Sam Cook has been rested by Essex, presumably under instruction from England selectors on high. The first Test against Zimbabwe, at Trent Bridge, is just over a month away.
County cricket day one: Sussex v Surrey, Hampshire v Somerset, and more – live | County Championship
Published: 2025-04-18 11:26:15 | Views: 22
Key events
David Lloyd drops into the press box. He fancies Yorkshire’s James Wharton as the best fielder in county cricket and likens him to a young Clive Lloyd. Any other nominees?
They’re on at OT, and Ken Grime’s radar says it should be ok until tea-time. Leicestershire won the toss and are bowling. The last time Leicestershire won here was in 2005, when Ken helped carry Mal Loye out to bat after he’d had a back spasm. Mal was strapped to a crash mat which was put on a porter’s trolley and lifted through the pavilion. He made three not out and screamed every time he hit the ball but was so angry after Jimmy was out at the other end with just a few runs to win that he managed to stamp back up the pavilion steps unaided.
Incidentally, it looks quite spicy out there this morning.
Country diary
What a lovely vignette, and so true.
Barker's ban reduced to 12 months after 'genuine mistake'
Fixtures
DIVISION ONE
Chester le Street: Durham v Yorkshire
New Road: Essex v Worcestershire
Southampton: Hampshire v Somerset
Hove: Sussex v Surrey
Edgbaston: Warwickshire v Nottinghamshire
DIVISION TWO
The County Ground: Derbyshire v Northamptonshire
Canterbury: Kent v Gloucestershire
Old Trafford: Lancashire v Leicestershire
Lord’s: Middlesex v Glamorgan
Preamble
Hello! This year, the cricket season marks Good Friday with the start of round three. The tables are set quite unexpectedly, with Warwickshire, Sussex and Nottinghamshire at the top of Division One; Leicestershire, Kent and Derbyshire heading Division Two.
It’s overcast but dry in Manchester where there are plenty of evil-beaked magpies but still no swallows. I’m off to Old Trafford to watch Lancashire take on table-topping Leicestershire. Elsewhere in Division Two, momentum-rolling Kent prepare to eat Gloucestershire, Derbyshire entertain near neighbours Northants, while Glamorgan and Middlesex fight it out for the early-season wooden spoon.
In Division One, Yorkshire, fresh from victory on Monday, go to moribund Durham, Essex travel to New Road, winless Somerset need to try to dig a result out of Southampton, while the big beasts of the Midlands battle it out at Edgbaston. Last year’s champions Surrey, also without a win, go to Hove.
Play starts at 11am. Please grab a hot-cross bun from the tray and join us.
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