Lancashire hold on for Lord's draw
Two riveting draws zipped up the first round of the summer’s County Championship season.
There was a knuckle-gnawer for those who spent their Monday at Lord’s, finishing just before 7pm, the sunshine now shadows. A game that had zigged and zagged for four days came down to the final over, Middlesex needing two wickets for victory, three slips, two leg slips and two men in helmets breathing down George Balderson’s collar as Blake Cullen ran in. But Balderson, who had been dropped earlier in the afternoon, kept Cullen at bay. In the morning, Max Holden had held Middlesex’s second innings together with a perky 184. Michael Jones and Keaton Jennings and later Luke Wells and Marcus Harris (the first Lancashire player to make a century and a 50 in the Championship on debut) then made the chase of 309 in 67 overs seem easy until Zafar Gohar (three wickets), Cullen, Henry Brookes and an inswinging yorker from Toby Roland-Jones kept the result in doubt until the end.
At Taunton, Brett D’Oliveira supervised a phenomenal Worcestershire defensive display, with 121 from 340 balls. He and Matthew Waite – 87 not out from 319 balls – together with an obdurate tail, kept off the Somerset attack. Starting the day at 280 for five, Worcestershire walked off at 485 for nine – dazed but delighted.
A draw too at Chelmsford, where Dom Sibley’s 66 off 221 balls kept Essex at bay after Surrey were forced to follow on. A couple of quick wickets mid-morning, Rory Burns and Ollie Pope for one, temporarily raised the alert level, but Ben Foakes settled in at the other end for his second hard-boiled half‑century of the match and they shook hands at 5.36pm.
Josh Tongue’s first game in a Nottinghamshire shirt finished with a flurry of fireworks, his spell of four wickets in 12 balls with a battered old Dukes destroying the Durham rearguard. Tongue moved from Worcestershire to Trent Bridge at the end of the 2023 season but his 2024 season was wiped out by injury. Here he showed the Nottinghamshire faithful what they had been missing, changing the complexion of a game which had looked to be trickling to a draw.
A placid pitch and two teams determined not to lose meant a high-scoring draw at Edgbaston. Tom Alsop had reached 82 when Sussex declared mid-afternoon against Warwickshire.
Not bad is it? Thanks for your company, have a lovely week and see you Friday. Good night!
Close of play scores
DIVISION ONE
Chelmsford: Essex 582-6 dec DRAW WITH Surrey 365 & 204-5
Southampton: RESULT: Hampshire 249 & 148-5- BEAT Yorkshire 121 and 275 Hampshire win by 5 wickets
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire 579 and 89-2 BEAT Durham 378 & 289 BY EIGHT WICKETS
Taunton: Somerset 670-7 dec DRAW WITH Worcestershire 154 & 485-9
Edgbaston: Warwickshire 454 and 104-2 DRAW WITH Sussex 528 & 313-7 dec
DIVISION TWO
The County Ground: RESULT Derbyshire 391 & 93-1 BEAT Gloucestershire 222 and 259 – Derbyshire win by nine wickets
Sophia Gardens: RESULT Glamorgan 229 & 248 LOST to Leicestershire 427 & 53-0 Leicestershire win by 10 wickets
Lord’s: Middlesex 260 & 407 DRAW with Lancashire 359 and 262-8
Wantage Road: RESULT: Northamptonshire 143 114 v LOST to Kent 231 and 171 – Kent win by 145 runs
Last over, Cullen to bowl. Three slips, two leg slips, two under the lid, breathing down Balderson’s neck.
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Two overs left, the ground almost completely in shadows now. Zafar pulls off his cap. Lancs 261-8.
Henry Brookes on a hat-trick at Lord’s…Lancs eight down, 62 to win.
And back to Lord’s, where Luke Wells has just been removed after changing the mood and getting lusty with the bat. Lancs need 69 off 71 balls – four wickets required.
Somerset draw with Worcestershire
Taunton: Somerset 670-7 dec v Worcestershire 154 & 485-9
Phew what a draw! Matthew Waite and Tom Hinley, take a bow.
Somerset 16 points, Worcestershire 9
Key event
One last over at Taunton…
Essex draw with Surrey
Chelmsford: Essex 582-6 dec DRAW WITH Surrey 365 & 204-5
Handshakes at half past five, Dom Sibley the (almost) immovable object. Fifty for Ben Foakes.
