Key events<\/p>\n
Stumps – Hampshire 122-3 (Baker 3, Lehmann 32) trail Surrey by 299<\/p>\n
Topley with the penultimate over, Baker and Lehmann dart runs here and there. And Baker to see out the final six balls from Clark. Three slips in the shadows. And he does it, walks off unbeaten, looking very pleased with himself.<\/p>\n
Thanks for sticking with us for the 24.4 overs possible today between the showers. We\u2019ll be back tomorrow to mull over this game and other things in the news\u2026 Good night!<\/p>\n
Share<\/a><\/p>\n The investigation into Stokes-Atkinson follows a mucky line of incidents including Harry Brook being punched in Wellington by a bouncer, the cover-up over who was there, and the Noosa boozing. The team and support staff currently operate under a midnight curfew.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Fifty and out for Nick Gubbins – lbw Clark 51 (Hampshire 110-3)<\/p>\n Reaches fifty off 72 balls with a skewiff drive, then is caught on the crease next ball by a very happy Jordan Clark. Out comes nightwatch Sonny Baker with 4.3 overs to go.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Anyway, back to the cricket, where Lehmann (24) and Gubbins (46) are surviving without too many problems in the sunshine. Topley thunders in.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Stokes and Atkinson investigated for breach of team protocol<\/p>\n An ECB statement:<\/p>\n \u201cThe ECB is currently investigating a breach of team protocols following the conclusion of the first Men\u2019s Test against New Zealand. Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson were present at a nightclub in the early hours of Monday morning when an incident took place. We are currently seeking further information, and an announcement regarding the squad for the second Test will be made in due course. The Cricket<\/a> Regulator has been informed and we will provide a further update when possible.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Play!<\/p>\n As the smoke from a warehouse fire at Bermondsey billows up behind the flats on the side of the ground, Matt Fisher runs in from the Vauxhall end to finish his over.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n The sun is out, the stumps are in. The spectators I went to talk to who were stoically waiting for play to start get their reward. A shout out to monseigneur Matthew from the church of St Thomas a Beckett in Wandsworth and parishioners David and John here on a church outing with a box of red wine and some huge cheese rolls.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Play to start at 6pm – 11.2 overs remaining<\/p>\n Blessed are the patient, for they shall see 11.2 overs at the end of the day.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n The flags are limp on the top of the pavilion. Whatever it is over the ground, isn\u2019t moving anywhere.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n The groundsmen are standing by the covers, looking at the covers. The sky is grey. The floodlights are on. It looks terminal. But they have not yet pulled the plug.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Robin Smith Memorial Service<\/p>\n Hampshire are holding a memorial service to celebrate the life of Robin Smith at Winchester Cathedral, at 2pm on Friday. To register an interest in attending click here<\/a>, and anyone can watch a live-stream via the Hampshire website.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n It is, I\u2019m afraid, raining again.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Restart at 4.10<\/p>\n Apologies, there was more rain when I wasn\u2019t looking. I can still see probably 100 loyal fans in the stands, sheltering above the upper tier.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n The umpires are out again, and two of the four remaining squares of tarpaulin have been hauled off. A pigeon flies past. There is beautiful sunshine in Manchester.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Restart 3.50<\/p>\n Weather permitting, and they\u2019re taking tea now.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>The umpires have inspected<\/p>\n and the covers are coming off. No news yet on a start time.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n To pass the time, how about an England B side to take on the victors of Lord\u2019s. I\u2019ll throw one into the hat.<\/p>\n England B: Sibley, Abell, Rew J, Lawrence, Pope, Kellaway, Brown (wk), J Carson, S Curran, S Cook, Anderson.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>England Women World Cup warm-up game<\/p>\n It isn\u2019t raining at Cardiff, where Australia have won the toss against England in their T20 World Cup warm-up game. England have been sent in and are 4-0 after one over. Nat Sciver-Brunt is back, playing and captaining.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Cover watch<\/p>\n The covers have now been laid in a cross shape, almost boundary to boundary horizontally. Even the schoolchildren\u2019s enthusiasm has dipped, though you can still pick up the odd squeal from behind the stands. Lee Fortis picks up a huge light blue hose from the boundary edge and hauls it to the middle, as a giant might pull at the beanstalk, up and into the clouds.