Tanya Aldred"s county roundup Yorkshire beat Northamptonshire by 53 runs at Wantage Road, set up by a century from Harry Brook. He made hay while wickets tumbled at the other end, Simon Kerrigan pocketing five for 39. Northamptonshire’s pursuit of 206 could not have started with less pizazz as they lost three wickets for two runs either side of tea. Luke Procter and Kerrigan raised hopes with a ninth-wicket partnership of 49, but the end was swift. An innings victory against bottom-placed Derbyshire left Nottinghamshire whistling merrily at the top of Group One. Five wickets for Luke Fletcher and three for Dane Patterson decimated Derby, who lost their last four wickets for one run. The 18-year-old Dane Schadendorf, given an unexpected first-class debut when Ben Duckett was called up by England, made 24 and gathered four catches behind the stumps. James Bracey put his hellish England debut behind him with a sparky 88 at Cheltenham as Gloucestershire built a strapping lead. Middlesex had earlier lost eight for 25 when collapsing to 101 all out; Matt Taylor took four for 19. Meanwhile, at Hove, Ali Orr stroked an unbeaten 54 to rescue Sussex from the second-innings doldrums of 19 for three. They finished the day on 111 for four with a lead of 122 over Glamorgan. A cataclysmic day for Surrey at the Rose Bowl left them praying for rain in the crucial Group Two game. Dismissed for 72 in their first innings in reply to Hampshire’s 488, as Kyle Abbot and Keith Barker ran amok, they were left dribbling at six for two following on, with both openers gone: Stoneman for one, Burns for a duck. A chirpy century from Leicestershire’s Harry Swindells scotched Somerset’s hopes of enforcing the follow-on at Taunton, frustration intensified by Craig Overton’s removal by England and Josh Davey’s sore toe. Rain continued to thwart Durham and Warwickshire on an attritional day at Edgbaston where only 55 overs of play were possible. Lancashire built a more than handy lead against Kent at a damp Old Trafford where play did not start till 3pm. Luke Wood made the highest score of the match, an unbeaten 63, while two extra cover drives by Jimmy Anderson off Darren Stevens in sudden bright sunshine during the last over of the day brought a soupcon of joy. The skies have opened and the covers are on again here at Old Trafford. The weather is iffy for tomorrow but Lancashire will hope that Jimmy Anderson can pull something out of the bag again for Kent on the final afternoon. The Burnley Lara (inspiration for the Yorkshire Pirlo?) did just unfurl a couple of his very best boundaries in the last over of the day. That’s it from me for today, thanks for all the messages, it’s been fun. Good night! I better get my act together and write the round-up, Sweet Lord, what’s happened to Surrey? 72 all out and following on. And Sussex 62-4 Lancashire have picked up their bonus point for passing 200. A filthy black cloud passes over the ground. And here is Logan’s action in all its glory. If Lancashire win this game, they are safely in Division One. Yorkshire will need two points. Notts beat Derby by an innings and 36 runs! Notts 307 beat Derby 149 and 122 by an innings and 36 runs. Five wickets for Luke Fletcher - who now has 46 CC wickets - and three for Dane Patterson ,decimated bottom of the table Derbyshire, who lost their last four wickets for one. Matt Critchley stranded on a lonely 36 not out. Hartley, called up when Parky was summoned by new-look England, is playing in his third CC game of the season. He didn’t get a wicket in either previous game. This is lovely. I might have a quiet blub too. Yorkshire beat Northants by 53 runs! Northants 170-9 and 152 lose to Yorkshire 158 and 217 by 53 runs. Procter stranded on 42, Olivier then picked up Kerrigan and Sanderson in three balls. Yorkshire are nearly through, as are Lancashire, though Glamorgan could yet come through if Lancashire don’t get to 200... and as I write that Lamb top-edges to Stevens at slip. Lancs 190-8. A beauty from Logan, it turned, it bounced, and Jones edged him to Stevens at slip for 47. Lancs 188-7. Gosh, Northants. The target now 61. Championship-winning ex-Lancy players Procter (37)and Kerrigan (27) have put on 43 for the ninth wicket. Of course if Northants win, Lancashire’s progress