Close of play scores
Division One
The Rose Bowl: Notts 185 and 146-6 v Hampshire 231
Canterbury: Kent 222 v Northants 117 and 47-2
Old Trafford: Surrey 442 v Lancashire 233-8
Lord’s: Essex 266 v Middlesex 170
Taunton: Somerset 269-8 v Warwickshire
Division Two
The County Ground, Derbyshire 321 v Worcestershire 331-6
Sophia Gardens: Gloucestershire 165 all out v Glamorgan 388-8
Hove: Sussex 332-9 v Durham 376
Headingley: Yorkshire 517 v Leicestershire 201-5
Thanks for all your messages today, till tomorrow, good night!
Roundup: Steel's 141 for Surrey frustrates Lancashire
On a Good Friday at Old Trafford, the spring sunshine tempting spectators nervously out of their coat sleeves, Surrey showed just why they won the Championship last year. First Cameron Steel crushed Lancashire hopes of wrapping up the tail quickly with 141 not out, his first first-class century since September 2018, an innings full of sparkle that at one point saw Matt Parkinson bowling with nine men on the boundary. Then a hungry attack, led by Sean Abbott’s four for 42, tickled away at Lancashire, who lost five for 38 after tea. Keaton Jennings’s 76 was the shining light.
Hampshire and Nottinghamshire continued their hand-to-hand fighting at the Rose Bowl. The hosts hauled themselves past Nottinghamshire’s 185 to a lead of 46, three wickets each to Dane Paterson, Luke Fletcher and Olly Stone. Haseeb Hameed and Ben Duckett made light work of the deficit, but Kyle Abbott grabbed three wickets for no runs to gut the middle order.
At Lord’s, Middlesex’s batters made the stage entrance of the season – four for four after three and a half overs; Sam Robson, Pieter Malan, Stevie Eskinazi and Mark Stoneman all in, and out, for ducks – against Essex. John Simpson and Ryan Higgins hauled Middlesex towards respectability but they were all out by stumps, trailing by 96. Jamie Porter took six for 35. At Taunton, Warwickshire’s winter signings – Ed Barnard, Hasan Ali and Chris Rushworth – were making short work of Somerset until an eighth-wicket stand between Lewis Gregory and Josh Davey restored some equilibrium.
An uncharacteristically pressed and folded 91 from Zak Crawley, over 171 balls, carried Kent past Northants. He muttered unhappily into his collar after giving a dolly with three figures in sight, and the Kent tail promptly collapsed; Chris Tremain taking five for 44.
At Headingley, Dawid Malan cantered to the second century of Yorkshire’s innings, finally out for 132 against Leicestershire, caught off England teammate Rehan Ahmed. Ahmed pocketed another couple, including Dom Bess for 49, as Yorkshire posted an intimidating 517.
As cream follows jam, Cheteshwar Pujara slipped into his Sussex whites and rolled out another century, his sixth in eight games, reaching it with three fours off Brydon Carse. Durham’s tail hadn’t lasted long, Nathan McAndrew finishing with five for 85. Glamorgan cantered past 300, a sprightly hundred for Kiran Carlson followed by a thoughtful one by Billy Root, Gloucestershire’s 165 disappearing through the back window. Jack Haynes and Brett D’Oliveira pushed Worcestershire stoutly past Derbyshire’s 321.
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And as Dane Vilas falls to the persistent Worrall, dragging onto his stumps, (Lancs 163-4) I must write up for first edition in a probably vain attempt to get to Manchester Cathedral in time for St John’s Passion. Do keep chatting BTL.
Hundred for Cheteshwar Pujara!
Like night follows day. At 105, he has nearly half Sussex’s 214-5 – 162 behind Durham.
Tea-time scores
Division One
The Rose Bowl: Notts 185 and 70-1v Hampshire 231
Canterbury: Kent 178-5 v Northants 117
Old Trafford: Surrey 442 v Lancashire 157-3
Lord’s: Essex 266 v Middlesex 53-5
Taunton: Somerset 128-5 v Warwickshire
Division Two
The County Ground, Derbyshire 321 v Worcestershire 152-4
Sophia Gardens: Gloucestershire 165 all out v Glamorgan 261-5
Hove: Sussex 189-4 v Durham 376
Headingley: Yorkshire 517 v Leicestershire 98-3
Selfishly disappointed not to be watching Hasan Ali run in at Old Trafford, but he’s picked up his first wicket for Warwicks, Kohler-Cadmore for 34. Somerset 128-5. Tea scores to follow.
