That’s it from me for today, till tomorrow – good night!
Close of play scores
County championship roundup
Woke up. Padded up, twice. Faced seven balls. Got a pair. Such was poor Billy Godleman’s day, as Derbyshire drove at speed towards certain defeat against Durham after being bowled out for 165 in 34.3 overs then, following on, had lost four wickets with 70 on the board. Matthew Potts and Ben Raine cantered to three wickets each in the first innings, Brydon Carse grabbed two to go with a maiden first-class century. It was only a 10th-wicket partnership of 68 between Luis Reece (56) and Sam Conners that hauled Derby into three figures. That came to an end when Matt Parkinson, on loan from Lancashire, had Conners stumped going for a dirty swipe.
Marnus Labuschagne collected his first Glamorgan fifty of the year at Grace Road. It was twitchy at times but contained some delicious drives, as he and Eddie Byrom guided Glamorgan away from losing David Lloyd to the second ball of the innings. Earlier, Leicestershire had passed 400, with both 18-year-old Rehan Ahmed, and Peter Handscomb, falling in the 90s. Ahmed cover drove the first ball of the day for four, he and Handscomb made an endearing couple chewing the cud between overs in matching green helmets, one rangy like a leek, one cuddly like a peach. Timm van der Gugten snatched six wickets.
They finally got on the pitch after lunch at Bristol, after a first-day washout. It was slow-going, Tom Alsop made 67 for Sussex, putting on 100 with Chesteshwar Pujara, who was composing a slow symphony, and reached 99 not out at stumps.
In Division One, Tim Murtagh deadheaded Kent’s second dig by dismissing Zak Crawley and Daniel Bell-Drummond with the first two balls of the innings. Ryan Higgins had earlier helped Middlesex to a first-innings lead of 43. There were four wickets for Wes Agar. And Surrey built a first-innings lead against Warwickshire.
Updated
So with Derbyshire 32-2 following on, Marnus and Byrom close to half-centuries at Grace Road, Pujara composing a slow symphony at Bristol, Ben Foakes leading the Surrey resistance and Higgins hauling Middlesex towards Kent, time for me to write up for first edition. BTL is, of course, always open.
After a hard-fought afternoon session at Edgbaston the visitors have gone into tea on 120 for four, just 30 runs behind. Ben Foakes, 31 not out, has been chiselling away nicely at one end, albeit after surviving a drop on 12 when Ed Barnard found his edge but Michael Burgess was unable to hold a low one-handed catch. Foakes himself would have fancied it. One breakthrough for the Bears, with local favourite Oliver Hannon-Dalby nicking off Ryan Patel as he tried to advance down the pitch. In a running theme of the match it’s been a diet of right-arm fast medium, without a single over of spin so far. The talented Jamie Smith is out there with Foakes now, or rather he was before they all toddled off for some keto bars and isotonic suspensions.
Haider Ali improves slightly on his first innings duck – but not by much. Derbys now 7-2.
Poor Billy Godleman. Woke up. Went to the ground. Padded up. Twice. Faced seven balls, scored no runs, lbw Raine x 2. Derbys 1-1 following on.
Fifty for Luis Reece, a first Durham wicket for Parky, Derby out for 165
From the pit of despair, emerges Lewis Reece, the soil of Derbyshire falling from his mighty shovel. He and Conners (29 not out) have added 68 for the last wicket. Ah, but no more, as Parkinson Matt has Conners stumped for 29. His first Durham wicket.
.@mattyparky96 with his first Durham wicket & Derbyshire are 165ao (trailing by 287)#ForTheNorth pic.twitter.com/3fUkUJklGy
— Durham Cricket (@DurhamCricket) April 28, 2023
Tea time-ish scores
Division One
Lord’s: Middlesex 122-6 v Kent 186
Edgbaston: Warwicks 150 v Surrey 98-3
Division Two
Chester-le-Street: Durham 452-9 v Derbyshire 143-9
Bristol: Gloucestershire v Sussex 138-2
Grace Road: Leicestershire 407 v Glamorgan 63-1
Ahead of tea, Glamorgan are pulling down the shutters, Labuschagne and Byrom together: 59 for one.
