Share<\/a><\/p>\n Rain is spoiling things in Div 2. In Div 1:<\/p>\n Paul Walter is glueing Essex<\/a> back together, 52 not out, in Essex\u2019s 85-3.<\/p>\n Things are ticking along nicely for Notts at Trent Bridge- Clarke 119 not out, Notts 217-3.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t jinx him but Rishi Patel is a boundary away from a hundred at The Oval, Leics 239-2.<\/p>\n Three wickets for Hudson-Prentice at Hove, Warwicks 71-4, lead by 134.<\/p>\n Rain at Headingley, with Hampshire<\/a> 46-0, lead Yorks by 120.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Covers back on at OT.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Not an ideal start for Kent. Zak Crawley is still there, but he\u2019s lost Ben Compton (6) and Sam Northeast for a duck in his first game back at Canterbury. Kent<\/a> 27-2, 657 behind.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>100 for Joe Clarke<\/p>\n Off just 122 balls. Notts lead already 374 over Glamorgan<\/a>.<\/p>\n While at The Oval, Jake Weatherald was cut off four short of three figures, caught behind off Topley for 96. Leicestershire<\/a> 213-1. Rishi Patel 75 not out.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Twenty-three overs from 5.10, say the umps, as the groundstaff pull the covers off at OT.<\/p>\n As the press box twiddle their thumbs waiting for the restart, conversation turns to Red Rum and it turns out he did his first turn as a retired horse<\/a> with a celebrity appearance at Leigh Cricket Club. Start the video at about 16 mins.<\/p>\n Red Rum: celebrity appearance at Leigh. Photograph: Dave Thompson\/PAShare<\/a><\/p>\n It\u2019s throwing it down here at OT but there\u2019s a patch of blue up there somewhere. Think they\u2019ll probably get back on.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Essex are faltering, Benkenstein and Allison following Elgar back into the pavilion. Essex 53-3, trail Somerset<\/a> by 144.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Skies are filthy at OT and the groundstaff are pulling on extra covers.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Tea-timeish scores<\/p>\n DIVISION ONE<\/p>\n Chelmsford: Essex 149 and 36-1 v Somerset<\/a> 348<\/p>\n Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire<\/a> 279 and 189-3 v Glamorgan 113<\/p>\n The Oval: Surrey 520 v Leicestershire<\/a> 194-1<\/p>\n Hove: Sussex 204 v Warwickshire<\/a> 267 and 25-3<\/p>\n Headingley: Yorkshire 177 v Hampshire<\/a> 251 and 13-0<\/p>\n DIVISION TWO<\/p>\n Bristol: Gloucestershire<\/a> 39-2 v Durham 605-5dec<\/p>\n Canterbury: Kent 10-0 v Northamptonshire<\/a> 684-2dec<\/p>\n Old Trafford: Lancashire 351 v Derbyshire<\/a> 187-3<\/p>\n Lord\u2019s: Middlesex 183 v Worcestershire<\/a> 191 and 134-1<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Northants declare on 684-2 and make history<\/p>\n Philip from the office nudges me to report that with McSweeney\u2019s 101, Northants\u2019 top four all make hundreds for the first time in history: Vasconcelos 127, Procter 261 not out, Harrison 153, McSweeney 101 not out. Kent<\/a> are 7-0 afer three overs.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a011.20 EDT<\/p>\n In Division One:<\/p>\n At The Oval: Jake Weatherald continues to have fun with CC bowlers as Leicestershire<\/a> put Surrey to the sword \u2013 151-0 from 35 overs.<\/p>\n Yorkshire are all out at Headingley for 177 \u2013 four wickets each for Abbott and Baker. Not much to shout about for Yorkshire other than 76 for Lyth and 40 for Revis. Hampshire\u2019s first-innings lead 76.<\/p>\n Somerset are finally out for 348, COverton 141. Three wickets each for Porter, Cook and Snater. And Jack Leach is making mischief in Essex\u2019s second innings, Elgar caught in his first over. Essex 29-1.<\/p>\n At Hove, Sussex<\/a> all out 204, pumped up by 39 each from Carson and Robinson. Warwicks lead was 263, now a bit more with Warwicks 19-1, Davies c and b Hudson-Prentice 7.<\/p>\n Notts are crushing Glamorgan<\/a> at Trent Bridge, Slater 64 not out, Joe Clarke 94 not out. Notts 172-2, lead by 338.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n A double teapot from Jimmy Anderson after some pantomime fielding brings four overthrows\u2013 but next ball he nips out Came for 83. Derbys 152-3.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Luke Procter 240 not out and still going<\/p>\n A quick dart around the grounds: Division Two.<\/p>\n Luke Procter still going at Canterbury, a whopping 240 not out, Nathan McSweeney 78 not out in 643-2.<\/p>\n Rain at Bristol: Gloucestershire<\/a> 10-1 and a mountain (595) to climb.<\/p>\n Back on at OT: Derbyshrie 138-s, trail by 213.<\/p>\n Lord\u2019s: Worcestershire<\/a> making a much better fist of their second innings, 102-0, Dan Lategan 64 not out.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Beat this, Derbyshire\u2019s David Griffin has missed three days of cricket this century and nothing since went to see Bruce Springsteen at Wembley at 28 June 2009.