Right then, Sam Hain is the last man out for Warwickshire at Edgbaston. He walks off with 142 runs to his name and gets a great hand from the fans and handshakes from the Leicestershire<\/a> players too. A classy touch from the visitors.<\/p>\n The lead is 247, now it is a case of wickets v fading light!<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Bad News for Olly Stone:<\/p>\n Oh no. This is so unfortunate for a bowler who has battled back from injury so many times. Stone has pulled up with something and it is serious\/concerning enough to see Nottinghamshire<\/a> substitute him Tom Giles for the remainder of the match.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Tom Abell becomes the third batter in Div one to make 1,000 runs after Sam Hain (still going here at Edgbaston on 133*) and Joe Clarke.<\/p>\n Ben Compton has fallen. Six hours and 244 balls later the opener is out caught behind. Kent lead Gloucestershire<\/a> by 97 runs.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Has Dean Elgar played his final innings for Essex<\/a>? The South African is retiring at the end of this campaign and has just fallen at Cardiff to Timm van der Gugten. Uh oh! Essex lose Paul Walter too and are in the mire at 6-2 and trailing by a whopping 498 runs.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n At Taunton, the Toms Lammonby and Abell have put on fifty runs to edge Somerset<\/a> to 147-3, still trailing Surrey by a hefty 275 runs.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Tea-time ish scores<\/p>\n Division One<\/p>\n Cardiff: Glamorgan<\/a> 505 v Essex 2-0<\/p>\n Utilita Bowl: Hampshire<\/a> 128 v Sussex 244 & 104-2<\/p>\n Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire<\/a> 251 v Yorkshire 179<\/p>\n Taunton: Somerset<\/a> 129-3 v Surrey 422<\/p>\n Edgbaston: Warwickshire<\/a> 337-8 v Leicestershire 125<\/p>\n Division Two<\/p>\n Canterbury: Kent 326-7 v Gloucestershire<\/a> 229<\/p>\n Old Trafford: Lancashire<\/a> 2-0 v Durham 493<\/p>\n Lord\u2019s: Middlesex 255 v Northamptonshire<\/a> 103 & 165-4<\/p>\n Worcester: Worcestershire<\/a> 214 & 137-8 v Derbyshire 88<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Righto, I\u2019m back after filing for first editions. The players have just come back on at a gloomy again Edgbaston. Ethan Bamber plays a beautiful cover drive on the up and there\u2019s more than a whiff of certainty in the air. Warwickshire lead by 212 runs.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cSlow going\u201d reports Guy Hornsby from Old Trafford.<\/p>\n \u201cbut Noman Ali has plugged away at the Brian Statham end and bagged himself a five-fer with accurate, probing left arm spin. Rawalpindi it most certainly isn\u2019t, but he\u2019s worked hard today. If Lancashire<\/a> can prise out the last couple here, they\u2019ll get another go at passing 200, something they\u2019ve only managed once in the last 5 rounds of Division 2 cricket. It\u2019s the hope that kills you, etc etc.\u201d<\/p>\n Steady accumulation here at Edgbaston as Hain moves into the 90s and the lead is up to 149. I have to write an early report for the paper but will be back later on. Look after the place for me.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Asa Tribe is still batting for Glamorgan<\/a> and closing in on a double century. 186* with the soon to be retired Billy Root at the other end on 59.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Jaydev Unadkat puts Sussex firmly in command in Southampton, his 5-32 helps to reduce Hampshire<\/a> to 128 all out and a deficit of 116 runs.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Barnard drives compactly across the Edgbaston turf, both he and Hain are into the 8os and the lead is 112.<\/p>\n Dan Lawrence has spun the breakthrough at Surrey, Josh Thomas missing a straight one and thunked in front, Somerset 31-1.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Away from the action for a moment. We have to ask \u2013 has KP mellowed? It is easy being him nowadays? Ali has the latest from England\u2019s new coaching appointment:<\/p>\n double quotation markThe early signs are encouraging, however, with a far more relaxed Pietersen said to now be able to laugh at himself when the piss-taking has flown in this first fortnight. Co-commentators during his occasional television work say the same. And going by his chat with the written media \u2013 an industry he recently wrote off and has not entirely trusted in the past \u2013 he sounds genuinely energised to shape a side that, beyond Root and Jos Buttler, is learning 50-over cricket on the job.<\/p>\n I\u2019m 46 now. That stuff is so long gone,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m a completely different person too. I live in the countryside. I live in South Africa. I love doing what I do. I\u2019m just here to help Brendon, first and foremost, to help the players try and become the best versions of themselves.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve been lucky to have worn every T-shirt that an England cricketer can wear: the good, the bad, and the unhappy. And so there are parts to all of their careers which I think that I could potentially help them to stay away from the unhappy.<\/p>\n Most of you guys covered a lot of my career. Morning to night I was relentless in my pursuit to be the best version of myself. Since that first call [from McCullum] came in I just talked about the non-negotiables of how I believe each person should live in a dressing room and the full commitment. How I think we can get better as individuals, as a team, and be successful and consistent.