Division One:

Southampton: Hampshire 505-8 dec & 180-4 BEAT Kent 343 & 340 BY SIX WICKETS

Southport: Lancashire 353-9 dec DRAW WITH Nottinghamshire 126 & 270-4 dec

Taunton: Somerset 284 & 413-5 BEAT Warwickshire 412 & 281-8 dec BY FIVE WICKETS

The Oval: Surrey 262 & 278 BEAT Essex 180 & 215 BY 145 RUNS

Division Two:

Cheltenham: Gloucestershire 179 & 610-5 dec TIE WITH Glamorgan 197 & 592 –

Unbelievable!

Cheltenham: Gloucestershire 179 & 610-5 dec TIE WITH Glamorgan 197 & 592

What a fantasy finish…

Glamorgan need eight off two! Gloucestershire still need the one wicket! Mason Crane the main man.

“Hi Tanya,” Hello again Finbar Anslow. “Getting drenched in a Puglia cloudburst but the sun is beaming in my West country heart. Life is good.”

And all eyes to Cheltenham where Glamorgan need 22, Gloucestershire need one wicket and there are five overs left.

What a cameo by Liam Dawson! A 29 ball 56 to take Hampshire to victory with eight overs to spare

Rose Bowl: Hampshire 505-8 dec and 180-4 BEAT Kent 343 & 340 BY SIX WICKETS

Points: Hampshire 23, Kent 4

Well, well, well! Congratulations Tom Abell for an astonishing 152 and an incredible chase.The second highest successful fourth innings run chase in Somerset’s history and they move up to second in the table.

Taunton: Somerset 284 & 413-5 BEAT Warwickshire 412 & 281-8 dec by FIVE WICKETS!

Somerset 20 points, Warwickshire 7.

Thriller! Down to Crane and Gorvin. All rise for Sam Northeast’s 187.

Time for me to write up for the paper – but keep reading! Excitement to the end!

And Hampshire on the prowl too – the target under a hundred. Middleton and James- 211-Vince to bring it home. Parky’s first over went for nine.

And they call it a day! Clarke 115 not out. The rain about to fall. Warm applause for the players from the anoraked crowd, especially for the tall, slim man in the no. 9 Lancashire shirt.

Southport: Lancashire 353-9 dec DRAW with Nottinghamshire 126 & 270-4

Lancs 14 points, Notts 10 one deducted for a slow over-rate)

And gets there with a four, square cutting Luke Wells and his friendly part-time legspin, with some panache. His fourth century for Nottinghamshire. And then four more.

As someone wise points out, only three people have got more than fifty in this match: Keaton Jennings and his unbeaten 187, Ben Slater and his unbeaten 64 and Clarke with his (so far) unbeaten 105. Lancs need wickets, as the wind gets up and the skies once again darken. Notts 253-4.

A plucky effort by Kent, Finch the last man to go for 84. Five wicket for Abbott. Now Hampshire need 179 to win in 31 overs. I’m looking to the Kent bowling attack and I can’t see anyone who will do a Jimmy.

This is a super innings by Joe Clarke, against two of the best Test bowlers in the world, and he’s now guided Nottinghamshire to parity. The sun has reappeared and a pretty blue and white sky blows into view.

Walter passes fifty, but loses his Pepper! Tom Lawes breaks through with the first over after tea. Harmer 0 from 24 balls, Essex 190-6.

A good read by Daniel Gallan on South Africa’s loss to India, in this week’s Spin:

DIVISION ONE:

Rose Bowl: Hampshire 505-8 dec v Kent 343 & 318-9 (latest)

Southport: Lancashire 353-9 dec v Nottinghamshire 126 & 191-4

Taunton: Somerset 284 & 230-3 v Warwickshire 412 & 281-8 dec

The Oval: Surrey 262 & 278 v Essex 180 & 181-5

DIVISION TWO:

Cheltenham: Gloucestershire 179 & 610-5 dec v Glamorgan 197 & 453-6

A minimum of 33 overs in this final session, weather permitting. Notts are behind on their over rate so fill fancy getting on to throw a few down quickly if possible. Balderson from the tent end, Anderson from his familiar Harrop Drive end. Still some doughty spectators with damp bums and strong constitutions.

is imminent.

Northeast 144, Douthwaite 38. Gloucestershire have now used seven bowlers.

Awful satellite images of the damage Hurricane Beryl has done to the Windward Isles.

There’s life in all five games – ignoring the rain at Southport, where incidently the groundstaff are dragging off the big groundsheets.

Somerset 193-3, need 217 to win, but just a wicket away from Warwickshire breathing down their necks again.

Walter and Pepper have put on 59. Essex 176-5, need 185. Surrey toying with the mouse.

Kent 309-8, Finch and Parkinson holding on. The lead over Hampshire has crept to 147 runs.

They’re packing away the chairs on the hill by the scoreboard….but all the umpires are telling us is that the players are taking an early tea. Light, annoying, rain.

