Sam Cook (second left) takes the acclaim of his Essex teammates after dismissing Kent’s Darren Stevens on his way to 12 wickets in the match. Photograph: Max Flego/TGS Photo/REX/Shutterstock
Sam Cook (second left) takes the acclaim of his Essex teammates after dismissing Kent’s Darren Stevens on his way to 12 wickets in the match. Photograph: Max Flego/TGS Photo/REX/Shutterstock
A ridiculous match at Canterbury finished with Essex winning by three wickets to extend their lead at the top of Division One. Twenty-six wickets fell in the day as first Essex lost nine for 82, then Kent were bowled out for 40, their lowest total at the St Lawrence ground.
Sam Cook grabbed seven for 23 – and 12 for 65 in the match. No Kent batsman could reach double figures. Chasing 153 to win, Essex made it by the skin of their teeth. The pitch liaison officer said “no blame” could be attached to the pitch.
Somerset, top of the chasing pack, have an outside chance of a win at Edgbaston after Warwickshire subsided to 146 all out. Tom Abell pocketed a career-best four for 49. Earlier Somerset had avoided the follow-on thanks to 109 from Steve Davies.
Lancashire cruised to an innings and 150-run victory over Glamorgan at Colwyn Bay to rest at the top of Division Two, a whopping 43 points above Northamptonshire. Glamorgan were dismissed by mid-afternoon, Danny Lamb dismissing both openers, and Tom Bailey and Saqib Mahmood picking up three wickets each.
Nottinghamshire are in danger of slipping further into the relegation mire at Scarborough. Chasing 387 to win, they lost four wickets in the final session to finish on 135 for four.
Ollie Pope flew a flag to the England selectors with 176 not out at the Oval in his first championship game back since a shoulder operation. Scott Borthwick also made a century, his first for two years. Leicestershire followed on at the Riverside after Bydon Carse finished with a career-best six for 63.
Northamptonshire smoothed the paper on the file marked Division One, after their 10-wicket defeat of Worcestershire left them in second place. Moeen Ali had looked in vintage flow while making 40 before he was run out going for a third. Rikki Wessels threw the bat for 84, ensuring Northants had to bat again.
Sussex snatched a seven-wicket victory at Hove after a fightback from Middlesex’s batsmen had left them chasing 145 to win.
What an incredible game at Canterbury!!! And what a day all round. Plenty to look forward to tomorrow too - with events at Edgbaston and Scarborough in particular looking promising.
Thank you so much for all your comments and emails - I’m leaving you in Graham’s hands tomorrow as I’m off to La Belle France! See you in September. Good night!
What a day! Essex grab victory by the skin of their teeth at Canterbury. Photograph: Max Flego/TGS Photo/REX/Shutterstock
A small trophy to Derby for digging in. They’ve threaded together a small lead, with Madsen and Lace following where Godleman and Reece trod: 231 for two....if they can just bat till tea tomorrow...
It’s been a wee cracker of a game down in Hove - I missed my lunchtime stroll to the beach today. Anyway, Sussex 37-1, need 108 to win. Salt the man gone, bowled by Murtagh. And now, while I was counting up how many batsmen had been bowled in the second innings, Haines’ stumps disappear too, care of Finn. Of the 12 wickets to fall in the second innings - half have been bowled. So mull over that BTLers!
Mark Robinson stands down as England Women's head coach
Mutual, at least in theory...
Clare Connor: “Mark passionately championed the development of the women’s game during his time in this role and we thank him for all he has contributed to England women’s cricket during such an exciting stage of our journey.
“After discussions with Mark, we have agreed that now is the right time for him to step down as England Women’s Head Coach.”
Mark Robinson:”Although the recent Ashes was a difficult series, a few hard weeks doesn’t take anything away from what has been a wonderful four years. I’ve had so many highlights and memorable moments with the team.
“Nothing could ever surpass winning the ICC Women’s World Cup on home soil, but from a pure coaching perspective, reaching the T20 final last November – with a depleted team, three non-contracted players and three players twenty years old or younger – is a huge personal highlight.
