Key events
“There is no target”
Essex’s Paul Walter was thoughtful last night, after his 118 helped Essex to a surprise position of dominance at The Oval. Elgar and Westley plough on this morning – the lead 141.
“When we batted it was initially just about getting us to parity and then, when that was achieved, just keeping going and getting as many as possible ahead of them.
“Conditions for batting are about the same as earlier in the game. Their first ball today perhaps didn’t do as much as it seemed to go a bit soft but then they got it changed and that helped the bowlers a little more.
“Tomorrow we’re not thinking of how many ahead we need to be – there’s no target. We just need to score as many as we can.”
No wickets yet this morning at Grace Road – three slips waiting as Holland runs in.
Preamble
Hello from Leicester, where the wind has blown itself into a Sunday morning dance and Lancs are in trouble. Play starts around the grounds at 11am, do join us!
Saturday’s round-up
With a swish of his velvet cloak and a cut down to third man, Rehan Ahmed reached his second hundred of the summer against Lancashire. It was another hugely enjoyable innings, full of rapier wrist and flamboyant defence. He and Lewis Hill, who hit his own entertaining century – his first for two years – put on 256 for the third wicket, after coming together in tricky conditions on Thursday evening at 24 for two. A partnership of 76 between Ian Holland and Ben Cox added further irritation to another day of toil for Lancashire’s bowlers, With rain skirmishing, Leicestershire collected maximum batting bonus points, to go with the maximum bowling points already in the bag. They were finally all out with a lead of 251.
Cloud cover and a friendly dose of overnight rain at New Road set the scene for Chris Woakes to run in for the first time this season, after recovering from a knee injury. A glancing England selector on his way home from Trent Bridge would have seen a bowler in full flow and fine fettle, picking up three for 34, while Chris Rushworth, also in his first match of the season, grabbed four for 37. Warwickshire carried a handy lead of 46 into their second innings against Worcestershire, Alex Davies was bowled cheaply by Jacob Duffy, but Rob Yates and Tom Latham saw them through to stumps.
Calvin Harrison, who has proved an inspired loan signing for Northants, from Notts, cracked a career-best 63 before winkling out Ollie Price and Miles Hammond. Saif Zaib had reached a career-best 159 before being caught at slip, and the tail, marshalled by Harrison and Lewis McManus, took Northants to 469. Gloucestershire are still 164 runs short of the follow on.
Sussex are pickling Hampshire at Southampton, first building a handy first-innings lead thanks to a third century of the season from John Simpson and 74 from Hudson-Prentice, then rattling through their second innings.
Micky Arthur’s happy hunch, Caleb Jewell, hit 232 and together with Wayne Madsen (100) carried Derbyshire to 587 for five declared – their highest score against Kent. Matt Parkinson also became a record-breaker, his 46 overs, 1-204 are now the expensive bowling figures against Derbyshire in history. But Kent’s bowlers didn’t find running in at the County Ground much easier, Ben Compton compiled an unbeaten 105.
Eighteen wickets fell on a chaotic day at the Riverside, leaving Somerset to chase 265 for victory. Mitch Kileen snaffled five for 36 on Championship debut when Somerset were bowled out for 172 in the morning. Matt Henry and Migael Pretorius then rattled through Durham for 159, Alex Lees the top scorer with 35. Careful batting from Lewis Gregory and Tom Lammonby gave Somerset hope of a win on Sunday.
Nottinghamshire are on top at Headingley, after Mohammad Abbas grabbed six for 45 to dismiss Yorkshire for 159. Glamorgan enforced the follow-on against Middlesex, thanks to Andy Gorvin’s four wickets, but evening rain gave the batters some respite. And Essex’s Paul Walter and Dean Elgar put Surrey under pressure at The Oval, with a dominating opening partnership of 188.
Scores on the doors
Division One
Chester-le-Street: Durham 277 and 159 v Somerset 172 and 71-1
Southampton: Hampshire 154 and 114-6 v Sussex 297
The Oval: Surrey 279 v Essex 217 and 195-2
New Road: Worcestershire 181 v Warwickshire 227 and 53-1
Headingley: Yorkshire 159 v Nottinghamshire 228 and 227-3
Division Two
Derby: Derbyshire 587-5dec v Kent 210-3
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 383 v Middlesex 155
Grace Road: Leicestershire 457 v Lancashire 206
County Ground: Northamptonshire 469 v Gloucestershire 156-4