A leading edge from Aitchison, and mid-off reaches out to pocket the catch on the run. A second for Carse, only an hour or two after completing his maiden first-class hundred. Derbyshire 104-9, and I’m not convinced this game will make day three.
Fifty for Tom Alsop
Nicely done, walking out at nine for one Pujara’s 12 not out has come off 65 balls – and eight of those came in boundaries. Sussex 118-2 at Bristol.
Like a spoonful of tiramisu at a sun-dappled cafe in Rome.
Marnus driving gloriously 😮💨
— Glamorgan Cricket 🏏 (@GlamCricket) April 28, 2023
Glamorgan 36/1 (trail by 371)
𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲 👉 https://t.co/7JL2FLJJ61#GoGlam | #LEIvGLAM pic.twitter.com/z5BzHlxKUq
Raf on the Hundred, and what scrapping it might mean for the women’s game. Here is the link to her research, which is well worth a look.
How can the Women's Hundred "remain untouched" if they scrap the Men's? What does that even look like?
— Raf Nicholson (@RafNicholson) April 28, 2023
I find it amazing that people can simultaneously hate The Hundred but believe it's been great for women's cricket. I have never understood how those 2 positions are compatible.
Updated
Derbyshire lose a seventh; Middlesex – amateurs! – just five down.
... and just like that, Burns is out lbw to Chris Rushworth for 32 offering no shot. Surrey 60 for three, with Ben Foakes moonwalking out to the middle.
Key event
Rory Burns has met fresh air a couple of times but he’s playing a very useful knock here, pushing singles and staying busy as that mane of long brown hair flows behind him. The Surrey skipper has pushed the score to 56 for two and has Ryan Patel alongside him, the No4 having earlier been handed a life on three when he was put down at slip.
Guessing from the reaction he didn't nick it https://t.co/QOyyPwxRZ0
— Ali Martin (@Cricket_Ali) April 28, 2023
Labuschagne, a big red 33 on his back, plays a simple flick which he decorates with a jig and a twist. Hope you really did scamper to Grace Road – Labuschagne was in second ball after David Lloyd was caught for a two-ball duck.
Oh dear, dear Derbyshire. Now 49 for six. du Plooy lbw for 20. Three for Raine, three for Potts.
Make that 62 for four at Lord’s, a second wicket for Grant Stewart to go with his sparky 44 not out.
And Peter Handscomb is the second Leicestershire batter to fall in the nineties, last man out for the Foxes, who have gathered 407 runs around their skirts. Six wickets to the impressively energetic Timm van der Gugten. Roll up to Grace Road at haste if you want to watch some pre-Ashes Marnus Labuschagne.
Middlesex’s openers seem to be over their worst collapses – 47 for three riches compared to the first couple of games. Eskinazi and Holden rebuilding. And that sobbing sound coming from the Derbyshire supporters at Chester-le-Street? A third wicket for Matthew Potts: Derby 35-5.
It hasn’t been a great 27 hours for Derbyshire. Rattled all over the place by the Durham batters, now splattered all over the place by the Durham bowlers. Still, 31 for four is quite the improvement from 6 for four after three overs. Two for Raine, two for Potts. du Plooy and Lamb now applying the cold compress to the Derbyshire faithful.
What a start for @DurhamCricket!
— LV= Insurance County Championship (@CountyChamp) April 28, 2023
They've taken four early Derbyshire wickets, including two beauties from Matthew Potts#LVCountyChamp pic.twitter.com/bl7IkhLGVA
Updated
Time for some Pujara magic at Bristol, where Sussex added only eleven runs before losing Ali Orr to Zafar. Another catch for Bracey who seems to have taken a lot* of catches this season. Sussex 71-2.
*will dig around for the stats
All five games are in play - (though they’re lunching at Edgbaston).
Ollie Pope the latest to depart at Edgbaston and there’s a case to say he was personally eight for two. Chris Rushworth saw a very strong lbw shout declined when England’s No3 was yet to score but now his replacement, Hassan Ali, has avenged this, a full, straight and zippity quick ball thundering into the front pad and prompting that dynamite celebration. Great bowling. Surrey 27 for two after 14 overs.