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n The Pears are bruising a little at New Road. Worcs have slipped to 62-5 and lead Derbyshire<\/a> by 188, Abbas, Potts and Reece in the wickets for the visitors.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Luke Procter has fallen after lunch at Lord\u2019s \u2013 blame the pigeon fricassee and roasted beetroot quenelles (?) \u2013 Northants 75-1<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Sunshine peeping through now at Edgbaston as Hain and Barnard make steady progress and extend their lead to 75.<\/p>\n Dan Lawrence bowling and getting some turn at Taunton. A quick foray below the line suggests people are into it, he\u2019s such a likeable and unique cricketer. I hope he makes his mark for England.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Good news! It has brightened up here at Edgbaston and the players are emerging from their early lunch. We\u2019ll be back underway pronto.<\/p>\n Someone who is probably enjoying their cucumber sandwich\/protein shake is Asa Tribe \u2013 he\u2019s still on a 172 red at Cardiff.<\/p>\n Northants are going well in their third dig too \u2013 they still trail by 77 runs at 75-0 but Vasconcelos and Procter are unbreached.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Lunchtime scores<\/p>\n Let\u2019s take a whizz around the grounds:<\/p>\n Division One<\/p>\n Cardiff: Glamorgan<\/a> 422-4 v Essex<\/p>\n Utilita Bowl: Hampshire<\/a> 117-8 v Sussex 244<\/p>\n Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire<\/a> 251 v Yorkshire 67-3<\/p>\n Taunton: Somerset<\/a> 1-0 v Surrey 422<\/p>\n Edgbaston: Warwickshire<\/a> 181-4 v Leicestershire 125<\/p>\n Division Two<\/p>\n Canterbury: Kent 186-3 v Gloucestershire<\/a> 229<\/p>\n Old Trafford: Lancashire<\/a> v Durham 423-7<\/p>\n Lord\u2019s: Middlesex 255 v Northamptonshire<\/a> 103 & 75-0<\/p>\n Worcester: Worcestershire<\/a> 214 & 50-3 v Derbyshire 88<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Olly Stone also has Adam Lyth in his back pocket at Trent Bridge and Yorkshire<\/a> are now 50-3.<\/p>\n Surrey have finished on 422 at Taunton. Josh Thomas and Tom Lammonby stride out to open the batting for Somerset\u2019s reply and they will face\u2026 Dan Lawrence\u2019s \u2018judderman\u2019 spin in the first over!<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n We are still off here at Edgbaston although it is brightening up a little. A gaggle of groundstaff loiter in the middle and stare at the sky.<\/p>\n News:<\/p>\n Somerset didn\u2019t get the third bowling bonus point at Taunton which means that once if\/when Warwikshire get to 250 they will only need a draw here to guarantee the Championship title.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Bad light stops play here at Edgbaston, I told you it was murky. The weather forecast isn\u2019t wet but there is a symbol for dark clouds lurking throughout the day. Hmmm. Hopefully it blows over soon enough.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n The resurgent Olly Stone has nicked off Will Luxton at Trent Bridge \u2013 Yorkshire<\/a> 21-1 and 230 behind Notts.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Surrey are 378-8 in Taunton with the non bat owning Dan Worrall at the crease alongside Adam Thomas. Lofty heights.<\/p>\n Worrall does own a guitar though, I saw some clips of him strumming away on the boundary edge yesterday with just a hint of David Brent\/gap year campfire energy…<\/p>\n \u2018Pretty gurrl on the hood of a cadillac yeh\u2026\u2019<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Grey clouds here at Edgbaston and the floodlights are beaming down. Barnard and Hain are untroubled though and have built the lead to an already tricksy 41. A significant first innings lead and my moolah could be drifting towards this finishing today\u2026<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Hampshire are staring down a significant barrel at the Utilita, Eddie Jack has just been castled by Jaydev Unadkat to leave them 69-6 and trailing Sussex by a whopping 175 runs.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n This is good insight into Leicestershire\u2019s predicament from BBC Leicester\u2019s Adam Whitty:<\/p>\n double quotation markTalking to assistant coach James Taylor last night, what I found interesting was that the Foxes\u2019 relegation (as it stands) was essentially ignored – it was as if it hadn\u2019t happened.<\/p>\n They want to finish in style but are also confident their appeal against their 27-point deduction can be successful. Had they not had that hit, they would be eight points clear of Essex, and, with one bowling point each so far, still would be.<\/p>\n So that will be their aim. A hammering here and the deduction won\u2019t matter.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cHi James\u201d<\/p>\n Hello Stephen Pye! <\/p>\n \u201dAt Lord\u2019s today to see if the mighty Northamptonshire<\/a> can bat all day. Well, at least past lunch. Seemed a strange decision to bat first yesterday. I grew up during the heyday of the NatWest Trophy cup finals in September, so maybe the Northamptonshire think tank should have involved me\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Well, Procter and Vasconcelos have made steady progress to 18-0 \u2026 lunch is still a while off though!