I'm not totally convinced that was out, but who am I to argue against Michael Gough? Plus, Crane has had enough turned down in this match already - it was about time.
My initial thought was going down leg side but Abbas had a huge lbw shout turned down that looked plumb not long before.
Really couldn't have asked for anything more from this game. Just perfect. I know it's only Leicester, and I would expect Surrey, Somerset and Middlesex to all do very similar against them. But as a confidence booster - and form-finding exercise - for us going into back-to-back home games, it's still great.
Possibly the only downside is that Vincey, Daws and maybe Mason will be inevitably mentioned about England squads. I really hope that the way that they have been treated in the past means that they will refuse but I highly doubt that they will turn the opportunity down to represent their country.
No guarantee the weather will behave though! All you want when you play Leicestershire is 4 mostly dry days.
Seven of the 10 rounds are played before the first international match of the summer (and with about a 10 day gap between that 7th round ending and the first test starting). And rounds nine and 10 clash with the ODIs vs SL and Pakistan, rather than test cricket. So even if they were to be called up, we'll still be getting a lot out of them. The bigger impact is on the four rounds of the second group stage. At least two, possibly three, clash with the India test series.
Middlesex badly needed that 4th wicket. Of the other 8 matches, that is the only one where a result seems certain. The Essex, Lancs and Northants matches seem certain draws. Yorks and Notts will either bat out the day for a draw, or lose. Warks and Gloucs need wickets urgently if they're going to leave themselves the time for a 4th innings run chase.
Great win for Hants. Going down to the wire at Lord's, Somerset need less than 2 an over but 5 wickets down.
Those wickets on the stroke of lunch for Gloucs and Middlesex could be very handy for us. Surrey and Somerset I would suggest are our biggest two rivals for a top two spot, even with Somerset's point deduction. How many can Foakes add after lunch, before Topley and Virdi fall?
I see that an ECB statement will be made later regarding McManus. I'm not expecting him to receive any sort of fine or suspension - it's impossible to say that he purposely cheated - but we'll have to wait and see.
Incredible stuff from Lewis Gregory and George Bartlett! Somerset win by 4 wickets, just amazing after being 89-9 in the first innings. De Lange and Leach put on 83 to save the follow on, then skittering Middlesex out for 143 to give us a slim chance, but that was just brilliant.
As I said before, we just have a top order for ceremonial purposes really, we leave it to the bowlers to get the runs.
Not really, it was unlikely. The odds were in Middlesex's favour for most of the match. Fair play to Somerset for defying the odds.