Key events
Two in two for Matthew Revis at Taunton, leaves Smeed stranded on 36 and the Somerset innings finished in time for Friday fish and chips. Time for a sandwich here, back soon.
Lunchtime scores
Division One
Southampton: Hampshire v Glamorgan 500-5
Leicester: Leicestershire 9-0 v Nottinghamshire 490
Taunton: Somerset 274 v Yorkshire 162
The Oval: Surrey 120-0 v Sussex 358-9dec
Division Two
Canterbury: Kent 352 v Derbyshire 132-4
Lord’s: Middlesex 372-6 v Durham
Northampton: Northants 138-2 v Worcestershire 306
Don’t you love to see Dom Bess’s scallywag dirty knees? He’s just removed Lewis Gregory before lunch. Somerset 274-8.
Ben Green takes 7-112
Excellent work by Ben Green, who has almost single handedly restrained Notts. His best bowling figures too. Notts lost 6 for 95 this morning, Joe Clarke out in the 90s for the third time this season – his average must be insanely good, I’ll dig it out in a minute.
Not much happening at The Oval, so flick back to Taunton, where Will Smeed is still in, 34 not out – five short of his highest f-c score. Great news that Brian the cat has slunk back to the ground. Somerset are really trudging through the morning, but have inched the lead over Yorkshire up past 100. Somerset 268-7.
A pause at The Oval where Burns has been hit on the hand, throws his glove down in pain. But with some magic spray he continues, Surrey 107-0.
100 for Ryan Higgins!
A quick dally around Division Two:
A first century for two years for Ryan Higgins, keeping the good ship Middlesex afloat at Lord’s. Durham toil on, wicketless this morning. Middx 357-6.
Kent have winkled out three Derbyshire batters, two to Keith Dudgeon. Harry Came, Caleb Jewell and Matt Montgomery all back in the pavilion for not much. Wayne Madsen and MArtin Andersson with the rebuild. Derbys 117-3, trail by 235.
And Ricardo Vasconcelos has an unbeaten 65 in Northant’s reply to Worcestershire’s 306. Northants 123-2.
Have been keeping an eye on Ollie Robinson on the stream from The Oval, but Sibley and Burns are ploughing on, largely unbothered, and that’s the hundred partnership, courtesy of a sweep from Burns and a misfield. And there’s Burns’ fifty. Surrey 105-0, trail by 253.
Yorkshire now pick up the important wicket of Craig Overton, spoiler of bowling figures. Somerset have lost four for 28 this morning and lead Yorkshrie by just 69.
Gorgeous shot from Rory Burns, two-step down the pitch then an on drive off Hudson-Prentice for four. Surrey 70-0.
200 for Kiran Carlson
Gets there with a squared-up edge and looks very pleased.Raises his bat to all corners and gets a big hug from Colin Ingram. Carlson has lost a couple of partners this morning, Zain ul Hassan, run out for 143, and Ben Kellaway for a six ball duck. Glamorgan 436-3.
Remembering Josh Baker
It was two years ago today that Worcestershire left-arm spinner Josh Baker died, aged just 20.
“It was his vibrant spirit and infectious enthusiasm that endeared him to everyone he met,” said the club at the time. “His warmth, kindness, and professionalism were remarkable, making him a true credit to his family and a loved member of our team.”
His parents set up a charity in his name, the JB33 Foundation.
Fifty for Tom Abell
A quick raise of the bat, no fuss, work to do. Smeed has got going at last, with a couple of boundaries. Somerset 222-5.
At The Oval, Burns and Sibley have taken Surrey to 40-0.
At Taunton, Will Smeed 2.0, the endlessly patient Will Smeed, is still on 0, on his home Championship debut. Tom Abell approaches 50.
A wicket at Grace Road, where Notts are pounding Leicestershire round the ground. Jack Haynes a fourth wicket for Ben Green. Joe Clarke is approaching his hundred. Notts 426-5.
A pretty good looking crowd at Taunton, some huddling against a brick wall for warmth. Joe Root at first slip polishes the ball, Will Smeed, slow starting again, still on nought. Jack White on the money.
Oh dear, Thomas Rew’s Championship debut ends in a duck, caught at third slip, a fourth wicket for White. He walks so slowly away, you worry his soles have slunk into the soil. Somerset 201-5.