Time to grab some quick lunch, in better spirits than Derbyshire who conceded 452, then lasted five balls before losing their first wicket.
Four new non-executive directors join the ECB
Penny Avis, Baroness Zahida Manzoor CBE, Jennifer Owen Adams and Gareth Williams have all been appointed as Non-Executive Directors to the ECB Board.
The three-year appointments follow the death of Brenda Trenowden CBE, in August 2022, and a number of current Board members stepping down at the AGM in May.
Penny Avis, currently the Senior Independent Director at the PGA European Tour, and Baroness Manzoor, Chair of the Financial Ombudsman Service, will become Independent Non-Executive Directors. Jennifer Owen Adams, currently Chair of Cricket Wales, and Gareth Williams, Chair of Glamorgan County Cricket Club, join as Cricket Non-Executive Directors.
Lunchtime scores
Division One
Lord’s: Middlesex 35-1 v Kent 186
Edgbaston: Warwicks 150 v Surrey 26-1
Division Two
Chester-le-Street: Durham 452-9 v Derbyshire 0-1
Bristol: Gloucestershire v Sussex 47-1 inspection at 1.20pm
Grace Road: Leicestershire 373-7 v Glamorgan
Andrew Strauss leaves the ECB
Sir Andrew Strauss is standing down as Strategic Adviser to the ECB Board and Chair of the Performance Cricket Committee. He took up the Board role in September 2020, and was also interim Managing Director of England Men’s Cricket between February and May 2022. He was Director of England Cricket for three and a half years until October 2018, and in charge of last year’s “Strauss Review” which looked into the future of the game in the UK . Most of his conclusions were taken on board but the more controversial suggestions, re the future of the county game, were recently said to be “dead in the water.”
“Andrew has given outstanding service to English cricket over many years in a number of different roles,” said the ECB chair Richard Thompson. “I’ve greatly valued the advice and expertise he has provided in my time as Chair, and have enjoyed working with him. We are currently implementing the vast majority of recommendations from his impressive High Performance Review, which I believe will help our England Men’s teams to sustain their success. I have no doubt he has much more to contribute to the game and hope he will return in the future.”
Strauss said: “I’ve really enjoyed my time at the ECB and am proud of having contributed to a successful period for our England teams. With increasing commitments outside of the organisation, sadly I’ve decided it’s time to step away from my current role. I wish the new Board all the very best as it continues in its mission to grow our game.”
... and Dom Sibley is caught at first slip off Chris Rushworth. Surrey 12 for one....
A good few oohs and aahs, a couple of stifled lbw shouts, but Rory Burns and Dom Sibley are holding firm against the new ball at Edgbaston. Sibley is looking a lot tighter these days, hands closer to the body when he sets up and the bat no longer hovering so mechanically in his back lift.
Surrey and Middlesex to raise money for Dravet Syndrome
The two London clubs will come together to support Surrey’s Matt Dunn and his family during the Championship match at The Oval, 11-14 May.
Matt, his wife Jessica and their family, are fundraising throughout May in memory of their daughter Florence, who died, aged just two, at the beginning of March. Florence lived with Dravet Syndrome, a rare form of epilepsy.
The family will cover 5k each day in May, to raise awareness and funds for Dravet Syndrome UK. On the first day of the Championship match, Dunn and a team of runners will head from Lord’s to The Oval, arriving in front of the Micky Stewart Members’ Pavilion during lunch.
Dunn will be presented with signed commemorative caps worn by every member of the starting XI from both sides, that will be auctioned to raise funds.
Matt and Jessica Dunn said: “We’re incredibly grateful to the cricket family for the support we have received over the last few weeks. As an enduring legacy we feel passionately about raising funds for families who are living through the same traumas as we did.
“With hope for a more positive future for families and individuals battling Dravet Syndrome. With the recent breakthroughs regarding genetic therapies and other current research being done there is certainly potential for an exciting future.”
