In Division One, a feisty Jonny Bairstow frisked 89 at a honey-warm Oval, where the Guardian football writer Jonathan Wilson and his stag do were among the 6,000 spectators. There were three wickets apiece for Surrey’s Jordan Clark and Tom Lawes and a gravity-defying catch by Ben Foakes, hanging in the air like an unvoiced memory. Adam Lyth added another fifty to his hefty season’s collection, but Yorkshire wilted after tea. The Nottinghamshire captain Haseeb Hameed was a sea of calm on a stormy scorecard at Chester-le-Street, carrying his bat for 206. Brydon Carse, playing in his first game for Durham this season after a toe injury, bowled through 14 overs, and grabbed three wickets. Somerset appeared to have thrown their batting order into a paper bag and pulled out the numbers at random - but the new approach had its successes against Sussex. The upside-down opening partnership put on just 21, but there were contributions down the order, including an unbeaten 70 from Archie Vaughan. Warwickshire’s Ed Barnard (four for 56) and Olly Hannon-Dalby (three for 47) riffed through Hampshire at Edgbaston, despite an unbeaten 52 from James Fuller. At New Road, a swarm of bees forced the players off the pitch where Worcestershire earned their first batting points of the season, ending on 354-9 against Essex. In Division Two, more than 2,000 children revelled in the heat of the concrete concourse at Old Trafford, where it has been a busy few days. On Tuesday, Keaton Jennings stepped down as Lancashire captain, replaced by Marcus Harris, and the club officially apologised for the bad start to the season. That bad start continued shortly after Jennings walked out and was caught off Blair Tickner for two, Josh Bohannon following close behind. But Luke Wells took charge of the rebuild against Derbyshire, his carefully crafted 141 his highest score at Old Trafford. At Lord’s, Ian Holland’s golden summer continued, his five for 35 giving Division Two leaders Leicestershire the upper hand over Middlesex. Northants lost nine for 80 at Sophia Gardens, brittle as overcooked flapjack, before Marnus Labuschagne made a duck on his Glamorgan return. At Bristol, Grant Stewart’s boundary-biffing 173 not out transformed Kent’s day as they made 386-6 against Gloucestershire. A busy day around the grounds, with hundreds of a HH and Grant Stewart hue, and a swarm of bees amongst the entertainment. That’s all from us for today, thanks for your company – good night! DIVISION ONE Chester-le-Street: Durham 2-0 v Nottinghamshire 470 Taunton: Somerset 317-6 v Sussex The Oval: Surrey 46-0 v Yorkshire 255 Edgbaston: Warwickshire 27-2 v Hampshire 300 New Road: Worcestershire 354-9 v Essex DIVISION TWO Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 82-3 v Northants 185 Bristol: Gloucestershire v Kent 386-6 Old Trafford: Lancashire 250-5 v Derbyshire Lord’s: Middlesex 232 v Leicestershire 22-1 One last email. Asks Tom Bolton: “There are currently six Toms playing in this fixture (Messers Lammonby, Abell and Banton versus Messers Haines, Clark and Alsop). “Surely some kind of record for a First Class match? That’s a whopping 27% of the players in the match with the same name.... “Anyone?” Over to you, hive mind. With the seagulls crying at Taunton, and Archie Vaughan engaged in battle with Jack Carson, time for me to write up for first edition. Do keep chatting BTL. He pulls off his helmet and raises his bat in that long left arm, puts his right fist to the red rose on his shirt, and gets a huge round of applause from the Lancashire balcony. Lovely innings. Keaton Jennings swallows his thoughts. The first century of the round and a second of the season for HH, a (pretty) rock-like 119 not out from Notts’ 285-8 against Durham. Ten overs for Carse, 1-41. DIVISION ONE Chester-le-Street: Durham v Nottinghamshire 278-8 Taunton: Somerset 201-5v Sussex The Oval: Surrey v Yorkshire 203-6 Edgbaston: Warwickshire v Hampshire 189-5 New Road: Worcestershire 221-7 v Essex DIVISION TWO Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan v Northants 185-8 Bristol: Gloucestershire v Kent 225-6 Old Trafford: Lancashire 165-3 v Derbyshire Lord’s: Middlesex 189-6 v Leicestershire Tea at Old Trafford, and people emerge from the stands into the light with their rucksacks and flower pot hats. A good 20 stop five metres behind the stumps and stare as a groundsman repaints the crease. A happy crew. In case you missed it, between rounds, Jonny wrote this wonderful piece on Virat Kohli. A sixth wicket in the session at Chester le Street – Notts like a loose-toothed five year old. HH watches, a slight furrow to his brow, unbeaten on 96. Four wickets for Codi Yusuf. Notts 257-7. Love our readers around the ground. Hello again Mike Daniels, with an all-seeing eye from the