Key events
Time for a sandwich, back soon!
Lunchtime scores
Division One
Southampton: Hampshire v Glamorgan 89-1
Leicester: Leicestershire v Nottinghamshire 120-1
Taunton: Somerset v Yorkshire 115-3
The Oval: Surrey v Sussex 105-7
Division Two
Canterbury: Kent 99-4 v Derbyshire
Lord’s: Middlesex 82-1 v Durham
Northampton: Northants v Worcestershire 104-4
Big Craig Overton throws his maroon Somerset cap on the ground after shelling Bairstow at second slip on 22. He’s still covering his face with his hands two balls later. Pretorius runs in. Yorks 115-3.
Stokes batting at Lord’s
Andy Bull is out and about at Lord’s and has spotted Ben Stokes batting in the nets on the Nursery ground. “He has drawn a crowd of 30 school kids and 20 men in blazers.” And looks “rugged.”
Somerset’s bowlers are currently getting schooled by Bairstow and Root – whose cover drive on one knee against Craig Overton was like a bite of a warm buttery croissant straight from a Parisian paper bag. Yorkshire 110-3.
Asa Tribe going great guns (45) in Glamorgan’s 77-0 against Hants. Ben Kellaway is back for Glamorgan after injury.
Notts have made a perky start against Leicestershire. They’ve lost HH for 42, but Ben Slater still there on 50. Notts 97-1.
Yorkshire 78-3 at Taunton, Root and Bairstow batting together, and they’ve just changed the ball.
And, oh! at The Oval, where a zillion runs have been laid down over the last few weeks, Sussex are 84 for six. Jordan Clark four for 9, Tom Clark out for 44.
Briefly gobsmacked to see Somerset selling Sabrina Carpenter and Olivia Rodrigo tickets for £10 – but just realised it is a tribute show. Still, nice idea after the Somerset and Surrey women’s game in June
A steam engine hoots as it chugs on its way behind Taunton. Somerset 70-3. Let’s skip around the grounds.
There’s a cute brown dog in the Taunton crowd that just watched Jonny drive Ogborne, feet in fourth position, standing tall, plink to the rope.
Switching streams to Taunton. The panatone colour chart has dulled in the move from east to west. And there goes Finlay Bean for 35 to Pretorius, caught low down by James Rew. On runs the water man in an anorak. Joe Root at the other end on 3. Yorks 64-3. Here comes Jonny.
Go to make a cup of coffee, when I come back the umpire is replacing the bails at Canterbury. Crawley gone for a fleeting, but lovely 44. Andersson the wicket-taker. Kent 73 for 2.
Lord’s breaks women’s Test attendance record
England women play their first (yes, really) Test at Lord’s later this summer, against India. The MCC have already sold more than the 23,207
tickets which were the previous record for a women’s Test.
Zak Crawley has just driven Zac Chappell through the covers with the sweetest sound. No-one in the field moved. But three slips wait. He reaches 29. Kent 45-1.
A catch for Ollie Robinson, who seems to have slipped out of England conversations with the rise of Jamie Smith. De Caires for eight, Middlesex 34 for one.
Warwickshire to name new stand after Dennis Amiss
Warwicks have announced that their new stand, due to open next year, will be named after their leading run-scorer.
On the Kent stream, Sam Northeast and Zak Crawley are looking good.
Thomas Rew is making his Championship debut, alongside brother James, at Taunton. Yorkshire have lost Adam Lyth, lbw Ogborne, for 8. Yorks 26-1.
And an early wicket in glorious Canterbury sunshine, Dawkins dollies a catch back to Haydon. Kent 21-1.
An early wicket at The Oval where Tom Haines has edged Sean Abbott to slip for a duck. Sussex 2 for one.
Worcestershire have also lost an early wicket against Northants, and it’s their banker, Jake Libby, for three. Worcs 13-1.
Good morning Mike Daniels!
“Sun’s shining here at Grace Road for the “Ay Up, Me Duck” Derby.
“Not sure Leics will get their first win this round, Notts look a strong side even without Josh Tongue.”
They really do.
More news has dropped from OT, where Luke Wells has signed a three-year contract.
Time to lace up your boots, the players are out around the grounds.