Warwickshire draw with Sussex
Edgbaston: Warwickshire 454 and 104-2 DRAW WITH Sussex 528 & 313-7 dec
A predictable draw on a pie of a pitch.
Nine wickets down at Taunton – four and a bit overs left…
And there goes Harris, reverse sweeping into the dust and caught by a diving Du Plooy! Harris is not a happy bunny. Zafar arm-pumpingly thrilled. Lancs five wickets down…
We’re into the final hour, so I should write up. Do stay and chat awhile though BTL. Eyes right to Taunton, where Waite and Taylor continue to stonewall, maroon caps breathing down their collars, and Somerset need just two wickets. Or Lord’s where Marcus Harris has fifty at just over a run a ball…
Notts beat Durham by eight wickets!
Joe Clarke hits the winning runs, 38 not out at a quickstep. Notts 22 points, Durham five.
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire 579 and 89-2 BEAT Durham 378 & 289 BY EIGHT WICKETS
A pause at Lord’s while they wait for protective equipment for the close fielders. Still bright and sunny. Zafar continues. Harris the key.
Elsewhere: Essex have winkled out Dom Sibley, courtesy of Noah Thain. Surrey 192-4, trail by 25 and just waiting for handshakes at five.
Notts have lost a second, McCann, but only need fifty against Durham.
Worcesteshire have lost Allison, Overton’s second. Waite is still there – a 230 ball 68. An excellent second dig, but Somerset only need two wickets. The arrears? 67.
And Warwicks have a second at the runs-in at Edgbaston: Shaikh, b Carson. Warwicks need 342 to win.
At Lord’s. A fourth. Hurst, slices and brilliantly caught by a shocked Higgins at first slip who catches like a man who has suddenly been jumped out at from behind a door. Lancs 119-4.
A Seal(es) strike – first ball after tea at Edgbaston – Davies gone. A wicket too at Trent Bridge where Matthew Potts has Slater lbw second ball, Notts 15-1.
Tea-time-ish scores
DIVISION ONE
Chelmsford: Essex 582-6 dec v Surrey 365 & 164-3 – Surrey trail by 53 runs
Southampton: RESULT: Hampshire 249 & 148-5- BEAT Yorkshire 121 and 275 Hampshire win by 5 wickets
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire 579 and 8-0 v Durham 378 & 289 Notts need 81 to win
Taunton: Somerset 670-7 dec v Worcestershire 154 & 415-7 Worcs trail by 101 runs
Edgbaston: Warwickshire 454 and 27-0 v Sussex 528 & 313-7 – Warwicks need 361 to win
DIVISION TWO
The County Ground: RESULT Derbyshire 391 & 93-1 BEAT Gloucestershire 222 and 259 – Derbyshire win by nine wickets
Sophia Gardens: RESULT Glamorgan 229 & 248 LOST to Leicestershire 427 & 53-0 Leicestershire win by 10 wickets
Lord’s: Middlesex 260 & 407 v Lancashire 359 and 109-3 – Lancashire need 200 to win
Wantage Road: RESULT: Northamptonshire 143 114 v LOST to Kent 231 and 171 – Kent win by 145 runs
Archie Vaughan gets D’Oliveira at last, to a cryptic decision, after a 340-ball 118-run epic. Worcestershire, with three wickets remaining, still trail by 101. It’ll be tight till the tape. Tea here at Lord’s, scores to follow.
Even the Somerset feed is going with "adjudged" on this one... https://t.co/pzQeppiGfX
— Lawrence Booth (@BoothCricket) April 7, 2025
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TRJ gig of delight – ball swings from quarter to to quarter past in 0.0002 seconds. The peachiest peach of a yorker – Lancs 102-3. Michael Jones trudges off, victim of the ball of the season.
Five wickets for Josh Tongue!
Three in seven balls. Not a bad return to the county scene after 15 months out with a pectoral, then hamstring, injury. Durham all out in a sudden hurry for 289 – Notts need 89 to win.
Zafar gets one to rip, missing blade, keeper and slip. Lancs 98-1. Everyone has suddenly woken up. And this time a WICKET! Bohannon gone for a seven ball duck, retreats, stalls, the ball skidding through and losing his sticks. Lancs 98-2.
Warwickshire need 388 to win!
Sussex have declared. Come on Seales and Robinson, make it tasty.
And just when he was looking untouchable, Keaton Jennnigs is bowled from an inside edge by Cullen for 49.
And that means that Lancs still haven’t had an opening partnership of 100 since the last game of the 2023 season (courtesy P Edwards).
