Somerset v Essex: Bob Willis Trophy final, day two – live!

52nd over: Somerset 139-5 (Byrom 57, C Overton 0) In an act of great self restraint, Craig Overton plays out the four remaining balls of Cook’s over. Somerset need to ensure they reach 200 by slog or by stroke.

Well deserved! Davies has a vague poke and edges into the hands of Wheater.

50th over: Somerset 138-4 (Byrom 56, Davies 27) And then quite suddenly (just like Us), one got Better and the other got Wuss. Porter bowled five dots and beat the bat, Cook overpitched, Byrom hit him full and fat.

48th over: Somerset 132-4 (Byrom 52, Davies 25) It’s a novella of two ends. Yet another maiden for Cook (20-8-38-2) while Porter leaks two fours, Davies sliding him through the slips before cover driving to the ropes next ball.

46th over: Somerset 124-4 (Byrom 52, Davies 17) And they start where they left off yesterday, a miserly maiden from Sam Cook and a lone boundary from Davies who slides Porter through third man.

The players are out and Jamie Porter has the ball in his hand…

Gary Naylor is in combative mood and I haven’t had a coffee yet.

I agree for sure but I think this year they are constrained by time. They’ve set up this Professional Game Group to assess the options (chief execs from Notts, Sussex, Durham and Surrey) and then the agreed proposal needs to be passed by the county chairmen by a majority of two thirds. And then it returns to the fixture dept at ECB towers. They definitely need to do a public/ PCA consultation before making any permanent changes.

An early email zips in, bright and breezy, from Paul McIntyre.

“I’m sure you’ve seen the comments from Rod Bransgrove and Tom Abell. I very much support them. The ECB needs to explain publicly the rationale for any proposals to change to the Championship and not hide behind Covid. The champions should, in normal times, be the team that does best over the whole season. And Covid should not be the pretext for reducing the number of matches, unless it is absolutely necessary: we should not be planning on that basis.

“I do feel that part of the ECB’s problem, as far as many cricket fans are concerned, is their practice of airing proposals in media briefing instead of publishing them so that there can be a proper debate.”

For those who weren’t here yesterday, Bransgrove spoke to Cricinfo about the future of the Championship – he’s in favour – and was backed up by young Somerset captain Tom Abell, who said:

“In the immediate future, it’s obviously very special to be involved in a Lord’s final given the Covid situation. It’s as good as we possibly could have had. But personally, I’m a big advocate of of the County Championship. Over the course of 14 or 16 games, the best team will often prevail and I think that’s the way it should be.”

To be fair to the ECB, I think they are trying to find a solution for next year as soon as possible – the sooner the counties can agree on something the better as they are aiming to get the fixtures out for early November – when counties can start to sell memberships to try and improve their financial situation in the current troublesome climate.

Hello from somewhere outside Stoke on Trent where the sun is on the rise and autumn has taken a temporary back step into the cupboard. That’s a convoluted way of saying updates during the first session may be somewhat haphazard – but I’m sure we’ll muddle through.

Vic has filed his weather report from NW8: “Blue sky outside the window..prospects good…play extended to 6pm…breezy…extra sweater may be a good idea. Though not necessarily on the sofa.”

The day has been stretched somewhat after yesterday’s rain. Weather permitting, and it looks as if it will, there should be 98 overs. The three sessions will run 10-30-12.30, 13.20-15.30 and 15.50-18.00. Close of play will be 6pm or the completion of the overs, whichever is the later.

Here is Vic’s little bit of perfection on yesterday’s play.