“It’s been exciting to watch so many players grow and to watch so many records broken, but it feels the right time for me to take on a new challenge and to allow a different voice to come in before the next T20 World Cup in Australia.
“We have put a lot of groundwork in place, and this, coupled with the new investment into the women’s game will make a huge difference in time. I would like to thank everyone associated with England Women for all the kindness and support they have shown me and wish Heather and the team all the best for the future.”
Assistant Coach Alastair Maiden takes temporary charge ahead of the ICC Women’s Championship series against Pakistan in December
Warwickshire 80 for 4, but the lead is 191. Two each for Abell and Brooks.
And I haven’t popped my nose in at Scarborough for a while, ah, better than I expected Notts. A relatively respectable 51 for two three...Clarke just Maharajed for four.
And a century to Ollie Pope! Wishing him a truly happy Indian summer. A hundred in his first match back after his shoulder operation to (almost) ensure a draw at The Oval.
Are you watching Ed? A hundred for Ollie Pope against Hampshire. Photograph: Charlie Crowhurst/Getty Images for Surrey CCC
I swear on the yellow book that when I typed that last entry, Essex were only one down. Essex currently 51 for 3, with Lawrence and, crucially, Alastair Cook, both falling in one Milnes over.
Essex are cruising! 51 for 1 and just 102 to win. I don’t know the answer to the question you’re asking, except perhaps an old dog can only do old tricks once a day.
Ooooh, interesting - a couple more go down at Edgbaston...Warwickshire 62 for three - a lead of 163 - and all is quiet for now at Canterbury.
And Sussex need 145 to win at Hove! Finn (56) and Murtagh made hay this afternoon - adding 79 for the last wicket. Robinson 6-101 - and 14 in the match. Quite handy to have the Middlesex president watching too - that man, he has contacts.
Ollie Pope in the nineties at The Oval and poor Dom Sibley crumbling under the (small) spotlight - a grand total of nine runs in two innings against Somerset.
At Canterbury 19 of the 31 wickets have been bowled or lbw - I don’t actually know what the “normal” percentage would be, but that seems large.
Billy Godleman (86) and Wayne Madsen have put on over 100 at The County Ground. Actually they PUT on over a hundred - Godleman now out for 86. Derby 177 for 2 trail by 42.
Lancashire beat Glamorgan by an innings and 150 runs!
Glamorgan bowled out for 138 in their second innings. Three wickets each for Saqib Mahmood and Tom Bailey. Lancashire are 43 points clear at the top of the table.
And the light roller is being applied at Canterbury...
A win in three days for Northants, who are now second in the Division two table, nine ahead of Gloucestershire and Glamorgan whose games are still going. Worcestershire remain second bottom, above only Leicestershire.
Surrey quietly creeping up on Hampshire. A Borthwick hundred and an Ollie Pope fifty to please the Oval masses. Welcome back Ollie! Can he do enough for a tour place in the last four matches of the season?
At Canterbury a trifling 17 wickets have fallen for 110 today.
Easy when you know how: mid-order runs for Surrey. Photograph: Charlie Crowhurst/Getty Images for Surrey CCC
Sam Cook six for 12. I just tuned into the radio coverage and they say the pitch is blameless - it is Sam Cook’s late swing and Amir’s class wot done it.
Away from Canterbury briefly, Bresnan has just got off the mark after 24 minutes mooching about at the crease. Fifty for Kohler-Cadmore. The Yorkshire lead is 329.
There I was looking for coverage of one wicket at Canterbury, only for the ticket-tape to fast forward another notch. Kent now 10-5... three for Cook, two for Amir and the question is can they last till tea? (No).
Well Worcestershire, at least you’ve mad Northants bat again: Rikki Wessels 75 not out in an innings where the bottom five have comfortably outscored the top five.
Anderson came unscathed through a morning’s cricket at Great Crosby in a Lancashire friendly against Leicestershire, as he steps up the recovery process after pulling up with a calf problem at the first Test at Edgbaston.
