County Championship: Lancashire v Worcestershire, Kent v Surrey – live!

Hello! It’s another May Monday morning and, in what will probably be a horribly divisive week, we have Championship cricket to keep us kind. There’s lots to keep an eye on – three games in Division One and four in Division Two. In fact one started yesterday, Derby v Glamorgan, with Derby holding steady at 253-5 with a century for Luis Reece, now fully recovered from last year’s broken foot.

Elsewhere Nottinghamshire (7th and despondent) travel to the Isle of Wight where third-placed Hampshire play county cricket for the first time since 1962. Ajinkya Rahane will make his debut for Hampshire and 20 year old Jack Blatherwick may make his debut for a Notts side still to grab a Championship win.

Kent and Surrey meet in Beckenham where Surrey are boosted by Sam Curran, back from the IPL. Kent have waved goodbye to Matt Renshaw – who couldn’t quite replicate his Somerset form of 2018 – and replaced him South African quick bowler Wiaan Mulder, who is around for the next 7 games.

Somerset, gloriously top, play bottom of the table Warwickshire, whose batting has looked fish-bone fragile, at Taunton. Can Dom Sibley score his seventh successive century in a first-class match? Warwickshire better hope so. There’s still no Ian Bell, though he’s batting in the nets, but Sam Hain and Liam Norwell return after injury.

In Division Two, Durham (bottom) play Gloucestershire at Chester-le-street. All-rounders Brydon Carse and Ryan Pringle have been named in Durham’s squad, with no places for Cameron Steel or Matt . Josh Shaw, of Yorkshire, is back with Gloucestershire for a fourth loan spell.

There is a top of the table clash here at Old Trafford where Lancashire take on Worcestershire. James Anderson returns for Lancashire.

At the County Ground, the Derbyshire v Glamorgan game continues, Glamorgan boosted by their impressive rear-guard action last week against Gloucestershire.

And at Northampton, Northants play Sussex, with Chris Jordan playing his first Championship game of the season for Sussex.

Elsewhere, one of England’s world cup squad is going to get a horrible phone call today – commiserations for the unlucky chap. Here are Ali Martin’s thoughts:

And this, on football, but I thought it might resonate:

source: theguardian.com