214 to win then. A few more than I would have liked but very gettable on this track. 4 overs to see off tonight first.
So unlike Surrey (who, should they wish to, can afford to reject whatever chase they are set tomorrow), it's essentially do or die for us. Unless weather intervenes, it's either 0 points or 16 points to add to our bonus points. The former, and it'll surely be title over. But the latter, and it'll remain very much alive.
I know we've got very fortunate with Yorks missing so many players, but the biased selfish side of me can't help but be annoying that we've run into Coad being fit for the first time this season. Excellent bowler, and probably the one who we need to be most careful against.
Yes, he could have unfurled a few of his cover drives and we'd have made a much more sizeable dent in this chase already!
I wouldn't be surprised if Lancs manage to beat Kent. And that would be a good thing. Lancs aren't a threat to our title chances (if they win the title ahead of us, it will have been our fault for dropping too many points in these last four games - it's unlikely we would even finish second in such a scenario). But as I said the other day, they do still have Surrey to play. Lancs getting to within 15 to 20 points of Surrey before then would be very useful.
You expect this sort of thing from Bairstow and co. But this has been superb from Stubbs, who I don't think I'd even heard of before tonight.
Riding the wave of optimism engendered by last night's Saints win, I am confidently predicting a Hampshire win, and a Surrey batting collapse, leading to a Warwickshire win. Maybe I shouldn't drink this early...
