The dirty duvet of cloud hanging over Trafalgar Road on Sunday morning could have been pre-ordered by Jimmy Anderson, playing his first match of the year for Lancashire in advance of his international farewell at Lord’s. But Haseeb Hameed, formerly of Lancs, won the toss and, with a twinkle, chose to bowl – so the sell-out crowd had to settle for the consolation of watching Nottinghamshire’s Dillon Pennington, just called up for the Test squad as a possible Anderson replacement.

Pennington, tall and strong, pounding through his run-up, bowled with fire and picked up a couple of wickets. His figures looked a little less tidy after Keaton Jennings, who loves batting at this ground, went on the rampage in the evening session against the second new ball. The sun suddenly out, and the skies forget-me-not blue, he peppered the short boundaries for fun – sixes scattered hither and thither. He finished 183 not out and was applauded off the pitch by a crowd balanced on the fold-up plastic seats who, a few minutes earlier, had roared in Jude Bellingham’s equaliser.

Surrey’s Jamie Smith left quite the calling card during the top-of-the-table clash at the Oval, celebrating his call-up for the Test squad by powering his way to an audacious hundred while none of his teammates passed 26. Eathan Bosch had done the early damage for Essex with three for 52.

At Southampton, Hampshire’s James Vince continued to enjoy his midsummer moment, with a second century in a week, 149 not out against Kent. He was accompanied in his task by an unbeaten 106 from Ben Brown. Michael Burgess cracked an unbeaten 126 as Warwickshire fought back against Somerset at Taunton. More tempestuous times at the Riverside, where Ben Stokes rustled 56 for Durham and Kashif Ali 55 for Worcestershire, on a day when 23 wickets fell.

Sides crumbled like a damp cream cracker on an extraordinary day in Division Two, 75 wickets falling as four games screamed into fast forward. At Grace Road and Northampton the matches moved into their third innings, while at Chesterfield Yorkshire rustled out Derbyshire for 76, with Vishwa Fernando seizing five for 30.

What a mad day of cricket, wickets here, runs there, international call-ups, up yours retorts. A final shout out for James Wharton, who raced to a maiden first-class hundred from only 101 balls for Yorkshire, and on a tricky pitch as well. We’ll be back tomorrow, hopefully to see Jimmy Anderson have a bowl – though the weather looks unkind. Until then, and from a sunny Southport, good night!

Division One

Surrey 248-8 v Essex
Somerset v Warwickshire 373-8
Lancashire 344-8 v Nottinghamshire
Hampshire 301-3 v Kent
Durham 190 & 25-1 v Worcestershire 112 (latest)

Division Two

Leicestershire 179 & 40-1 v Middlesex 86 all out
Gloucestershire 179 v Glamorgan 133-7
Northamptonshire 97 v Sussex 143 & 83-2
Derbyshire 76 all out v Yorkshire 283-5

Some calling card! 100 from 133 balls before being bowled by Crtichley. Surrey 203-6.

With Lancs 231-6, Notts take the second new ball. It sits in the hands of Olly Stone, who strides in from just a few yards in front of us. Time for me to write up now for the paper, but do keep up to date BTL.

Chris Green stands and ping-pongs Lyndon James handsomely to the rope and next ball is pinned lbw for 9 on his Lancashire Championship debut. Jennings removes his gloves. Lancs 228-6.

England go one down against Slovakia, Ben Stokes swallows a fly and James Vince reaches his second hundred in consecutive innings.

I don’t know what they’ve been putting the party division water, but so far 63 wickets have fallen in four games for not very many at all. Middlesex are 70-6 (Green 4-25) following Leicestershire’s 179; Glamorgan are 98-3 following Gloucestershire’s 179; Yorkshire are 165-4 following Derbyshire’s 76 and wickets-a-go-go at the County Ground where Sussex were all out for 143 before Northants followed that up by being dismissed for 97, losing 6 for 15 at the end. Ollie Robinson 4-42.

And to finish the glance at Division One – Worcestershire lost Roderick early to Potts and then Libby in Stokes’ first over. Now 69-2, 121 behind.

A fourth Championship century of the season for Keaton Jennings! After his triple two years ago, Jennings becomes the third player to score two centuries at Trafalgar Road after David Lloyd, Graeme Fowler and Ken Grieves. Beautifully done. And then, after a partnership of 88, Balderson is pocketed low at slip for 41 off Paterson. Lancs 208-5.

