Key events
Fifty for Liam Dawson. He gets there with a lofted drive over cover with Lancashire desperately trying to get Hampshire’s last wicket this morning, and get batting. I’m excited to see how Rocky Flintoff fares with the bat later.
Thank you for your lovely introduction messages BTL, I’m humbled. The comments aren’t my articles aren’t usually so nice …
Surrey having India white-ball international Sai Sudharsan at No 6 in the Championship is a cheat code, isn’t it? He’s in with Jordan Clark looking to add quick runs this morning.
We’re minutes away from the start of play around the country, with little to no threat of rain, I’m happy to report.
There’s a bit of chat about the Gloucestershire v Northants abandonment BTL, understandably. Ricardo Vasconcelos went to hospital with a suspected broken figure before his teammate Rob Keogh was also hit on the hand by a rising delivery from Ajeet Singh Dale.
Northants have been given 11 points for a draw, with Gloucestershire getting nil points. There’s also the possibility the home side could get a further sanction given their pitch was deemed unsafe. Will bring you more as/when we get it.
Jonny Bairstow was doing Jonny Bairstow things yesterday. He doesn’t take kindly to being dropped, that man, which is all to his credit frankly. Whether you think he still warrants an England spot or not, he remains a fine batter.
There is a Test match going on today, of course. Taha Hashim is all over the updates as Gus Atkinson eyes an unlikely Test century.
Scores on the doors
Here’s how things look around the grounds before day two kicks off at 11am (BST):
DIVISION ONE
Taunton: Somerset 395-6 v Durham
Edgbaston: Warwickshire 207-3 v Kent 156
Chelmsford: Essex 50-1 v Worcestershire 266
Old Trafford: Lancashire v Hampshire 330-9
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire v Surrey 339-5
DVISION TWO
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 114-2 v Leicestershire 251
Headingley: Yorkshire 372-5 v Middlesex
Hove: Sussex 391-4 v Derbyshire
Bristol: Gloucestershire 125 v Northamptonshire 116-2 – match abandoned as a draw
Preamble
Good morning all and welcome to day two of this county cricket blog! As with Xaymaca yesterday, this is my debut on the county blog, and what a buzz that is, I must say.
Day one was not short of action: we had a whole game abandoned due to pitch concerns, Michael Vaughan’s son Archie made his Championship debut, while Surrey started strongly on their quest for yet another title. Can anyone stop them? Probably not, but it will be fascinating viewing nonetheless. We may have an England Test match going on, we may have deadline day in the world of football, but where else would you rather be than sitting in the sun basking in the warm glow of county cricket?
Feel free to email me your thoughts or comment Below The Line.
