Key events
A fifth wicket at Canterbury, where events are hurtling towards a conclusion. Shoaib Bashir, whose throw ran out Northeast, now catches Ekansh Singh off Rory Haydon, who is having quite a game – eight wickets and counting. Kent 65-5.
Mike Daniels has an eye on events from the Grace Road scorebox: “You feel, with conditions as they are and a new ball in 10 overs, that Leics won’t be long in being asked to follow on, short of a miracle.” Eskinazi and Ajaz Patel have just picked up a batting bonus point, though Eskinazi doesn’t want to be wafting like that too often.
A second wicket for Ryan Higgins at Lord’s, McKinney nibbling behind for 58. Middx 152-2.
Kent, oh dear. Sam Northeast run out to what looks like a duff call from DBD, then shortly afterwards DBD lbw to Aitchison for four. Kent 54-4 lead by 102. Time for another lower-order rescue act.
Fifty for Ben McKinney and Ben Eskinazi!
With an edge in front of slip, McKinney’s eighth half century for Durham. He and Emilio Gay (78) both played for England Lions last winter. I wonder if there is a selector at Lord’s today.
While at Grace Road, fifty from 123 balls for Stevie Eskinazi – a great little stop-the-rot innings. Leics 228-8, need another 113 to avoid the follow on.
Lovely to see Richard Rae in the commentary box – he’s such a pro. Gutted that he won’t be doing any more CC after the next game due to a money-saving decision by BBC Leicester. In other news, Nottinghamshire Brett Hutton has been formally replaced by James Hayes
Green peace at Grace Road, though not for long with Olly Stone due to finish his over shortly.
None of the England women are playing this weekend, instead they’re team-building at an army camp. I’m naturally dubious despite England winning the Ashes after their trip to Bavaria which Graeme Swann, in his autobiography, The Breaks Are Off, described as “easily the worst four days of my life”.
Saturday’s round-up
Nottinghamshire’s Olly Stone, whose fragile body has broken with heartbreaking regularity, blew away Leicestershire in their East Midlands derby. His bowling, fierce and with chopstick-sharp accuracy, torpedoed stumps and tortured batters. Figures of five-for-41 were his best for Notts, a first five-wicket haul since 2019. Earlier, Ben Green had finished with seven for 112 as Notts’ innings ended on 490.
At Taunton, Somerset’s innings subsided much as Yorkshire’s had. Jack White collected four for 41 as Somerset lost their last seven wickets for just 73. The in-form Tom Abell reached 50 and Will Smeed, easing his way into red-ball cricket, was left unbeaten on a careful 36. Thomas Rew, brother of James, was out for a duck on Championship debut, before rain wiped out much of the day after lunch.
With an England opener slot potentially up for grabs, Durham’s Emilio Gay didn’t fluff his lines, 75 not out at quite the lick at Lord’s. Ben McKinney, also mentioned in dispatches, delivered a more sedate 46. Earlier, Ryan Higgins collected his first century for nearly two years, and Zafar Gohar added 56 as Middlesex passed 400. Ben Raine was the pick of the Durham bowlers with five for 58.
But if Brendon McCullum decides to change tack, he need glance only over to the Oval, where the stolid and steady Dom Sibley finished unbeaten on 116 for Surrey, his second hundred in successive games. Rory Burns and Ryan Patel collected more rapid half-centuries, and Sussex’s Henry Crocombe, who hit Burns on the hand before dismissing him, zipped through an impressive spell.
Luis Reece played an innings to remember at Canterbury, thrashing five sixes to get Derbyshire closer to Kent’s first innings score of 352 than looked likely. He and Shoaib Bashir (12) added 56 for the last wicket as the visitors reached 304, much to Kent’s frustration. Rain stopped play, but not before Rory Haydon had spoilt Zak Crawley’s afternoon, trapping him lbw for 15.
Ricardo Vasconcelos’ second century of the season was an entertaining one, hauling Northamptonshire in front of Worcestershire at New Road. Saif Zaib, whose outstanding form last year won him several awards, danced to a quick 75.
At Southampton, there was a first Championship double century for Kiran Carlson, and a career-best 143 for Zain ul Hassan, before Glamorgan declared and the rain rolled in to stall Hampshire’s reply.
Scores on the doors
Division One
Southampton: Hampshire 58-0 v Glamorgan 536-7dec
Leicester: Leicestershire 220-8 v Nottinghamshire 490
Taunton: Somerset 274 v Yorkshire 162 and 13-0
The Oval: Surrey 292-2 v Sussex 358-9dec
Division Two
Canterbury: Kent 352 and 38-2 v Derbyshire 304
Lord’s: Middlesex 430 v Durham 135-1
Northampton: Northants 366-5 v Worcestershire 306
Preamble
Good morning! A cooler, damper one, fleece over suncream. Seven games roll into day three, will rain bring spice to batting paradises? Play starts at 11am, bring a croissant – it is Sunday after all.