100 for Kiran Carlson
A rapid-fire hundred for Glamorgan’s Carlson, who promised so much in 2021 and, cricinfo tells me, spent some of the winter playing for the Mid West Rhinos in the Logan cup. Glamorgan totally in control at Sophia Gardens, Hover cover forgetten, 257-5, a lead of 92.
Huge dancing, leaping appeals by Surrey as Jennings swats at an Abbott bouncer. Not a sniff.
At Taunton, Bancroft and Kohler-Cadmore have dragged Somerset towards solidity. Bancroft became Rushworth’s first wicket in a Warwickshire jumper for 44; Lammonby Barnard’s (it will take a while to get used to him not coming in and rescuing Worcestershire). Kohler-Cadmore still there on 30. And as I type, Barnard picks up a second, Bartlett for 13. Somerset 120-4.
Has batting like a dreamboat in Nottinghamshire’s second innings, five boundaries in his 23. Notts racing along to 42-0 off nine overs.
Croft swishes muscularly, but succeeds only in swishing a top edge to Kemar Roach at fine leg. Lancs 129-3. Big effort by Sean Abbott to persuade a short ball out of a featherbed.
Middlesex are now half way out – 26 for five, Holden caught by Harmer for the relative riches of eight. While at OT, fifty for Keaton Jennings, starting this season in the form of last. Lancs 122-2.
The game at the Rose Bowl has sprinted into the third innings. Hampshire all out 231, a more than handy but not game-changing lead of 46. Three wickets apiece for Stone, Fletcher and Paterson. Notts 7-0 in reply.
Bounty indeed – a boundary at Lord’s. An overpitched ball dispatched by Simpson. Middx 14-4.
Josh Bohannon has a rush of blood, after a promising, smart, innings of 32. Driven with panache, but flat feet, and straight to extra-cover. A wicket for Cameron Steel, 108-2.
Things haven’t got any better for Middlesex – now 4-4, four big fat ducks for Robson, Stoneman, Malan and Eskinazi. Porter 3-2; Sam Cook 1-2.
Four ducks at the top of the Middlesex order, and no run off the bat yet @tjaldred. Top class bowling from Cook and Porter, but I'm not sure it's quite that hard.
— Gary Naylor (@garynaylor999) April 7, 2023
Updated
Down in Division Two: Worcestershire steady as she blows, 96-2, Azhar Ali a second wicket for Sam Conners for 23. Jake Libby still there on 35.
Byrom (70) and Carlson (72) have cantered Glamorgan past Gloucestershire: 179-3. Pujara propping up Sussex, 44 not out in 113-4. Yorkies a huge 517 all out, centuries for Bean and Malan and 49 from Dom Bess. Three wickets for Finan and Rehan Ahmed. Leicestershire 14 without loss tomorrow – Rehan Ahmed down to bat at No. 7.
The pitch at Canterbury appears to have changed identity between innings. It’s the only possible explanation for Northants 117 v Kent 77-1.
— Lawrence Booth (@BoothCricket) April 7, 2023
Bold start by Middlesex – two for two in two balls.Pieter Malan and Sam Robson out to Jamie Porter to the first two delivers.
Let’s take a peek round the grounds: Jennings and Bohannon have shunted Lancs along to 60-1, carefully does it.
Helpful, if not overwhelming, contributions all the way down the order for Hampshire. Barker just out for a useful 19 – a second wicket for Olly Stone. Hants 215-8, a handy lead of 30 over Warwicks.
Zak Crawley has accidentally swallowed the antidote to Bazball: 24 from 80 balls. Bell-Drummond 16 not out, Kent 70-1, just 47 behind Northants.
Wow! Seven wickets for last year’s leading wicket-taker Toby Roland-Jones – Essex all out 266 at Lord’s. And Somerset have lost both their openers at Taunton, Cameron Bancroft, 25 not out, and Tom Kohler-Cadmore, who moved from Yorkshire over the winter, 12 not out.
