Key events
After a stoical third wicket stand of 43, Derby have lost a third, this time to Syed Khaled Ahmed. Bin Naeem the man to go for 12. Derbyshire 45-3.
Huge thanks to Mike Birtwhistle in the Lancashire scorebox for some handmade ginger snap biscuits which are both very gingery and make a satisfying snap when you crack them. The rain has stopped, the covers are being unfolded but no news yet on when we will restart.
“Sunshine at Headingley,” writes Tim Maitland. “I’m not imagining it. You can clearly see it as they drag the hose around the ground to try and clear off the precipitation.”
Meanwhile all-conquering Durham, who need a maxiumum of 17 points to confirm promotion, have lost Ben McKinney for 26, a wicket for young Sharma. Durham 43-1.
The champions are wobbling. From 18-0, Nottinghamshire are suddenly 20-3 against Hampshire. HH, Slater and McCann all back in the pavilion. Two for the evergreen Kyle Abbott. The pitch is an interesting shade of bile.
Middlesex will lose director of cricket Alan Coleman at the end of the season, saying: ““I will leave Middlesex with two senior teams with exceptional young talent and huge potential to achieve success in the game, supported by a dedicated staff who will no doubt continue to guide these players well through the coming seasons” Interim CEO Julie Harrington promised that Middx would build on “his philosophy of wanting to win with homegrown players.”
Derbyshire’s season seems to be careering to a close. After thrashings by Durham and Gloucestershire, they were 0 for two off two balls against Kent, thanks to the wiley Hasan Mahmud. They’ve recovered to 17-2.
Torrential Manchester rain now, the groundstaff sprinting to cover the pitch.
ShareEngland men’s U19 squad v Pakistan
Ralphie Albert (Surrey – captain)
Subhaan Ali (Yorkshire)
Jack Auld (Essex)
Robbie Bowman (Durham)
Tom Bradley (Yorkshire)
Tom Edwards (Glamorgan)
Luke Hands (Lancashire)
George Harris (Lancashire)
Theo Lamey (Somerset)
Isaac Mohammed (Worcestershire)
Joe Moores (Lancashire)
Jack Nelson (Middlesex)
Luke Symington (Durham)
Charlie Taylor (Warwickshire)
Harry Wallace (Glamorgan)
England and Pakistan will play four Youth ODIs, starting tomorrow at Arundel.
Rain at OT, they come off with Gloucestershire 11-1.
Bat black skies now above OT. Perhaps suprisingly Gloucestershire have not chosen new young signing Che Simmons for this game. Ben Walkden has dropped Phillips at third slip but Gloucestershire have survived six and a half overs without further collapse.
ShareDelays
At Sophia Gardens, Grace Road, Hove, New Road and Headingley, where Yorkshire reached 9-0 before the rain arrived.
The Met Office say things will get better: “Heavy rain slowly clearing the southeast in the morning. A brighter day for many and feeling fresh. Winds gradually easing in the north, with showers too.”
Arrive at Old Trafford to bright sunshine if threatening skies, to find Gloucestershire have won the toss, chosen to bat against Jimmy Anderson and are 3-1. Middleton feathered an edge behind off Jimmy’s second ball. One change for Lancs, Mitch Stanley in for Tom Bailey.
ShareComings and goings
Notts have signed New Zealand wicketkeeper-batter Mitchell Hay for the last three matches after Kyle Verreynne was recalled by South Africa
Essex are running on empty, without Simon Harmer (recalled by South Africa), Sam Cook and Jordan Cox (England), Charlie Bennett and Noah Thain (injury). They’ve brought in teenager Jack Auld on a rookie contract.
Warwickshire’ Che Simmons has joined Gloucestershire on loan until the end of the season ahead of a permanent move.
ShareDivision One table
1 Somerset 167
2 Notts 163
3 Warwicks 162
4 Sussex 140
5 Glamorgan 124
6 Surrey 124
7 Essex 122
8 Yorkshire 120
9 Leicestershire 113
10 Hampshire 88
ShareDivision Two table
1 Durham 210
2 Kent 170
3 Northants 155
4 Middlesex 132
5 Worcestershire 130
6 Derby 114
7 Lancashire 97
8 Gloucestershire 63
ShareFixtures
Division One
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan v Warwickshire
Grace Road: Leicestershire v Somerset
Trent Bridge: Notts v Hampshire
Hove: Sussex v Surrey
Headingley: Yorkshire v Essex
Division Two
Derby: Derbyshire v Kent
Chester le Street: Durham v Middlesex
Old Trafford: Lancashire v Gloucestershire
New Road: Worcestershire v Northamptonshire
Updated at 04.42 EDT
Preamble – Leicesteshire charged with breaching ECB pitch regulations
Good morning! There are conkers on the ground now, and even the hardiest marigolds are fading into September. Just three rounds to go, and the chase is still on – for promotion and for the holy grail itself.
Could things finally go Somerset’s way? We will know more after their visit to Grace Road, where opponents Leicestershire are in a desperate fight for survival, and it looks as if if their summer is about to get worse. They have been charged with breaching the ECB Pitch Regulations after officials reported their pitch for the match against Glamorgan at the end of August. The matter has been passed to the independent Cricket Discipline Panel for adjudication where they will make the decision “as quickly as appropriately as possible” bearing in mind the ramifications.
We will chew over this, and the other comings and goings, over the next four days. Play starts at 10.30am, do join us.
Updated at 04.43 EDT