Brookes’ day not getting any better, as he parries and puts down a very hard chance off a bombastic Keaton Jennings on 41. Jones then promptly drives bowler Cullen straight down the ground for four. Brilliant sunshine for this final act.
Here comes Zafar…
Six in the sun for Michael Jones – wham bam into the Grandstand. Henry Brookes has now bowled four overs for 30. Don’t hate me Lancs fans, but this is now on. Lancs 80-0.
Updated
Two hundreds in a match for Ackermann!
Round the grounds:
Durham now have a 53-run lead at Trent Bridge, thanks to a second hundred of the match for Ackermann -111 and counting. Clark a trusty accomplice in a sixth-wicket partnership of 131.
Here at Lord’s, Lancs are actually chugging along rather nicely, Jennings 33, Jones 28 66-0. At Chelmsford, Foakes and Sibley have safely negotitated half of the afternoon session, 129-3, Surrey 88 in arrears. While D’Oliveira and Waite are still frustrating an increasingly desperate Somerset with a partnership of 94 at Taunton.
And Sussex bat on and on at Edgbaston – 296-7, Alsop 68 not out. The lead is 370.
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Hello Hong Kong, hello Andrew Benton.
“Are there kiss-me-quick hat wearers in Skegness? Champagne quaffers in St Tropez? Lord’s sounds like the perfect place(s) to be. On Harry Brook, good luck sir, unenviable job. On England and the Ashes, do you think they’re setting themselves up to fail by focusing solely on the urn? It’s perhaps a bit arrogant to suggest that other Tes’t are not important, and unless they win all of them, and even if they do, they’re looking silly even before they get to Australia. On Derbyshire, ah, well done. Glos had their year last year, time for Derbyshire to shine.”
Talking of troubled Div 2 sides, I loved the Lehmann quote that Jim dug up yesterday, ““We need to bat a lot better - simple as that… the batting was really disappointing and the boys need to take some accountability for that.”
And on the three who shouldered arms:“Bats cost about £500 or something like that - you might as well use it!”
Sibley is going to be 89 not out at stumps, isn’t he. Surrey 112-3, 105 behind. Harmer 15 overs, 1 for 13.
A hundred for D'Oliveira
And a lovely way to get there. Excellent rearguard by the Pears.
The 𝟏𝟎𝟎 moment 🙌 https://t.co/pHPsU7WJQk pic.twitter.com/24hMAV7SmJ
— Worcestershire CCC (@WorcsCCC) April 7, 2025
A stroll round HQ in April: St Tropez in the sun, Skegness in the shade. The horse-chestnut in brilliant green leaf. Wish you were all here. Lancs theoretically need 4.61 an over, but I think both sides will be happy with a draw.
Lunchtime scores
DIVISION ONE
Chelmsford: Essex 582-6 dec v Surrey 365 & 88-3 – Surrey trail by 129 runs
Southampton: RESULT: Hampshire 249 & 148-5- BEAT Yorkshire 121 and 275 Hampshire win by 5 wickets
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire 579-9 v Durham 378 & 177-5 - Durham trail by 24 runs
Taunton: Somerset 670-7 dec v Worcestershire 154 & 337-6 Worcs trail by 179 runs
Edgbaston: Warwickshire 454 v Sussex 528 & 214-6 – Sussex lead by 288 runs
DIVISION TWO
The County Ground: RESULT Derbyshire 391 & 93-1 BEAT Gloucestershire 222 and 259 – Derbyshire win by nine wickets
Sophia Gardens: RESULT Glamorgan 229 & 248 LOST to Leicestershire 427 & 53-0 Leicestershire win by 10 wickets
Lord’s: Middlesex 260 & 407 v Lancashire 359 – Lancashire need 309 to win
Wantage Road: RESULT: Northamptonshire 143 114 v LOST to Kent 231 and 171 – Kent win by 145 runs
What a sensationally fumbled Jamie Smith run out at Chelmsford. A second that wasn’t on, a misread no, a no-yes-no-yes attempt to sprint to the bowler’s end and Essex doing their very best to field with soapy fingers. Gone for 32, a hangdog Sibley still there with 21 off double the amount of balls. Lunch round the grounds, scores to follow.
Holden out for 184
Upper cutting to third man. Must have been the call of the delicious leek and potato soup they’ve just served up in the press box. Well played.