Here’s a little plug for Ken Grime, who produces so many nuggets for this blog, and his book – a new limited edition of A Bibliography of Sir Neville Cardus. Stuffed with 1,499 entries (1,175 publications plus 324 entries in the appendix detailing his years in Australia between 1940-47) and they hope it will be a great source of information and aid future research into Cardus’ life and work. Available from www.max-books.co.uk
A stroll round OT. I can report that the sunshine is springlike, no more. Not enough to warm the red metal railings blocking off where the party stand will creak and groan later on this year. Wells caught at second slip by Pope, two-handed, diving to his left, which brings in Josh Bohannon with his street-fighter’s strut. It was last April that he made his 231 against Gloucestershire – though his season never really kicked on from that early promise.
A heart-warming sight at OT, where a huge circle of people are standing on the outfield to watch Saqib and Jimmy bowling.
A Good Friday treat for the crowds at Old Trafford: Saqib Mahmood and Jimmy Anderson in the sunshine. pic.twitter.com/l7Kyoj9tMM
— tanya aldred (@tjaldred) April 7, 2023
Lunchtime-ish scores
Division One
The Rose Bowl: Notts 185 all out v Hampshire 183-6
Canterbury: Kent 50--1 v Northants 117
Old Trafford: Surrey 442 v Lancashire 28-0
Lord’s: Essex 237-7 v Middlesex
Taunton: Somerset 42-1 v Warwickshire
Division Two
The County Ground, Derbyshire 321 v Worcestershire 64-1
Sophia Gardens: Gloucestershire 165 all out v Glamorgan 115-3
Hove: Sussex 76-2 v Durham 376
Headingley: Yorkshire 473-8 v Leicestershire
Saud Shakeel signs for Yorkshire
Visa issues sorted, Yorkshire confirm the signing of Saud Shakeel. He’ll be available for Yorkshire’s next game against Gloucestershire next week and play for another three games – with a possibility to extend. Shakeel was one of the stars of Pakistan’s line-up during England’s series, steady as she goes.
Cheteshwar Pujara already called into action at Hove, where Ali Orr was very unlucky to be run out by a Haines’ drive deflected off Ben Raine’s boot. Raine also picked up Haines for 11.
Jennings lucky to survive what would have been a very good catch by Sean Abbot at third slip. Still, it gets him off the mark.
Ali Orr run out backing up for the second County Championship innings in a row (seven months apart), which is maybe a first? https://t.co/WLZlH6YCzk
— Nick Friend (@NickFriend1) April 7, 2023
Updated
Roach, heavy gold chain round his neck sends down a tricky maiden, his third in succession. Jennings a careful 0 not out from 13 balls. Lancashire 11-0. 15 minutes till lunch.
Division Two: Derbyshire all out 321, Zak Chappell ninth man out just short of fifty. Waite 4-50. Worcestershire have meandered along to 28-0.
Glamorgan have lost van der Gugten (who took 5-26) for a 9-ball duck), Lloyd and Northeast for nine. 60-3.
Five wickets for McAndrew in Durham’s rapid-fire 376. Sussex’s Orr and Haines crafting a fine replay against Potts et al: 41-0.
And at Headingley, new Kent signing Matt Milnes is 71 not out and on course to join Malan and Bean in the century club. A second wicket for Rehan Ahmed. Yorks 430-6.
Got him! Worrall has a wild swing and is stumped for 18. Surrey 442 all out, Cam Steel a superb 141 not out. Lancs have about three quarters of an hour to see what they can do with Kemar Roach. Or what Kemar Roach can do with them…
Nine players on the rope after Steel smacks Parky for two sixes. Surrey now eight runs short of 450
Key event
Round the grounds in the first hour:
DIVISION ONE
At The Ageas Bowl, Hampshire creeping towards Nottinghamshire’s 185. Currently 138-5, though Middleton, who had been driving the van, has just been caught behind for 59
Kent’s Compton and Crawley have seen off four overs, 6-0, after Northant’s miserable 117.
Lancs pick up a bowling bonus point just in time, Kemar Roach caught behind, but it has been Surrey’s morning, now 411-9, Steel 128 not out.
