Shoaib Bashir had the misfortune to meet Dan Lawrence on a mission at New Road. Lawrence bashed five consecutive sixes before five wides and a single off a no ball. The over equalled the Championship record 38 bashed by Andrew Flintoff for Lancashire against Surrey at Old Trafford in 1998.
To complement his highest first‑class score, Lawrence took two wickets as Worcestershire slipped into the ditch against Surrey.
Durham continued to charge at Chelmsford, galloping to 587, Ollie Robinson’s 198 the highlight. Simon Harmer’s four for 188 were his most expensive Championship figures. Essex faltered until an unbeaten partnership of 129 between Paul Walter and Matt Critchley.
Cakes and ale for Josh Bohannon (182 not out) and Luke Wells (150) in a second-innings partnership of 312 for Lancashire against an immature Kent. Kent went two sessions without taking a wicket.
A hundred too for Tom Abell in his second Championship game of the season, as Somerset played catch up with Nottinghamshire. Hampshire’s Keith Barker rattled the timbers of his old club with six for 74, though Jake Bethell (69) and Dan Mousley (57) kept Warwickshire’s deficit to mini sausage roll proportions.
In Division Two, Marnus Labuschagne fell seven short of his century as Glamorgan built a lead of 111 over Northamptonshire. Half centuries too for Kiran Carlson and Chris Cooke. Yorkshire were unable to capitalise on Sunday’s record-breaking opening partnership, losing seven for 87 under suddenly cloudy skies.
Gloucestershire also found batting tricky. There was a first Lord’s hundred for Luis Reece and 43 not out from Aneurin Donald as Derbyshire fought back against Middlesex. Peter Handscomb’s 92 wasn’t enough to lift Leicestershire out of trouble against Sussex.
Meanwhile Rocky Flintoff crashed a century off 103 balls for England Under-19s against a Young Lions Invitational XI.
With Dom Bess picking up a wicket at Scarborough (Gloucs 130-3); Dan Lawrence picking up a wicket at New Road (Worcs 102-6); Essex and Lancs four down and in various stages of delight, an early wicket for OHD at Southampton, Tom Lammonby approaching his hundred, three wickets for Procter at Sophia Gardens, Reece closing in on three figures at Lord’s, Leicestershire in trouble and Rocky Flintoff 82 not out for England U-19s – time for me to write up for the paper. BTL remains open.
Paul Walter pings Callum Parkinson over the boundary and into the trees. The umps root around for another ball. Parky C’s shirt as untucked and crumpled as Parkinson M’s always is. Essex 178-4.
Success at last for Kent, Lancs losing two wickets in six balls. Bell for 26, Lavelle for o, reward for Stobo and Swanepoel. Wells was earlier caught for 150. Bohannon still there on 155. Bit late for Lancs-up now though. Lancs 353-4 lead by 109.
To Chelmsford, where Durham have removed Essex’s top four and they still trail by 434. Critchley and Walter chew the fat between overs as the sun bakes on. Potts (2-45).
Back to the Championship, where Toms Lammonby and Abell, with a half-century apiece, are batting prettily against Notts. A wicket each for Stone and Pennington.
Tea just over at Canterbury where Bohannon and Wells are gorging on cream buns and Kentish ale. At 308-1, they already lead Kent by 64. Tea being called round the grounds, scores to follow.
Just learnt something new on comms – the James Taylor of Surrey who has just removed Rob Jones with one that flew off the pitch, is the 23 year old brother of Tom Taylor of Worcs. Worcs now wobbling at 73-3. Libby still there on 29.
With tea on the horizon, the umpires are riffling through a box of balls at New Road. Not sure what was wrong with old one but man of the moment Dan Lawrence gets a new one to start his first over of the innings. Worcs 67-2.
Chris Woakes isn’t going to be the man to haul Warwickshire to Hampshire’s 298, a sixth wicket for Keith Barker in Warwicks 235-8.
