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<\/gu-island><\/span><\/p>\n\n\nAt Chelmsford,<\/strong> Jimmy strikes early. Strikes twice. Dan Lawrence for 39, Adam Rossington for seven. Essex 116-5. And here at The Oval, down comes the south London rain \u2013 Surrey 42-0.<\/p>\n<\/article>\n\n\nRain watch<\/h2>\n<\/header>\n Delayed starts at Northants,<\/strong> Notts, Warwickshire, Leicester and, of course, Bristol \u2013 where play has been abandoned for the second day in a row.<\/p>\n<\/article>\n\n\nIt\u2019s chilly but there <\/strong>are is a slither of sunshine over The Oval as Barker and Abbas do their stuff.<\/p>\n<\/article>\n\n\nInteresting story.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/article>\n\n\nThanks to Essex for<\/strong> telling me something I didn\u2019t know! Happy Vaisakhi to all those celebrating.<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/article>\n\n\nThursday’s round-up<\/h2>\n<\/header>\n Seventy-eight years of experience stared down the pitch at each other at Chelmsford, where decades of clean and tidy bowling met the ageless knight.<\/p>\n
Jimmy Anderson did neck exercises at the top of his mark, rhythm already established after Nick Browne had kindly shepherded the third ball of the innings into the hands of Luke Wells at slip in the deceptive April sunshine. There was time for Alastair Cook to purr his old mate through the covers for four before Anderson tethered his man, Cook exiting stage left for an lbw that technology may not have smiled at. All the cogs in the machinery seemed in good working order for the Ashes.<\/p>\n
Earlier, Lancashire<\/strong> had opted to bat after winning the toss, but had to bank on a maiden fifty from their young wicketkeeper George Bell to inch their innings towards respectability. Sam Cook frisked five more wickets to the pleasure of the Essex<\/strong> CEO, John Stephenson, who said: \u201cThere\u2019s no way England can ignore [him].\u201d Simon Harmer fielded in a snood pulled up to his nose.<\/p>\nAt The Oval, the 2022 champions, Surrey<\/strong>, were visited by likely pretenders Hampshire<\/strong>, who rescued their innings from the doldrums of 114 for six on a pitch where the ball nipped about like a rogue pea on a plate. Ben Brown, who fell five runs short of his hundred, and Keith Barker put on 96 for the seventh wicket, grinding runs and gathering a bonus point. Rory Burns and Dom Sibley saw Surrey through till stumps.<\/p>\nA career-best seven for 84 for Lewis Gregory, on a pitch the colour of a lime jelly, kept Somerset<\/strong> in contention at Trent Bridge. Haseeb Hameed and Ben Duckett\u2013 one careful and slow-flowering, sitting 28 balls on 0, the other attacking and lucky, reaching fifty with a reverse-swept six off Jack Leach \u2013 cantered to an opening partnership of 125 for Nottinghamshire<\/strong>.<\/p>\nDuckett was lbw to Craig Overton, who had earlier walked off the field after three overs, striking fear into the hearts of Somerset supporters. But it was Hameed\u2019s wicket which precipitated a collapse of five for 22. Stuart Broad opened the bowling for Notts, and immediately had Tom Lammonby dropped behind the stumps.<\/p>\n
Middlesex\u2019s<\/strong> top order continued its impression of a dropped trifle, as Northamptonshire\u2019s<\/strong> Ben Sanderson (three for 19) tucked in. Ryan Higgins was, once more, left to pick up the pieces, backed up by John Simpson \u2013 their only two players to make double figures.<\/p>\nDurham\u2019s<\/strong> batters yet again started the round in fine fettle, this time against Worcestershire<\/strong>. David Bedingham, who at the start of the season expressed a wish to play for South Africa, made a glorious century.<\/p>\n\nUpdated at 06.22\u00a0EDT<\/time><\/p>\n<\/footer>\n<\/article>\n\n\nScores on the doors<\/h2>\n<\/header>\n DIVISION ONE<\/p>\n
Chelmsford<\/strong>: Essex 98-3 v Lancashire 207 all out<\/p>\nThe County Ground<\/strong>: Northants 111-3 v Middlesex 149<\/p>\nTrent Bridge<\/strong>: Nottinghamshire 256 v Somerset 28-2<\/p>\nThe Oval<\/strong>: Surrey 37-0 v Hampshire 254<\/p>\nEdgbaston<\/strong>: Warwickshire 367-3 v Kent<\/p>\nDIVISION TWO<\/p>\n
Chester-le-Street<\/strong>: Durham 363-7 v Worcestershire<\/p>\nBristol<\/strong>: Gloucestershire v Yorkshire \u2013 NO PLAY TODAY, WET OUTFIELD<\/p>\nGrace Road<\/strong>: Leicestershire 243-2 v Derbyshire<\/p>\n<\/article>\n\n\nPreamble<\/h2>\n<\/header>\n Good morning! <\/strong>It\u2019s dampish at The Oval, though we are hopeful of play starting on time. Around the grounds, the weather forecast is not overwhelming in its promise.<\/p>\nThis afternoon will be largely cloudy in central and southern areas with spells of rain sweeping eastward. Turning sunny in the south-west later. Sunshine and showers elsewhere, these heavy at time<\/strong>s.<\/em><\/p>\nLots of action yesterday, except at Bristol where play has already been abandoned.<\/p>\n