Am just pouring my muesli when I hear Anthony Gibson sigh at Josh Thomas’s demise, in the first over of the day from Taunton. Switch on the stream where Vic Marks too is sighing. Somerset 201-4 lead by 39.
Yorkshire’s team may feel rather bruised if YJB’s press conference last night was anything to go by.
“To lose seven wickets as we did was unacceptable.
“It’s not the first time this season that we have lost wickets in clusters and, frankly, it’s not good enough. The standards we set for ourselves, we have come up far short of so far this year.
“That’s an honest reflection of the first three games and one day.”
“I’ve got one more chance of doing this right”
Mark Wood, who has been recovering from the injury to his left knee picked up during the Perth Ashes Test, told the BBC that he hoped to be back on a cricket field later this summer.
“I need to take it slow,” he said. “Realistically I’ve got maybe one more chance at doing this right. If I rush it back, then it’s not good, that could be it.
“I’m still trying to get back to bowling, hopefully later on in the summer.”
“You’ve got to keep your eye on the prize, which is ultimately for me trying to get to playing for England, that’s my focus.
“It’s mega frustrating. It’s been a long time, over a year since I had the initial surgery. To build it back up for seven months to play one game, and then be out again takes its toll.
“With the age I’m at, I don’t want to miss games. You want to be involved. I was bowling quickly and well before this injury started and I haven’t been able to get back to that level.”
“A big shiny empty box of ideas” – Barney brutally picks apart Baz 3.0.
Andy Bull went to Lord’s yesterday. Here is a thoughful read on Middlesex’s decline.
Friday’s round-up
Surrey stepped up security at the Oval following the knife attack at Golders Green as off-field decisions took the headlines on day one of round five of the County Championship.
In a statement, the club said: “Surrey are in 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.”
On the pitch, which last week was a gentle duvet, Sussex were reduced to 92 for seven, thanks largely to Jordan Clark (five for 68). But the tail wagged, and wagged some more, as Fynn Hudson-Prentice thrashed 53 before Jack Carson and Ollie Robinson hit boundary-laden hundreds.
Robinson, the visiting captain, reached three figures with a swipe for six and then declared. Surrey, who were without Gus Atkinson, rested by England, walked off in great frustration. Jamie Smith kept wicket after Ben Foakes was ruled out of the match, having injured himself bowling during the final afternoon against Essex.
The Kent captain, Daniel Bell-Drummond, collected a Rolls-Royce of a century at Canterbury, after Derbyshire chose to field. Zak Crawley stroked a boundary-filled 44. Kent, who lie bottom of Division Two, had earlier this week taken the unusual decision to switch comments off the club’s social media accounts as a “duty of care”.
It was a gripping day at Taunton, where an enthusiastic crowd were treated to 45 minutes of Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root pistoning Somerset’s attack. But after lunch Lewis Gregory zipped out Root, and Craig Overton, who had dropped Bairstow at slip, induced an inside edge. Suddenly, Yorkshire lost seven for 38 and were all out for 162. Then Josh Thomas, 21, made a bravura first Championship century, taking Somerset into the lead with a six.
Ben Stokes, recovering from a broken cheekbone, was spotted in the Durham nets at Lord’s. Over on the main square, Sam Robson (87) and Ryan Higgins (57) guided Middlesex towards 300. At the County Ground, Gareth Roderick hit 164 not out – Worcestershire’s first century of the season – to put pressure on Northamptonshire.
A careful maiden Championship century for Saca graduate Zain ul Hassan, and 158 for Kiran Carlson, left Glamorgan in a dominant position against Hampshire at Southampton. At Grace Road, Nottinghamshire flourished after being put in by Leicestershire – Ben Slater’s 178 backed up by Ben Duckett’s third successive half century.
Scores on the doors
Division One
Southampton: Hampshire v Glamorgan 353-1
Leicester: Leicestershire v Nottinghamshire 405-4
Taunton: Somerset 201-3 v Yorkshire 162
The Oval: Surrey 19-0 v Sussex 358-9dec
Division Two
Canterbury: Kent 352 v Derbyshire 24-0
Lord’s: Middlesex 272-6 v Durham
Northampton: Northants 40-0 v Worcestershire 306
Preamble
Hello! A merry May Saturday all round, may you be as productive as the blue tit currently busying in the climbing rose at the back of my garden. Seven games underway, two particularly intriguing ones at The Oval and Taunton.
We’ll be here chewing things over there, and everywhere else, from 11am – pull up a stool and join us.