Updated at\u00a006.51 EDT<\/p>\n
In Division Two, Lancashire have sped to 100, not a wicket fallen this morning. They only need another 98 and Keaton Jennings has got his slippers on, 38 not out.<\/p>\n
And at Wantage Road, Max Holden and Sam Robson have extended Middlesex\u2019s second-wicket partnership to 88 in a match that looks likely to end in handshakes at 5pm.<\/p>\n
Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a006.51 EDT<\/p>\n End of Rew watch<\/p>\n A wicket at Southampton, and it\u2019s the Rewmeister, prodding, awkwardly, outside his off stump and giving Ben Brown a catch just above the turf. Kyle Abbott the bowler. Somerset<\/a> 158-4, need another 129 to beat Hants. Baker and Abbott bowling nicely.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a006.33 EDT<\/p>\n Oh dear, Matt Critchley slaps a rank long hop to cover and Ethan Bamber is almost too embarrassed to celebrate … Essex<\/a> 21 for four now, 185 more runs now their Everest.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a006.32 EDT<\/p>\n Three in the over for Barker! Charlie Allison, bowled by one that may have kept a bit low. Essex<\/a> 16 for three…<\/p>\n Share<\/a> \u200bEarly wickets in sunny Brumbados, Keith Barker striking first ball from the Pavilion End as Dean Elgar is trapped lbw offering no shot. In comes Tall Paul to join Sam Cook, who spared him the hassle last night but has since squirted Barker\u2019s third ball of the day to cover. That\u2019s Barker\u2019s 700th career wicket across formats. Essex<\/a> 16 for two (need another 190) and an inauspicious start.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a006.33 EDT<\/p>\n Rew watch<\/p>\n They\u2019ve started at sunny Southampton, where Sonny Baker is pistoning in and James Rew, hand on hip, is at the non-striker\u2019s end, 58 not out. Somerset<\/a> need another 148 to win, seven wickets in hand.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Weather watch<\/p>\n Largely lovely, with floating showers.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n I had a treat in the post on Friday, a copy of Jon Hotten\u2019s new book Vinciness or The Unbearable Sadness of Batting. Now, Jon is a friend and I worked with him for quite a few years at The Nightwatchman so am very biased but I think he\u2019s a lovely writer and I\u2019ve read the first chapter and it is gorgeous. So I said I\u2019d give it a plug \u2013 if you like Jon\u2019s writing and are a Vince tragic, this<\/a> is the book for you. Also here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a005.47 EDT<\/p>\n Adds Ali: \u201cWarwickshire are currently warming up to Sultans of Swing by Dire Straits … will their day be the song title or the band name?\u201d<\/p>\n Very good. I once ended up watching two hours of Youtube videos on Sultans of Swing, I didn\u2019t realise how obsessed people were with it.<\/p>\n Share<\/a> Nicely set up here at Edgbaston: glorious sunshine (cold air), Essex needing 195 more runs to knock off 206, Warwickshire<\/a> in the hunt for 10 wickets. So far the pitch has bucked a recent trend of being a bit lifeless – highest total in the match is 220 \u2013 so there should be chances created. But Warwickshire were badly burned last week trying \u2013 and failing \u2013 to defend 328 at Hove.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Jim’s Sunday round-up<\/p>\n James Rew held firm for Somerset once more to see his stock rise further and keep his side in the hunt for a final day victory on the south coast. After his first innings 86 the cherubic faced stroke maker was undefeated on 58 at the close of an intriguing day in Southampton. Lewis Gregory bustled his way to a five wicket haul earlier in the piece as Nick Gubbins top scored with 83 in the home side\u2019s second innings effort of 336.<\/p>\n Hampshire\u2019s Sonny Baker then had his dander well and truly up and the opposition in trouble by pocketing the Cidermen\u2019s top three of Archie Vaughan, Tom Lammonby and Joshua Thomas, albeit the first two were guilty of being careless on the pull. Rew and Tom Abell then steadied the applecart to leave Somerset needing 148 more to pull off the win.<\/p>\n Seventeen wickets fell at Edgbaston on a topsy turvy moving day where both sides seemingly had their bags packed at different stages. Essex will consider themselves to be in the stronger position heading into the final day with Dean Elgar and self-appointed nightwatchman Sam Cook seeing them to 11-0 at the close in pursuit of 206.<\/p>\n Warwickshire were bowled out for 220 inside 63 overs as visiting Captain Cook picked up five wickets including the crucial scalp of Beau Webster, the Aussie all-rounder\u2019s 91 included sixteen boundaries and helped his side post a challenging if hardly fear-inducing target.<\/p>\n In Division Two, centuries from Northamptonshire\u2019s James Sales and Nathan McSweeney made Middlesex toil at Wantage Road as the home side made 409 in their first innings. Josh De Caires was pinned LBW by Luke Proctor early in Middlesex\u2019s second innings but Sam Robson and Max Holden batted calmly to reach 109-1 and a lead of 41 runs by stumps.<\/p>\n A pot boiler at Bristol saw James Bracey score a dogged century for Gloucestershire as they posted 305 against a toiling Lancashire. James Anderson and George Balderson took four wickets apiece to set up a tricksy fourth innings run chase. Keaton Jennings shepherding the visitors to 75-3 at stumps, 127 more needed for victory.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Scores on the doors<\/p>\n DIVISION ONE<\/p>\n Southampton: Hampshire<\/a> 238 and 336 v Somerset 288 & 139-3 \u2013 Somerset need 148 runs to win<\/p>\n Edgbaston: Warwickshire<\/a> 190 & 220 v Essex 205-9 & 11-0 \u2013 Essex need 195 runs to win<\/p>\n DIVISION TWO<\/p>\n Bristol: Gloucestershire<\/a> 136 and 305 v Lancashire 240 & 75-3 \u2013 Lancashire need 127 runs to win<\/p>\n Northampton: Northants 409 v Middlesex<\/a> 341 & 109-1 \u2013 Middlesex lead by 41 runs<\/p>\n![\"Ali](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1776682328_462_Ali_martin3,_L.png\")
Ali Martin<\/p>\nAli Martin<\/p>\nAli Martin<\/p>\nAli Martin<\/p>\n