Surrey are partnering with Dravet Syndrome UK to increase awareness of the condition. The charity is dedicated to improving the lives of those affected by Dravet Syndrome through support, education and medical research. They supported Florence, and the Dunn family, throughout her life with the condition.
Dravet Syndrome is a rare neurological condition that occurs in around one in every 15,000 births in the UK. As well as experiencing severe, difficult-to-control seizures, children and adults with Dravet Syndrome have varying degrees of intellectual disability and a spectrum of associated conditions (known as ‘comorbidities’), which may include autism, ADHD, behaviours that challenge and difficulties with speech, mobility, eating and sleep.
Donate to the Dunn family’s fundraising for Dravet Syndrome UK here.
A hundred for Brydon Carse and a Durham declaration
Leicestershire’s No. 7 didn’t reach three figures, but Durham’s does. Congratulations to Brydon Carse on his first first-class hundred, following 91 last week. Maxiumum batting points for Durham, and a declaration just before lunch.
How could I have forgotten that Chris Woakes would be opening the bowling for Warwickshire against his olde England teammates? A run each for Burns and Sibley off his first over.
A change of innings at Edgbaston, where Warwicks have been bowled out for a pitiful 150. Hassan Ali, your time is now.
A slippy over this from Michael Neser, as three outswingers fizz past the outside of Handscomb’s bat. A maiden. And, oh fiddlesticks, that’s Ahmed gone, lbw to TVDG – his fifth wicket. Ahmed looks wistfully behind him as he walks off, and plays the shot he should have made. Ahmed 90, the partnership 177.
Rehan Ahmed slips into the nineties, though not without a few wafts through the slips. Deserved reward this for Leicestershire supporters who have sat through so many days in unwanted pursuit of the wooden spoon.
And Mousley holes out trying to larrup Worrall over mid-wicket. Out walks the unmistakable figure of Olly Hannon-Dalby in his 100th first-class match, offering a typically straight forward defensive first up. Warwickshire nine down.
Thanks so much to Jamesofwalsh BTL for this on the spot reporting from Lord’s, which deserves its place in the sun:
At Lord’s where there’s loads of primary school kids from local schools. Some are having a running chat with Max Holden whenever he fields down here. Exchanges included:
Child: “Are you an all rounder?”
Max: “a batter.”
Child: “*I’m* an all-rounder.”
Child: “Can I have your hat?”
Max: “It’s the only one I’ve got”
Child: “is Mark Stoneman your best friend?”
*Stoneman comes over to swap with Holden at the end of the over*
Max: “you should be asking him for his autograph, he played for England”.
I reckon one of the kids has Stoneman’s autograph about eight times…
Hello Tanya and team from Edgbaston, where a cool damp morning has been replaced by watery sunshine in time for a delayed 12pm start. Surrey are hunting the final two Warwickshire wickets, young Dan Mousley (55 not out) is out there trying to push the score - currently 143 for eight - towards the 200 mark, with Chris Rushworth for company. Looks a much better batting day, compared to the murk yesterday. And as I type that Kemar Roach misses what would have been his second return catch, with a couple of bites at the cherry and a tumbling dive. Great effort.
Dan Mousley’s fifty was the bright spark in Warwickshire’s innings yesterday, but he only has Rushworth and Hannon-Dalby to prop up his efforts. They retake the field at Edgbaston.
More games about to spring into action: Warwickshire v Surrey restarts at noon, Durham v Derbyshire at 12.15. Which leaves Gloucestershire v Sussex prowling around in the puddles.
Enjoying watching Ahmed and Handscomb chewing the cud at Grace Road, matching green helmets, one rangy like a leek, the other cuddly like a peach, one 18, one 32. And here comes the new ball, Leics 313-5.
Ben Compton goes, b Bamber for 52, and with it you’ve got to think Kent’s chances of a batting point. Now 152-7, although the man with the film star name, Grant Stewart, is not out on 32.
Fifty for Peter Handscombe too at Grace Road, where people pluckier than I have settled in the green seats in their anorak and gloves. Leics 300-5.