to Division One suddenly becomes a little harder. It adds a little pizazz. Leicestershire have avoided the follow-on. Aha! James Logan is on at the Statham end. We fell in love with him in the press box yesterday, but there was no time to discuss because some other rogue James stole all the plaudits. The action is a work of art. He pauses at the top of his approach, rises onto his toes and then evolves into an ooh madam display of outstretched arms, like a dressmaker making final alterations to a bridal gown. It is quite the campest, most joyous action, on the circuit. Sussex haven’t lost a wicket. Yet. 9-0. James Bracey letting it all hang out at Cheltenham - five fours in his feisty 32. Up yours, England. And at Old Trafford, Jones and Wood have brought up the fifty partnership a n what has been a lazy afternoon’s play. Especially after yesterday’s events. And while they take tea at OT, a lovely picture thread sent to me. Jack Carson bowls Hogan to polish off the Glamorgan innings. He finishes with 3-39 and Glamorgan a soupcon of a deficit of 11. Some plucky batting by Glamorgan all the way down the order. Tea time scores GROUP ONE Trent Bridge: Notts 307 all out v Derby 149 all out and 100-5 Edgbaston: Warwicks 237 all out v Durham 173-5 Rain delay, further inspection at 4.30pm GROUP TWO The Rose Bowl: Hampshire 488 v Surrey 42-4. Rain delay, further inspection at 4pm Taunton: Somerset 461-9dec v Leicestershire 290-7 DAY TWO: Cheltenham: Gloucestershire 248 all out and 58-1 v Middlesex 101 all out. GROUP THREE Old Trafford: Lancashire 155-6 v Kent 74 all out. The County Ground: Northants 170-9 and 103-8 v Yorkshire 158 and 217 all out. Hove: Sussex 226 all out v Glamorgan 205-9. Rain delay It’s raining again at Edgbaston, with Durham 173-5, so they’ve taken tea. A very good question asked by Sam Moreshead. This could turn into an absolute nightmare for the ECB. And that’s before CCLive! readers deliberately infiltrate the squads. WICKETS! At Wantage Road. Taylor tries a big shot and is lbw to Coad for 40. Four balls later Berg goes too, caught by Northeast. Northants 99-7, need an unlikely 107 to win. I am *not* jinxing him, but what a shot from Eckersley! He’s now 17 not out and a steady partnership is building with Bedingham. Durham trail Warwicks by 73 but there is no Ben Stokes waiting in the wings to provide late-order fire. Things are evolving rather briskly at Cheltenham where Scott has already been out, lbw to Bamber for a duck. Gloucestershire 12-1, a lead of 159. Stevens, shirt-sleeves, grizzled, his second over of the day. Croft leaves one that nips back and is bowled for 13. Lancashire 117-6. Aha! The mystery of Bracey bowling has been solved. Thanks Jon Foster. And, by the way, Middlesex are now 101 all out. So much for Gloucestershire’s depleted line-up....Matt Taylor 4-19, Tom Price 3-29, nine single figures scores on the Middlesex card. They’re inspecting at 3 o’clock at Hove. And at Trent Bridge, Derbyshire have lost Brooke Guest for 18. Derbys still trail by 121, eight wickets remaining. At least Derby will have a day to prepare for the football. Saif Zaib stayed for long enough to play a gorgeous four, but then fences a catch to second slip off Olivier. Northants slipping, Im afraid, into the abyss. 43-5. Another email! I am spoilt today. This time from Romeo. “In response to your two correspondents (the Andrews Milligan and Cosgrove), who both make a perfectly valid point, I note that County Championship matches are not meaningless friendlies either, although I feel the ECB sees and treats them as such.” The teams are out in the middle at Old Trafford and play will start at 3pm. Fifty-one overs are due to be bowled, it’ll be a late one... Play is about to resume at Cheltenham after a shower and a power cut with Middlesex 86-4. Northants have lost another! Currently 28-4, another one for Bess, who currently has 2-6 to go with his seven wickets in the first innings. Marchant de Lange has bowled Colin Ackermann for a plucky 67, Leicestershire 178-5, 283 behind. Kasey Aldridge, the replacement for Craig Overton has bowled six overs for 21. They’re back out at Trent Bridge, Edgbaston, Taunton and Wantage Roaaaaad - Northants! Currently 19-3: Vasconcelos, Gay and Thurston all gone. 187 still needed. They’re