Dan Lawrence out just past his hundred, for 105, lbw to Tom Helm at Lord’s. Essex 199-4.
And they’ve started at Taunton. Somerset won the toss and chose to bat – last year enough to strike fear into any west-country heart. Currently 6-0.
Hundreds for Dawid Malan and Dan Lawrence!
Hot cross buns in the press box and hundreds sprouting like spring daffs.
Dan Lawrence gets there with a stylish drive down the ground, Essex 196 for three.
Malan – well, he’s got there and got out, for a fantastic 132. A first wicket for England teammate Rehan Ahmed (7 overs for 52)
Updated
Northants are all out, but not before passing the hundred barrier. Bundled out for 117, Matthew Quinn 4-25 and on a hat-trick when he picks up the ball in Northant’s second innings. Right, Crawley and Compton – what can you do in 2023?
A hundred for Cam Steel!
A legside clip for four brings the hundred, a huge bear hug from Kemar Roach and a full balcony of applause from Surrey teammates.His first century, first fifty, since 2018.
Updated
For any new readers, this is a collected list of terms sometimes used by those chatting below the line here at CC Live! I don’t think it is exhaustive, but it might help if you’re completely befuddled.
A fabulous flick-thud from Cam Steel for six takes him to 98. Kemar Roach his partner.
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And another wicket, this time here at OT, Abbott, after some biffing last night, to a pretty plumb lbw. Bailey picks up his fourth. Surrey 348-8.
Updated
Northants definitely wobbling towards a two-figure total. Sales lbw to the second ball of the morning for five. Northants 89 for eight.
The players are out at Old Trafford and I’ve just spotted a couple of eternal optimists sitting under the Point in shirt sleeves.
And as if by magic, something lovely to read on cricket in April.
Re Marcus Harris's comments @tjaldred, there is an art to dealing with cricket in April...
— Gary Naylor (@garynaylor999) April 7, 2023
https://t.co/8YDXeHcRTY
Marcus Harris on Gloucestershire’s steady crawl yesterday and the challenges of April cricket:
“It was on and off with the weather. We weren’t too sure what to make of the wicket this morning, I’ve never played here before so I am not sure what it is supposed to look like. 165 is probably a little bit under what we should have got in the end, going into tea we were two for 70 so I think maybe 220 or 240 was probably par. But there is definitely enough there in the wicket if we bowl well.
“There is no grass on it at all really, but there is moisture in the wicket all day with the way the overheads were and the rain, so I think the challenge for them today was to keep the ball dry, I am not sure what that is going to like tomorrow with the weather but that was enough there all day with the seamers.”
This spring sunshine is so delicious. One of the photographers who spent yesterday on the boundary told me that the players were constantly asking for hand warmers, and that Parky seems to suffer the most from cold fingers.
Updated
Play at Taunton!
Toss at 11:30 with a noon start. 88 overs in day with lunch at 13:30.
Updated
News of sorts from Taunton:
UPDATE: There will be a further inspection at 10:30am but the umpires are optimistic about some play today #WeAreSomerset #SOMvWAR
— Somerset Cricket 🏏 (@SomersetCCC) April 7, 2023
Thursday's round-up
A possibly slightly confusingly combination of Ali’s match report from Lord’s and a round up from the grounds.
Scores on the doors
Division One
The Rose Bowl: Notts 185 all out v Hampshire 119-3
Canterbury: Kent v Northants 89-7
Old Trafford: Surrey 340-7 v Lancashire.
Lord’s: Essex 162-3 v Middlesex
Taunton: Somerset v Warwickshire, no play possible today, wet outfield.
Division Two
The County Ground, Derbyshire 300-8 v Worcestershire
Sophia Gardens: Gloucestershire 165 all out v Glamorgan 4-0
Hove: Sussex v Durham 352-7
Headingley: Yorkshire 285-3 v Leicestershire
Hello, and a happy Good Friday to you all. It’s day two, the sun is out, and round the grounds young, and slightly more grizzelled, men are warming up in sports leggings and bobble hats. We’ve had our first century and our first five-fer, perhaps today will bring our first team bundled out for under a hundred (here’s looking at your Northamptonshire). Time for a coffee and a quick five minutes in the warm.
