7.13pm BST
Tanya's county roundup A micro-round of Championship games finished with three knuckle gnawers and one that petered quietly into a bad-light induced draw.
At Southampton, Tom Abell guided Somerset to their second win of the season, leaving them top of Division One and flames ablaze in every West Country heart. His calm 101 not out, his second century of the season, defied even an eye-catching bowling performance from Hampshire ’s Sonny Baker (five for 62). Run-up almost back to the rope, Baker pistoled in and, with a last-chance new ball, caterwauled Lewis Gregory’s middle stump and had Alfie Ogborne, a former housemate, tickling behind. But Abell, with stoic support from Jack Leach, saw Somerset home by two wickets.
On an Edgbaston pitch more frisky than average, Warwickshire nipped over the line shortly after Somerset, bowling out Essex for 164. Keith Barker, returning to his old club after an eight-year hiatus, made his mark with three wickets in his first over of the day: Dean Elgar lbw offering no shot, Sam Cook squirting to cover and Charlie Allison bowled by a crawler. From there, it was uphill all the way for Essex, who fell short by 41 runs despite the best efforts of Simon Harmer and Zaman Akhter.
Keaton Jennings hit 78 not out to guide Lancashire to victory at Bristol, against a Gloucestershire attack who chipped away energetically, but didn’t quite have enough runs to play with. Lancashire’s win by four wickets takes them top of Division Two. The Lancashire captain, Jimmy Anderson, also the division’s leading wicket taker, was asked if he could cope with a fourth game on the trot. “We will wait and see,” he said.” I struggled to get out of bed this morning.”
Sam Robson’s 162 not out, combined with gloom and light meters, ensured Middlesex ’s game with Northamptonshire ended in a draw.
Updated at 7.23pm BST
4.35pm BST
Goodbye! So that’s it from this micro-round . Three cracking finishes and one put out of its misery just at the right time. And more James Rew, more Sonny Baker, more Jimmy Anderson for everyone to chew over.
There will be seven games in round four (Middx, Northants, Hants and Somerset miss out), starting on Friday. See you then and have a lovely evening – bye!
Updated at 4.36pm BST
4.31pm BST
Final Scores DIVISION ONE
Southampton : Somerset 288 & 288-8 BEAT Hampshire 238 and 336 by two wickets
Edgbaston : Warwickshire 190 & 220 BEAT Essex 205-9 & 164 by 41 runs
DIVISION TWO
Bristol : Lancashire 240 & 203-6 BEAT Gloucestershire 136 and 305 by four wickets.
Northampton : Northants 409 DRAW with Middlesex 341 & 353-3
4.30pm BST
Northamptonshire DRAW with Middlesex Northampton : Northants 409 DRAW with Middlesex 341 & 353-3
Northamptonshire 15 points, Middlesex 13
4.19pm BST
I think that will be it at Wantage Road, so am going to start writing up. Will come back with any news.
4.05pm BST
Bad light stops play And so to Wantage Road, where Sam Robson was out, embarrassingly unnoticed ATL, for 162. Ah, they’re taking a light reading and it looks like they’re putting this game to bed, coming off for bad light.
3.56pm BST
And then there was one.
3.55pm BST
Teatime scores DIVISION ONE
Southampton : Somerset 288 & 288-8 BEAT Hampshire 238 and 336 by two wickets
Edgbaston : Warwickshire 190 & 220 BEAT Essex 205-9 & 164 by 41 runs
DIVISION TWO
Bristol : Lancashire 240 & 203-6 BEAT Gloucestershire 136 and 305 by four wickets.
Northampton : Northants 409 v Middlesex 341 & 352-3 – Middlesex lead by 284 runs
Updated at 4.30pm BST
3.52pm BST
Warwickshire BEAT Essex by 41 runs! All over at Edgbaston, Akhter the final wicket to fall attempting to ramp a boundary off Webster and seeing it gobbled up by Sam Hain running around at fine leg. Warwickshire bag their first win of the season by a margin 41 runs, with Keith Barker, four for 29, setting it up courtesy of that remarkable three-wicket over first thing. Will Chris Woakes even get back into the side? (Clue: He will).
Edgbaston : Warwickshire 190 & 220 BEAT Essex 205-9 & 164 by 41 runs
Updated at 3.53pm BST
3.42pm BST
Got ‘im! Big wicket here as Simon Harmer is eventually prised from his rock courtesy of a bit of nibble from Big Beau Webster and a fine low take by Rob Yates at slip. Harmer stood his ground for a second but was quickly sent on his way (replays suggest the catch was clean). Essex 43 to win, Warwickshire one wicket away.
