1. Lehmann banks another ton
With red ball swapped for white this week, the Championship comes to its first break after six (of 14) matches still looking to establish a narrative. Only Essex and Sussex (carrying a points penalty) have won half their matches, but they are only fourth and fifth. Five other counties have two wins and 17 points covers the top seven. That’s either the makings of a tight nip-and-tuck season or a structural failure to separate the wheat from the chaff – take your pick.
Even after so many overs were lost to rain, Hampshire’s fragile batting would have started the fourth day with some trepidation. Nottinghamshire, the 2025 champions and 2026 table toppers, were pawing the ground keen to set up a chase, the home side four down and only 62 runs ahead. Knock over Jake Lehmann and Ben Brown and there wasn’t much to come after – this season, there wasn’t much to come before either.
Brown was soon gone, but Lehmann is still very handy indeed, registering a 17th career century to hold off the baying hounds. Props also to the two all-rounders, Delano Potgieter and Felix Organ, who kept him company for nearly three hours, only one more wicket taken in the 50 overs possible.
The draw meant that Hampshire are still bottom, but not adrift and that Nottinghamshire are still top, but can feel the pursuers running hard on their heels.
2. All I want to do is see you, Leicestershire
At risk of sounding like Peter Powell introducing Depeche Mode in the 1980s, Essex were the big movers this week, beating Leicestershire for their second consecutive win.
There wasn’t much in the match until the third innings when, after overnight rain had livened up the Chelmsford pitch, the visiting batters were soon looking up to see Jamie Porter, Sam Cook and Shane Snater. If you were picking Champonship bowlers in the playground for a pick-up match in these conditions, you would bagsy Jimmy Anderson first, but these three wouldn’t be left standing against the wall for long.
Leicestershire were gone in 60 runs, Simon Harmer not even required to take his hands out of his pockets and the target knocked off three down. Essex will go for a hat-trick of wins come June with a trip to … Leicester.
3. Caps on the field; flat caps in the crowd
At Headingley, Yorkshire fielded 865 international caps against Surrey’s 171, which feels like it should be some kind of record, even without the unavailable Sam Curran’s 140. And, on this evidence, it appears that international cricket is great preparation for the county game, as Yorkshire beat Surrey by a towering innings and 127 runs.
It was the Tykes’ two ex-England batters (but don’t tell Jonny) who set up the win, Adam Lyth with his 41st first-class century and Jonny Bairstow with his 32nd – what servants they have been to Yorkshire cricket. They handed over to the home side’s all-rounders, George Hill, Matthew Revis and, er, Harry Brook, who shared 13 wickets between them in a fine ensemble effort.
The win kickstarted a hesitant season for Yorkshire, who are now 25 points clear of the drop zone but unlikely to be able to call on Joe Root and Brook for some time, if at all. Surrey are just three points above them and must hope that returning players can re-discover their mojo, which has gone missing for the first time in years.
4. Welsh dragon still breathing fire
Glamorgan are the surprise package of the season, backing up two wins with getting the better of a draw that denied Warwickshire the top spot. The promoted county have found little difficulty in adjusting to Division One. Their two centurions in the match, Ben Kellaway and Colin Ingram, were two of eight batters averaging over 30, illustrating the tremendously useful attribute of finding a score or two somewhere in the order in every innings.
The bowling is more reliable than stellar, but they may have found a little stardust in Tom Norton. The 18-year-old backed up his debut hat-trick last week with a couple of international scalps in Dan Mousley and Beau Webster en route to 4-48. He has pace and aggression and seems to have that ineffable quality of just being able to get batters out. Time will tell, of course.
As it will for Kiran Carlson’s captaincy. The 28-year-old is one of the younger skippers in the Championship and he is demonstrating he can inspire his players while delivering important runs himself. If England need to strengthen their leadership group – and the evidence of last winter suggests they might – his attributes might become very attractive.
5. Covers carnage curbs Kent
Matters are clearer at the top of Division Two, where Durham lead by 20 points. They might be a little miffed that they don’t lead by more after a leaky cover ruled out play on day three – though Kent, well ahead at the end of day two, may have a better case for a grievance.
It took a 10th-wicket stand of 158 between Ben Raine and Callum Parkinson that ate up 43 overs, to secure the draw for the leaders and blunt Kent’s recent strong revival. That’s an advantage of having a solid eight at nine and a decent nine at 11 – not that such musings are any comfort to the bowlers.
The match was at the little Beckenham ground, nestled between the houses in suburban south east London, one of two outgrounds used this week in Division Two. Like James Anderson searching for the ball behind the railings at Southport, infrastructure and equipment problems may just be one of those things – a price worth paying for the delights of cricket in smaller venues where the county game can see its roots more clearly.
6. Tossing the Kimber in proves crucial
The best match of a quiet week was a low-scoring thriller at Bristol that consigned Gloucestershire to the foot of the table and sent Northamptonshire into the second promotion slot.
After yet more craft and cunning from Ben Sanderson had left Northants with a target of 249, Gloucestershire were warmish favourites when the visitors lost their sixth wicket with 97 still to get. Enter Louis Kimber, a like-for-like replacement for Saif Zaib, who had been withdrawn under the concussion protocol.
Kimber, who made an extraordinary double hundred a couple of years ago for Leicestershire, had little to lose and much to prove having not been selected since the first match of the season. He played his natural game and teed off to the tune of 66 with 11 fours and one six to drag his team home, two wickets the eventual margin.
The substitute rule has provoked much debate in recent weeks but nobody wants to see concussed players take the field. That said, having an explosive and motivated impact player available for a situation that perfectly suits his game seems a very fortunate happenstance. Cricket is a funny old game.