peeling off the covers at Old Trafford. We’ll have an inspection at 2.15 and if they’re happy, things will start at 3pm. I’ve had a couple of emails in reaction to Trevor Thompson’s thoughts. “Trevor Thompson says that the Pakistan ODIs are meaningless friendlies; they are actually part of the Cricket World Cup Super League, and therefore count towards qualification for the next World Cup (the hosts and the 7 other top teams in the league qualify directly for WC)” writes Andrew Milligan. And Andrew Cosgrove “In response to Trevor Thompson, why should this one day series be deemed ‘meaningless international friendlies’ when presumably he wouldn’t apply that term to a test series, which has exactly the same context.” Lunchtime scores GROUP ONE Trent Bridge: Notts 307 all out v Derby 149 all out and 13-1 Edgbaston: Warwicks 237 all out v Durham 101-3 GROUP TWO The Rose Bowl: Hampshire 488 v Surrey 42-4. Rain delay, play due to start at 1.10pm Taunton: Somerset 461-9dec v Leicestershire 175-4. DAY TWO: Cheltenham: Gloucestershire 248 all out v Middlesex 86-4. GROUP THREE Old Trafford: Lancashire 108-5 v Kent 74 all out. Rain delay, and it is still raining. The County Ground: Northants 170-9 and 17-1 v Yorkshire 158 and 217 all out. Hove: Sussex 226 all out v Glamorgan 205-9. Further inspection at 2.15pm An email appears from Richard Hirst. “As a Surrey supporter in, very happy, exile in France I don’t see a lot of detail about county cricket, other than your wonderful blogs (crawl, crawl). [Enough, ed]. Can you enlighten me as to why Surrey seem unable to bowl teams out, having got into very good positions against the top order? Seems to happen most matches.” Surrey are an enigma. Since their Championship win in 2018, they have slipped and slopped without focus. They’ve been terribly hit by injuries and by international call-ups, but have a stronger squad than most. In short, I don’t know. An email pings in, spiritedly, from Trevor Thompson. “It is fitting for the outlook of the modern era that county championship games are disrupted to play another set of meaningless one day international friendlies.” True, perhaps, but it is not meaningless for the new caps. Surely one of the highlights of their careers? Nor for Pakistan. Northants need 206 to win! Now we’re talking! Kerrigan 5-39, Brook 113. Northants are valiant run-chasers, but they’ll need the second highest total of the match to do it. The covers are back on at Old Trafford. ‘Tanya...” have a hanky Charles Shedrick. “So after calling up Tom Banton when they had no intention of actually picking him (see Morgan’s interview) and he must now isolated due to COVID in the old ODI squad, the ECB are removing Somerset’s stand in Captain and opening bowler and in form bowling all-rounder from a match that we have to bowl Leics out twice to win and if we do puts us in an unassailable position at the top of the group. “Are we going to see an investigation as to how the infection got into the ODI squad? “What compensation are the ECB offering Counties for removing players at a few hours notice halfway through a match and, in all probability materially change the result?” Pass! I’ll try and find out but I think in Covid times, everyone has to be prepared for some hokey cokey. Bancroft and Potts have made steady progress, Durham 50-1. And at Taunton, Colin Ackermann put on 57 with Josh Inglis, before he was lbw to Brooks. Ackermann is still there ,43 not out: Leicestershire 137-4. Harry Brook has just gone to his hundred at Wantage Rose, a cracking innings in difficult conditions. Yorkshire have a lead of 192. Kerrigan 4-34. And at Cheltenham, Middlesex are 43-2, with our boy De Caires out for 5. Right. What’s been happening round the grounds? Rain has delayed the start at the Rosebowl, Old Trafford and Hove. I’ve arrived at Old Trafford to see the groundsmen re-painting the lines on the pitch. They’re taking an early lunch and will try and fit 80 (?!) overs in before stumps. “Hi Tanya.” Hello Michael Duggan! “A narrow view for Surrey Hampshire match: only one from each side so pain equally shared. But must be very disruptive. “Will Jacks is 1 not out with Surrey in trouble at 42/4, so they won’t be happy losing him. “James Vince is Hampshire Captain and no idea who vice-captain