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a010.17 EDT<\/p>\n And here comes the rain and the covers.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Flood lights on at OT and the skies menacing. Paul Edwards tells me that Mitch Stanley bowled a superb spell from the James Anderson End this morning. Derbyshire<\/a> 136-2, Harry Came 71 not out.<\/p>\n James Anderson in familiar flight. Photograph: George Franks\/ProSports\/ShutterstockShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a010.02 EDT<\/p>\n Rain at Headingley<\/p>\n With Yorks 157-7. In other news, I\u2019ve finally found my press pass (under the newspaper) so heading to Old Trafford now, back in ten mins.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Craig Overton is finally out for 141, what a cracking (stand in) captain\u2019s innings. He gets a bottom pat from Will Smeed and a standing ovation from the crowd. Somerset<\/a> 330-7 and quickly 330-8 as Smeed helps Sam Cook round the corner and into Pepper\u2019s gloves.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Trouble at\u2019 mill, Kyle Abbott slicing through Yorkshire<\/a>. He\u2019s sent back Lyth (76), Revis and Hill since lunch. Yorks 153-7.<\/p>\n Post-lunch wickets: Kyle Abbott. Photograph: Dave Vokes\/ShutterstockShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a009.32 EDT<\/p>\n 150s for Luke Procter and Calvin Harrison!<\/p>\n Time to poke our head in at Canterbury, where Northampton continue to pile on the pain. Calvin Harrison was finally out for 153, but Procter is unbeaten on 175. Some painful-looking bowling figures, though Muyeye has a respectable 12-2-33-0. Northants 503-2.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Interesting musing on the Australian women\u2019s team captaincy with the World Cup fast approaching.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n It seems unlikely that the game at Lord\u2019s will stretch into day four. Middlesex were all out in a hurry for 183, eight runs short of Worcestershire\u2019s total (Hannon-Dalby 4-45). Worcs are now 21-0 in their second innings.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a009.10 EDT<\/p>\n Rain at Bristol<\/p>\n Gloucestershire\u2019s Nos two and three take welcome shelter from the storm, Glos a mere 595 behind Durham.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Jake Weatherald said during the last round that he was finding the lower bounce of English wickets, or at least Grace Road, a tricky adjustment: \u201cIt doesn\u2019t suit my square drives and cuts as much. It\u2019s about trying to find different ways to score and put pressure back on the bowlers, which is what I\u2019m probably good at.\u201d<\/p>\n He\u2019s finding The Oval quite kind, at least at the moment \u2013 five fours in his 25 not out. Leics 49-0.<\/p>\n A view of play from the pavilion at the Oval. Photograph: John Mallett\/ProSports\/ShutterstockShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a009.11 EDT<\/p>\n Adam Lyth (64) and Matthew Revis (40) have been rebuilding at Southampton after Baker\u2019s burst last night. Yorks, between the showers, 129-4.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a008.53 EDT<\/p>\n Jack Carson batted really well at Grace Road last week and Sussex<\/a> need him, and Robinson, to graft another hundred or so runs at Hove. Sussex 135-8, still 132 behind Warwicks, who have shared the wickets around. Bamber the pick, 3-32.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>100 for Craig Overton<\/p>\n Overton celebrates yesterday\u2019s birthday with a century \u2013 his second for Somerset<\/a> in the CC and very happy he look too. Somerset 270-6.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>“It’s a very special day”<\/p>\n Belatedly, Ben McKinney\u2019s post-match thoughts from last night, courtesy of the reporter\u2019s network:<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a very special day for me and my family. My dad will be on the phone soon, saying it\u2019s all because of him!<\/p>\n \u201cThere was a lot of moisture in the wicket from the readings and we were actually going to bowl first too. It looked as though that would be the right decision.<\/p>\n \u201cYou never know until play starts. Getting off to a quick start with the short boundary on one side was good and from their it was pretty much plain sailing.<\/p>\n \u201cAlex Lees is great to bat with. He keeps me grounded and looking to go big, while later \u2018Bedders\u2019 came in and made batting look ridiculously easy.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is plenty of experience around me and I am still learning. In terms of maintaining concentration throughout a day, it was the best I have played.