Hello from Leicester,where the wind has blown itself into a Sunday morning dance and Lancs are in trouble. Play starts around the grounds at 11am, do join us!
With a swish of his velvet cloak and a cut down to third man, Rehan Ahmed reached his second hundred of the summer againstLancashire. It was another hugely enjoyable innings, full of rapier wrist and flamboyant defence. He and Lewis Hill, who hit his own entertaining century – his first for two years – put on 256 for the third wicket, after coming together in tricky conditions on Thursday evening at 24 for two. A partnership of 76 between Ian Holland and Ben Cox added further irritation to another day of toil for Lancashire’s bowlers, With rain skirmishing,Leicestershirecollected maximum batting bonus points, to go with the maximum bowling points already in the bag. They were finally all out with a lead of 251.
Cloud cover and a friendly dose of overnight rain at New Road set the scene for Chris Woakes to run in for the first time this season, after recovering from a knee injury. A glancing England selector on his way home from Trent Bridge would have seen a bowler in full flow and fine fettle, picking up three for 34, while Chris Rushworth, also in his first match of the season, grabbed four for 37.Warwickshirecarried a handy lead of 46 into their second innings againstWorcestershire, Alex Davies was bowled cheaply by Jacob Duffy, but Rob Yates and Tom Latham saw them through to stumps.
Calvin Harrison, who has proved an inspired loan signing for Northants, from Notts, cracked a career-best 63 before winkling out Ollie Price and Miles Hammond. Saif Zaib had reached a career-best 159 before being caught at slip, and the tail, marshalled by Harrison and Lewis McManus, tookNorthantsto 469.Gloucestershireare still 164 runs short of the follow on.
Sussexare picklingHampshireat Southampton, first building a handy first-innings lead thanks to a third century of the season from John Simpson and 74 from Hudson-Prentice, then rattling through their second innings.
Micky Arthur’s happy hunch, Caleb Jewell, hit 232 and together with Wayne Madsen (100) carriedDerbyshireto 587 for five declared - their highest score againstKent. Matt Parkinson also became a record-breaker, his 46 overs, 1-204 are now the expensive bowling figures againstDerbyshirein history. But Kent’s bowlers didn’t find running in at the County Ground much easier, Ben Compton compiled an unbeaten 105.
Eighteen wickets fell on a chaotic day at the Riverside, leavingSomersetto chase 265 for victory. Mitch Kileen snaffled five for 36 on Championship debut whenSomersetwere bowled out for 172 in the morning. Matt Henry and Migael Pretorius then rattled throughDurhamfor 159, Alex Lees the top scorer with 35. Careful batting from Lewis Gregory and Tom Lammonby gave Somerset hope of a win on Sunday.
Nottinghamshireare on top at Headingley, after Mohammad Abbas grabbed six for 45 to dismissYorkshirefor 159.Glamorganenforced the follow-on againstMiddlesex, thanks to Andy Gorvin’s four wickets, but evening rain gave the batters some respite. AndEssex’s Paul Walter and Dean Elgar putSurreyunder pressure at The Oval, with a dominating opening partnership of 188.
Division One
Chester-le-Street:Durham 277 and 159 vSomerset172 and 71-1
Southampton:Hampshire154 and 114-6 v Sussex 297
The Oval:Surrey279 v Essex 217 and 195-2
New Road:Worcestershire181 v Warwickshire 227 and 53-1
Headingley:Yorkshire 159 vNottinghamshire228 and 227-3
Division Two
Derby:Derbyshire587-5dec v Kent 210-3
Sophia Gardens:Glamorgan 383 vMiddlesex155
Grace Road:Leicestershire457 v Lancashire 206
County Ground:Northamptonshire469 v Gloucestershire 156-4