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Jamie Smith apart, it’s been slow going round the grounds. Notts are plugging away but Durham have only lost two wickets this morning – 165-5, trail by 36. Worcestershire are standing firm – Finch the only man out, D’Oliveira nearing his hundred, Worcs 330-6. A wicket each for Fernando and Yates at Edgbaston, but Sussex’s lead is 268 with five wickets left. And Zafar Gohar and Holden not yet bewitched by Bailey’s offspin at Lord’s. Middx 384-8.
This is a more interesting interview with an England women’s player – Danni Wyatt-Hodge to Nick Friend at The Cricketer. It’s behind a paywall, but this is a flavour.
“Commentators and the media are allowed to say whatever they want, but we didn’t lose the Ashes because of our fitness. There is more to it than that. For instance, the Aussies dive so much better than we do. Technically, their diving is very good – 90 per cent of their fielders are very good at diving, and that is something that I feel we can get much better at.
“But we all work very hard on our individual goals; for me, I’m 34 soon but want to get fitter and fitter, faster and faster. I’m lifting heavier weights than I ever have done, but that is ultimately going to hold me in good stead and prolong my career. I hope everyone else has the same mindset as myself; it is only going to show on the pitch if we’re not putting in the hard work.”
Jamie Smith has no truck with Surrey’s temporary wobble (Burns and Pope out within an over) and has shimmied six boundaries in his 28 not out. Surrey 75-2.
Good to have Paul back to whisper sweet nothings: apparently this is Bailey’s first fiver-fer since July 2023 – the 16th of his career and his sixth against Middlesex.
Lancashire’s need for Anderson Philip being illustrated here at Lord’s. He is still stranded in the Caribbean with visa issues but Lancs hope he will arrive in time for next week’s match against Northants – and as I type that a cement-footed Davies is caught at backward point off Tom Bailey – who duly plops a fifth into his man bag. Middx 357-8 lead by 258.
Harry Brook confirmed as England's white-ball captain
Harry Brook takes the poisoned/golden chalice from a dogeared Jos Buttler, who stepped down after the Champions Trophy dog’s dinner.
Brook, England’s white ball vice-captain for the last year, also led England in the ODI series against Australia last September. He’s played 26 ODIs, making 816 runs at 34.00, and 44 IT20s, and was a member of the team that won the ICC T20 World Cup in 2022.
His first test will be a home ODI and IT20 series against the West Indies this summer.
“It’s a real honour to be named England’s white-ball captain.” he said. “Ever since I was a kid playing cricket at Burley in Wharfedale, I dreamed of representing Yorkshire, playing for England, and maybe one day leading the team. To now be given that chance means a great deal to me.
“I want to thank my family and coaches who’ve supported me every step of the way. Their belief in me has made all the difference and I wouldn’t be in this position without them.
“There’s so much talent in this country, and I’m looking forward to getting started, moving us forward, and working towards winning series, World Cups and major events.
There was high praise from Rob Key:
“I’m delighted that Harry Brook has accepted the role as England’s white-ball captain across both formats. He’s been part of our succession planning for some time, albeit this opportunity has come slightly earlier than expected.
“Harry is not only an outstanding cricketer, but also has an excellent cricketing brain and a clear vision for both teams that will help drive us towards winning more series, World Cups and major global tournaments.”
Kasey Aldridge has winkled out Adam Finch at Taunton, Dolly still there on 76. Worcs 297-6 and playing for the lunchbreak.
Holden has just passed 150 here at Lord’s, where batting doesn’t look outrageously difficult. Burns and Sibley have settled in for the long haul at Chelmsford – 38-0, 179 behind. Simon Harmer is in the middle of over number two of 723.
Updated
A fair scattering of fans have made their way to Lord’s, sunny seats up in the lower tier of the grandstand. Three slips, and still a nip in the air as they’re blowing on their hands between deliveries. Holden in no hurry to make 150.
Key event
An interesting interview with Sophie Ecclestone here, on Alex Hartley, the England captaincy “I’m not sure now is the right time” and more.
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And a wicket, to the first ball of the day! I must admit I wasn’t watching, hadn’t even noticed the players coming out from the silent seclusion of the Lord’s media box, but replays show Brookes pushing forward like a toddler at his parent’s bedroom door. Tom Bailey gently celebrates. That’s the second nightwatchman gone. Middx 288-7.
Is this working?
Despite yesterday’s four early results (wins for Kent, Hampshire, Leicestershire and DERBYSHIRE) there are still some thrillers bubbling about – here at Lord’s, where things are pretty even after Max Holden’s century, and at Chelmsford, where Surrey following-on was not on my bingo card on Friday morning. Elsewhere, Worcestershire look cooked; and draws seem likely at Edgbaston and Trent Bridge.