3.36pm BST
Wondering if a second nail-biter is loading here at Edgbaston ... Simon Harmer and Zaman Akhter have steadily chiselled out 51 for the ninth wicket to get within striking distance. Essex need 43 more to win, Warwickshire two more wickets...
3.24pm BST
Somerset BEAT Hampshire by two wickets! Tom Abell sails four through midwicket to win the game, 101 not out!
Southampton : Somerset 288 & 288-8 BEAT Hampshire 238 and 336 by two wickets
Hampshire 3 points, Somerset 20 points
Updated at 3.40pm BST
3.20pm BST
Abell tonks a full toss , gets a single off the last ball and will face Kyle Abbott. Three needed.
3.17pm BST
Abell not taking the singles, three balls left of Baker’s over. The crack of the bat loud over the empty tense ground.
Updated at 3.17pm BST
3.14pm BST
Abbott with a maiden. Four needed for Somerset. Abell, on 96, to face the next over from Baker.
3.11pm BST
Jack Leach, short sleeved jumped pulled down over his bottom, leans back and axes Baker for four. But then takes a single to retain the strike at the end of the over. Four needed.
3.06pm BST
A crack of the bat, and Abell flicks Abbott for four, the field up, the target now down to nine. Back comes Baker for a final over.
2.58pm BST
And Baker has a secon d! Ogborne fancies this one for cover-drive glory but instead edges behind. Somerset eight down, need 15. Abell still there. Here comes Jack Leach.
2.55pm BST
“If you’re going to get serious about Bs, ” writes Richard Spiller, “try Boycott, Butcher (A), Brearley, Botham and Bairstow (snr) for England v India at The Oval in 1979.”
2.48pm BST
Sonny Baker to win the game. Marches to his mark, somewhere back east of Eden. An excellent centre parting, brylcream and curtains hairdo, at least that’s what it looks like on wobbly Youtube. Mid run-up skip and charge. And sends Gregory’s middle stump caterwauling! Twenty-five needed.
2.39pm BST
The new ball gamble is working, but for Somerset, not Hampshire – Abell wristily sends Abbott flowing to the rope. The target now just 30.
2.33pm BST
Ruining the B-team thing, Jordan Thompson has just removed Severus Snater with a bit of movement and a superb diving catch by Al Davis behind the stumps
Updated at 2.41pm BST
2.33pm BST
“Your “B” query,” writes Ali, “reminds me of the time Mike Atherton referred to Jonny Bairstow, Stuart Broad and Dom Bess as a case of ‘England’s B-team’ coming good. YJB slightly missed the point, took huge offence etc.”
Updated at 2.35pm BST
2.24pm BST
Right, they’re taking the new ball at Hampshire. Oh, and I think they’ve given it to Dawson? Somerset need 49.
2.19pm BST
If the next three wickets at Edgbaston are also Barker/Bamber/Barnard, will that be some kind of B record? Essex still need an unlikely 104, with Harmer (14 not out) and the tail to come.
2.11pm BST
Somerset are crawling backwards towards their target, trousers torn on the barbed wire. Dawson, in sunglasses, wheels in. Gregory prods. The target is 53, four wickets in hand.
2.02pm BST
Lancashire BEAT Gloucestershire by four wickets Over and out at Bristol. Gloucestershire have now lost three in the bounce, but this was a better, fighting, performance. Lancs pocket their second win of the summer, with Balderson (nine wickets) and Anderson (eight) crucial here.
Bristol : Lancashire 240 & 203-6 BEAT Gloucestershire 136 and 305 by four wickets.
Gloucestershire 3 points; Lancashire 19 points.
Updated at 2.02pm BST
1.57pm BST
Hurtling towards a result here at Edgbaston, with Warwickshire striking twice after lunch to leave Essex seven down, still 124 runs shy of the target. Keith Barker nabbed his fourth, teasing an edge from Michael Pepper, and now Ethan Bamber has bowled Luc Benkenstein with a bit of nip to beat the outside edge. Felt like he made it look a better ball than it was – footwork was minimal – but it was also the product of a good probing over.
1.49pm BST
Two quick post-lunch wickets: Arav Shetty Ollie Priced for 31; Michael Pepper Keith Barkered for nine. But where Lancs only need ten, Essex need 126.
1.06pm BST
Lunchtime scores DIVISION ONE
Southampton : Hampshire 238 and 336 v Somerset 288 & 223-6 – Somerset need 64 runs to win
Edgbaston : Warwickshire 190 & 220 v Essex 205-9 & 80-5 – Essex need 126 runs to win
DIVISION TWO
Bristol : Gloucestershire 136 and 305 v Lancashire 240 & 188-5 – Lancashire need 14 runs to win
Northampton : Northants 409 v Middlesex 341 & 211-2 – Middlesex lead by 143 runs
1.04pm BST
Tom Prest is causing all sorts of commotion in his first over, and the last before lunch – but Abell and Gregory survive, to leave Somerset needing another 64 to win. They go off for lunch, as they do round the grounds, even at Bristol where Lancs must fancy some grub before climbing on the coach home.
