Category: County Championship Division Two

Good morning. Today should be the day. Lancashire are in all sorts of trouble at Taunton, where there’s rain on the way. When they fail to win that game – which, surely, surely they won’t win – Essex will be the County Champions for the first time since 1992. To be honest, Essex better win because I have already written 1,000 words on them doing so.

So I’m Will Macpherson and I’m at the sun-drenched Oval to tell you about all that and more. Here, Surrey have Yorkshire following on. Will the pitch break up? Can they force a win? I don’t know if it mean anything, but Andy Hodd just scored a superb overhead kick in Yorkshire’s football match. There’s Div 1 action at Uxbridge too. It’s a tussle for points. Middlesex currently have none.

County Championship Division One • County Championship Division Two • Cricket • Essex • Lancashire • Sport • Surrey • Yorkshire

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By Will Macpherson at Edgbaston on September 14th, 2017

County cricket: Essex close on title at Warwickshire, and more – live!

Live updates from around the county grounds
The Spin: Blofeld made cricket fun for all but TMS has bottled his spirit
Send Will an email or tweet @willis_macp

10.49am BST

Rob Mason describes himself as “yet another Essex fan…”

“Loving the recent work of two 24-year-olds from North East London: Jamie Porter and Harry Kane,” he writes.

10.48am BST

A lesser spotted wicket at the Oval!

Freddie van den Bergh has two, Marsh gone, stumped. 181 for two, and a long way to go to avoid the follow-on.

County Championship Division One • County Championship Division Two • Cricket • Essex • Lancashire • Sport • Warwickshire

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By Will Macpherson at The Oval and Ali Martin at Edgbaston on September 13th, 2017

County cricket live – Surrey v Yorkshire, Warwickshire v Essex and more!

Live updates from around the county grounds
Email Will here with your thoughts, or Tweet him here
Day one roundup from the latest round of matches
Broad: unfazed England are fired up for Ashes

11.15am BST

As someone has pointed out on twitter: the bowler’s Holden, the batsman’s ….

Congrats to Felix Organ who is making his debut for @hantscricket v @Middlesex_CCC at @UxbridgeCC. Welcome to the PCA pic.twitter.com/spFGFTIm6w

11.11am BST

Morning Stuie!

@willis_macp morning will! Out all day so cmon glos

County Championship Division One • County Championship Division Two • Cricket • Essex • Hampshire • Lancashire • Middlesex • Somerset • Sport • Surrey • Warwickshire

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By Will Macpherson at The Oval and Ali Martin at Edgbaston on September 12th, 2017

County cricket live – Surrey v Yorkshire, Warwickshire v Essex and more!

County Championship updates from around the grounds
Email Will with your thoughts or Tweet him here
Gary Naylor’s county cricket talking points

10.57am BST

News from the Oval is that Mark Stoneman looks in absolutely delightful touch. He’s moved to 18, after back to back boundaries off Sidebottom, through cover point and square-leg.

10.54am BST

Morning Will and chums. Warwickshire lead by 13 after four overs is the optimistic way of looking at things here at sunny-ish Edgbaston, where Jamie Porter has continued his golden season for champions-elect Essex with the early wickets of Sam Hain and Jonathan Trott – both lbw – in his first nine balls.

First one trapped Hain on the back leg as the bat jacknifed down at an awkward angle, then Trott was pinned on the front pad. If there was a day for Ian Bell to end a drought of centuries that goes back to April last year, this is it. Chris Woakes back for the Bears, while Neil Wagner is in for his second spell as the Essex overseas left-armer. Tom Westley plays too.

County Championship Division One • County Championship Division Two • Cricket • Essex • Hampshire • Lancashire • Middlesex • Somerset • Sport • Surrey • Warwickshire • Yorkshire

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By Will Macpherson at Edgbaston on September 08th, 2017

Somerset beat Warwickshire – and the rain – to boost hopes of survival

• Victory sealed in short dry spell with four wickets in 90 minutes
• Warwickshire now look more or less destined for relegation

As Somerset riotously celebrated the Warwickshire wicket that sealed a vital 169-run win, Tom Abell’s long-awaited first as captain, the Edgbaston groundstaff fired up the hover-cover and rushed it out to protect the strip. It had been that sort of rain-wrecked week in Division One, and Somerset were the only side able to force a win; on the final morning they waited three hours for the chance but clinically mopped up the last four wickets in just 90 minutes.

With three games to go they are 30 points clear of Warwickshire, who are destined for the drop, and just 13 behind Yorkshire and Middlesex, who drew damply at Headingley. Somerset’s game against Middlesex in the final week at Taunton, surely to be played on a spitting spinner at Ciderabad, looms large. Scores remain unsettled.

County Championship Division One • County Championship Division Two • Cricket • Sport

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By Will Macpherson at Edgbaston on September 08th, 2017

County cricket: Warwickshire v Somerset, Lancashire v Essex and more – live!

