Key events
A very welcome message from CCLive!’s occasional roving correspondent, David Hopps, who embarrassingly has beaten me to his press box, at Trent Bridge.
The identity of Somerset’s opening batters have been so unpredictable in this season’s Championship that it would have been no surprise to see the Trent Bridge dressing room attendant all padded up for action at five to eleven. They have tried seven different combinations and today, against Notts, have reverted to the strangest of the lot – the captain and allrounder, Lewis Gregory, teaming up with Josh Davey, seam bowler by trade although he did have batting pretensions as a youngster. Dickson, Vaughan, Lammonby, Umeed, Kohler-Cadmore are others to have given it a go. Matt Henry, too, although he was nightwatchman. At least I think he was nightwatchman. It’s hard to tell. Anyway, it hasn’t worked: Gregory and Lammonby have departed to Mohammad Abbas for ducks, leaving Davey to revisit his youth a little longer.
Glamorgan are so far defying Jimmy. This feels like a Sam Northeast double century kind of match. Incidentally, lovely to read the story about the Bread of Heaven Chapel being saved.
No Jamie Overton for Surrey, who has been called up for the Test squad. Imam ul-Haq makes his Yorkshire debut, no Jonny Bairstow, on paternity leave. And Somerset lost a second wicket very soon after the first – Lammonby, also via Abbas, also for a duck.
Rain and a wicket
Delays at New Road, Cheltenham and Canterbury. Play elsewhere, and in a hurry at Trent Bridge where Lewis Gregory lasted two balls against Mohammad Abbas. And an unfamiliar figure in the Notts line-up – Calvin Harris, who has had a season to remember (for Northants).
York is looking very handsome from the train, but the wifi/phone connection is iffy in the extreme, so apologies for the hiccups in posting.
Good news for Cheltenham
Gloucestershire reported that the festival has already done enough to live another day – so congratulations to all involved.
And more good news – Miles Hammond has signed a three year contract to stay at Bristol.
A wise and measured piece by Ali – I was listening on the radio and couldn’t get my head around why everyone was getting so worked up about India staying out there.
A lovely round-up – though brave of Gary to describe Chris Green as “a journeyman”.
Division Two table
1 Leicestershire 179
2 Glamorgan 145
3 Derbyshire 128
4 Lancashire 124
5 Middlesex 123
6 Gloucestershire 116
7. Northants 110
8 Kent 92
Division One table
1 Surrey 154
2 Nottinghamshire 153
3 Somerset 137
4 Warwickshire 136
5 Sussex 125
6 Hampshire 117
7 Essex 112
8 Durham 111
9 Yorkshire 104
10 Worcestershire 78
Fixtures
DIVISION ONE
Chester-le-Street: Durham v Surrey
Chelmsford: Essex v Warwickshire
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire v Somerset
New Road: Worcestershire v Hampshire
Scarborough: Yorkshire v Sussex
DIVISION TWO
Cheltenham: Gloucestershire v Middlesex
Canterbury: Kent v Leicestershire
Old Trafford: Lancashire v Glamorgan
Northamptonshire: Northants v Derbyshire
Preamble
Hello from a train shambling through the late July Pennines – which are just starting to look a bit careworn around the edges. Welcome to this final round of summer cricket – the next time we meet, the days will be drawing in, the coats zipped up.
With four rounds to go, things are hotting up. Surrey, who play Durham, are just one point ahead of Notts, who play Somerset – who are not themselves yet out of contention. Worcestershire look almost certain to go down, but there’s a dog fight for the second relegation spot – if that’s what there will be (more on this later). Yorkshire need a win against Sussex at the seaside.
In Division Two, Leicestershire are within touching distance of promotion, and get a free hit this round (Kent). Glamorgan, visiting Old Trafford, are best placed for the second spot, although the big beasts breathe fast upon their necks.
Play starts at 11am, and though the vagaries of public transport mean I won’t quite be in my seat at Scarborough, please join us!