Grace Road scorebox, where Zimbabwe are taking on a PCC Select XI. “Approaching tea here and after Williams gifted his wicket to an unimpressive Chohan soon after lunch, Wessley Madhevere and Tafadzwe “Pete” Tsiga have put together a largely untroubled partnership of 92 to take Zim to 268-5. “There’s been lots of twos and quick singles but not much in the way of boundaries against a steady attack. Madhevere, short and stocky and looking for the short ball and Tsiga tall and looking to play off the front foot. Both have reached their 50 and looking to take Zim past the first innings total of 330.” India A are touring before the main India tour – if you haven’t got Test tickets, these games are an amazing opportunity to watch players like Jaiswal in the flesh. 30th May –June 2 Canterbury 6-9 June Northampton 13-16 June Beckenham (inter-squad match) News from The Oval, where the Guardian’s own Jonathan Wilson is on his stag do. Barney Ronay reports: Johnny Bairstow looking slick, angry and in good shape at The Oval. There is a Guardian-related event going on here, or rather a Jonathan Wilson related gathering. He is celebrating by hitting the Evian hard, singing books for fans and scoring the game in his leather bound book. Yorkshire 151-4. It feels dry, it is dry. If there is no more rain for the remainder of this match, Old Trafford will have been without rain for four weeks. Northants and Middlesex are slipping at a similar way through bad days – both 137 for six as I type. Middlesex helpless against the unstoppable Ian Holland (4-26) and Northants Gorvinned (3-27). For those with a Telegraph login, this is an interesting read from Tim Wigmore – data no longer king with England. Hameed is nearing three figures at Trent Bridge. He and Slater put on 104 for the first wicket, a bit of a slip and a slide since, as Durham lost four for 36. The last wicket was a brilliant caught and bowled by Brydon Carse – playing for Durham for the first time this season after injuring his toe. He won’t play for England against Zimbabwe, but hopes to be fit for the India series. At The Oval, Nathan Smith gets rid of leading Division One scorer Adam Lyth with a hot, hot potato. Yorks 133-4, YJB still there, 32 not out. Man flies: A wicket at Taunton, and it is England’s newest recruit James Rew, giving a textbook edge to Tom Haines at slip for a peachy 46. Carson the wicket taker. Somerset 151-3. Lammonby still there, 44 not out. All change on the franchise front, plus news that YJB is likely to replace Will Jacks at Mumbai Indians. Wow! A snorter of a one-handed snatch at second slip by Wayne Madsen, and a leaping Tickner! Harris, run-machine Harris, the man. Lancs 114-3 A nice read from Ali on Zimbabwe, in England for the first time in 22 years. And up comes Lancashire’s fifth century partnership of the summer – four of them involving Marcus Harris. Thanks to Romeo for the nudge that Ankylosing Spondylitis, the condition that Mike Daniel’s friend has, is also the condition Michael Atherton suffers from. At Old Trafford, the kids are alright, having a merry old time, mostly not watching the cricket it has to be said, but still enjoying OT in the sun. Luke Wells, who is stands almost flat, like a number seven, as he waits for the ball, unrolls himself to hit Aitchison for a glorious cover drive. Lancs 96-2, Wells 59, Harris 31. Back out after lunch at Edgbaston, where Hampshire are 89 for three from 32 overs and Mark Stoneman is holding firm on 45 not out. We saw a terrific burst before the interval from Ed Barnard and Beau Webster in tandem, both men picking up a deserved wicket apiece bowling that awkward just-back-of-a-length err length. Was watching in the company of Chris Woakes, who has been at the ground building up his workloads ahead of a possible return against the Pears next week. A stress reaction in the ankle has been the issue, a couple of injections have followed, and while there is still a bit of discomfort, Woakes is keen to push through and see if it can stand up to the strains of a full game. If so, then maybe he turns out for the Lions against India A next month. Fingers crossed for him. DIVISION ONE Chester-le-Stret: Durham v Nottinghamshire 133-1 Taunton: Somerset 99-2 v Sussex The Oval: Surrey v Yorkshire 75-2 Edgbaston: Warwickshire v Hampshire 85-3 New Road: Worcestershire 84-3 v Essex DIVISION TWO Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan v Northants 99-1 Bristol: Gloucestershire v Kent 85-5 Old Trafford: Lancashire 67-2 v Derbyshire Lord’s: Middlesex 84-4 v Leicestershire And victory belongs to the Burnley Bee. Lunch scores to follow. And as the players go off for lunch, the real thing – Lanky v the rest in a mascot race. Actual hysteria in the stands as the mascots warm up… A couple of wickets