Key events
Right, to the other matches. In Division Two:
At Old Trafford where I could really do with Lancs lasting all day so I can watch some live cricket tomorrow, a good start has turned in a familiar way. Now 52 for two, Jones run out, Jennings caught off Parkinson.
Things are looking rosy for Kent in the garden of England, Glos 129-4 lead by five. Milnes has three wickets.
But Middlesex are 12-2 in their chase of another 122 at Lord’s, keeping Northants in the promotion race. Both wickets for Harry Conway.
And Ben Allison has four wickets for 11 as Worcestershire look to finish their season with a bang. Derbyshire limp to 37 for four, needing another 296 for victory.
There’s a really good crowd in at the City End, basking in the Birmingham sun. Three slips wait as the umpires examine the ball. But it is given back to OHD.
ShareA hundred for Saif Zaib – Middlesex need 134 to win.
Luke McLaughlin
“Middlesex dropped Saif Zaib twice in the 90s, and the 20-odd runs he added afterwards may have given Northamptonshire a sniff of victory. It’s a lovely day for batting though, and the hosts should knock off their target of 134 – but stranger things have happened. The 28-year-old Zaib batted exceptionally well and his parents were in the pavilion to see him reach a landmark century at Lord’s.”
With an hour gone, let’s have a quick wander around the grounds:
Hold that thought! Bamber grabs another, a spectacular catch by Will Young at third slip, with an outstretched left hand, plucked from the air like a passing feather in the wind. Leicetershire 84 for seven.
Oooof, of all people Olly Hannon-Dalby can’t hold on to a chip from Ben Green which skews up and into the sun and comes down over his shoulder. Holland plays and misses at Woakes next ball.
“Good Morning Tanya, good morning all.” Hello there Em Jackson!
”Well, unless Lancs somehow contrive to score 600 in a day, Durham are going unbeaten for 2026’s campaign.
”Question is, for me, this: Will Stokes and Carse hang around for all of 2027, playing county cricket & having a good stab at thriving, not just surviving in D1 and how will England selectors treat Emilio Gay once the new year rolls around?
”If all are available, all the time, Durham will be dangerous.
”Meanwhile, Glos – my other side (it’s complicated) – are seemingly in need of a wooden spoon for the canteen.”
Whether Stokes will be available is an interesting one, see Matt Hughes’ piece here.
Updated at 06.30 EDT
And another! A bouncing Warwicks celebrate as Ben Cox gets an outside edge which is plucked from his nostrils by Sam Hain. Cox out for two. A 67th wicket for Bamber. Leicestershire 74 for six.
“Just call it the Chris Woakes end,” says Ali. A second wicket of the morning for Woakes, who now has three for 31 in the Birmingham sunshine. Tattersall obligingly edges to Rob Yates, another for his record number of slip catches in a 14 season-match. Leicestershire 74 for five.
Chris Woakes is flying after another wicket. Photograph: Philip Brown/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 06.41 EDT
Have just had a flick through Ali’s new book on Chris Woakes (out October 22). Feels lovely, great pics and lovely intro.
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Ali Martin
Budinger was giving Woakes some humpty last night and in the third over today he nipped in and took the top of off stump. Woakes wheeled away, arms out, aeroplane celebration. Leicestershire 69 for four.
ShareVirat Kohli to play his last 50-over World Cup
Virat Kohli, with 54 centuries the leading century-maker in ODIs, has announced that the 2027 World Cup, in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia next October, will be his last.
He has already retired from T20 internationals and Test cricket .
Kohli has 14,941 ODI runs, second only to Sachin Tendulkar and won the World Cup with India at home soil in 2011, but lost to Australia in 2023.
The 2027 competition will be his fifth rodeo and he said it was a tough gig.
“The intensity of a 50-over World Cup is greater than anything. Because now, it’s about 10 games at a Twenty20 level of intensity,” he said.
“But you are playing 2.5 T20 games in one day. And to maintain that intensity for 10 games in a big tournament and World Cup is a big deal. Also now, it’s in foreign conditions. It takes a lot out of you.”
Virat Kohli has his eyes on one more World Cup prize. Photograph: Quinn Rooney/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 06.43 EDT
Wow – Ethan Bamber has bowled more overs than anyone else in Div One this year! And 66 wickets in his pocket to count for it. He takes the ball at the press box end.
In answer to the Leicestershire appeal question BTL, we think they have appealed everything but the only points likely to be overturned or semi overturned are eight points, which will make no difference to the relegation battle. If anyone thinks different, do drop me a line.
Huge applause and cheers for Warwickshire who huddle in front of their fans. Chris Woakes stretches and turns.
There are lots of clinks and bangs from the building work for the new Radisson hotel that will be open in time for the Ashes next year. The matching stand should be ready for the start of the Championship season.