<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t know I was the youngest player to make a double hundred for Durham<\/a>, but if that\u2019s right it\u2019s a great stat and I\u2019ll take it.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Lunchtime scores<\/p>\n DIVISION ONE<\/p>\n Chelmsford: Essex 149 v Somerset<\/a> 264-6<\/p>\n Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire<\/a> 279 and 25-2 v Glamorgan 113<\/p>\n The Oval: Surrey 520 v Leicestershire<\/a> 28-0<\/p>\n Hove: Sussex 130-7 v Warwickshire<\/a> 267<\/p>\n Headingley: Yorkshire 125-4 v Hampshire<\/a> 251 still in play<\/p>\n DIVISION TWO<\/p>\n Bristol: Gloucestershire<\/a> 4-1 v Durham 605-5dec<\/p>\n Canterbury: Kent v Northamptonshire<\/a>474-2 still in play<\/p>\n Old Trafford: Lancashire 351 v Derbyshire<\/a> 65-1<\/p>\n Lord\u2019s: Middlesex 179-9 v Worcestershire<\/a> 191 still in play<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a008.09 EDT<\/p>\n Overton doesn\u2019t get to his second f-c century, and must lunch on 98 not out. Companion Smeed 17 not out. Somerset<\/a> 262-6, a cracking recovery from 16-3. Lunchtime scores around the grounds to follow.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Craig Overton has one over to get the three runs he needs for a century. Somerset<\/a> 262-6.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n After dismissing Glamorgan for 113 (four wickets each for Brett Hutton and Fergus O\u2019Neill), Notts are indulging themselves with a pre-prandial implosion. HH follows his 0 in the first innings with 2 in the second, before Ben Duckett is run out heading for an over-eager single. The throw by injury sub Sean Dickson. Notts 9-2.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a007.56 EDT<\/p>\n This is worth a read at lunch \u2013 a depressing deep-dive <\/a>by Steve Menary and Jack Kerr on how gambling companies linked to pornography access live data from women\u2019s cricket.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a007.58 EDT<\/p>\n Surrey are finally all out for 520 \u2013 Jordan Clark last man, caught for 71. I fear here for Leicestershire<\/a>, but they\u2019ve made it safely through the first two overs: 4-0. May they have swallowed the lessons of the first game against Sussex and restrain their inner bazball \u2013 at least to start with.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n One of the Essex slip fielders \u2013 Harmer I think \u2013 has pulled his snood up in such a way that only his eyes are showing. Slow trudge this morning at at chilly Chelmsford. Big-hitting Will Smeed a steady-eddie on his first-class debut, two not out off 20 balls. Somerset<\/a> 221-6.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a007.29 EDT<\/p>\n Gary Naylor wisely strokes his beard after the first round of games:<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n The weather in Manchester is frisking around but there\u2019s still play at OT, where Derbyshire<\/a> have built back after losing a wicket to yesterday\u2019s last ball. Derbyshire 37-1, 314 behind.<\/p>\n Lancashire pair Tom Hartley and Paul Coughlin remove a sign blown on to the field at Old Trafford. Photograph: George Franks\/ProSports\/ShutterstockShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a007.24 EDT<\/p>\n Will Smeed makes his first-class debut<\/p>\n After a semi-epic super-sub trip from Abergavenny. And he is dropped on nought at first slip by Dean Elgar, who fumbles it in the tummy region. Shane Snater slumps back to his mark. Somerset<\/a> 213-6, lead Essex by 64.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Glamorgan have suffered a major Saturday morning malfunction, stuttering from 81 for four to 91 for eight. Fergus \u2018Neill four for 14.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>McKinney finally out for 244<\/p>\n At Hove, some action. Two wickets in an over for Ethan Bamber, Haines for 32 and Clark for a three ball duck. Sussex 63-2.<\/p>\n McKinney has just slapped Taylor for two sixes in an over at Bristol. But no more bounty, he is caught off Craig Miles for 244. The seventh highest score by a Durham<\/a> player, Durham\u2019s youngest double centurion. Nice way to start the season.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>100 for David Bedingham!<\/p>\n Sorry about the chaotic start this morning, all tech now working and I will hotfoot it to Old Trafford at lunchtime. Just turned on the (wobbly) stream from Bristol in time to see David Bedingham reach his 17th cenutry for Durham<\/a> \u2013 126 balls. McKinney still there on 231, records dancing in his head. Durham 507-2.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a006.39 EDT<\/p>\n Weather watch<\/p>\n A delayed start at Headingley, but we have play everywhere else round the grounds. The sun is even shining in Manchester where it was dank and drizzly this morning.