This was Woakes last night after his first Championship bowl of the season: ““I did feel slightly rusty out there but I am fairly pleased with how it went. It would have been nice to get some more wickets but I felt in a better rhythm after lunch.”
A second wicket at New Road, Kashif Ali not happy to be sent on his way after being caught by a diving Ben Foakes down the leg side. Worcs 59-2. A first wicket for Atkinson.
With mention of Andrew Radd below the line, his new book on Northamptonshire’s captains is now out. One for the maroon beach bag?
Yes, I know I've been banging on about this book for months. But today 'Faces on a Wall' is published by @PitchPublishing - the stories of @NorthantsCCC captains since 1878 with good chunks of social and local history thrown in. It's a book I've wanted to write for years... pic.twitter.com/79TYhssXLu
FCC Select XI Squad to play West Indies at Beckenham
FCC Select XI squad: Farhan Ahmed (Nottinghamshire), Sonny Baker (Somerset), Harry Duke (Yorkshire), Bertie Foreman (Sussex), Ben Geddes (Surrey), Josh Hull (Leicestershire), Eddie Jack (Hampshire), Will Luxton (Yorkshire), Ben McKinney (Durham), Jamal Richards (Essex), Hamza Shaikh (Warwickshire), Harry Singh (Lancashire), John Turner (Hampshire).
In Division Two: Marnus Labuschagne fell just short of his hundred, but Glamorgan continuing to push onwards with gusto. Carlson 62 not out, Glamorgan 244-4, in spitting distance of Northants’ 279.
At Lord’s, Luis Reece and Wayne Madsen holding the fort after Derbyshire wobbled at 57-2. Middx bowled out earlier today for 433, three wickets each for Chappell and Dupavillion.
Peter Handscomb and Wiaan Mulder have added 100 to steady HMS Leicestershire at Hove: Leics 152-4, three wickets for Ollie Robinson (that one).
And Gloucestershire having fun at the seaside at last, 52-0 after finally bowling Yorks out for 456.
Worcestershire making a perky start at New Road – nine from Jordan Clark’s heavily tattooed over. Worcs 30-0 – let’s potter post-prandially around the grounds.
With 38 off Bashir’s over, Lawrence joins Andrew Flintoff in holding the record for the most runs scored off an over in first-class cricket.
Lawrence and Flintoff are now the joint record holders of the most runs from an over in first-class cricket. The bowlers? Bashir and Tudor respectively. Remarkably, in both overs the 6th (legitimate) delivery was a dot.
Not so much for Kent CC though, who have turned their purse upside down but found only an old button. All there is to be pondered is whether Wells (93) or Bohannon (92) will get to three figures first. Lancs 204-1.
Five Successive sixes? Yes please says Dan Lawrence who doesn’t care that Shoaib Bashir was briefly England’s saviour this winter. He’s raced on to 175.
Thanks to Tim Maitland, who has been watching events at Scarborough – perched on the wooden benches?
“After the loss of four wickets in 10 overs this morning, Yorkshire’s number nine Jordan Thompson brought up the 400 with a four, slashed through point, and a six over wide mid-off from the third and fourth balls of his innings. It’s not yer grandad’s county championship cricket, is it?” Yorks are currently 442-9, have lost 8-100 after yesterday’s record-breaking opening partnership.
Just watching the stream from New Road – not sure if it is the angle as he approaches the crease but Matthew Waite makes Dan Lawrence look like a small man. Is he about six foot six? Surrey 424-8, Lawrence 126 not out.
Lancashire easing into the morning after Keaton Jennings fell last night. Both Wells and Bohannon have passed fify and are motoring nicely. Lancs 139-1, just 105 behind Kent at a sunlit Canterbury.
This has the feel of one of those matches for Somerset, first let Notts off the hook, then crumble for the first half of the innings until Craig Overton pancakes 74 at No. 8 to apply an emergency band-aid. Currently 20-1 (Umeed out to Pennington) 340 behind.