<\/p>\n Man at work: Lee Fortis Photograph: Javier Garc\u00eda\/ShutterstockShare<\/a>Rain stops play – Hampshire 78-2 (Lehmann 14, Gubbins 29)<\/p>\n And now those clouds start to empty, as the players flee the field. On come the covers and the hoses and the buckets. Hampshire<\/a> added 61 in that hour or so of play, for the loss of two wickets.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a009.46 EDT<\/p>\n After an hour, Hampshire haven\u2019t collapsed in a heap, which is something. Gubbins and Lehmann have decided that just sitting put isn\u2019t going to work. Meanwhile dark clouds are descending over the pavilion at quite a lick.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>WICKET! Orr c T Curran b Fisher 3 (Hampshire 52-2)<\/p>\n Another for Fisher who is bordering on unplayable at times in these extremely helpful conditions. Ali Orr, desperate for ball on bat, squarks to midwicket.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>“I don’t know how we lost it”<\/p>\n Liam Livingstone, whose 81 and three wickets were not enough to carry Lancashire to victory in yesterday\u2019s Blast match against Glamorgan \u2013 despite Glamorgan needing 41 off the last 11 balls.<\/p>\n \u201cThe game\u2019s all about winning and if you don\u2019t win it doesn\u2019t really matter what you do. I\u2019d rather have bowled two overs for 50 and got a duck to be honest.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t really know how we\u2019ve lost it.<\/p>\n \u201cWe can\u2019t make any excuses \u2013 we should be winning these games of cricket, that\u2019s the simple fact. We\u2019ve got to get better.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s been nice to be playing cricket to be honest, to come back into a place that feels like home for me. India was a long time away, but a chance to make a few changes and make my game better than it was at the start of the year.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cA cricket match has broken out,\u201d says our Ben in block 23 . \u201cSpots of rain started as soon as the bell was rung but it\u2019s fully stopped now. There\u2019s a line of kids front row of the JM Finn stand opposite us trying to start a Mexican Wave but not getting much joy. Kids still having a time here, when there\u2019s a boundary it sounds like a Beatles concert.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n An unplayable ball from Fisher hoops and rips, flying past Ollie Pope for four byes.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Matt Fisher is being mobbed by autograph hunters as he fields on the rope, kids hanging out their pieces of paper like baby birds eager for a worm. \u201cSurrey, Surrey<\/a>,\u201d shout the now avid Ovalteenies.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>WICKET! Albert b Fisher 16 (Hampshire 30-1)<\/p>\n Nick Gubbins tucks into a ball on leg stump from Matt Fisher and sends it skidding to the rope. He may never have hit a better received four, but even better received is the wicket of Albert, done by a beaut of a ball that pitches middle and pings out off.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Sibley, Burns and Jacks tug on their cable-knit jumpers at slip. It\u2019s dark and dreary out there. Albert plays and misses at Tom Curran with military moustache<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a008.55 EDT<\/p>\n A round of the ground reveals kids having tons of fun playing plastic bat cricket, queues for selfies with Caesar the mascot and Sam Curran bowling in a cap. And now they\u2019re back on the field, four cold slips to Tom Curran.<\/p>\n Matt Fisher of Surrey signs autographs for the schoolchildren on the edge of the boundary. Photograph: Paul Dennis\/TGS Photo\/ShutterstockShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a009.37 EDT<\/p>\n Play to start at 1.45pm<\/p>\n Huge squeals for the warm-ups, even huger squeals when the Hampshire<\/a> players do the universal six-seven sign to the kids.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Lee Fortis stands on the covers and barks at his merry men. They seemed to have stopped taking the covers off for now, and have just rearranged them.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Baz on baggage<\/p>\n Also, a thoughtful few words on Emilio Gay.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cWe are in block 27- I think we may have identified the stoical Ben,\u201d writes Shreena Kotecha<\/p>\n \u201cPart of a group of school children – representing the wonderful Sunnyhill primary supporting Surrey<\/a> today! The rain isn\u2019t bringing us down. Maybe give a shout-out to Jovan in class 4RH!\u201d<\/p>\n Hey Jovan! Thanks for coming and to all in class 4RH at Sunnyhill primary. Hope you get to see some cricket.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a007.28 EDT<\/p>\n An email drops from the very stoical Ben in block 23 (waves from the comfort of the press box). \u201cCovers starting to come off. Lunch has been moved to half twelve, hopefully that means they expect most of an afternoon\u2019s play. The racket from the schoolkids is something to behold but at least it\u2019s not a dreary atmosphere.