No real surprise that it's Scriven to make way to Stevenson - nor that Northeast has decided to bowl. Despite the entire loss of yesterday, both teams scores this season would strongly suggest that three days will still be enough to get a result - if they are three dry days. We need the win to catch them. They need to win to hold off the other two divisions.
That guy Robinson is doing ir again, making inroads into Middlesex's fragile batting. Sussex win here, and probably by 9 or 10 wickets.
Somerset skittle Gloucester for just 76, to establish a first innings lead of 161. It says a lot about Somerset’s batting in the absence of Babar Azam that the highest average partnership for each wicket in the Bob Willis Trophy so far has been 65, for the 10th wicket, with the 9th wicket not far behind in second place. George Bartlett did make 100 yesterday but he has been the exception so far. I suppose the batsmen do come in handy in the field though...
Which is good cricket. And apart from Chilco who would have liked England to have blown Pakistán away by now, it is making England work.Furthermore, it will be improving Root as a tactician in how to remove resistant batsmen.
Just noticed that Notts have the best batting bonus points and 9 bonus bowling points, yet have still to win a match!!
Now that we are into late August, do wickets change their nature in the last hour?Sussex are 4 for 4 in their second innings!!
Amazed that the umpires even considered putting Pakistan in for their 2nd innings tonight. I looked at the light in my garden and thought I wouldn’t want to play cricket in that....though that was mainly because of the roses.
I know he only has one wicket - which is nothing to shout about from 10 overs - but this is some of the best red ball bowling I've seen from Crane. Getting real control, for once. I've only counted three poor balls in those 10 overs. And he's been getting turn. The problem for us, alas, is that Crane is bowling well then I dread to think the damage Harmer will do.
Surely we can't lose 20 wickets in the time left in this match given that tomorrow is most likely a washout.
If tomorrow is washed out, then yes we're absolutely fine. But forecasts have been wrong before. As I recall, we lost inside two days to Essex last season, and again two seasons before that. Every side struggles against Porter and Harmer (and Sam Cook), but us even more so.
I have doubts that there will be a full day's play today even, one downpour and they are off for hours.
The likely bad weather does make you question what Essex are doing. They surely shouldn't want Porter chewing up balls even if Gayle or Gilchrist was at the other end, let alone Cook. A double-whammy to the run-rate. If a high bonus point draw is the best they can get, they need to score as quickly as possible. And, if there is time thereafter, get on with bowling. Right now, they don't have a single bonus point.
Difficult to comment with any certainty, due to the camera being behind Porter, but I've seen stronger LBW shouts turned down in this match than that one. Maybe Gould just wanted to move the game along!
The captains get together, Hants forfeit first innings, Essex their second, setting Hants maybe 320 to win!