By the way, did anyone here go to Aaron Banks’ dinner date? Someone sent me a review of it on the Glos fans facebook page. According to that, there were free drinks, a barbeque, and AB wants to appoint a man called Nigel Birrell as chair, the CEO of an online gambling company based in Gibraltar. He was non-committal on the proposed ground move, supports Surrey and is intending to bulldoze his plans through at a Special General Meeting.
A new highest score for t’other Ollie Robinson, as he eases to 175. A crumb for Essex though, with the wicket of Ackerman for 73. And another, de Leede for a two-ball duck. Reward for Harmer at last ( 3-149)
At Hove, Simpsonis stranded in the 180s as Hunt becomes Holland’s fourth wicket. Sussex are all out for 442, and Leicestershire will be grateful not to be facing Jayden Seales as they velcro up their pads.
With a cover drive of sedate power , Lawrence reaches his hundred off 143 balls. His second century of the summer, and he sits on the top of the Surrey batting averages. A successful hop over to The Oval for all parties. Surrey 372-6.
Two Ollie Robinsons are batting. The Durham one has passed 150 (Durham 457-4, max batting points in the bag) and the Sussex one – actually he’s just been out for five (Sussex 441-9, and heading towards max points too). Simpson 183 not out, will be hoping for staying power from Sean Hunt.
And as the players jog out around the grounds, an email plops into my inbox and Jordan Clark is caught by Shoaib Bashir for 12 (Surrey 340-5).
Hello Tim Maitland. “I forgot these championship games were being squeezed in among the pyjama games. Isn’t it reassuring watching proper cricket being played in proper parched conditions?
”It’s certainly better than watching them huddle together for warmth like penguins during the preposterously premature prelude to the season.”
So true. This must feel like just reward for the players for their April endeavours (at least until the temperature gets too hot and uncomfortable). A bit like when you’re at home with young children, when summer is the glorious prize for ploughing through winter.
Such a lovely day for Whitby boy Adam Lyth yesterday at the run-fest at Scarborough. His 129 was his fourth Championship hundred of the summer, and his fourth at North Marine Road.
“This is my home club, friends and family have come down to watch. I said to Beany out in the middle ‘let’s try and make this count,” Lyth said afterwards.
“It wasn’t a typical Scarborough wicket, there’s wasn’t a lot of seam movement... so (for him) to get 160, I was disappointed I didn’t go on and make a similar contribution.”
During a feast of white‑ball cricket, suddenly a dash of red – two midsummer rounds squeezed in while the nights are short and the sun high.
To Lord’s, where Ed Hawkins’s climate stripes were displayed on the scoreboard on Friday, while on Sunday a real ale festival bubbled away in the Coronation gardens. On the field, the game swung giddily as Middlesex struggled against tight early Derbyshire bowling but then soared as Ryan Higgins reached his fourth century of the summer and Toby Roland-Jones slammed a fifty despite snapping his bat in two.
Yorkshire’s Adam Lyth and Finlay Bean piled on 307, the highest opening partnership in first-class cricket at North Marine Road. Gloucestershire could only watch after winning the toss and inserting. Durham bolted to 445 for five on a friendly Chelmsford pitch, taunting the title contenders Essex and taking 16 off Simon Harmer’s first over. There were centuries for Alex Lees (sedate) and Ollie Robinson (rumbustious).
The England fast bowler Olly Stone rescued Nottinghamshire from 190 for seven with an unbeaten 74 against Somerset. Notts had lost four for 11 when he and Calvin Harrison came together to reconstruct the innings.
Jimmy Anderson travelled to Canterbury with Lancashire but did not play. The crowd got their fill at lunch instead, with hundreds watching as he repeatedly bowled at one stump, and then took five minutes to reach the safety of the pavilion after stopping for selfies. There were three wickets each for Nathan Lyon and George Balderson as Kent were bowled out for 244.
Sussex’s John Simpson rattled to his third century of the season, against Leicestershire, while Ian Carter was bowled for 96. Bliss for Sussex supporters, who also enjoyed free admission at Hove. Dan Lawrence was 91 not out as Surrey made hay at New Road.
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