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Lunch at 12.30 at The Oval<\/p>\n But, they are are peeling off the sheets\u2026<\/p>\n Share<\/a>“A pretty good day at the office”<\/p>\n Dan Lawrence spoke to the reporter\u2019s network last night after his wham-bam double century.<\/p>\n \u201cThat was a pretty good day at the office!<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m chuffed with the position we\u2019re in and of course to get the 200 – and my [Surrey] county cap as well.<\/p>\n \u201cFor the first couple of hours it felt like it was a pitch on which there might be a ball with your name on it but this morning we just tried to take the game on as far as possible and see how conditions turned out later.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I first went out there, in the conditions we had earlier, I certainly wasn\u2019t expecting to be scoring a double hundred!<\/p>\n \u201cIt was really just a case of trying to put the pressure back on Hampshire\u2019s bowlers.<\/p>\n \u201cA double hundred is something I\u2019ve always wanted to achieve in first-class cricket, but when I looked at the wicket this morning I didn\u2019t think it would be something that would happen today!<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve felt in really good order this season so far and today I just tried to be as positive as possible once I got in.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Still raining, but now to a chorus of thousands of schoolchildren squashed into the stands. Oscar from the Cricketer tells me that last year\u2019s schools\u2019 day coincided with Dom Sibley\u2019s triple century. Out of the frying pan\u2026<\/p>\n Hello Gary Naylor. \u201cWhenever I\u2019m on the 77 back to Tooting and I see The British Interplanetary Society building, I smile a little at the thought of this<\/a>, prompting bittersweet memories of the sublime Karen Carpenter and of how very strange the 70s were.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a006.57 EDT<\/p>\n Another in the occasional series of things I\u2019ve seen from the train \u2013 the British Interplanetary Society building near Vauxhall and a plaque to Oscar Wilde at Clapham Junction. Any experts on these things, do write in.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a006.57 EDT<\/p>\n Five and a half thousand children have just arrived at The Oval for schools\u2019 day – activities and rain watching.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a006.56 EDT<\/p>\n Simon expertly wraps things up.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n More cracking writing from Andy Bull.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Osman Samiuddin is a wonderful writer and this long read\/podcast on Imran Khan is unputdownable\/switchoffable.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a005.18 EDT<\/p>\n Yesterday’s report<\/p>\n On a spearmint green pitch at the Oval, Dan Lawrence had one of his unstoppable days \u2013 an unorthodox tub-thumping of Hampshire<\/a>. With fierce eye and rampaging bat he bashed 218 off 190 balls, and became the first player to hit four Division One centuries this season, with his highest first-class score.<\/p>\n The Oval had been the site of Lawrence\u2019s maiden first-class hundred, for Essex in April 2015, when he was only 17. Eleven years later, it was the venue for his first double century, reached with a peerless inside-out drive over extra cover. All around the ground spectators rose, as they had when he passed 100 and 150, and would again when he was finally dismissed with Surrey<\/a> eight down, heaving for one final six off Sonny Baker.<\/p>\n Lawrence was also awarded his county cap, not given away lightly here, from the director of cricket, Alec Stewart, at tea, with 2,150 runs for Surrey<\/a> in the bank.<\/p>\n This one-off Championship match, sitting alone in the schedule because of fixture congestion, was always a bit of an anomaly. But Surrey\u2019s marketing team, with a keen eye for good publicity, invited day-four spectators at Lord\u2019s, whose cricket had been curtailed, to cross the Thames for only a fiver on production of their ticket \u2013 and 250 did, joining a crowd of 4,700.<\/p>\n Surrey were sporting a new\u2011look side, shorn of their England players and with a string of injuries including Ben Foakes, still out of action after bowling at the fag end of the draw against Essex in April. Bottom-of-the-table Hampshire<\/a> were boosted by the return of Baker from Lord\u2019s.<\/p>\n The morning session had been steady, earnest even, with Hampshire winkling out Rory Burns and Will Jacks cheaply, and when Dom Sibley followed soon after lunch, the decision to bowl looked a good one. But then Lawrence and Ollie Pope (76) stepped on the accelerator, in a partnership of 255 in 37 overs.<\/p>\n To rub salt in the wound, Surrey were awarded five penalty runs when a cheesed-off Delano Potgieter, who had just been crunched for two fours by Lawrence, fielded off his own bowling and flung the ball back, throwing down the stumps.<\/p>\n Hampshire came back well with the new ball in the evening as Surrey lost six for 31 but the damage was done. Nick Gubbins and Toby Albert survived 5.2 overs before bad light stopped play, but the day belonged to Lawrence.<\/p>\n