Key events
This was a lovely thing to eat my muesli to this morning. An accidental education.
A dive, a tip of the glove, and Hurst is dropped by Cox off Scriven. And again, a simpler chance, Rehan Ahmed at third slip off Mike. Dropped twice in his first nine balls – a century seems assured.
And then they were three (down). Leicestershire look extremely perky, a-swigging their bottles with a swagger. Bohannon gone for nine after last week’s big un. A wicket for Mike in his first over.
In Division Two, some solid consolidation from Harris and Bohannon: six doughty runs in seven doughty overs until a couple of boundaries break the spell. Lancs 40-2.
Derbyshire lost three early wickets to Northants, but Madsen and Guthrie are hauling them out of a hole. Derbyshire 72-3.
New vigorous Kent have predictably slice through Gloucestershire’s top order, Bancroft lbw to Gilchrist for 2; ul Hassan and Northeast are keeping Middlesex at bay at Lord’s, Glam 51-1.
Rain stops play at Edgbaston
And as rain hits Birmingham, let’s wander around the grounds.
Division One: Lyth and Bean are making steady progress against Durham (Yorkshire 31-0). A couple of wickets for Worcestershire his morning at Chelmsford, both to young Jacob Duffy, who hasn’t played much red-ball cricket. (Essex 54-2)
At Southampton, Somerset have lost Sean Dickson cheaply (Wheal) (Somerset 44-1) while Brett Hutton winkled out both Warwickshire’s openers before the rain fell (Warwicks 34-1).
And Sussex are pancaking the 2024 champs around the ground – 78-0 from 13 overs.
And a second at OT, as KJ advances, squares up, and nicks Holland (2-11) to first slip who gently collects the creme egg.
Jones looks befuddled, stands holding his pose most beautifully, but his middle stump is lying flat behind him. Ball nips merrily between bat and pad. Lancashire 18-1. Enter Josh Bohannon, who Paul Edwards tells me nearly cut the top of his thumb right off while chopping lettuce in the winter.
Sam Cook has been rested by Essex, presumably under instruction from England selectors on high. The first Test against Zimbabwe, at Trent Bridge, is just over a month away.
David Lloyd drops into the press box. He fancies Yorkshire’s James Wharton as the best fielder in county cricket and likens him to a young Clive Lloyd. Any other nominees?
They’re on at OT, and Ken Grime’s radar says it should be ok until tea-time. Leicestershire won the toss and are bowling. The last time Leicestershire won here was in 2005, when Ken helped carry Mal Loye out to bat after he’d had a back spasm. Mal was strapped to a crash mat which was put on a porter’s trolley and lifted through the pavilion. He made three not out and screamed every time he hit the ball but was so angry after Jimmy was out at the other end with just a few runs to win that he managed to stamp back up the pavilion steps unaided.
Incidentally, it looks quite spicy out there this morning.
Country diary
What a lovely vignette, and so true.
Barker’s ban reduced to 12 months after ‘genuine mistake’
Fixtures
DIVISION ONE
Chester le Street: Durham v Yorkshire
Chelmsford: Essex v Worcestershire
Southampton: Hampshire v Somerset
Hove: Sussex v Surrey
Edgbaston: Warwickshire v Nottinghamshire
DIVISION TWO
The County Ground: Derbyshire v Northamptonshire
Canterbury: Kent v Gloucestershire
Old Trafford: Lancashire v Leicestershire
Lord’s: Middlesex v Glamorgan
Preamble
Hello! This year, the cricket season marks Good Friday with the start of round three. The tables are set quite unexpectedly, with Warwickshire, Sussex and Nottinghamshire at the top of Division One; Leicestershire, Kent and Derbyshire heading Division Two.
It’s overcast but dry in Manchester where there are plenty of evil-beaked magpies but still no swallows. I’m off to Old Trafford to watch Lancashire take on table-topping Leicestershire. Elsewhere in Division Two, momentum-rolling Kent prepare to eat Gloucestershire, Derbyshire entertain near neighbours Northants, while Glamorgan and Middlesex fight it out for the early-season wooden spoon.
In Division One, Yorkshire, fresh from victory on Monday, go to moribund Durham, Worcestershire travel to Fortress Chelmsford, winless Somerset need to try to dig a result out of Southampton, while the big beasts of the Midlands battle it out at Edgbaston. Last year’s champions Surrey, also without a win, go to Hove.
Play starts at 11am. Please grab a hot-cross bun from the tray and join us.
