Importance Score: 45 / 100 🔵
County Cricket Day Three: Live Updates from Around the Grounds
Good morning! Palm Sunday begins overcast but pleasant, particularly in the northwest. Saturday served as a transition, setting the stage for today’s exciting play in the County Championship. Significant challenges await Kent, Lancashire, and Glamorgan. Play is scheduled to commence at 11 am; join us for live updates and commentary throughout the day.
Live Scores: County Championship Day 3
Division One
- Chester le Street: Durham 387 v Warwickshire 287-8
- Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire 347 v Essex 301-5
- The Oval: Surrey 253 & 136-1 v Hampshire 219
- Hove: Sussex 294 & 246-1 v Somerset 201
- Headingley: Yorkshire 456 & 61-1 v Worcestershire 162
Division Two
- Bristol: Gloucestershire 546 v Glamorgan 146-3
- Canterbury: Kent 218 v Middlesex 222 & 222-6
- Old Trafford: Lancashire 139-4 v Northamptonshire 496
- Grace Road: Leicestershire 484 v Derbyshire 346-8
Saturday County Cricket Round-Up
The anticipated Manchester spring arrived at Old Trafford, with floodlights activated as the sun was obscured. Northamptonshire, capitalizing on the conditions, applied pressure to Lancashire‘s batting lineup. Late in the day, Marcus Harris, after a composed innings of 43, was dismissed, caught at midwicket off a Raphy Weatherall delivery.
Anderson Phillip entered as nightwatchman but faced just six balls before being dismissed lbw by Calvin Harrison in the final over. Keaton Jennings concluded the day with another half-century, but Lancashire trails by 357 runs with four wickets down.
Earlier, Northamptonshire achieved their highest innings total at the ground, propelled by a score of 95 from Lewis McManus and a career-best 56 from Harrison. Tom Hartley claimed three wickets for Yorkshire in a lengthy 33-over spell.
Middlesex gained a strong position in their Division Two match against Kent at Canterbury, where the game progressed briskly. Steve Eskinazi’s 57, along with Ben Geddes’ unbeaten 73, saw Middlesex extend their second innings lead to 226, with four wickets remaining. Kent narrowly missed achieving first-innings parity when Kashif Ali was run out for 17.
Yorkshire‘s captain, Jonny Bairstow, opted against enforcing the follow-on after dismissing Worcestershire cheaply at Headingley on a seam-friendly pitch. Worcestershire’s morning session was slow, and they then collapsed, losing eight wickets for 46 runs in 25 overs post-lunch, with Yorkshire’s slip fielders taking sharp catches.
Jordan Cox contributed further runs, scoring an impressive 82 in a closely contested match at Trent Bridge. Essex ended the day 46 runs behind Nottinghamshire, anchored by Matt Critchley’s unbeaten 50 and another half-century from Paul Walter, promoted in the batting order during Dean Elgar’s paternity leave.
Sussex dominated Somerset at Hove, where Tom Haines’ maiden Division One century provided Sussex with a 339-run lead at the close of play. Haines reached his century with a boundary after hitting a six to get to 99. Somerset recovered from 79 for seven due to a 110-run eighth-wicket stand between Lewis Gregory and James Rew, who was left on 80 not out as Somerset lost their final three wickets rapidly. Sean Hunt recorded a personal best of five wickets for 48 runs.
Dan Worrall’s three wickets for Surrey at the Oval helped secure a first-innings lead against Hampshire. Hampshire benefited from a rapid 37 by Kyle Abbott. Dom Sibley added to his first-innings century with an unbeaten 55 in the second innings, accompanied by Ollie Pope, who reached his half-century with consecutive sixes off Sonny Baker.
Runs flowed freely at Bristol, where Gloucestershire posted 546. Glamorgan‘s response was spearheaded by a half-century from Sam Northeast. Martin Andersson’s first first-class century was crucial for Derbyshire at Grace Road. His unbeaten 101 from No. 8 rescued his team from the possibility of the follow-on after Leicestershire amassed 484.
A disciplined Durham bowling performance put Warwickshire in trouble at Chester-le-Street, but half-centuries from Kai Smith and Michael Booth averted a collapse. Ben McKinney surpassed 150 in the morning before being caught behind, and Warwickshire’s 18-year-old Taz Ali completed the innings, taking four wickets for 66.
A message arrives from Christian Ryan, my remarkably talented friend and author of Golden Boy and Feeling is the thing that happens in 100th of a second, recently arrived from Australia: “Picked up an Observer at Dublin airport, bad timing from the someone who pulled the curtain on the sun …” At least all matches are still in progress, though concerns linger for Kent this afternoon.
After three elegant boundaries for four, Hurst provides Vasconcelos catching practice and is dismissed. He departs, frustrated. Luke Wells comes to the crease. Lancashire 162-5.
Play has progressed with minimal incident this morning at Old Trafford. Northamptonshire maintains attacking field settings, while Lancashire exercises caution. Lancashire 152-4.
Elsewhere in Division Two, Leaning claimed his second wicket, dismissing the dangerous Geddes (75). Middlesex 262-7. Singh Dale removed the threatening Carlson. Glamorgan 175-4, facing a difficult situation. Derbyshire are nine wickets down at Grace Road, 105 runs behind. Van Beek took his fourth wicket, dismissing Andersson, and as Mike Daniels observes, “has quickly become a crowd favorite.” Derbyshire 379-9.
At Hove, Sussex is in a strong position to secure their first Division One victory since 2015, with rapid scoring. Haines is now unbeaten on 128, and Clark is on 44.
For those interested in Second XI county cricket, the format has been revised this year. Instead of relying on a final points average, counties are divided into three groups of six, with the top two teams competing in a final to determine the champion.
Mike Daniels is providing updates from the Grace Road scorebox, observing that Martin Andersson’s century yesterday has likely guided the match towards a draw.
“As Tanya points out, April cricket is upon us: beanies, cloud cover, hot coffee, floodlights and umpires wearing gloves, and understandably so.”
Correction: contrary to earlier reports, Old Trafford is now bathed in sunshine as Harrison resumes the over interrupted last night by the dismissal of nightwatchman Phillip. Hurst has joined Jennings at the crease.
Updated at
“Greetings Tanya!” Tim Maitland checks in.
“I’ve previously expressed concern over the decline of Nelson, but given my enduring memory of David Shepherd’s considerable physique wobbling with each multiple of 111 on the scoreboard, you’ll appreciate my focus on events at Canterbury.
“Imagine if, instead of fading from memory, Nelson had captured the imagination of Millennials and Gen Z? The prospect of Middlesex faltering on DOUBLE-double Nelson (222 all out and now 222-6 overnight, for those not following closely) could have drawn huge crowds speculating about space-time continuum ruptures or Middlesex collapsing without further score.
“Only to be deflated by a single leg bye off the first ball of the day.”
Ken Grime, nearby, considers Lancashire’s follow-on target – 347 for those interested. Time for a substantial innings from Keaton.
Upon arriving at Old Trafford, players are seen in woolly hats and thermals warming up. A photographer mentions possible rain, and a steward forecasts snow next week. It was pleasant while it lasted.