Key events
Essex are without both Porter (injured) and Cook (England) for this match and have drafted in Indian left-armer Khaleel Ahmed for the rest of the season. But that’s for the future, they’ve batted nicely this morning on a pitch that’s not doing much – 72-1, Elgar 25 not out, Westley 31. The one wicket to fall, Walter, was caught off White for 16.
There’s a nice crowd here, perched on fold-up chairs around the boundary, and on banks of temporary seats, dipping into their picnics.
As night follows day, Hurst follows Turner – Lancs 53-4. I phone Paul Edwards for a bird’s eye view. It is nibbling around, he reports, “but Lancashire did choose to bat on it.” Jennings innings of self denial, he goes on, “could be an example to other batters.”
Jennings has passed 12,000 first-class runs.
Whatever Durham did to deserve playing Surrey with the kookaburra ball, in the blazing heat, at The Oval, wasn’t worth it. Surrey 81-0 from 19 overs, Burns 47 not out – with 11 fours.
A hat-trick of boundaries to end the 16th over from Dom Sibley.
Surrey move past 50 with the run-rate ticking along nicely at just under four an over, dealing mostly in boundaries.
Sibley is now 24* with Burns 39*.
This is just lovely cricket.
Watch live:… pic.twitter.com/3JJr2hjjza
— Surrey Cricket (@surreycricket) June 29, 2025
Ned the postman
Thank you Mike Daniels for this.
“Larkins had a short spell pro-ing for Leamington.
“Story is that one of the Leamington players heard that Larkins had taken a job as a postman locally so went driving round Leamington early in the morning until he pinned him down.
“They offered him a generous match fee for playing, which he accepted, but they reckoned he put most of that back over the bar after each game.
“The arrangement didn’t last long but they enjoyed the time he spent there.”
Lancashire apart, the Div Two batters are enjoying themselves. Cameron Bancroft and Joe Phillips have taken Gloucestershire to 52-0 against Glamorgan; while Sam Robson and Josh de Caires, in his new opening spot, are gliding along against Leicestershire – Middx 66-0.
Kent have lost just Jaydn Denly, for 35, and are 62-1 against Northants.
Jimmy Anderson will bowl for the first time under the crooked spire this week. Lancashire’s batters are ensuring he doesn’t have it too easy (currently 28-3).
County Cricket Day
Today is County Cricket Day – a celebration of red ball cricket. As part of the festivities, you can get in for free at Hove (where Alex Davies is enjoying himself with a boundary heavy 29 not out, Warwicks 47-0); for free at Grace Road (Middx’s openers as yet resisting the Leicestershire juggernaut – 42-0)while there is live music and miscellaneous treats at Taunton (Somerset providing the jeopardy at 28-2 against Notts).
Please let me know anything I’ve missed.
Jofra Archer isn’t playing for Sussex today after his England call-up but might return – if the brains trust decide he is surplus to requirements. The same appplies to Jamie Overton and Sam Cook. Ali with the report.
I’ve had to retreat from the balcony of York cricket club pavilion media area, due to melting and screen glare.
“RIP Wayne Larkins,” writes Matthew Doherty
”Wayne scored a first class century against all other counties, centuries that were known as being Nedded.”
A list that also includes Chris Adams, Mark Ramprakash and Carl Hooper.
Northants legend Wayne Larkins dies, aged 71
An iconic figure to those who watched cricket in the 1980s, with his big curly hair and swashbuckling style, ‘Ned’ Larkins played 13 Tests and 25 ODIS for England between 1979 and 1991 – and it might have been more if he hadn’t gone on the 1982 rebel tour to South Africa and been banned for three years.
“Ned loved everyone he met and everyone loved him,” said his wife Debbie to Northants CCC. “People were drawn to his infectious energy. He lit up every room and never wanted the party to finish.
“He loved his soulmate of a wife and his precious daughters so much. He will be partying up in the sky, drinking a toast to everyone and to his own life. We are devastated but we’ll never forget his undeniably unique presence and his impact on our lives.”
There’s a lovely obituary by Andrew Radd on the Northants CCC website – where he played the majority of his career, with a late innings for Durham.
It’s a gorgeous and largely shady walk from York station to Clifton Park – though there was a poor dead bird on the path that looked as if he’d fallen from a tree (please put out some water for the wildlife)
And here come the players, YJB leads out Yorkshire in his home town. Bustle, bristle.
Division Two Table
1 Leicestershire 155
2 Derbyshire 122
3 Glamorgan 110
4 Gloucestershire 99
5 Northamptonshire 94
6 Lancashire 80
7. Middlesex 77
8 Kent 76
Division One Table
1 Nottinghamshire 127
2 Surrey 125
3 Sussex 109
4 Somerset 106
5 Warwickshire 104
6 Durham 97
7 Hampshire 96
8 Essex 85
9 Yorkshire 71
10 Worcestershire 57
Fixtures
DIVISION ONE
Southampton: Hampshire v Worcestershire
Taunton: Somerset v Nottinghamshire
The Oval: Surrey v Durham
Hove: Sussex v Warwickshire
York: Yorkshire v Essex
DIVISION TWO
Chesterfield: Derbyshire v Lancashire
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan v Gloucestershire
Canterbury: Kent v Northamptonshire
Grace Road: Leicestershire v Middlesex
Preamble
Good morning! I’m chugging into York, the heat shimmering, the grass splinter-dry. We’re in for another Kookaburra round, which, in conjunction with the soaring temperatures, makes it an unfortunate time to be a seam bowler. A few consoling captain’s arms will rest on weary shoulders (GET OFF ME).
It’s cricket week down in Canterbury, while Lancashire and Yorkshire have decamped to Chesterfield and York.
Play starts around the grounds at 11am, do join us with a wet flannel and a pint of something cold.