Updated at 1.07pm BST
12.54pm BST
Run-chase round up As lunch approaches:
Somerset need 74 to beat Hampshire with four wickets remaining. Tom Abell, vitally, still there on 63. Big Craig, been and gone. Liam Dawson weaving magic.
Lancashire , spearheaded by Keaton Jennings, 74 not out, are nearly there. Need just 32 to beat Gloucestershire and, despite the best efforts of Will Williams, have five wickets left.
At Edgbaston, Luc Benkenstein and Michael Pepper have a tricky rebuilding task, Essex need 131 against Warwickshire , with five wickets left.
12.49pm BST
Robson and Holden continue in their merry way at Wantage Road. Both into the eighties, Middlesex sitting comfortably with a lead of 129 and barring disaster tootling towards a draw.
Updated at 3.35pm BST
12.41pm BST
Liam Dawson is finding spit and sawdust. Abell edges through Brown’s legs who ends up sprawled as the ball flies to the rope. Useful runs as this task suddenly turns tricky for Somerset.
12.34pm BST
And it is – for him . Bowled Dawson, four. Somerset six down, need 89.
12.26pm BST
Craig Overton wants to get this nonsense over with this morning.
12.23pm BST
And another mid-morning wicket, this time from Southampton, where Somerset’s steady progress is interrupted. Hants hopping with happiness as Smeed reaches again and is caught at backward point by Jake Lehman. The quick Eddie Jack with the breakthrough. Somerset 188-5, need 99 to beat Hampshire.
12.20pm BST
A third wicket for Will Williams at Bristol, Matty Hurst chips and then flops over his bat in misery as the ball loops into the hands of Tommy Boorman. Lancs are now five wickets down, but KJ is still there, 60 not out. Fifty eight needed.
12.14pm BST
Essex are five down and staring at an afternoon on the coach home, discussing where it all went wrong over a bag of Quavers. Things appeared to have quietened down after that breakneck start but then Ed Barnard brought himself on, persuaded Tall Paul to drive down the ground, and the ball skewed off the toe-end of the bat to Keith Barker at mid-off. Decent grab, too, stretching above his head.
12.10pm BST
Fifty for Tom Abell! Will Smeed, yet to hit his red ball sweet spot, reaches outside off stump to drive Yusuf but no cigar. He and Tom Abell have, carefully, added 40 since Rew was out early this morning. Somerset need another 104 – and, with a couple of runs stroked into the off side, that’s the second time Abell has passed fifty this season.
Updated at 12.24pm BST
12.00pm BST
I pressed too soon, shortly afterwards Will Williams persuades Michael Jones to nibble to second slip for 30. And then Jennings is caught off a no ball from Brookes. Lancs 126-4, need 76.
11.53am BST
Switch over to coverage of Lancs v Glos to hear Ed Seaborne say: “Lancashire are dictating the terms.”
Updated at 11.57am BST
11.43am BST
Good morning Tim Maitland!
“A series of unhelpful suggestions, inaccurate advice and poor decision making led me, in my formative years, to attempt an education in geology where I learnt two important things: to ask yourself “what aren’t we seeing” and that I did not want to be a geologist.
“The first of those has been nagging away at me in the early weeks of the County championship and I’ve finally found the answer: where are the pedal-to-the-metal, hard-sell-to-the-IPL, run-a-ball knocks this year?
“On the absolute road produced at the Oval for Surrey’s game with Leicestershire, Ollie Pope’s progress towards his ton was, compared to the standards set at the height of Bazball, a Tavare-esque crawl (16 fours, no sixes at a strike rate of 76.3), while I’m amazed that chants of “Are you Boycott in disguise” didn’t accompany the once-swashbuckling Jamie Smith’s tortoise-like progress to 166 (19 fours, 2 sixes at 69.17)... although to him it might have felt breathless after his 132 off 267 balls in the opening round at Edgbaston.
“It’s true that Nathan McSweeney went for it for Northants, but coming in at 472-2, I imagine he had carte blanche to do cartwheels as Luke Procter chugged along to his unbeaten 261 off 357 at Kent. Martin Anderson’s 228 for Derbyshire against the under-powered Worcestershire “pace” attack was impressive, but a strike rate of 84.13 is hardly T20-gone-mad, is it?
“So, are we bereft of biff? Fresh out of thrash? (The lovely American wife suggested “lacking lickspittle” at this stage, but it’s my fault for not specifying that I was looking for words that hadn’t died out in the 1600s and she has been drinking) Are we cutting back on the carnage?
