Key events
This was probably covered in the last round but, if you want to read up on the big bat controversy, this is your website – The Cricket Regulator – complete with diagrams of bat gauges and more.
And Bohannon must walk off, John Wayne style, a second for Overton. Enter young Flintoff. Lancs 41-2.
And Warwickshire are also flailing around, Yates, Davies and Hain back in the pavilion with just 27 on the board. Porter and Cook the ammunition men.
And Overton strikes, Singh pushes forwards and is caught by Lammonby in the bread basket. Lancs 21-1.
Lancs have survived the first 10 minutes from Craig Overton and Randell, and their teammates all clad in regulation cap and cable-knit jumper.
Elsewhere, Warwickshire have lost an early wicket, Yates for five to the inevitable Porter; and Glos have been brought back to earth sharply, 1-1, Joe PHillips gone to the ninth ball of the day.
Regulations, regulations, regulations
Thanks to Ken Grime for this regulatory nugget:
Reg 16.2.7.
The side which has the highest aggregate of points gained at the end of the season shall be the Champion County of their respective Division.
Should any sides in the Championship table be equal on points, the following tie-breakers will be applied in the order stated: most wins, fewest losses, team achieving most points in contests between teams level on points (over-rate penalties shall be included in this calculation), most wickets taken, most runs scored.
And lo, Jennings is dropped first ball at second slip by Kasey Aldridge.
Lancs watch
Somerset have won the toss and will have a bowl. Not great omens for Lancs – this is the first time they have lost three matches in a row by an innings since 1907 and the first season that they have lost four Championship matches by an innings in their history.
Old Trafford looking altogether more cheerful than the bleak scenes on Sunday for the T20. Albeit play hasn’t started yet.
How they stand
Division One
1 Surrey P12 Pts 198
2 Somerset P12 Pts 190
3 Hampshire P23 Pts 171
4 Essex P12 Pts 160
5 Durham P12 Pts 154
6 Worcestershire P12 Pts 147
7 Warwickshire P12 Pts 143
8 Nottinghamshire P12 Pts 118
9 Lancashire P12 Pts 107
10 Kent P12 Pts 82
Division Two
1 Sussex P12 Pts 200
2 Yorkshire P12 Pts 179
3 Middlesex P12 Pts 164
4 Leicestershire P12 Pts 142
5 Gloucestershire P12 Pts 148
6 Northants P12 Pts 130
7 Glamorgan P12 Pts 126
8 Derbyshire P12 Pts 107
Division Two fixtures
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan v Yorkshire
Bristol: Gloucs v Sussex
County Ground: Northants v Leicestershire
Derby: Derbyshire v Middlesex
Division One Fixtures
The Oval: Surrey v Durham
Southampton: Hampshire v Worcestershire
Canterbury: Kent v Notts
Old Trafford: Lancashire v Somerset
Edgbaston: Warwickshire v Essex
Preamble
Good morning! It’s all leggy hedgerows and faded blackberries, misty, bright and HOW ARE WE HERE ALREADY? Just two rounds to go in this Championship race and suddenly everything to play for. Runaway Surrey are all at once just eight points ahead of Somerset – and they have the much tougher game against Durham than Somerset do against relegation-bound Lancashire – of whom more later.
In the Division Two promotion race, Sussex (who play Blast victors Gloucestershire) look a sure thing, while Yorkshire are in a good position, nestling 21 points below them, but 15 points ahead of next best Middlesex. Middlesex, though, play basement dwellers Derbyshire.
Play starts at 10.30am. Fire up your kettles and ioin us!