Live updates from Edgbaston and around the groundsHameed outlines Ashes intent for LancashireFeel free to ping Will an email; or tweet him @willis_macp 11.50am BST Umpires inspecting at Edgbaston… Stumps waiting to be put in. 11.49am BST Worcestershi…

County Championship Division One • County Championship Division Two • Cricket • Somerset • Sport • Warwickshire

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By Will Macpherson at Old Trafford on September 07th, 2017

County cricket live – Lancashire v Essex, Hampshire v Surrey and more!

Live updates from around the county grounds
Email Will here or Tweet him here, if you fancy
England v West Indies: third Test – live!

10.14am BST

Welcome to Old Trafford for day three of the fourth to last round of county cricket – live! for this fine summer! I’m Will Macpherson and I’m here to guide you through the action from here and the other eight games on offer. There’s some other cricket on offer, apparently, but we need not mention that.

The weather is nice now but nasty later, I’m told. The chances of a result in this Lancashire-Essex game, given the loss of day one, were pretty slim as is, but losing the final session today would end all hope. Haseeb Hameed batted beautifully last night and resumes on 85 this morning. He’s dug his team out of a horrible hole, to be honest.

County Championship Division One • County Championship Division Two • Cricket • Essex • Hampshire • Lancashire • Middlesex • Sport • Surrey • Yorkshire

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By Will Macpherson on September 06th, 2017

County cricket: Lancashire v Essex, Surrey v Hampshire and more – live!

Updates from Old Trafford and around the grounds
Somerset make soggy progress as rain wrecks day
The Recap: sign up for the best of our coverage

9.59am BST

That room in the picture ATL is the one that I’m sat in. It’s brightened a touch – wouldn’t think the covers’ll be on for that much longer.

9.58am BST

Good news from Headingley!

Captains out there for the toss.

County Championship Division One • County Championship Division Two • Cricket • Essex • Hampshire • Lancashire • Over by over reports • Sport • Surrey

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By Will Macpherson at Edgbaston on September 03rd, 2017

Peter Moores turns sights to treble after Nottinghamshire’s T20 triumph

• Division Two leaders face second-placed Worcestershire from Tuesday
• ‘We work hard and have found a way to deliver when it counts’

“Bloody right I would!” said Peter Moores when asked if he would consider the treble his Nottinghamshire side are two-thirds of the way to completing – after Saturday’s Finals Day triumph – to be “proper”, given that the unfinished business is merely the Division Two title. From Tuesday they host their nearest rivals, Worcestershire, who are 32 points behind. Promotion could be sealed in a hurry.

For Moores this is success at a third county, after ending Sussex’s 164-year wait for a Championship win in 2003 and winning the title with a homegrown Lancashire side in 2011, and the second time he has succeeded after the crushingly disappointing spells as England coach. Lesser characters would have been broken by one of them; Moores has overcome both. Paul Downton’s infamous soundbite – “the outstanding coach of his generation” – was an unbearable weight and merely provided a stick with which to beat Moores. But at domestic level Downton was not remotely incorrect.

County Championship Division Two • Cricket • Nottinghamshire • Peter Moores • Sport • Worcestershire

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By Will Macpherson at Chelmsford on August 31st, 2017

County cricket: Essex v Somerset, Surrey v Middlesex and more – live

All the action from around the grounds
Yesterday’s roundup: Sussex pull of famous win against Glamorgan
Feel free to ping Will an email here or tweet: willis_macp

11.09am BST

The Essex stream! Watch.

LIVE | Watch the action from The Cloudfm County Ground as we begin Day Four against @SomersetCCC ➡️ https://t.co/PRB68IwJOS #ESSvSOM pic.twitter.com/xFeUokZQ2Y

11.08am BST

Interesting…

No Nick Compton this morning…retired hurt on the scorcard…So Robson and Eskinazi getting the day started

County Championship Division One • County Championship Division Two • Cricket • Sport

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By Will Macpherson at The Oval on August 30th, 2017

Sussex see off a green Glamorgan and ask a question of Nottinghamshire

• Sussex 268 & 211/9; Glamorgan 294 & 182
• Sussex won by one wicket

A staggering win for Sussex, a day of rain at Kent and positions of strength for Nottinghamshire and Worcestershire: the race for Division Two’s two promotion spots is bubbling beautifully, and this was a seismic day of action.

Sussex’s was an extraordinary win, against Glamorgan – who picked a green team as their big names rested up for T20 Finals Day. Chris Jordan docked the tail to finish with five for 46 as Glamorgan made 182 at their Colwyn Bay ground. Sussex’s pursuit of 209 got off to the worst possible start as Lukas Carey had Luke Wells caught behind first ball and soon enough they were 10 for two. Stiaan van Zyl and Chris Nash rebuilt, before Andrew Salter dismissed Van Zyl (lbw) and Luke Wright (stumped) with successive deliveries to leave Sussex 100 for four.