Back to The Oval, where Smith has reached 63 off 82 balls – he’s going to anoint his call up with a hundred, isn’t he. Talented kid. At Taunton, JAck Leach – another of the discarded – finally gets Ed Barnard for 92, but Warwickshire have sneaked a batting point – the first of the round.

James Vince, fresh from his hundred against Warwickshire, is into the nineties against Kent, Hants 182-3.

Balderson tucking into Patterson-White like a hungry teenager with a plate of cheese toasties – two huge sixes, up and away, back over the bowler’s head.

As a few of the crowd pack up their bags and aim for 5 o’clock kick off, time for another circuit, past the pots of geraniums, the blooming hydrangeas, the boy practising his bowling action, the traybakes for sale in the pavilion, the ice-cream van, the second-hand book stall and the dog bowl full of water. Jennings, 85 not out, eases towards an inevitable hundred. Lancs 175-4.

DIVISION ONE

The Oval: Surrey 105-4 v Essex

Taunton: Somerset v Warwickshire 212-6

Trafalgar Road: Lancashire 149-4 v Nottinghamshire

Southampton: Hampshire 147-3 v Kent

Chester le Street: Durham 190 v Worcestershire 15-1

DIVISION TWO

Grace Road: Leicestershire 179 v Middlesex 21-2

Cheltenham: Gloucestershire 179 v Glamorgan 46-1

County Ground: Northamptonshire 54-3 v Sussex 143

Chesterfield: Derbyshire 76 v Yorkshire 81-2

Tea here at Southport, Lancs 150-4, Balderson carefully keeping Jennings company for the last half an hour. The groundstaff come on with their large brooms, scores to follow.

Surrey , 100-4, being Bosched about a bit by Essex. Their top five are all England batters, past and present – and Pope isn’t even playing. Four are already out, Burns and Sibley in the twenties, Foakes for 7, plus England’s there and thereabouts, Dan Lawrence, for 6. Smith, unperturbed by the spotlight, 31 not out. Bosch 3-30.

“Afternoon Tanya,” Lovely to hear from you Martin ODW

“Thank you for that Cardusesque description of the Trafalgar Road idyll. I hate to be that guy (actually I don’t – in this case I revel in being him), but that for me encapsulates the beauty of the red ball game and its environs. T20 bun fights are grand for a bit of craic now and again, but the slow burn of a four day match, on a county out ground (with added yellow trains, no less), in front of an appreciative and knowledgeable crowd… mwah”

If it helps add to the idyll, the sun is now fully out, the Balsam Poplar by the railway line, in full dark green leaf, rustles in the breeze.

Lancs lose another, Hurst chipping to midwicket. Can almost hear Keaton sighing as he takes his helmet off at the non-striker’s end. Hadn’t realised how tasty Nottinghamshire’s attack is. Lancashire 120-4.

A dart around Division Two:

Leicestershire all out 179 against Middlesex, Louis Kimber, who flamed amazement in the last round, almost inevitably out for 0. Four wickets for the invigorated TRJ, four for Higgins. Goldsworthy top scored with 41.

Gloucestershire also 179 all out, but that was a vast improvement on where they were at 104-9. A 75-run last wicket partnership between de Lange and Singh Dale. van der Gugten 5-59.

Sussex fared even worse: 143 all out against Northants. JAck Carsson’s 29 added a valuable pinch with the tail. Four wickets for White, three for Procter.

But the booby prize goes to Derbyshire, bowled out for 76 on the first day of the Chesterfield festival. Fernando 5-30, Thomspon 4-31. Yorkshire are only ten runs behind, for the loss of Bean for 29.

A wicket for Pennington! Nice to fold that one up and put it in the pocket. Bell fended through to slip for 8. Lancs 111-3.

Stokes caught for 56 (11 x four), just as he’d got going, a third wicket for Allison. Durham in a bit of strife at 160-7.

A yellow train rattles past the side of the ground. Lancashire ease into three figures, a happy ripple of applause for another Keaton boundary, a soupcon of warmth from the emerging sun and all, for a brief second, seems well with the world.

Jennings, who scored a glorious 318 here two years ago, has his eye in. He pulls Patterson over the leaping square leg and into the ducking crowd for six. Then drives him, imperiousl,y straight – the sprinting Hameed, still a slip of a man, just pulls it back from the rope.

That Chesterfield beer (thanks to Romeo) and a nice plug for David Griffin’s book as well.