Football tennis now for some very jolly Bears, a normal kick around for the Foxes.
“Morning Tanya! “Morning Mes!
“I think all the press box will like this.”
Good to see Douglas Jardine fielding on the boundary.
Updated at 04.45 EDT
I sneaked into Lord’s for an hour yesterday evening to see Northants hit some what-ho sixes. I discovered Gary Naylor and some lime cake in the press box, both were a pleasure. The old ground was looking lovely, with a nice scattering of people in to warm their bones with sunshine and cricket for the last time till April.
A great stat from Oscar from The Cricketer: Kent are about to be promoted with the lowest number of wickets to spin in the country.
ShareWarwickshire close on title, Kent lead promotion race
James Wallace
Warwickshire made serene progress towards a ninth county championship title on a cloudy day at Edgbaston. A delay for autumnal mid-morning bad light in Birmingham curtailed their progress briefly in the first session but captain Ed Barnard and Sam Hain were as unbothered by the lingering nimbus as they were Leicestershire’s bowlers.
Barnard fell caught behind for 88 but Hain was the last man out for 142. Ethan Bamber and Chris Woakes struck in fading light to leave Leicestershire 55-3 and still adrift by 192 runs. A third two-day victory in a row was kiboshed by early evening gloom but Saturday will surely see Warwickshire clinch the 2026 trophy.
Somerset’s slim title hopes fizzled like flat cider in Taunton, their failure to take a third bowling bonus point as Surrey amassed 422 meant that Warwickshire can draw and still take the spoils.
Last season’s winners Nottinghamshire reduced Yorkshire to 179 all out in their first innings. Olly Stone sent Jonny Bairstow’s middle stump for the sort of cartwheel Simone Biles would be proud of as he took five wickets at Trent Bridge. However, bad news filtered through in the afternoon that Stone was injured – reportedly a hamstring – and it was serious enough for him to be immediately withdrawn from the match.
Asa Tribe fell short of a double century in Cardiff but his 184 helped Glamorgan amass 505 in their first innings against Essex who then collapsed at the foot of the mountain on 100 for seven. Sussex are well on top of Hampshire at Southampton, Jaydev Unadkat’s five for 32 saw the home side skittled for 128 in response to 244.
In Division Two, a defiant century from Ben Compton at Canterbury kept Kent’s promotion prospects in the balance as they made 353 and then took two Gloucestershire wickets to leave the visitors 63 runs shy.
Fellow promotion chasers Northamptonshire fought back to 249 for seven against Middlesex but a slender lead of 97 runs will need to thicken on the hob if they are to set a challenging chase.
Durham defied some mizzly Manchester weather and Lancashire’s bowlers to post 493 in their first innings. Worcestershire are in control against Derbyshire, where a fourth-innings chase of over 300 already looks out of reach.
ShareOvernight scores
Division One
Cardiff: Glamorgan 505 v Essex 100-7
Essex trail by 405 with three wickets left
Utilita: Hampshire 128 v Sussex 244 & 216-5
Sussex lead by 332 with five wickets left
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire 251 & 55-3 v Yorkshire 179
Nottinghamshire lead by 127 runs with seven wickets left
Taunton: Somerset 222-3 v Surrey 422
Somerset trail by 200 runs with seven wickets left
Edgbaston: Warwickshire 372 v Leicestershire 125 & 55-3
Leicestershire trail by 192 runs with seven wickets left
Division Two
Canterbury: Kent 353 v Gloucestershire 229 & 61-2
Gloucestershire trail by 63 runs with eight wickets left
Old Trafford: Lancashire 10-0 v Durham 493
Lancashire trail by 483 runs with 10 wickets left
Lord’s: Middlesex 255 v Northamptonshire 103 & 249-7
Northants lead by 97 with three wickets left
Worcester: Worcestershire 214 & 203-9 v Derbyshire 88
Worcestershire lead by 329 runs with one wicket left
SharePreamble
Good morning from Edgbaston and welcome to the penultimate day of the season! It’s so crispy with morning cold that the security man is in gloves, but the sun is out and Warwickshire’s players are in the middle. Olly Hannon-Dalby, in mid-calf length socks that make him look as if he’s just raced back from school, is gingerly turning his arm over.
Thanks so much to Jim for covering (gorgeously) the first two days of this final round, I feel like I’m sneaking in during the third act and everyone has already eaten the Maltesers. Warwickshire need just seven wickets this morning to wrap things up and put their paws on the 2026 title. It’s been a long road since April 3, but they’re nearly there.
Play starts at 10.30 am here and around the grounds. Do join us for one final Saturday of cricket.
Updated at 04.29 EDT