County Championship Division One • County Championship Division Two • Cricket • Derbyshire • Durham • Essex • Glamorgan • Gloucestershire • Lancashire • Northamptonshire • Nottinghamshire • Somerset • Sport • Sussex • Warwickshire • Worcestershire

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By Will Macpherson at The Oval on August 30th, 2017

County cricket: Surrey v Middlesex, Lancashire v Warwickshire and more – live!

Live updates from around the groundsPing Will an email here; or send him a tweet @willis_macpThe Spin: cherish the slow and steady run accumulators 11.33am BST The rain is very, very light at the Oval, but the full covers are coming on. The forecast i…

County Championship Division One • County Championship Division Two • Cricket • Essex • Lancashire • Middlesex • Somerset • Sport • Surrey • Warwickshire

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By Will Macpherson at The Oval on August 29th, 2017

Lancashire’s Liam Livingstone hits double century against Warwickshire

• England prospect scores unbeaten 215 to build massive lead
• Essex bowlers bring leaders back into the game against Somerset

The sense that Liam Livingstone is a rare talent who will end up playing all three formats for England was emphatically strengthened by his brilliant maiden double-century for Lancashire against Warwickshire at Old Trafford.

Livingstone’s unbeaten 215 (from 318 balls with 25 fours and three sixes, one of which – a pull off Olly Stone – brought up his century) leaves Lancashire 284 runs ahead with four first-innings wickets in hand at the game’s halfway stage. A golden opportunity awaits to close the gap on the Division One leaders Essex before their visit to Old Trafford next week. Lancashire will go into that game second, and look the team best placed to haul Essex down.

County Championship Division One • County Championship Division Two • Cricket • Derbyshire • Durham • Essex • Gloucestershire • Kent • Lancashire • Leicestershire • Middlesex • Northamptonshire • Nottinghamshire • Somerset • Sport • Surrey • Warwickshire • Worcestershire

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By Will Macpherson at The Oval on August 29th, 2017

County cricket: Surrey v Middlesex, Essex v Somerset and more – live!

Live updates from the Oval and around the grounds
Roland-Jones does his best to undo patchwork Surrey
Ping Will an email here; or send him a tweet @willis_macp

12.51pm BST

Wicket! It’s taken an hour and 50 mins, but Middlesex have a wicket. Steven Finn the bowler, his tight line doing for Borthwick who was tempted into driving and caught behind. 89 for three, and Roy in.

12.50pm BST

Essex are 8 for one! Coverton gets Chopra. The lead is three…

County Championship Division One • County Championship Division Two • Cricket • Essex • Middlesex • Somerset • Sport • Surrey

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By Will Macpherson at The Oval on August 28th, 2017

Round-up: Toby Roland-Jones does his best to undo patchwork Surrey

• England bowler takes two early wickets for Middlesex at The Oval
• Essex recover after being bowled out for 159 against Somerset

Had you presented this rather patchwork Surrey XI to Alec Stewart, the director of cricket, back in April, he might just have choked on his tea. Zafar Ansari, Dom Sibley and Mark Footitt are off the staff, Kumar Sangakkara and Mark Stoneman are otherwise engaged, and Tom Curran leads the list of the injured. Thus Ollie Pope and Ryan Patel are debuting as two of four 19-year-olds. And is that really Rikki Clarke?

Having been asked to bowl first Surrey’s thrown-together side did very well indeed to bowl Middlesex out for 247. But then their openers ran into Toby Roland-Jones, returning from and emboldened by his England experience. His four overs before stumps saw Patel (whose medium pace had been better than tidy) hurried into turning to leg gully, then Rory Burns – suddenly the senior batsman – caught behind by a beauty that left him.

County Championship Division One • County Championship Division Two • Cricket • Derbyshire • Durham • Essex • Lancashire • Middlesex • Northamptonshire • Nottinghamshire • Somerset • Sport • Surrey • Warwickshire

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By Will Macpherson at The Oval on August 28th, 2017

County cricket: Surrey v Middlesex, Essex v Somerset and more – live!

Live updates from around the County Championship grounds
Send Will an email or tweet @willis_macp
County cricket talking points: let’s protect County Championship

1.05pm BST

Well that’s the first of three sessions done on this glorious Bank Holiday Monday. Here’s your scores on the doors.

Division One:

1.03pm BST

What a player Ryan ten Doeschate is. Came in at 39 for four, but Essex take lunch on 89 for four. Tendo has 35 off 37 with five fours and a six.

County Championship Division One • County Championship Division Two • Cricket • Essex • Middlesex • Somerset • Sport • Surrey

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By Will Macpherson on August 23rd, 2017

The Joy of Six: county cricket cult heroes

From the overweight to the utterly inept via the unfairly uncapped, a celebration of six of county cricket’s most-loved figures from past and present

Don Shepherd died on Friday, less than a week after turning 90, thus ending a lifelong love affair with Glamorgan cricket. The feeling was very much reciprocated.

County Championship Division One • County Championship Division Two • Cricket • Sport

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