And finally to Cheltenham, where (shhhh) things are still on. Northeast 134 not out; Douthwaite 31 not out. Glamorgan 423-5.

Parky M, your big moment. Needs to hang about after a double strike by Abbott. Finch unbeaten on 57. Kent lead by 130.

A member of the Southport groundstaff comes into the tent. “The radar says it isn’t raining,” he says. “But it is.” Thinks we’ll get back on.

Seems unlikely that Abell and Banton can thread together another 251 for a Somerset win, but they’ve seen off Warwickshire for eight overs at least. Another hour till tea. Abell 41, Banton 15.

The rain has ceased at The Oval. Can Essex hold out till stumps? Walter would have to dig the innings out of a hole again, currently 14 not out. Pepper his company. Essex 121-5, need an unlikely 244 to win. Two wickets to Lawes, two to Clark.

And Notts survive, a generous round of applause from the Southport crowd as the players wander off. A plug for the second-hand bookstall from the ground announcer, as well as a message to a punter that the hotel he stayed at has his phone and glasses. The groundstaff go out to paint lines on the pitch, and it is time for my packed lunch.

“Hey Tanya, Jaivir here, first time watching county cricket (I’m from India) and really enjoying it.” Great to hear from you Jaivir, we don’t get many correspondents from India.

“Lovely win for the Worcs yesterday to shake things up a bit, and quite enjoyable to watch the Notts batters hold their own. Shame we have to wait until August after today.”

Completely agree on Worcestershire, and they have had a particularly torrid start to the season this year. Without any data to back me up, I reckon they are the majority of people’s second favourite side.

Gloucestershire, who pumped 610-5 in their second innings, know just how tricky it will be to whistle through the last six wickets. Northeast and Cooke have slowed down – just 21 put on in the last eight overs since Marnus went.

An excellent fifty for Joe Clarke, who moves past 700 runs for the season.

And Lyndon James is off the mark after 25 balls of watchful waiting. Not a bad way to do it either as he swings Nathan Lyon for four. Notts have 15 minutes till lunch, and if they don’t lose any more wickets this morning I think they’ll be content.

It’s genuinely quite warm in the sun here now, though only the players are in their shirt sleeves. Bit damper at Bristol, where England and New Zealand prepare to do battle.

If you’re going to Bristol, do look out for The Next Test. We’ve got a little stand there, trying to raise awareness of the climate emergency.

Good morning Martin ODW “Weather permitting, a fantastic day ahead in the remaining matches, with results possible in all five. Makes it all the more bitter-sweet knowing there’ll no more CC until August. Leavened partly by the knowledge that there are probably a few people at England HQ squirming in their seats about the possibly premature decision to tap Jimmy on the shoulder…”

It is intriguing isn’t it. As mentioned BTL, Chris Woakes, god love him, has so far bowled 24 wicketless overs for Warwicks.

Glamorgan’s unlikely task now verging towards the impossible. Beau Webster with the wicket, caught by fellow Australian Cameron Bancroft. Glamorgan 309-4, need another 284. Cooke can go at quite a lick, mind.

A breakthrough at Southport! And it isn’t one of the big beasts. Haynes goes to cut the tall Green, wheeling in from the press tent end, and is caught by Hurst for 21. Notts 134-4, and a first Championship wicket for Green.

Suddenly things looking easier for Notts. Jack Haynes flays six over the fence and onto the railway line just before a train chugs past on its merry way. Notts 132-3.

Marnus enjoying himself on the greasy quick outfield of Cheltenham! His second of the season and his tenth for Glamorgan.

Kent have lost a big beast – Jack Leaning for 43. Compton digging in on 82. Even Kent should avoid an innings defeat now, but it is a tough ask to last all day against Abbas, Barker, Abbott and Dawson.

Could it be a late-burning thriller at Cheltenham? Marnus still there on 87, compiler of ridiculous scores Sam Northeast on 62. Glamorgan 261-3, need another 332.

And Anderson has completed his first spell of the morning. A parsimonious: 6-2-9-1

A vigorous start by Andy Umeed cut off in its prime when he got a edge to the keeper for a boundary-laden 30. Somerset 50.1 off 9.4 and it they keep this up it will be all over before tea. Quite a big if, I admit.

Nathan Lyon said last night that he was hoping to bowl more than the three overs in tandem he and Anderson managed yesterday. And here we are again. Lucky Notts. Anderson now, slips crowding in.

Jimmy has his first wicket of the day, his eighth in the match, with his 17th delivery of the day. Another batter all at sea, Young pushing forward and caught behind. Notts 95-3.

Seems Southport might have the best of the weather, a few hundred here to see Jimmy deliver expensive chocolates with a smile. If you squint, there is a hint of gentle sunshine. The rain has started already at The Oval, which will delight Essex.

Good morning! The weather is currently not raining in Southport and looks much more perky than predicted. The Notts players are practising high catches worrying close to our tent. This is the final day of county cricket until August, so fill your boots!