Key events
Good morning Gareth Powell: “I’m not convinced this game is a bore draw. The way we’ve been batting this year, it wouldn’t surprise me if between noon and tea we managed to lose all ten wickets without even catching Gloucestershire.”
I feel suitably chastised.
Four men crouch around Craig Overton, Harmer, hair blowing in the wind, shades on, wheels in. Overton plays out the over.
Here at OT a double bouncing no-ball from Shaw is pulled for four by a laughing Bell. Lancs 32-0.
The new ball approaches at Taunton, but Somerset are striding closer with increased confidence – 79 needed, Rew 80, Coverton 13.
Rain
At Lord’s. Probably not enough to save Middlesex though.
Arrive at OT to find that Gloucestershire have declared – so Wally Hammond can rest untroubled that Ollie Price will beat his record.
Sunday’s round-up
Despite a team sparkling with the one-match presence of Joe Root and Harry Brook, Yorkshire lost to Warwickshire by five wickets in two-and-a-half days at Headingley. Root’s 90 was the game’s top score but Warwickshire held their nerve, chasing down 185 with relative ease – debutant Zen Malik’s clinching the game with a six. As well as their second defeat of the summer, Yorkshire also collected a points deduction for a slow over rate. Division One is proving a difficult nut to crack.
Essex’s Jordan Cox, selected by England for the Zimbabwe Test, retired hurt on 103 after straining his side diving for the crease on 99 in a ding-dong match at Taunton. Cox was picked to tour New Zealand last year but was forced out with a broken finger. James Rew inspired a Somerset recovery.
Josh Hull rearranged the stumps of Northamptonshire’s top three as Leicestershire cruised to their third win of the season and settled into their armchair at the top of Division Two. Chasing 289, Ricardo Vasconcelos, Luke Procter and James Sales all found their stumps flying within Hull’s first four overs, and Northants stumbled to 156 all out.
Ollie Price stepped into the huge boots of Wally Hammond and Charlie Barnett at Old Trafford, becoming only the third Gloucestershire batter to make a double century against Lancashire. His 253 not out, full of charming cover drives and neat pulls, kept the fielders on their toes on a pitch that had the home members muttering into their windbreakers. Price put on 203 with Miles Hammond (97), and got an affectionate pat from batting partner and older brother Tom when he passed 200. Tom Bailey was given a letter of warning before play by the ECB’s anti-corruption officer for inadvertently taking a mobile phone on to the field of play on Saturday, and will face an internal investigation by Lancashire.
Daniel Bell Drummond’s 223 put Kent in a strong position at Lord’s, Ben Brown made his first century as Hampshire captain at Southampton, Derbyshire avoided the follow on at Sophia Gardens and had Glamorgan wobbling at 15 for three.
Scores on the doors
DIVISION ONE
Southampton: Hampshire 429-7 v Durham 511
Taunton: Somerset 145 and 216-6 v Essex 206 and 259 Somerset need 105 to win
Headingley: Warwickshire 253 and 186-5 BEAT Yorkshire 205 and 232 by FIVE WICKETS
DIVISION TWO
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 431 and 132-5 v Derbyshire 350
Old Trafford: Lancashire 450 v Gloucestershire 589-8
Grace Road: Leicestershire 304 and 175 BEAT Northamptonshire 191 and 156 by 132 runs
Lord’s: Middlesex 238 and 81-3 v Kent 129 and 473 Middlesex need 284 to win
Preamble
Happy bank holiday Monday! For those not cleaning out the kitchen cupboard or on their way to the seaside – the County Championship awaits. Five games still in play – a thriller at Taunton, a slow-burn at Sophia Gardens, a fight for Middlesex at Lord’s, and two bore draws at Old Trafford and Southampton. We’ll be here all day, do drop by.