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Lovely to sit next to Paul Edwards for the first game of the season. He’s in good form:
The bard of Birkdale @edwardscricket is worth the subscription to the Cricketer alone. His match reports at Lord's this week are wonderful.
— Lancashire County Cricket Members Group (@LancsCCMG) April 7, 2025
"But MCC is changing. The club is positively bear-hugging diversity, and the range of merchandise on sale in the shop behind the pavilion…
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Sunday's round-up
In the end, Brian Charles Lara could rest easy, his record first-class score of 501 not out for Warwickshire against Durham in 1994 was not surpassed by Somerset’s Tom Banton. Resuming on 344 and with his county’s highest score freshly minted in his back pocket, Banton threw the blade at everything Worcestershire sent down on the third morning, a nick behind off the left-arm wrist‑spinner Tom Hinley the final act of an innings of 371.
Not bad for a player who admitted to “hating” cricket during times of paucity in recent years. Banton will now be on England’s radar in both red and white ball formats. Fifties from Adam Hose and Brett D’Oliveira delayed a three-day defeat for the Pears but they seem sure to go mouldy on day four, trailing by 236 runs with half their second innings wickets lost.
Ben Foakes was left stranded on 92 not out after scrapping for Surrey against Essex’s well-rounded bowling attack at Chelmsford. The champions had the ignominy of following on in the first round of their title defence but Foakes’s rearguard has given them a chance of escaping back to south London with a draw, providing they can last out the day tomorrow.
Yorkshire’s Adam Lyth gave Hampshire a scare with a second‑innings century that didn’t contain a boundary in its first 123 deliveries, but a target of 148 runs wasn’t enough – Ben Brown’s side prospering over Jonny Bairstow’s by five wickets in Southampton.
Sussex’s Ollie Robinson looked to be getting back to his miserly best with the ball against Warwickshire but it was the 24-year-old off‑spinner Jack Carson who did the most damage at Edgbaston, picking up four wickets as the south coast side set up a lead of 200 runs and counting heading into the final day.
Durham and Nottinghamshire are still duking it out at Trent Bridge, the home side with an 87‑run lead and seven second‑innings wickets to winkle. In Division Two, Northamptonshire went down with a whimper at Wantage Road, dismissed for 114 in their second innings as Kent beat them by 145 runs. Leicestershire did the same to Glamorgan by dint of 10 wickets while Lancashire and Middlesex are locked in battle at Lord’s.
Derbyshire got their season off to a winning start with a nine-wicket victory against Gloucestershire. Coach Mickey Arthur paid tribute to the work his players have done “in those cold dark days in the middle of January” adding that his team have “worked unbelievably hard and cricket looks after people who work hard.” In Taunton, 177 miles away, a spent and sated Banton would likely agree.
Updated
Scores on the doors
DIVISION ONE
Chelmsford: Essex 582-6 dec v Surrey 365 & 9-0 – Surrey trail by 208 runs
Southampton: RESULT: Hampshire 249 & 148-5- BEAT Yorkshire 121 and 275 Hampshire win by 5 wickets
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire 579-9 v Durham 378 & 114-3 - Durham trail by 87 runs
Taunton: Somerset 670-7 dec v Worcestershire 154 & 280-5 Worcs trail by 236 runs
Edgbaston: Warwickshire 454 v Sussex 528 & 126-3 – Sussex lead by 200 runs
DIVISION TWO
The County Ground: RESULT Derbyshire 391 & 93-1 BEAT Gloucestershire 222 and 259 – Derbyshire win by nine wickets
Sophia Gardens: RESULT Glamorgan 229 & 248 LOST to Leicestershire 427 & 53-0 Leicestershire win by 10 wickets
Lord’s: Middlesex 260 & 286-6 v Lancashire 359 – Middlesex lead by 189 runs
Wantage Road: RESULT: Northamptonshire 143 114 v LOST to Kent 231 and 171 – Kent win by 145 runs
Preamble
Good morning from a sunkissed Lord’s where we’re in for what the BBC’s Scott Read has described as a “knicker gripper.” Huge thanks to Jim for CCliving yesterday so excellently, even if he couldn’t guide Tom Banton through to a quadruple ton. I’m going to find some coffee, so plump up the cushions and settle down for a final day’s yarn.
