970x125
Key eventsShow key events onlyPlease turn on JavaScript to use this featureRain at Trent BridgeBut Notts won’t mind too much – a glance at the scorecards show Surrey are not strutting at the Rosebowl, 43 for 3. Warwickshire 39 for one.ShareA maiden fifty for Josh ThomasTwenty year old Josh Thomas (England U19) reaches a rapid fifty in his first Championship game – a new face in Somerset’s revolving-door opening partnership. Somerset 74 for one against Essex.ShareWith an hour gone, let’s trip around the grounds, wickets everywhere. In Div 2:Lancashire’s B-team bowlers (Balderson, Blatherwick, Bailey) are suddenly potent against promoted Glamorgan: 56 for three.A rapid 55 from Nye Donald has ended courtesy of Cohen, Derbyshire 70-1 at Canterbuy.Middx 78-2 at Lord’s, while Budinger bashed a boundary-laden 44 against Northants, Leicestershire 82-1.ShareWhile Ryan Patel gives second slip some catching practise at the Rosebowl, Surrey 24-2; Warwickshire are being worked over by Mohammad Abbas – who already lost Al Davies lbw to Brett Hutton for 0. Warwickshire 23-1.ShareAli Martin looks up from his Australian immigration forms “England discard Ollie Robinson on a hot streak at New Road”. Too true – Worcestershire, whose Championship season has at least be spruced up by the weekend’s victory in the ODC, slide to 40 for four. Robinson four for 23.ShareA huge sigh of relief from Scott Currie who was the guilty party at slip a few overs ago, as Abbot nails Sibley in front of his stumps. Surrey 19-1.ShareAnd a big friendly hello to Luke McLaughlin, who has escaped the Guardian desk for Lord’s.“Middlesex got off to a handy start after choosing to bat, 29-0 off five overs, before Sam Robson clipped a poor stroke off his legs straight to mid-wicket: success for Ajeet Singh Dale and Robson gone for 14. There was naturally a minute’s silence for Dickie Bird before play, and now there is heavy metallic clanging emanating from the Allen Stand next to the pavilion, which is being redeveloped in typically fine style by the MCC. Singh Dale is getting a fair bit of movement bowling from the Nursery End while Matt Taylor is bowling a decent pace from the Pavilion End.“Latest score: Middlesex 33-1 off seven overs.”ShareEven the eternally-cheerful Kevan James is not too happy with the Hampshire’s batting this season – a couple of the younger players really struggling to press on. Looks lovely at the Rosebowl mind you, autumnal sunshine and shirtsleeves as Wheal wheels in. Surrey 19-0.ShareUpdated at 11.08 BSTDavid Hopps is at Headingley, where Dickie Bird’s death will leave a huge hole:“It’s hard to exaggerate how fond, and in many ways protective, Yorkshire cricket was of Dickie Bird. The county has marked his passing this morning with a minute’s applause (a full minute – that must be worth 10 minutes anywhere else in the country!) and the players are wearing black armbands.I downed a couple of reflective beers in his memory last night and decided halfway through the second one that the reason I was so fond of him was that his innocence helped reacquaint me with my inner child. Perhaps others felt the same way.At the bottom of the lifts at Headingley, going up to the media centre, I realised that was one of the last places I had met him.The conversation went something like this:“How are you lad, how are you? How are you?”“Very good Dickie.”“Are you still working?”“A bit. I’ve just written your Obit for the Guardian.”“Will I like it?”“Well, you’ll be dead won’t you? So you’ll never know.”“I’ll have to trust you then lad. Ha ha ha.”(Accosting unwary passing strangers)“I’ll never see it. I’ll have to trust him won’t I? I’ll have to trust him, won’t I?”There must be more fond anecdotes about Dickie than just about any cricket personality who has ever lived .”ShareUpdated at 10.53 BSTAt the Rose Bowl, Surrey won the toss and plumped to bat. They are without Ollie Pope, Gus Atkinson and Dan Worrall, as well as Australia-bound Will Jacks and the ill Jordan Clark. But they do have Indian legspinner Rahul Chahar. Liam Dawson plays for Hampshire – who get off to a rough start by dropping Dom Sibley at second slip before he’s scored a run.ShareUpdated at 10.45 BSTA round of applause echoes around the stands at Headingley in memory of Dickie. The sun is out, Durham won the toss and are having a bat. The umpire calls play.In memory of Dickie Bird. Photograph: George Wood/Getty ImagesShareUpdated at 10.46 BSTEngland pack the heavy artillery for AustraliaAnd a left-field choice in Will Jacks. Ali with the lowdown.Share14-match Championship to continueWith one breath left in the season, clarity at last. The counties have voted to reject the proposed changes to the Championship structure, so the 14-match, two tier competition remains until (I was told) 2031 at the earliest.Those in favour of reform needed 12 counties to vote for the new structure, a number they failed to gather when the votes came in.ShareDickie Bird 1933-2025Some sad news yesterday, with the announcement of the death of Dickie Bird. A man without side whose dedication to the game was both tender and moving. RIP Dickie in your white coat in the sky.Dickie Bird – cricket inside and out. Photograph: Robert Hallam/ShutterstockVic and Hoppsy did him proud:ShareUpdated at 10.08 BSTDivision Two table1 Leicestershire 218 Champions2 Glamorgan 189 promoted3 Derbyshire 1644 Gloucestershire 1635 Middlesex 1596 Lancashire 1537 Northamptonshire 1408 Kent 113ShareDivision One table1 Nottinghamshire 2032 Surrey 1893 Somerset 1794 Warwickshire 1685 Sussex 1506 Essex 1507 Yorkshire 1468 Hampshire 1429 Durham 14010 Worcestershire 100 relegatedShareFixturesChelmsford: Essex v SomersetSouthampton: Hampshire v SurreyTrent Bridge: Nottinghamshire v WarwickshireNew Road: Worcestershire v SussexHeadingley: Yorkshire v DurhamDIVISION TWOSophia Gardens: Glamorgan v LancashireCanterbury: Kent v DerbyshireLord’s: Middlesex v GloucestershireWantage Road: Northamptonshire v LeicestershireSharePreambleGood morning from a bright autumnal day in the north, the dog’s belly wet from the heavy dew, sunflowers straining for one last show. Somehow, we’re here again, the final round of the County Championship.And, as luck might have it, there is (nearly) all to play for. After last week’s umbrella gnawer at The Oval, Notts go into the final round with a 14-point lead, needing a maximum of ten points to knock second-placed Surrey off their perch. Surrey need a win and for Notts to crumble under pressure.At the other end of the table, relegation candidates Yorkshire and Durham fight it out at Headingley. Ten points will keep Yorkshire north of the drop, while Hampshire, Sussex and Essex also sit nervously with their calculators.We already know that Leicestershire are champions and rise to Division One alongside Glamorgan, and that Worcestershire play their last match in the top tier.Play starts at 10.30am round the grounds, do join us for one last hurrah.ShareUpdated at 09.58 BST
970x125
970x125