<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Josh Hull is summoned at Edgbaston and he very nearly cleans up Barnard with his first delivery that hoops back and passes the off stump by the width of a gnat\u2019s eyebrow. Two types of leave as they say and that must go down as a \u2018good one\u2019 from the Bears captain.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Nerves in the Garden? Kent<\/a> need a minimum of 15 points to gain promotion and have three batting points in the bag already. Hang on though, Langridge gets rid of Sam Northeast with his first ball!<\/p>\n Muyeye is back in the hutch now too as Langridge gets his third wicket!<\/p>\n Kent 97-3 and trail Gloucs by 132 runs.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Sam Hain clips off his legs to bring up the 50 partnership with his skipper Ed Barnard. Warwickshire\u2019s lead is up to 14 runs.<\/p>\n Elsewhere, Notts are all out for 251 against Yorkshire<\/a>.<\/p>\n Dan Lawrence is still whipping the boundaries at Taunton but Ben Foakes has been pinned LBW by COverton.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Apologies I was just grappling with the Edgbaston media centre wifi. A battle I can proudly say I have now won. For now.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a murky day in Birmingham, bowling conditions you\u2019d think, Leicestershire<\/a> need wickets to stop this lead getting too chunky.<\/p>\n Play begins around the grounds on day two \u2013 here are the close of play scores from yesterday:<\/p>\n Division One<\/p>\n Cardiff: Glamorgan<\/a> 318-3 v Essex<\/p>\n Utilita Bowl: Hampshire<\/a> 55-4 v Sussex 244<\/p>\n Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire<\/a> 242-9 v Yorkshire<\/p>\n Taunton: Somerset<\/a> v Surrey 327-4<\/p>\n Edgbaston: Warwickshire<\/a> 130-4 v Leicestershire 125<\/p>\n Division Two<\/p>\n Canterbury: Kent 71-1 v Gloucestershire<\/a> 229<\/p>\n Old Trafford: Lancashire<\/a> v Durham 355-5<\/p>\n Lord\u2019s: Middlesex 255 v Northamptonshire<\/a> 103<\/p>\n Worcester: Worcestershire<\/a> 214 & 5-0 v Derbyshire 88<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Preamble Hello and welcome to day two of the final round of the 2026 County Championship<\/a>. I\u2019m on the way to Edgbaston where there is a chance Warwickshire are crowned today\u2026 or this being cricket, something completely different happens. That\u2019s why we love it.<\/p>\n Catch up on a round up of yesterday\u2019s action below. I\u2019ll post the scores on the doors and we\u2019ll get into all the talking points.<\/p>\n Please do get in touch and chat away below the line, enjoy yourselves, it\u2019s later than you think.<\/p>\n Day One Report:<\/p>\n The champagne is on ice in Warwickshire but probably not for much longer. Fourteen wickets fell on the opening day at Edgbaston and 10 of them belonged to relegation scufflers Leicestershire who won the toss in late September sunshine and decided to bat first.<\/p>\n A couple of hours later and the Foxes were bowled out for just 125. Baby-faced assassin Ethan Bamber continued his fine season with the ball, the 27-year-old took four for 42 to go level with Hampshire\u2019s Kyle Abbott as the leading wicket-taker in Division One this year. It was the seventh innings in succession that the Bears have routed their opponents for under 200. They finished the day five runs ahead with six wickets in hand and have at least a few digits on the trophy.<\/p>\n Asa Tribe scored his second century in successive innings as Glamorgan reached 318 for three against Essex in Cardiff. The bowling point Essex picked up is likely enough to see Leicestershire relegated. An asterisk comes in the form of the appeal the chief executive Emma White confirmed the Midlands club had lodged with the independent Cricket Discipline Panel after they were handed a 27-point deduction for a poor pitch in their match against Glamorgan<\/a> in the ninth round.<\/p>\n Any chance of a Mexican standoff in the race for the title was de-escalated by Surrey racking up 327 for four against second-placed Somerset. Dan Lawrence going to his sixth century of the campaign with a howitzer six into the stands off Jack Leach. The sun setting along with Somerset\u2019s hopes of a hoodoo breaking Championship title late in the day at Taunton.<\/p>\n At Trent Bridge, third-placed Nottinghamshire slipped from a well-placed 172 for four to finish on 242for nine against Yorkshire and in the battle of the south coast Hampshire slipped to 55for four in reply to Sussex\u2019s 244.<\/p>\n In Division Two, Northamptonshire\u2019s hopes of promotion were dashed by the decision to bat first at Lord\u2019s, Middlesex\u2019s Ryan Higgins taking four for 30 with the ball to skittle the visitors for 103 and then scoring 115 off 124 balls as the home side posted 255 in response.<\/p>\n Kent started the day in the box seat for the second promotion place behind champions Durham and are 77 for one replying to Gloucestershire\u2019s 229 at Canterbury.<\/p>\n Emilio Gay scored his fourth ton of the season for Durham as they cruised to 355 for five against a beleaguered Lancashire at Old Trafford. Worcestershire lead Derbyshire by 131 runs, Ben Allison pocketing five for 22 to raze Wayne Madsen\u2019s side for 88 in their first innings.<\/p>\n![\"James](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1790350818_253_James_Wallace.png\")
James Wallace<\/p>\n