And I've just discovered that Mark Wood has been ordered to rest by the ECB, which is a result for us.
Very gloomy here in Reading. They will have to use the floodlights to play the next four days. No doubt the players at Lords and elsewhere will be off and on for bad light. What a way to conclude the County Championship!!!! Surely there is space in the summer months to play these 4 day games and/or the one dayers, with the use of the white ball and floodlights, could surely be shifted to the end of the season.
No!! I fly back to Mallorca manana. Likely to be back in the spring!! Hope to take the rain back with me!!!
Good to see that the senior players have stepped up to the mark today, an excellent century opening stand between Adams and Smith and at a good pace (Smith with a SR of 64!). Shame that "Nelson" has struck. though. need to carry it on now.
Somerset going great guns at the moment. If they could get 500 plus, bowl out Notts twice with their spinners, then it could propel them to their first ever county championship. With Middlesex likely to play a game of cat and mouse with Yorkshire and put themselves in a position not to lose, it could open the door for Somerset.
Somerset have collapsed badly against Nottinghamshire. It could be crucial unless they can bowl Notts out cheaply. Maybe the light will determine the destination of the title. If it is Middlesex who win, that is great, if Somerset win it, I will be happy for them but if Yorkshire win it, a groan will suffice. Are Hampshire going to do the Houdini? Might they survive with a draw if Warwickshire lose to Lancashire?
Super day for Hants. Shame Ervine sold Vince completely down the river to deny him a 100 but should get 5 batting points and a very big lead.
And the bonus is that Warwickshire only got 1 batting point and their's is looking like a result match.
So long as we do get this final point (and run rate to get it is absolutely not an issue. We either get it, or we get bowled out first), then taking six Durham wickets inside 110 overs because our next important target in this game. Those two things together would ensure that a draw would keep us up if Warks lose, regardless of how many bowling points Warks pick up. That said, there is no incentive for Lancs to push for a win. They could set out to just block their way to a draw. So if Durham duly pile on the runs too, Warks might then be quite happy to just let Lancs block their way to a draw - save them both. Anyway, a great day for us.
Durham captain Paul Collingwood: “It was a disappointing day, the amount it is turning on day one you would expect to take more wickets. “I knew it was going to turn for day one, there is a lot of sand on that wicket which is the same tactic Somerset seem to be using as well. “But we didn’t quite get it right and to only get six wickets on day one is pretty disappointing. “So today with the overhead conditions we might get a bit out of the seam bowling but as I thought it would turn and we didn’t get it right. “Whether we were batting first tonight or batting last on it, it is going to be difficult against a couple of Hampshire spinners. “It is a pretty firm wicket. The foot holes haven’t got too much bigger and as long as they don’t put anymore sand on, it shouldn’t disintegrate anymore."
Going well so far for Hampshire. 411 all out (claiming that extra bonus point) with Durham 50/3 in reply.
Tight between Yorkshire and Middlesex. Notts six down for 120 odd. Somerset could be right back in with a chance now. I am sure even Hampshire fans wouldn't begrudge a first ever title for Somerset if Yorks and Middlesex cancel each other, out and there's a good dollop of bad light at Lords.
Although I am a Middlesex fan, it would be wonderful for Somerset to get that first title. I can see Somerset wrapping up their game tomorrow andthen having to wait nervously in the pavilion for maybe five sessions while Middlesex and Yorkshire battle things out where neither wants to lose. I sense the weather in Middlesex's match with Warwickshire at the begnning of the month could have been the deciding moment.
Nervous for all Hampshire fans dreaming of a stump uprooted each time a delivery in sent down. At the start the gap between Lancs and Hampshire was what 18. So Lancs got 4 bowling points but nothing with the bat. Um. Hampshire have to win with near maximum points.
