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Calamity, calamity for Leicestershire, as Stevie Eskinazi is run out charging down the pitch. His partner Ben Cox has his back turned, diving for his own crease and then slips, and both batters end up the same end rather cross. Leicestershire 162-6, lead Sussex by just 60.
Watching Craig Overton run in at full throttle, and wondering what it is like to be six foot five and built like the Berlin wall, that’s a hell of a lot of body to carry around . Anyway, a ninth maiden for Overton. Glamorgan 148-5, need another 135.
Kent need 261 to win
Kent now know their equation, as Derbyshire add another 11 runs this morning before Matt Taylor secures his fourth wicket.
Ollie Robinson with an early breakthrough at Hove, where the weather looks rather nicer than it is in Manchester. Jonny Tattersall’s stumps disturbed, out for 54. Leicestershire half out, with the lead just 52.
Anthony Gibson reports that Tom Abell said it was 50:50 last night in Cardiff. Feels more tilted to Somerset than that.
Raf is underwhelmed.
11.15 start at Edgbaston
With four overs lost. Things are about to sprout into action elsewhere.
“Now then, Tanya!” Hell0 there Tim Maitland.
“I’ve started several different emails to you over the last few weeks wondering why Yorkshire are struggling. One was about how the seamers, with the exception of George Hill, haven’t been supporting the parsimonious Jack White. Note: White bowled 16 overs at 1.75 an over in that disastrous second Warwickshire innings.
”Another was touching on Adam Lyth who hasn’t come close to replicating his form this time last year. In his first 10 innings of 2025 he was averaging 61.1, including 185 at Chelmsford, but just as importantly, a contribution of at least 20 on all but one occasion, which meant that Yorkshire were always getting some sort of foundation to build on.
”Lyth’s had his moments this year - a match-saving 97 at Glamorgan, a 76 while wickets clattered against Hampshire - but his last few innings have been 2 and 4 in this game at Warwickshire, 6 against Sussex when, perhaps tellingly, nos 2-to-4 scored 105, 101 and 96 and a six-ball duck in the second knock against Hants. 226 runs in 9 innings and an average of 25.1.
”The batting against Warwickshire though has been worrying, looking like a unit rapidly losing confidence. James Wharton, like YJB in the first innings, getting bowled attempting a leave hints at scrambled brains, and I wonder whether captaining a struggling side explains Bairstow’s seemingly distrait batting. You could have a moan, as if the folk of God’s own country ever need an invitation to do that, at Harry Brook’s dismissal driving, but by his own standards his caught and bowled at the hands of teammate-turned-tormentor Jordan Thompson wasn’t particularly rash. I’ll be surprised if they survive the morning session today.”
I know this is heretical, but I was wondering if YJB’s eyes might not be as razor sharp as they once were – though tbf he doesn’t seem to have any issues behind the sticks, at least not that I’ve noticed.
Correction from Edgbaston, no-one is yet warming up so the start could be a while away.
Just in from Ali, that they may even start on time at Edgbaston.
Ali Martin
G’morning from Edgbaston, where around an hour of tropical rain now sees the groundstaff beavering away on the covers, sweeping away the excess water. It is brightening up overhead, so there may not be too long a delay. Yorkshire 98 for five, still 451 runs shy of their notional target, have it all to do to save this match.
Greenest Ground competition 2026
If your local cricket club is taking steps to become greener, making space for nature, do enter the Cricketer/Ortus Energy Greenest Ground competition. There is a £500 prize for the winner – judges are naturalist Mark Cocker, Russell Seymour from BASIS and writer Roger Morgan-Grenville.
(Pls excuse the plug as I’ve been involved with this competition since the beginning – though I’ve never been a judge. I’m always blown away by the absolutely inspiring work that clubs have managed to do.)
An Australian prodigy? Excellent.
Sunday's round-up
A memorable three-wicket over from Naavya Sharma, sailing in from the Brian Statham end, whippy action and fast arm, knocked the beans out of Lancashire, who slumped to a high-drama six-wicket defeat against their promotion rivals Middlesex after being sent packing for 84.
Sharma’s first ball of the morning was nibbled to slip by Matty Hurst, then a flat-footed Tom Hartley parried the next behind. Tom Bailey survived the hat-trick ball but survival was brief as he fenced the final delivery also to slip. Sharma polished things off in his next over to finish with best bowling figures of four for 17.
Ryan Higgins also banked four, including the bizarre dismissal of Mitch Stanley, who lost his leg bail despite the ball brushing off stump. Not even Jimmy Anderson could defend 117, and Ben Geddes put his foot down, slamming three sixes on the way to a match-winning 73 not out. It was Middlesex’s first win in a Championship game at Old Trafford since 1996.
Durham swept to victory against Worcestershire after they too collapsed like a too-eager pile of bedside books. Worcestershire lost nine for 38 and were all out in a session, with Ben Stokes picking up a couple of late-order snifters. A flamboyant Ben McKinney and careful Emilio Gay made the chase of 143 look easy.
Essex became the third team to wrap up a three-day victory when they chased down 177 against Hampshire, thanks largely to 90 not out from Matt Critchley. It was third straight defeat for Hampshire.
At Trent Bridge, where Surrey and Nottinghamshire have exchanged big run-heavy blows, Gus Atkinson was hit twice on the helmet in two overs by Josh Tongue (4-89), and retired with delayed concussion. He will miss Surrey’s next match under concussion rules. Reece Topley subs in. Dan Lawrence’s 104 was his third century of the spring.
Scores on the doors
DIVISION ONE
Chelmsford: Essex 273 and 178-4 BEAT Hampshire 235 and 214 by six wickets
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 229 and 140-5 v Somerset 354 and 157 Glamorgan need 143 to win
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire 415 and 99-1 v Surrey 449
Hove: Sussex 430 v Leicestershire 328 and 154-4
Edgbaston: Warwickshire 147 and 553-6 v Yorkshire 152 and 98-5
DIVISION TWO
The County Ground: Derbyshire 604-7dec v Northamptonshire 228 and 66-2
Bristol: Gloucestershire 325 and 251-9 v Kent 327
Old Trafford: Middlesex 169 and 117-4 BEAT Lancashire 201 and 84 by six wickets
New Road: Durham 268 and 143-1 BEAT Worcestershire 308 and 102 by nine wickets
Preamble
Good morning! Welcome to day four of this fifth round of Championship games. Three were polished off yesterday with victories for Middlesex, Essex and Durham – including two mega collapses by Worcestershire and Lancs. More fun in store today, with immediate attention to Sophia Gardens, where Somerset are hungry, and Edgabston, where Yorkshire are toast. Play starts at 11am, do join us.
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