Ben Compton plugs, plugs, plugs away, now 163 balls, for his 48 not out. Kent creeping towards 150, now 136-6
They haven’t lost hope at Bristol – inspection at 12.30.
Fifty for Rehan Ahmed!
Tasty start to the day:
𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐲...𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝. 📦
— Leicestershire CCC 🏏 (@leicsccc) April 28, 2023
Ahmed (42*) wastes no time in getting underway this morning, driving confidently through the covers for four. 💪
LEI 245/5
🦊#LEIvGLA pic.twitter.com/sHE4iXjbxg
We have action in two games – at Lord’s, where Kent have to try and climb out of a very big hole, and at Grace Road where Rehan Ahmed is at the crease.
Inspection at 11.45 at The Riverside
A damp morning delaying things at Chester-le-Street.
Take your time getting to Edgbaston
A delayed start at Edgbaston, where the Champs are well on top of Warwickshire, inspection at 11.15.
Some reading with your elevenses:
Inspection at 11am at Bristol
And the rain, and its after effects, continues t0 fall on Gloucestershire.
The Hundred
Some murmuring this morning about the fate of everyone*s favourite competition.
not everyone
Lots of chat behind the scenes right now about English domestic cricket, but one scenario - outlined here - is that the men’s Hundred becomes a T20 tournament, with possible involvement from the National (formerly Minor) Counties https://t.co/TUWEaA9GPu
— Lawrence Booth (@BoothCricket) April 28, 2023
"Change could be in the air in English cricket after it emerged that discussions on the future of the Hundred are ongoing" | @GeorgeDobell1https://t.co/qYnjmQencc
— The Cricketer (@TheCricketerMag) April 27, 2023
Preamble
Good morning! Apologies about the delayed start, the dog decided to burrow to Australia while damp and needed a full hosing down. Weather is better today, so fingers crossed for more action round the grounds.
Thursday's round up
On a day so grey and dank that it shuffled along in a dripping gaberdine coat, swathes of rain orchestrated when and where cricket would be played.
At Edgbaston, with floodlights on, Kemar Roach rolled up his sleeves and laid into the Warwickshire batting. Two early wickets were topped off with a super caught-and-bowled to dismiss Michael Burgess for a duck. The rest of Surrey’s bowling was nearly as impressive and only 55 from Dan Mousley kept them at bay. Jordan Clark grabbed two wickets in two balls, including Chris Woakes for a sprightly 27, but Chris Rushworth played out the hat-trick ball before rain returned with Warwickshire 143 for 8.
Ben Compton’s long-suffering 38 not out was the only ballast in Kent’s innings against Middlesex. Ethan Bamber took three for 26 and the player manager, Tim Murtagh, picked up two, including Zak Crawley for 11.
In Division Two, Alex Lees got Durham off to their now-typical cantering start against Derbyshire at Chester-le-Street, with 45 at less than a run-a-ball, but the bouquets went to Ollie Robinson – who scored his first hundred for Durham since moving from Kent during the winter.
It was an innings of beautiful timing, sweet with straight drives. Brydon Carse, fresh from his heroics against Glamorgan last week, was unbeaten on 77 when bad light stopped play. Matt Parkinson, on loan from Lancashire to fill in for the injured Australian leg-spinner Matthew Kuhnemann, made his Durham debut.
Leicestershire could be pleased with their work after being put into bat by Glamorgan at Grace Road. There were four wickets for Timm van der Gugten, from a 17-over slog, but Peter Handscomb and Rehan Ahmed stitched together an unbeaten 73 for the sixth wicket.
The rain fell early at Bristol, where only 16 overs were possible, with Gloucestershire. Sussex were asked to bat, Ali Orr’s unbeaten 31 the only bright spot on the day as they reached 47 for one.
Scores on the doors
Division One
Lord’s: Middlesex v Kent 113-6
Edgbaston: Warwicks 143-8
Division Two
Chester-le-Street: Durham 410-8 v Derbyshire
Bristol: Gloucestershire v Sussex 47-1 inspection at 11am
Grace Road: Leicestershire 241-5 v Glamorgan
