Warwickshire v Essex, Hampshire v Gloucestershire: county cricket – live!

A note from my friend and wonderful cricket writer Sharda Ugra in Bangalore, who writes on the deteriorating Covid situation in India, “

“It is Indias worst public health crisis and even perhaps its biggest emergency in its 70-plus years of independence. The IPL, in what I have called its tone-deafness, will, to many people’s chagrin, I think continue. There is a curfew in Delhi which ends on April 26th, its first IPL match is scheduled for 28th. so…”

Some words on England’s departing chairman of selectors Ed Smith.

I think he did a pretty good job. Jos Buttler has his detractors but he was definitely worth a punt, and performances in county cricket did matter – he selected Sibley on weight of runs and Pope on pure talent. One is a Wisden cricketer of the year for 2021 and the other is the heir to Bell and Gower. His failings were perhaps those that haunted him as a player, an inability to connect with everyone, and a certain insensitivity when dealing with players different to him, thinking especially, as Andy says, of Moeen Ali and YJB

Here are Ali’s thoughts on Chris Silverwood’s enhanced role.

Some really juicy fixtures today – my eye is caught by Warwickshire v Essex – the never-say-die Champs v last round’s Nottinghamshire heart-breakers; the two southern faded-glories Middlesex v Surrey ( expect Surrey to win by an innings…); and Sussex v Yorkshire, with both sides on the back of wins in the last round and Sussex powered by the awesomeness that is Ollie Robinson.

Group One

Riverside: Durham v Derbyshire

Edgbaston: Warwickshire v Essex

New Road: Worcestershire v Nottinghamshire

Group Two

Rose Bowl: Hampshire v Gloucestershire

Grace Road: Leicestershire v Somerset

Lord’s: Middlesex v Surrey

Group Three

Canterbury: Kent v Lancashire

The County Ground: Northamptonshire v Glamorgan

Hove: Sussex v Yorkshire

Hello! It’s a hundred per cent pure spring loveliness in Manchester and the weather is set fair everywhere, warmer than yesterday, breezy in the south. So get those shorts on and with an Aperol spritz in one hand and a copy of the Guardian in the other, flutter back for act three in the 2021 County Championship.

Nine games today, with the top news those missing the cut – James Anderson is out of Lancashire’s game against Kent with a tight calf, and Dom Sibley’s broken finger means he misses Warwickshire v Essex and the following week’s trip to Durham – but he will hopefully be fit for England’s Test series v New Zealand.

A reminder that you can follow all the action on BBC local radio or watch the live stream here.

Due to a poorly, pitiful, puppy demanding to be hand fed, and the kindness of the sports desk, I am working from home today, but Ali Martin will be at Edgbaston sending in his very wisest thoughts. Do email me or tweet me at the address above, we love to chat.