Essex scramble to wild one-wicket win over Somerset: county cricket – live!

I’m going to grab a coffee to help my afternoon eye droop and sit outside for 15 mins to watch properly, back shortly.

In the meantime:

Balderson grabs a third wicket, and Compton makes a hundred for the second match in a row. County Cricket – piece of cake.

Leicestershire 273 all out at The Riverside, Matthew Potts 6-58. The deficit 155.

Ben Duckett is holding Notts together again, 52 not out after a hundred in the first innings. Notts 86-3, Joe Clarke caught off Neser for 30. Notts lead by a nervous nine.

Did I mention Hampshire were following on? Holland and Gubbins fell cheaply, but Weatherley (83) and Vince (33) have put on 96. The other following-oners, Sussex are still battling: 136-1, still nearly 200 behind Derbyshire. Tom Haines 89 not out.

A brave quote from Somerset head coach Jason Kerr: “We were anticipating a truer surface. The ball did more than we expected and that made batting a challenge. That doesn’t take away from the fact that we are under-performing with the bat and there is work to be done.”

What are Kent up to? Kent are are in a fix: 254-9, still 252 behind the Lancashire’s big boys monster total. Two for Balderson, two for Hassan; while Parky has picked up another to add to last night’s tally. (4-60). But hang on – Compton is close to carrying his bat , not out 99…

Gloucestershire slip-sliding as Miles Hammond gently gives Adam Lyth some catching practise. Gloucestershire three down, still trail Yorkshire by 65. James Bracey on a sensible 37 not out.

A good-natured stag do in cricket whites, and a duck costume, settle down in a Nevil Road stand. Haris Rauf takes a breather.

A delighted Haris Rauf takes off, as if at a puppeteer’s whim, throws his legs around and punches the air after plucking out Graeme van Buuren’s leg stump. Someone points out that Rauf holds the ball like Wasim Akram in his run-up, and now its all I can see. Gloucestershire 76-3.

Hope you’ve displace that tension with a nice lunch. Gorgeous vegetarian Thai at Bristol.

A lovely piece to calm you down by David Hopps on Harry Brook. Includes some honest self-reflection by Brook – he was too distracted by thoughts of the Big Bash to take full advantage of his England Lions opportunity in the winter. Also, that he regards Test cricket as the pinnacle.

DIVISION ONE

Bristol: Gloucestershire 227 and 56-2 v Yorkshire 376 all out

Canterbury: Kent 204-6 v Lancashire 506 all out

Taunton: Somerset 109 and 154 v Essex 180 and 84-9. Essex win by one wicket.

The Oval: Surrey 467 all out v Hampshire 223 and 46-2

DIVISION TWO

Derby: Derbyshire 505-8dec (Masood 239) v Sussex 174 and 90-0

Chester-le-Street: Durham 428 all out (Bedingham 191) v Leicestershire 232-7

Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire 302 and 45-2 v Glamorgan 379

’Tis over. With five leg byes. Overton falls to his knees.

Handshakes all round. Overton 6-30, 13-87 in the match.

Taunton: Somerset 109 and 154 v Essex 180 and 84-9

Essex 19 points, Somerset 3

Oh my days. No. 11 Steketee to face Craig Overton.

Scores level, a Siddle maiden, Rossington wafts dangerously. Can Overton walk on water

Overton pitches up and Snater slams him straight for four. Essex need two to win.

Nine needed. I suggest Rossington doesn’t take a quick single.

Gloucestershire, incidentally, have suffered a major blow, losing first-innings centurion Marcus Harris to Steve Patterson, pouched by Harry Brook. 48-2 as a substantial deficit weighs down their shoulders.

And as I press enter, Overton is wheeling around Taunton, Wheater lbw for 17. Essex 57-7, 27 needed….

Up with the Lindor eggs in Division One, Essex are creeping closer, with less than 30 needed. The bleached haired Siddle running in against his old team, three slips with expectant hands. But Rossington and Wheater have done this before.

Hassan Ali has his first wicket for Lancashire, Tom Bailey another, as they continue Parky’s work from last night. Kent 192-5. Ben Compton, whose having a fantastic 2022, 84 not out.

Let’s take an Easter wander through the mini-eggs:

Tim Van der Gugten’s 62 put Glamorgan in the driving seat, and then Has (I’m afraid so) punted the ball to gully for a duck, closely followed by Slater. Two for Hogan. Notts 10-2. At Chester-le-Street; Ackermann falls for 81, Leicestershire 217-6, trail by 211. And more runs for the admirable Tom Haines, 50 not out, in Sussex’s 74-0.

Angled in, through the gate, stumps akimbo. Charlesworth plods off. Gloucestershire not off to a dream start. At least it wasn’t Harris. Fisher grabs his first.

Overton!!! Essex 28-5; Critchley bowled for 15. Overton 10 wickets in the match, but he’s bowled (nearly) eight overs; he’ll need a rest soon. How soon?

And here at Bristol, the roller is out, Yorkshire all out 376, a lead of 149. Ajeet Singh Dale 4-72. Gloucestershire need to bat out today and most of tomorrow.

If you need help setting up friendly cricket, this is your go-to place.

At Taunton, Craig Overton has taken the 12.2-over old ball to the umpire – no luck old son. It feels like the panic is subsiding, Essex 23-4, 61 needed.

This looks like progress, though I don’t fancy that sky much…

Games moving on swiftly: Glamorgan all out 379, a led of 62. Matthew Potts takes his third wicket in his third over, Leicestershire have lost three for 12 this morning in a north-east wobble.

If you’re in Taunton this morning, admission is free – Essex have crept up to 17-4, 67 needed.

The Sussex start is comparatively luxurious: 12-0. Hampshire too holding on in the first 20 mins: Barker and Fuller employing doughty defence 176-7. But Azad has gone at Chester-le-Street, closely followed by Kimber for 4. Both to Potts. Leicestershire 174-4.

Top trolling by the Gloucestershire scoreboard operator: who puts the Essex score up on the scoreboard.

Essex 4-3! Both Cooks gone, one to Siddle, one to Overton. Game suddenly very much on.

Blunt early Saturday words from Graeme Fowler:

DIVISION ONE

Bristol: Gloucestershire 227 all out v Yorkshire 334-8

Canterbury: Kent 133-3 v Lancashire 506 all out

Taunton: Somerset 109 and 154 v Essex 180 and 3-1

The Oval: Surrey 467 all out v Hampshire 152-7

DIVISION TWO

Derby: Derbyshire 505-8dec (Masood 239) v Sussex 174

Chester-le-Street: Durham 428 all out (Bedingham 191) v Leicestershire 159-2

Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire 302 v Glamorgan 354-9

Past the bust of WG Grace, and up into the press box for day three of this fascinating game between Gloucestershire and Yorkshire. Yesterday’s innings by Harry Brook firmly stacked Yorkshire on top, and tipped his hat in the ring for a Test place in new look England part XCVICIVCIX.

Around the grounds, the end is almost nigh for Somerset, unless Coverton can repeat his first innings magic; some late afternoon Parky magic has got Kent wobbling; and Hampshire are also in a surprisingly large hole. In Division Two, Sussex will be following on; Hassan Azad doing his thing at Leicestershire and Glamorgan are holding off Notts.