Division Two table
1 Lancashire P4 W2 L1 D1 60 points
2 Durham P3 W2 D1 57 points
3 Worcestershire P3 W2 L1 51 points
4 Northamptonshire P3 D3 43 points
5 Middlesex P3 W1 D1 L1 38 points
6 Derbyshire P3 L2 D1 25 points
7 Gloucestershire P4 W1 L3 24 points
8 Kent P3 L1 D2 21 points
Division One Table
1 Warwickshire P 4 W1 L1 D2 55 points
2 Somerset P3 W 2 D1 54 points
3 Nottinghamshire P3 W1 D2 44 points
4 Sussex P3 W2 D1 42 points
5 Essex P4 W1 L2 D1 40 points
6 Surrey P3 D3 37 points
7 Leicestershire P3 L1 D2 32 points
8 Glamorgan P3 L1 D2 27 points
9 Yorkshire P3 L1 D2 26 points
10 Hampshire P3 W1 L2 25 points
Kent turn off comments on social media feed
Kent, who have struggled this season, and lie bottom of Div Two, with just 21 points, have taken the decision to switch comments off the club’s social media accounts.
In a statement, coach Adam Hollioake said: “This has not been a decision that we’ve taken lightly and we are in no means stopping people voicing their opinions, but to align with our short-term strategy to allow players and staff to think and play with freedom and clarity, we feel it is a necessary one…
“There are several ways for supporters to get their views across. There is a member’s forum …on day one of this match and anyone can also contact the club with their feedback at any time….
“You are measured as a person by how you act and apply yourself when times are hard and I’d like to think that our members and supporters will be willing us to do well more than ever. We are giving our all every day to improve.”
Surrey to increase security following Golders Green attacks
Some sobering news from The Oval.
Surrey have increased security and bag checks at the Oval after the Golders Green knife attacks.
Police have charged a 45-year-old man with attempted murder following the stabbings of two Jewish men in north London on Wednesday, with the incident contributing to the UK terrorism threat level being raised to severe.
That is the second highest level on the scale and means the chance of terror attacks are considered highly likely by authorities.
Surrey’s latest first-class fixture against Sussex runs from Friday to Monday and the club have moved quickly to reflect the changing circumstances.
A club statement read: “Surrey are in regular communication with the Met police and will adjust our own security measures in line with the increased threat level. We want to ensure that all staff, spectators and players feel safe and secure at the Kia Oval and will take the action necessary to do so.
“Please note there will be additional security presence and heightened bag searches at this weekend’s Rothesay County Championship match with Sussex, so please allow additional time to enter the ground.”
Surrey have been pioneering a new scheme this season that encourages home-based workers to use the ground as their office, utilising desks and new super-fast broadband connections. Their last home match, against Essex, had a 21st-century record of 15,663 spectators in attendance. PA Media
Fixtures
Division One
Southampton: Hampshire v Glamorgan
Leicester: Leicestershire v Nottinghamshire
Taunton: Somerset v Yorkshire
The Oval: Surrey v Sussex
Division Two
Canterbury: Kent v Derbyshire
Lord’s: Middlesex v Durham
Northampton: Northants v Worcestershire
England withdraw Josh Tongue and Gus Atkinson
England have pulled Josh Tongue and Gus Atkinson from the Notts and Surrey squads to manage their workloads. Surrey are also without Tom Lawes (soft tissue injury) – a double blow for him as I’ve suddenly seen his name cropping up as a potential England bowler.
It looks as if Fergus O’Neill will play for Notts after recovering from a rib injury and Thomas Rew, brother of James, is included by Somerset for the first time in a CC match.
Preamble
Good morning! May has landed like a gentle kiss on the back of the neck, and with it round five of the Championship.
There are seven games today, with Warwickshire, Essex, Gloucestershire and Lancashire – who will lose Daniel Gidney at the end of the season (retirement) but gain Chris Green early – sitting this one out. Jamie Smith will keep wicket for Surrey against Sussex after Ben Foakes injured himself bowling in the dying dregs of the game against Essex. And Kent must plough on
Surrey, Leicestershire, Glamorgan, Yorkshire, Northants and Derbyshire are also searching for their first wins. Play starts at 11am, do join us.