Key events
Tim Maitland has been scanning the skies. “The Met Office radar suggests you might be alright all morning in Blackpool, but Scarborough could be a bit dodgy.
”According to the predictive bit, Nottingham could get a little bit around 2 p.m.”
After England’s stonking victory last night in the tournament opener, there are four more World Cup games today. West Indies v New Zealand, Australia v South Africa, India v Afghanistan and Scotland v Ireland. Tim de Lisle is watching things unfurl at Old Trafford.
I was too hasty. It has stopped raining and I’ve just glimpsed the sun as the train approaches Kirkham and Wesham. Like any self-respecting child, the little boy opposite has already eaten the barbecued beef hoola hoops and one finger twirl from his lunchtime picnic.
Scores on the doors
Division One
Grace Road: Leicestershire v Essex 342-5
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire v Somerset 295-7
Hove: Sussex 136-2 v Glamorgan 155
Scarborough: Yorkshire 386-6 v Warwickshire
Division Two
Chester-le-Street: Durham 302-7 v Derbyshire
Blackpool: Lancashire 17-2 v Kent 178
Northampton: Northamptonshire 380-7 v Gloucestershire
New Road: Worcestershire v Middlesex 291-8
Friday’s round up
Jordan Cox, fresh from warming the bench for six weeks in the IPL, and buoyed by an England call-up, clunked, thumped and chunked an unbeaten 184 against Leicestershire at Grace Road. Essex’s Cox, who reached his century off just 73 balls, got there with a monstrous six right out of the ground. Matt Critchley was bowled just before stumps for 97, nightwatch Jamie Porter following soon afterwards.
Meanwhile Liam Livingstone, playing in his first Championship game for Lancashire since 2021, collected five wickets for 20 runs in 46 balls at Blackpool with a heady mix of leg and off-spin as Kent slipped down the stairs and landed with a thump. They collapsed from 111 for two to 178 all out after being asked to bat on a damp pitch. Lancashire’s Joe Moores, just 17, took a catch and a neat stumping on his first-class debut.
Glamorgan had an unhappy first day at Hove, whistled out for 155, with four wickets for Sussex’s Indian left-arm seamer Jaydev Unadkat under heavy skies – all 10 batters out caught. Ollie Robinson, Gus Atkinson and a rapid Jofra Archer were all spotted bowling in the nets under the close eye of England fast-bowling supremo Troy Cooley.
Jordan Hermann, in good touch after a century against the Lions for South Africa A, was the linchpin of Somerset’s innings with 106 at Trent Bridge. But he was the unwitting cause of James Rew’s dismissal, a stinging straight drive deflected by Dillon Pennington’s fingertip into the stumps when Rew was backing up. But it was a good day for one member of the Rew family, younger brother Thomas, 18, who cantered to 68 in just his second Championship appearance. Notts fought back with the new ball.
Derbyshire’s man of the moment Ben Aitchison grabbed four wickets against Durham at Chester-le-Street, where England selector Marcus North was also spotted. Shoaib Bashir, released by England, bowled 11 overs.
Will Luxton galloped to a maiden Championship century for Yorkshire against Warwickshire at Scarborough; Northamptonshire’s Saif Zaib refound his touch with a lovely 142 against Gloucestershire, helped by Nathan McSweeney (117), and Worcestershire restricted Middlesex to 291 for eight at New Road.
Preamble
Good morning from a Northern train heading to Blackpool north. The further west I go, the wetter it gets, soggy elderflower and scowling pylons staring through the train window. Still, hope springs eternal. Play might start at 11am at Stanley Park and around the country, do join us.
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