He missed the Second Test at Lord’s and is fighting to be fit for the fourth Test at Old Trafford, after being left out for Headingley this week.
Anderson bowled five overs in his first spell and took one for 11 and spent most of the rest morning fielding at first slip. He’s expected to be substituted out sometime during the match.
Middlesex have achieved parity at Hove, Simpson and Harris having a good old swing.
Which means the game second most likely to finish today now moves up the country to Colwyn Bay, where Glamorgan are 40 for four..both to Gleeson, Billy Root out for a golden duck
Derby having a good stab against Gloucesteshire (40-0); and Leicester in a spot of bother at Chester le Street - they’ve lost three wickets this morning, including Azad.
Brydon Carse: 4-52 Photograph: John Mallett/ProSports/REX/Shutterstock
Two wickets for Lamb at Colwyn Bay- both openers gone, Glamorgan 38-2. Has anyone read Lambs to the Slaughter by Graham Yallop? It was quite an obscure Christmas present one year.
Say it ain’t so Mo: he’s been RUN-OUT! Worcestershire 110 for six, after losing Joe Leach the ball before. I loved watching Worcestershire last year - and they pushed Surrey so strongly in the game where Surrey clinched the Championship, I think they were favourites to jump straight back up to Division One. I guess, sometimes, you just have a crap year.
31.5 | Moeen Ali is run out! 2 wickets in 2 balls! Looks to come back for a third but Hutton beats him with a strong flat throw from fine leg.
Two for Stevens, three for Podmore now as Kent kindly help out everyone who fancies a heart-in-mouth jaunt down to Taunton next month. Essex 49 for five but, alas, Davies is out at Edgbaston for 109. Somerset 201-6, with more than that needed for parity. Dig in Dom!
A third (well, eleventh) for Robinson at Hove - and, unfortunately for Middlesex, it is Sam Robson for 68. John Simpson has battled to fifty. Middx 194-5, trail by 40.
I see Joe Leach has leapt four places up the batting order for Worcestershire. He and Mo showing some steel against Northants, putting on 58 for the fifth wicket - over half of them in boundaries. Worcs 88-4, still 102 behind.
And in other news- Darren Stevens continues to do what he does in the best kind of way....Alastair Cook shuffling in front and snapped up for a mere 12. Essex 41-3!
Jimmy was named in the Second XI squad, but from what I can see, not the 11. Does that mean he’s definitely not bowling, or is there some leeway for the greatest seamer of all time?
Hmmm, I see what you mean. Here he is hovering ominously on the shoulder of Perry. I see Hass is playing too- as captain. I’m intrigued by the rumours I read BTL yesterday - will try to do some digging from this end.
Hang on! Jimmy seems to be bowling now...
Second XI underway and bowling first @northernclub. Great to see @jimmy9 back out on the field! 💪
Quickly, round the grounds: Sussex are on top at Hove - the deficit is only 85 but I can’t see Middlesex’s batting clawing out of this one. Much, all, rests on Sam Robson. The sun is shining at last at Canterbury, where Essex are desperate to build on their lead at the top of the Championship as Somerset struggle in Birmingham. There much, all, rests on Steve Davies. Surrey need to batten down the hatches at The Oval after the Sam Curran at No.3 experiment failed to take off. And Nottinghamshire could lose today against Yorkshire, who have a lead of 225 with eight wickets still in hand.
All hail Dane Vilas, who tore up the record book at Colwyn Bay - a Lancashire lead of 287 should almost seal their promotion to the top tier. Leicestershire still have a way to go to escape danger at Chester-le-Street, but Hassan Azad, owner of a new two-year contract, is unbeaten on 53. Worcestershire’s batting is a walking disaster - cross all fingers and toes for Moeen Ali ; and Gloucestershrie are on top at the County Ground.
Good morning! It’s a beautiful day in the south-east of England, but first an apology. I was supposed to be at The Oval today but due to various things going slightly pear-shaped I’m not. Will try to add some colour, but do feel free to send in your own.
For all those Lancies out there, a little something.
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