would be now Sam Northeast has left on loan. Nick Gubbins has experience but only just arrived on loan. “Interesting times again.” Very true! There will be no play at Hove before lunch after heavy overnight rain. News from the Kent side, where 20 year old Tawanda Muyeye replaces Zak Crawley. Muyeye is a Sports Scholar at Eastbourne College, where he is under the mentorship of former Kent stars Rob Ferley and James Tredwell. He was named as Wisden Schools Cricketer of the Year 2020. Born in Zimbabwe but qualifying as a domestic player, Muyeye is a talented, attacking batsman, and a useful off-spinner with an outstanding schoolboy record. In 2019, in his first year in the sixth form at Eastbourne, Muyeye scored 1,112 runs with 56 sixes – both records for the 150-year-old school. He also scored two double hundreds, his second coming from only 135 deliveries. At Old Trafford, Matt Parkinson has been replaced by Tom Hartley for the rest of the Kent game. Overnight and early morning rain means there will be an inspection at 11.30. There are nine uncapped players in the squad, but still no room for Alex Hales. New England squad for the Royal London series against Pakistan Ben Stokes (Durham) Jake Ball (Notts) Danny Briggs (Warwicks) Brydon Carse (Durham) Zak Crawley (Kent) Ben Duckett (Notts) Lewis Gregory (Somerset) Tom Helm (Middlesex) Will Jacks (Surrey) Dan Lawrence (Essex) Saqib Mahmood (Lancs) Dawid Malan (Yorks) Craig Overton (Somerset) Matt Parkinson (Lancs) David Payne (Gloucs) Phil Salt (Sussex) John Simpson (Middx) James Vince (Hants) Players are currently being pulled out of Championship games, so will miss the next two days, the following Championship round and the forthcoming T20 Blast fixtures. The only confirmed name is Ben Stokes (captain) but feel free to speculate! Some updates: All those who have tested positive are currently ok. Most are symptomatic, a few are unwell but not badly so. Everyone has had at least one jab. Chris Silverwood will coach instead of Paul Collingwood. The matches will go ahead as planned, with the same crowd numbers. Team to be announced shortly. Back from walking the dog to find everyone picking their best teams. How’s this? Covid hits entire England ODI squad. New squad to be named for white ball matches v Pakistan There will have been some very excited county cricketers this morning following the news that an entire new England squad must be picked. Here is the ECB statement: “Following PCR tests administered yesterday (Monday) in Bristol, The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) can confirm that seven members - three players and four management team members- of the England Men’s ODI party have tested positive for COVID-19. In collaboration with Public Health England, Public Health Wales and Bristol Local Health Authority, those impacted will now observe a period of self-isolation from July 4 following the UK Government’s protocol on quarantine. The remaining members of the party have been deemed close contacts and will also isolate. The ECB have confirmed the Royal London ODIs and the Vitality IT20s against Pakistan will go ahead. Ben Stokes will return to England duties and captain the squad – which will be named in the next few hours. Incoming squad and support team members will follow PCR tests and bridging protocols to ensure safe entry to camp. Tom Harrison, Chief Executive Officer, commented: “We have been mindful that the emergence of the Delta variant, along with our move away from the stringent enforcement of bio secure environments, could increase the chances of an outbreak. We made a strategic choice to try to adapt protocols, in order to support the overall wellbeing of our players and management staff who have spent much of the last 14 months living in very restricted conditions. “Overnight we have worked swiftly to identify a new squad, and we are grateful to Ben Stokes who will return to England duties to Captain. We also recognise the impact this news will have on our First Class Counties and their Men’s playing squads and thank them, along with our partners Sky and Royal London, for their ongoing support in dealing with this pandemic.” Scores on the doors GROUP ONE Trent Bridge: Notts 256-7 v Derby 149 all out. Edgbaston: Warwicks 237 all out v Durham 