<\/p>\n The Met office make no promises: Rain across central and eastern areas soon clearing. Showers following for most, these heavy in Northern Ireland and western Scotland, with a risk of hail and thunder. Windy for all with coastal gales in the west. Temperatures near average.<\/p>\n Essex\u2019s Dean Elgar is wrapped up at Chelmsford. Photograph: Ray Lawrence\/TGS Photo\/ShutterstockShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a006.27 EDT<\/p>\n Overnight scores<\/p>\n DIVISION ONE<\/p>\n Chelmsford: Essex 149 v Somerset<\/a> 179-5<\/p>\n Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire<\/a> 279 v Glamorgan 81-4<\/p>\n The Oval: Surrey 412-6 v Leicestershire<\/p>\n Hove: Sussex 17-0 v Warwickshire<\/a> 267<\/p>\n Headingley: Yorkshire 48-4 v Hampshire<\/a> 251<\/p>\n DIVISION TWO<\/p>\n Bristol: Gloucestershire<\/a> v Durham 456-2<\/p>\n Canterbury: Kent v Northamptonshire<\/a> 409-1<\/p>\n Old Trafford: Lancashire 351 v Derbyshire<\/a> 0-1<\/p>\n Lord\u2019s: Middlesex 91-6 v Worcestershire<\/a> 191<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Friday’s roundup: mixed fortunes for England hopefuls<\/p>\n Big Ben McKinney tucked into the Gloucestershire bowlers at Bristol, not even pausing to dab his chin as he forked them all over the ground. Straight as a corn cob at the crease, he showed the threadbare attack no mercy, flaming fours through the covers, on the leg side, pausing only to pancake three sixes on his way to 214 not out.<\/p>\n McKinney and Alex Lees (129) added 305 for the first wicket in just 58 overs. At 21, McKinney is the youngest double centurion for Durham in history \u2013 not a bad advert for any England selectors looking for an opener. The home captain, Cameron Bancroft may have regrets after winning the toss and fielding first.<\/p>\n Dom Sibley\u2019s audition for the same spot didn\u2019t go so well against Leicestershire, lbw to Josh Hull for four, but Surrey duo Jamie Smith and Ollie Pope put on their Friday best in an entertaining partnership of 200. Pope nurdled 103, and Smith raced to his second century in successive innings, a grandiose 166 to wipe the winter away.<\/p>\n Ben Duckett, who gave up his IPL contract to prioritise the County Championship<\/a>, cameoed 25 before being caught to leave Nottinghamshire wobbling at 38 for three against Glamorgan, but a hundred from Jack Haynes straightened things out.<\/p>\n Kent picked up a solitary wicket on a chastening day at Canterbury. The Northamptonshire top three \u2013 Ricardo Vasconcelos, Luke Procter and Calvin Harrison \u2013 all crunched hundreds.<\/p>\n Derbyshire\u2019s Shoaib Bashir, long arms and longer legs, collected his best Championship haul with four for 76 in front of a good Old Trafford crowd. Marcus Harris, fresh from the Sheffield Shield final, rescued Lancashire from 11 for two with 125.<\/p>\n Rob Key was at Hove, and had three wickets from Sussex\u2019s Henry Crocombe to write in his big black book. He also had the pleasure of a Chris Woakes half-century for Warwickshire. At Southampton, Hampshire\u2019s Sonny Baker whipped the heart out of Yorkshire with three wickets in a high-speed over.<\/p>\n Essex were whistled out for 149, with Somerset soon in similar trouble but for Craig Overton and James Rew. Will Smeed, fresh from 200 for Somerset\u2019s 2nd XI, drove to Chelmsford from Wales to replace Tom Kohler-Cadmore as an injury sub. Sixteen wickets fell at Lord\u2019s in the Middlesex v Worcestershire fixture.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Friday’s view from the Oval Midway through its fifth day of action, the first of its second round of fixtures, Ollie Pope became the 11th person to score a century in Division One of the County Championship<\/a> this season \u2013 and five of those play for Surrey. Jamie Smith already has two. The pre-season title favourites may have drawn their opening game but they are looking ominous, in this game and in general, and at stumps were 412 for six.<\/p>\n Things also look ominous for Leicestershire<\/a>, if in a rather different way, as they settle into the top flight after last year\u2019s promotion. Beaten by Sussex in their season opener, by the second session here, as Smith and Pope cantered towards triple figures, they looked equally underresourced in confidence, ideas and quality. They were buoyed somewhat by a couple of late wickets, if not by glances at the scoreboard.<\/p>\n A crowd of 4,700 assembled at the Oval on a bracingly cold early spring day which felt, mercifully for those with recent experience in the England team, a long way everything but geographically from any kind of Test cricket. Nevertheless, given that Surrey\u2019s top six have all played for their country at the highest level, this game was always going to be parsed for potential international ramifications. The surprise perhaps was that the first person to stake a claim was Leicestershire\u2019s Josh Hull.<\/p>\n![\"Simon](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Simon_Burnton,_L.png\")
Simon Burnton<\/p>\n