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Key eventsShow key events onlyPlease turn on JavaScript to use this featureHere at Grace Road a second wicket for big Josh Hull, who seems sure to get a place on the Lions tour to Australia. Josh Tongue, who seems sure to be travelling with the main party, has just had a tasty lbw turned down on a hat-trick ball at New Road. Worcestershire stare at their boots, 47 for five.Five wickets for Worcestershire seamers at New Road already this morning … unfortunately for Worcestershire, they play for Nottinghamshire these days… expect Joe Clarke and Jack Haynes to be in the runs when the visitors get their chance…— Ali Martin (@Cricket_Ali) September 8, 2025
ShareUpdated at 11.54 BSTWith an hour gone, a stroll around the grounds, a bucket of conkers in one hand, a cup of coffee in the other.In Division One: a boundary-lashing Alex Lees has taken Durham to 69-1 against Essex; George Hill has added Tom Lammonby to his tally (for one) – Somerset 59-2 against Yorkshire; Burns and Pope purr along at The Oval, Surrey 58-1 v Warwicks; Sean Hunt and Jaydev Unadkat have a wicket apiece at Hove, Hampshire 50-2; while Worcestershire’s September is going very much the way of the other months – 37-3 against Notts, two for Pennington, one for Tongue.Essex captain Tom Westley. Photograph: Gavin Ellis/TGS Photo/ShutterstockShareUpdated at 11.46 BSTAt The Oval, Warwickshire inserted Surrey and Ethan Bamber has pinched out Dom Sibley for six. Surrey are boosted by England’s Ollie Pope and Gus Atkinson, as well as ex-England Ben Foakes, Rory Burns and Sibley, and near-England Dan Lawrence, and one Test Matt Fisher, and England-speculated Dan Worrall, plus Tom Lawes, Ryan Patel and Jordan Clark. Surrey 37-1.And a wicket for one-Test Josh Hull at Grace Road, a spicy yorker through the defences of Joe Phillips. Gloucs 53-1.ShareLeicestershire are without their pocket rocket Rehan Ahmed, kicking his heels with England, and here at Grace Road Gloucestershire have made a tasty start, Ben Charlesworth sending a half volley from Ian Holland dancing over the grass for four. Gloucs 39-0.ShareAt Taunton, Jonny Bairstow has followed up his admiration for the Taunton pitch with a catch to dismiss Archie Vaughan off George Hill. Somerset are 21-1 after being invited to bat. Somerset are not totally out of the Championship race yet – unlikely as it is with a 26-point gap to Surrey and 17 points between them and Notts.ShareThe weather has been kind and we have games around the grounds. As well as Ben Green turning out for Somerset, we have Olly Stone on loan to Middlesex, and Mayank Agarwal spending his September in Yorkshire colours. There are undoubtedly more…ShareOut stroll the umpires, onto the vast expanse of Grace Road. Leicestershire are without Ben Green, who has signed on the dotted line to become a Leicestershire player for the next two seasons but been recalled by Somerset for the final three weeks of the season. Ian Holland has been appointed captain for the rest of the season after Peter Handscomb returned home ahead of the Australian summer.ShareThe County Structure (part 999)Although the counties have agreed to cut the number of Blast fixtures, the future of the Championship remains up in the air. Following extensive discussion, the option that will be put forward to a vote by the county chairs is the 13-game County Championship version, with a 12-strong Division One divided into two conferences, and six-team Division Two.The Division One teams would play each team in their group twice, before splitting, with the top three teams in each group playing each other to decide the Champion. The bottom three would battle to avoid relegation, while the two top teams from Division Two will be promoted (after a 13-game season).A cut to the Championship would be sweetened by the addition of a couple of one-day cup games. If the proposal doesn’t get the two-thirds majority needed, the counties will stick with the current 14-game season, and either decision will be set in stone till 2031.ShareUpdated at 10.25 BSTDivision Two table1 Leicestershire 1932 Glamorgan 1653 Derbyshire 1414 Middlesex 1385 Gloucestershire 1316 Lancashire 1277 Northants 1238 Kent 97ShareDivision One table1 Surrey 1752 Nottinghamshire 1663 Somerset 1494 Warwickshire 1485 Hampshire 1296 Sussex 1277 Yorkshire 1267 Essex 1269 Durham 11410 Worcestershire 89ShareFixturesDIVISION ONEChelmsford: Essex v DurhamTaunton: Somerset v YorkshireThe Oval: Surrey v WarwickshireHove: Sussex v HampshireNew Road: Worcestershire v NottinghamshireDIVISION TWOCanterbury: Kent v LancashireGrace Road: Leicestershire v GloucestershireLord’s: Middlesex v DerbyshireNorthampton: Northants v GlamorganSharePreambleWelcome back! It’s a heavenly September morning at Grace Road, neck-kissingly warm, a dappled blue sky, trees just starting the annual journey from lime green to mustard yellow.Leicester can clinch promotion this round if they can gather 20 points – a win against Gloucestershire and any four bonus points. What they are being promoted to remains uncertain – more on this later.Play starts round the grounds at 10.30 am, do grab a coffee and join us.ShareUpdated at 10.08 BST
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