.
Already Northants v Durham has been called off -the first game completely lost at Wantage Road since 1981. They’re not expecting any play at all at Lord’s, it is very wet at Hove for the nailbiter, and cold, damp and windy at Hampshire - dropping a catch in the slips yesterday could be all the action Alastair Cook gets in his comeback match. Play due to start on time at Grace Road and Worcester, where the chill is nowt to match the day in 1900 when Charles Corden wore 11 sweaters.
It's another cold day but not as severe as May 1900 when Andrew Thomas - author of Pears 150 - reports that Charles Corden wore ELEVEN sweaters fielding for Worcs v London County at New Road!
Match of the day should be at Taunton where the weather is a glacial clear. Somerset need to take 9 wickets as Yorkshire chase a an unlikely, but theoretically possible, 321 - 272 more to win . And at Old Trafford, Surrey need 59 to avoid the follow-on, with Virdi having a net this morning.
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