20-1. GROUP TWO The Rose Bowl: Hampshire 488 v Surrey 42-4. Taunton: Somerset 461-9dec v Leicestershire 95-3. DAY TWO: Cheltenham: Gloucestershire 248 all out v Middlesex. GROUP THREE Old Trafford: Lancashire 108-5 v Kent 74 all out. The County Ground: Northants 170-9 v Yorkshire 158 and 159-6. Hove: Sussex 226 all out v Glamorgan 205-9. Monday"s round-up Fanciful? Metronomic. Absurd! Jimmy Anderson grasped his 1,000th first-class wicket in a startling spell of bowling that dismantled Kent’s batting in less than a session. His seven for 19 was a masterclass in what Anderson does best: a glorious medley of balls that seamed and swung, hooped and wavered. With the skies suitably glowering, Kent, for reasons best known to themselves, won the toss and decided to have a bat. Did they gulp when they saw Anderson, tall, Test-match fit, white wrist bands on each wrist, pausing at the James Anderson end? Perhaps in his first over, when Zak Crawley was bewitched by one that swung away. Or the second, when Jordan Cox nibbled behind, or the third when Ollie Robinson repeated what he had just got away with and boxed the ball to Dane Vilas. Perhaps in his sixth, when Jack Leaning fenced to second slip. Definitely by the final ball of his seventh, the four-figured big one, when Heino Kuhn, who had suffered through an unplayable over, finally got a tickle to an outswinger. A thousand wickets. Nineteen years of first-class cricket. The first Lancashire fast bowler since Ken Higgs in May 1968 to do it. Anderson smiled, readers, he beamed, as he was enveloped by teammates and they ruffled that famously dark barnet. Two more wickets would follow before he finished his 10-over spell, when Matthew Milnes gloved and Harry Podmore feathered behind. Only one man got after him. Darren Stevens, their combined age, 83. At the end of the spell, dispatched to deep midwicket, there was more applause from the doughty spectators who had sat through four sessions of rain for this. When Danny Lamb (three for 16) took the final wicket, Kent dismissed for 74, Anderson took off his cap, ruffled his hair, bashfully lifted the ball in the air, turned to the James Anderson end, and led the players off. But even that wasn’t the complete story, as Kent found the gumption to fight back in the final session despite a ding-dong 47 from Alex Davies on a historic afternoon. Dom Bess’s turn and bounce was too much for Northamptonshire at Wantage Road. Bess finished with his best first-class figures of seven for 43, worrying the middle-order and skittling out the tail. Harry Brook guided Yorkshire to a handy second-innings lead of 147, despite four wickets for Simon Kerrigan. Ben Stokes took three for 55 in his first outing in Durham whites for a blue moon, as Warwickshire were bowled out for 237 bolstered by another classy hundred from Rob Yates. A glorious 174 not out from Colin de Grandhomme, batting at No 6 on his Hampshire debut, piled the pressure on Surrey at the Rose Bowl. Looking up at a mammoth total of 488, Surrey lost four quick wickets in reply, with Keith Barker taking three for 15. Some vigorous wagging by Somerset’s tail, with numbers eight, nine and 10 all scoring 70s, helped them stack up 461 before declaring. Leicestershire lost three quick wickets before rain stopped play. There were more runs for Sussex 16-year-old Dan Ibrahim, who scored his second first-class fifty at Hove against Glamorgan. Miles Hammond top scored for Gloucestershire against Middlesex with 75 on the opening day of the Cheltenham festival; while fifties from Haseeb Hameed and Ben Duckett helped put Nottinghamshire in a promising position against Derbyshire. Preamble Good morning! After yesterday’s whoops and cigars at Old Trafford, it rained solidly all night, sheets of the stuff, hour after hour. But such is the magic of the drainage that we may yet still see play in a game that is trying its best to be over in two days. Elsewhere, seven wickets for Dom Bess have put Yorkshire on top at Wantage Road, Warwickshire collapsed, Colin de Grandhomme put in a performance befitting of the best mullet in town, Leicestershire and Derbyshire have a long days ahead, and it is even stevens at Hove. And eyes, subtly, to Cheltenham, to watch Josh de Caires opening the batting with Sam Robson.