just before lunch: Somerset lose randomly-generated opener Davey, caught behind for 28, Somerset 79-2. And Kent have lost Tawanda Muyeye to make that five for the morning. In Division Two: At the County Ground, Northants won the toss, batted, and are pressing on after losing Vasconcelos to Gorvin, for 18. Northants 86-1 against Glamorgan. Gloucestershire’s Ajeet Singh Dale is slicing through sorry Kent (3-22), Kent 66-4. Kent are playing Somerset’s Jake Ball – now on his second loan county after a brief spell at Durham. Wells and new captain Harris are rebuilding at Old Trafford, Lancs 54-2. And Middlesex have fallen under the wheels of the Leicestershire juggernaut. Holland three for nine. Middx 69-4, Higgins 21 not out. As Will says, those big fat deals are yet to be signed… Over by the nets, a good number of the 2,600 kids from 61 schools who are swarming over Old Trafford are chasing the mascots. Sadly it looks as if they will miss Jimmy Anderson, 309 days since he last played proper cricket. Time to go hand in hand around the Division One grounds: Has is scoring at about a run a ball, as Notts tee off against Durham. Notts 75-0. Somerset’s topsy-turvy order has survived the dismissal of Gregory, and Lammonby has restored some calm. Somerset 43-1 against Sussex. Fin Bean and Adam Lyth are riding the Surrey storm, Yorks 48-0 after being put in. Hampshire lost Fletcha Middleton with only four on the board, but Stoneman and Gubbins are rebuilding. Hants 48-1. Essex’s Shane Snater and Kasun Rajitha are chipping away at Worcestershire – Worcs 47-2. Hello there Mike Daniels in the Grace Road scorebox. “A day watching PCC XI v Zim here. One thing is certain, Mitch Killeen has a more aesthetically pleasing action than his father. Bennett playing some pleasant shots. “Can I give a shout out to a friend of mine, Charlie Robards, who’s recently published a book on his struggle with SpA (previously known as Ankylosing Spondylitis) during his sporting career? All profits are going to NASS, the charity for research into the condition. It’s a very enlightening read.” Of course. Good luck to Charlie. And no sooner had someone said how much they were looking forward to Bohnnon batting, than Bohannon isn’t batting. Lancs 11 for two. Poor Keaton must go this time, caught by Madsen – the second oldest man in the match - off Blair Tickner, who has a wonderfully idiosyncratic run-up – a casual jog on the spot before a clock-work toy approach. Personnel changes around the ground: Marnus is back at Sophia Gardens, John Turner, ex of Old Trafford, replaces Sonny Baker at Hampshire, Farhan Ahmed is rested, Somerset have tipped the batting order into a bowl and picked out Davey and Gregory (out for 15) to open, and Sir Jimmy replaces Will Williams. Morning from sunny Edgbaston, where Hampshire have won the toss and elected to bat. The question here is, are we set for another run fest? Warwickshire are second in the table after two wins on the road ... but not this particular road, which has produced three draws, and totals of 454, 528, 655-5d and 504. The only anomaly was the draw with table toppers Notts, when weather played a part and the Bears were 93 all out and 186 for six. But even with that game, wickets on this ground are costing 46 runs apiece so far this season (if my sums are correct). There’s a pretty short square boundary today too... And Jennings is dropped on one, at third slip. Much pouring over the tea leaves in the OT pressbox. Lots of sympathy for KJ and bewilderment over the management “apology”.” Paul Atichinson has the new ball, the pitch pretty far over towards the new hotel. Fun fact – he is the only current county cricketer who was once taught by Paul Edwards. Wishing KJ a hundred to smooth that furrowed brow. Get to Old Trafford where the sky is Baltic blue and hundreds of children mill around on a school trip – Lanky bouncy castle and all. But still no swifts, who usually wheel around above the car park. DIVISION ONE Chester-le-Stret: Durham v Nottinghamshire Taunton: Somerset v Sussex The Oval: Surrey v Yorkshire Edgbaston: Warwickshire v Hampshire New Road: Wocestershire v Essex DIVISION TWO Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan v Northants Bristol: Gloucestershire v Kent Old Trafford: Lancashire v Derbyshire Lord’s: Middlesex v Leicestershire Good morning! Sun, sun and more sun in this seventh Championship round of the season. And all change at Old Trafford where, since Lancashire fell to dismal defeat against Northants, Keaton Jennings has resigned as captain, Marcus Harris has taken over and Jimmy Anderson is back! I’m off to Old Trafford to take in the lie of the land. Play starts at 11am for a full round of fixtures. Do take a seat, it should be fun.
Author: Tanya Aldred at Old Trafford