Key events
A stat, from Ken, at Old Trafford. Marcus Harris joins an illustrious, if esoteric, list. Fewest innings to make the most scores of fifty plus for Lancs since debut:
Ashwell Prince 4 in first 4 inns
Marcus Harris 4 in first 5*
Dinesh Mongia 4 in first 6
Liam Livingstone 4 in first 7
and Luke Wells retires hurt after being hit on the elbow by Tom Scriven.
In Division One: George Hill has broken through at Chester le Street, McKinney caught for six. Yorkshire 64-1. It’s been all go at Chelmsford, where Worcestershire have a lead of nine, but only two wickets in hand. Three wickets to Rajitha.
Somerset have limped past 150 – but only just. The last wicket pair of Pretorius and Ogbourne have added 20, the third biggest partnership of the innings. James Fuller 4-37.
Brett Hutton and Fergus O’Neill have made mincemeat of Warwickshire: 77-5.
Crawley, collar up, prods the pitch, then edges Tom Price through to Cameron Green at first slip, who fumbles it, then, in a tangle of limbs, Bracey catches the rebound. Damn. I’d love to watch a couple of hours of Crawley fabulousness. Kent 20-1.
We’ve celebrated Easter a day early in this house before my daughter goes back to university tomorrow, and alas my Lindt rabbit has taken some early morning damage.
On the pitch, in Division Two: Gloucestershire have been all out for 472 against Kent; Harris and twice-dropped Hurst have eased Lancashire along to 109-3 against Leicestershire; Middlesex have lost Eskinazi to Glamorgan’s van der Gugten but are otherwise in fine fettle; and Gloucestershire have lost a couple of morning wickets, including Brooke Guest for 91.
A 25 ball fifty for De Lange! 150 for Bracey
De Lange boom-booms Gloucs past 450, Bracey flows past 150. Kent on the back foot.
In other news, is Tom now most common current name for a batter? See Lammonby/Haines/Abell/Banton/Clark/Alsop.
Consecutive tons for Sussex’s Haines
After a hundred against Somerset last week, Tom Haines has another – this time against the 2024 champions. It will brighten the twinkle in Rob Key’s eye. Tom Alsop at the other end has his own fifty, Sussex continuing as they left off, 267-2.
An early wicket for Kasun Rajitha at Chelmsford, Hose for 48. Rajitha has signed for five Championship games with Essex (starting with this, against Worcs), and got to know Essex director of cricket Chris Silverwood when Silverwood spent two years as Sri Lankan coach.
Lees and McKinney are on their way at CLS. Yorkshire bowled out for 307. Potts taking out Bess for 66, four wickets each for Raine and Doggett.
De Lange de lumping: 4, 6, 6. Glos 410-9.
Dom Bess has ushered Yorkshire over the 300 line with a boundary but he’s losing partners, Ben Raine has bowled Sears to collect his fourth wickets of the innings.
And Cameron Green, reluctantly, must leave the field at Canterbury – tries to stare down the umpire after he gives him out (unluckily) lbw, but the ump keeps his finger raised until he turns tail. Gloucs 385-9.
Love the optimism of Nathan Gilchrist, who attempts to bounce Cameron Green.
Cameron Green, cramp resolved has taken his place back in the middle with James Bracey at Canterbury. Both are on unbeaten hundreds. A pepperpot and a pint pot.
Delayed starts…
…at Edgbaston, Old Trafford and Southampon. All should get going at 11.30.
More sensational young talent to add to the Australian juggernaut? Goody.
Reports from Old Trafford suggest an 11.30 start, the covers already off.
“Hi Tanya.” Good morning Tim Maitland!
“Looking at the weather radar and the bizarre sight of rain making its way UP the country from south east to north west, which I don’t think it ever did when I was a kid, it looks like you might be in for a gruesome day checking in on delays and restarts … except for Durham, which seems set fair.
“A good time to mention Yorkshire’s Dom Bess backing up his maiden Championship century against Worcestershire with an unbeaten half century at Chester-le-Street. It seems crazy that it’s taken since his first class debut in 2016 and several wrong turns to get to three figures. It would be cool if he builds on his 57 not out with another big score today… especially as he started his season with James Vince-like scores of 1, 0 and 7.
“Talking of Vince (clunk), he’s had quite a week with the Karachi Kings in the Pakistan Super League: 101 at a ridiculous strike rate of 234 against Multan Sultans, a two-ball duck against the Lahore Qalandars* and most recently 70 at a sedate 149 versus the Quetta Gladiators.
*a wandering, ascetic Sufi dervish apparently.”
I was just reading about that. He’ll be hugely missed at Hampshire, and by readers/writers of CCLive – but I hope the move is a happy one for him.
Score on the doors
DIVISION ONE
Chester le Street: Durham v Yorkshire 295-8
Chelmsford: Essex 179 v Worcestershire 98-4
Southampton: Hampshire v Somerset 94-6
Hove: Sussex 227-2 v Surrey
Edgbaston: Warwickshire 34-2 v Nottinghamshire
DIVISION TWO
The County Ground: Derbyshire 216-4 v Northamptonshire
Canterbury: Kent v Gloucestershire 365-7
Old Trafford: Lancashire 61-3 v Leicestershire start delayed
Lord’s: Middlesex 63-0 v Glamorgan 199
Weather watch
An east-west divide:
Saturday will start cloudy, wet and windy in the west with heavy rain and hill fog. The wind and rain slowly easing across all but western Scotland. Otherwise mainly dry with some warm hazy sunshine. Cooler along North Sea coasts.
Preamble
Good morning from a wet Manchester. The sun like a scrape of butter on some greaseproof paper.
