Ryan Patel eases into gear at Beckenham, as the fear hits Kent fans. Darren Stevens’ first two balls have gone for six. Surrey 14-0.
@tjaldred Morning! As a Kent fan, I share your fear. We’ve yet to bowl anyone out for less than 500 this season. Yikes!
— Andrew Harrison (@andyhamamatsu) May 12, 2022
Bad news for Middlesex, Shaheen Shah Afridi will fly back to Pakistan, ahead of the white-ball series against the West Indies in June, returning for the latter stages of the Blast.
There’s quite a nice Roses burble down in the north-east corner, with more fleeces than sunhats.
Thoughts today with Graeme Thorpe and his family.
And more on McCullum, who looks likely to be announced as England coach today, almost out of nowhere.
A nice read on the Championship, Brendon McCullum and more from Andy Bull.
Yorks won the toss, and are having a bowl. No Saqib for Lancs, and no Hassan Ali, who is being rested. That, as Ali pointed out, doesn’t reflect too well on how crammed in this early set of fixtures has been.
Tis overcast at Headingley, huge clouds billowing up over the Rugby Stand like dirty laundry. A morning to bowl.
Division Two table
Middx (4) 82
Glamorgan (5) 74
Notts (4) 73
Derby (4) 65
Durham (5) 58
Worcs (4) 52
Sussex (5) 38
Leicestershire (5) 34
Division One table
Surrey (5) 89
Hants (5) 81
Lancs (4) 72
Yorks (4) 64
Essex (5) 54
Warwicks (4) 50
Northants (4) 40
Gloucs (5) 34
Kent (4) 33
Round six games
Division One
Headingley: Yorkshire v Lancashire
Bristol: Gloucestershire v Somerset
Beckenham: Kent v Surrey
Edgbaston: Warwickshire v Northamptonshire
Division Two
Derby: Derbyshire v Worcestershire
The Riverside: Durham v Glamorgan
Grace Road: Leicestershire v Sussex
Lord’s: Middlesex v Notts
Preamble
Good morning! As the trans-pennine express chugs into Yorkshire, with the odd puce rhododendron spotting the spring green, welcome to round six – the penultimate set of games in this opening foray. And, to add spice to the mix, England are choosing a Test squad next week – so this is a last chance to shine.
It’s derby day (kind of) in Division One. I’m at Headingley for Snow White (?!) v Rose Red, where it’ll be the battle of the young pretenders as two twinkles in Rob Key’s eye, Harry Brook and Josh Bohannon, flex their muscles. Lancs have sent a strong squad, including Anderson, Parky and Saqib Mahmood – all also in the mix for selection, and Joe Root steps out for the Yorkies.
Elsewhere, the West country battle things out at Bristol, I fear for Kent at Beckenham against the division leaders, and Northants and Warwickshire, unexpectedly bedfellows in the table, play at Edgbaston.
In Div 2, the big hitters face each other at Lord’s as Notts travel south, Matty Potts has another chance to impress as Glamorgan arrive at to the Riverside, Leicester and Sussex root around for the wooden spoon and Worcestershire take on Shan Masood.