“Statisticians would immediately argue that three weeks of the season is far too small a sample size to make any meaningful assessments: to them I say FAKE NEWS! We’re living in a Post-Truth world where lies are truth, white is black and peace is war.
“By this stage last season Tom Abell had rattled off 371 runs at Taunton against (recurring theme) Worcestershire at 92.06. Dan Lawrence had launched six sixes and 117 runs at 105.41 at Hove. John Simpson of Sussex had slashed five sixes and 110 runs at 94.02 at the same venue. Saif Zaib Zorroed (too much?) 105 runs at 116.67 at Derby and Gloucestershire’s No. 11 Marchant de Lange larrumped 51 from 27 at Canterbury.
“The serious point to this facetious drivel is this: does this mean that the message about Bazball 2.0 has filtered down to the counties or, have they, like Ben Stokes in Australia this winter, just figured out for themselves that it is possible to back yourself too much?”
Interesting point! It would be good to see if it still stands at the end of this seven-week block in mid-May.
Updated at 11.54am BST
11.37am BST
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.
And at Wantage Road, Max Holden and Sam Robson have extended Middlesex’s second-wicket partnership to 88 in a match that looks likely to end in handshakes at 5pm.
Updated at 11.51am BST
11.32am BST
End of Rew watch A wicket at Southampton, and it’s the Rewmeister, prodding, awkwardly, outside his off stump and giving Ben Brown a catch just above the turf. Kyle Abbott the bowler. Somerset 158-4, need another 129 to beat Hants. Baker and Abbott bowling nicely.
Updated at 11.33am BST
11.25am BST
Oh dear, Matt Critchley slaps a rank long hop to cover and Ethan Bamber is almost too embarrassed to celebrate ... Essex 21 for four now, 185 more runs now their Everest.
Updated at 11.32am BST
11.10am BST
Three in the over for Barker! Charlie Allison, bowled by one that may have kept a bit low. Essex 16 for three...
11.08am BST
Early 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’s third ball of the day to cover. That’s Barker’s 700th career wicket across formats. Essex 16 for two (need another 190) and an inauspicious start.
Updated at 11.33am BST
11.05am BST
Rew watch They’ve started a t sunny Southampton, where Sonny Baker is pistoning in and James Rew, hand on hip, is at the non-striker’s end, 58 not out. Somerset need another 148 to win, seven wickets in hand.
11.00am BST
Weather watch Largely lovely, with floating showers.
Updated at 12.03pm BST
10.43am BST
I had a treat in the post on Friday, a copy of Jon Hotten’s 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’s a lovely writer and I’ve read the first chapter and it is gorgeous. So I said I’d give it a plug – if you like Jon’s writing and are a Vince tragic, this is the book for you. Also here .
Updated at 10.47am BST
10.21am BST
Adds Ali: “Warwickshire are currently warming up to Sultans of Swing by Dire Straits ... will their day be the song title or the band name?”
Very good. I once ended up watching two hours of Youtube videos on Sultans of Swing , I didn’t realise how obsessed people were with it.
10.19am BST
Nicely set up here at Edgbaston: glorious sunshine (cold air), Essex needing 195 more runs to knock off 206, Warwickshire 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 – so there should be chances created. But Warwickshire were badly burned last week trying – and failing – to defend 328 at Hove.
10.15am BST
Jim's Sunday round-up 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’s second innings effort of 336.
Hampshire’ s Sonny Baker then had his dander well and truly up and the opposition in trouble by pocketing the Cidermen’s 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.
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.
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’s 91 included sixteen boundaries and helped his side post a challenging if hardly fear-inducing target.
In Division Two, centuries from Northamptonshire ’s 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’s second innings but Sam Robson and Max Holden batted calmly to reach 109-1 and a lead of 41 runs by stumps.
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.
10.15am BST
Scores on the doors DIVISION ONE
Southampton : Hampshire 238 and 336 v Somerset 288 & 139-3 – Somerset need 148 runs to win
Edgbaston : Warwickshire 190 & 220 v Essex 205-9 & 11-0 – Essex need 195 runs to win
DIVISION TWO
Bristol : Gloucestershire 136 and 305 v Lancashire 240 & 75-3 – Lancashire need 127 runs to win
Northampton : Northants 409 v Middlesex 341 & 109-1 – Middlesex lead by 41 runs
10.15am BST
Preamble Hello ! Hope it is as spring perfect wherever you are as it is in Manchester this morning, almondy bird cherry wafting me along on my dog walk. Thanks so much to Jim for covering yesterday, four games still in play and at least two results to watch over. Play starts at 11am, do join us.