Derbyshire faring even worse. Luckily Tim Maitland is watching. “Fernando has his fiver-fer! He ripped out Sam Connors middle stump with an excellent yorker. Vishwa now has 5-16 off 8 overs. Derbyshire 53-9. They had 35 on the board for the loss of one wicket.” Untold riches at 76-9 now, Zak Chappell and Daryn Dupavillon having a go.

“Wonderful that trains still chug,” writes Andrew Benton, “I thought that was the way they used to travel, in the steam days. Much better than whining or rumbling. I see Glos are also batting as though they are steam powered.”

Oh dear, yes. Gloucestershire now 112-9, de Lange’s 15 dragging them into three figures. Van der Gugten 5-40, two wickets for Douthwaite and one for Labuschagne.

Joe Clarke is a very relieved man, drops Josh Bohannon off Olly Stone, into the gloves but somehow out again. Very next ball, a stonking delivery, kisses past the outside edge and this time Clarke holds on.

I did a lap at lunchtime, saw at least ten woolly hats and one pair of gloves. Now however, the sun is fighting to get through the wooly haze here at Trafalgar Road.

DIVISION ONE

The Oval: Surrey 8-0 v Essex

Taunton: Somerset v Warwickshire 97-4

Trafalgar Road: Lancashire 59-1 v Nottinghamshire

Southampton: Hampshire. 24-2 v Kent

Chester le Street: Durham 101-5 v Worcestershire

DIVISION TWO

Grace Road: Leicestershire 96-4 v Middlesex

Cheltenham: Gloucestershire 88-8 v Glamorgan

County Ground: Northamptonshire v Sussex 96-4

Chesterfield: Derbyshire 45-6 v Yorkshire

Three wickets for Pretorius at Taunton as Warwickshire struggle, 84-4, though Rhodes and Barnard have more than doubled the score since they came together.

Still raining at The Oval (Surrey 8-0) and drizzle at the Rose Bowl has restricted Kent and Hampshire to eight overs, Hants 19-1 (Middleton out for 13)

…alongside the Ollie Robinson with a point to prove (the other one). Robinson 29 not out at quite a clip, Stokes a 27 ball eight. Durham 86-4, a wicket a piece for Worcestershire’s Waite, Smith, Taylor and Allison.

They’re back on here, as Keaton powers four past square leg and onto the hospitality tent and then plays and misses at Olly Stone. Lancs 40-1.

If you want to follow England women’s prospects against New Zealand in the second ODI, James is fully immersed here:

“Good morning Tanya,” hello Geoff Wignall!

“I’m surprised by your weather report. Memory, which lies so often, tells me it’s always dry and sunny with gentle breezes, fluffy clouds and darting swallows when watching games at Southport. With guaranteed dry pitches. The locals aren’t called Sandgrounders without reason.

“It’s where I first played the game (badly) and first watched it too.

“Many glad memories of the Lancs side of that time – Lloyd and Engineer, Lever and Higgs, flat Jack and Harry Pilling, even the very end of Statham’s time.

“And of course Jackie Bond with his unique version of the all-rounder’s role: captain and mid-off.

“Glorious afternoons transfixed by the likes of Sobers and D’Oliveira too (not that anyone has ever been or seen the like of Sobers).

“Sometimes of course it was the bit part players who made the most impression -Edwin Smith returning the marvellously neat figures of 25-5-100-5 for Derbyshire sticks in the mind.

“(Incidentally did you know that Statham ended his career with five consecutive maidens against Yorkshire at OT, with his final ball to DB Close? After a six fer in the 1st innings. They last well, these Lancashire quicks.)

“All of which is a very long-winded way of saying that if this should be Jimmy’s championship farewell, it provides a personal delight that it should be at Trafalgar Road and envy for those witnessing it. Fingers crossed for another masterclass.”

Thank you, what lovely memories.

Tim is watching at Chesterfield: “Two in two balls for Yorkshire at Chesterfield. Vishwa Fernando had Luis Reece caught at first slip with the last ball of the 15th over. He’s made 11. Then in the first ball of the 16th, Jordan Thompson took the top of Brooke Guest’s off stump for 17. Derbyshire 35-3.” A good effort by Derbyshire’s batters at Lord’s last week, let’s see if they can pull this one back.

In Division Two, wickets galore. Both Gloucestershire (v Glamorgan) and Derbyshire (v Yorkshire) three down. Hill and Goldsworthy are rebuilding for Leicestershire (58-2) against Middlesex; Australian Daniel Hughes enjoying himself against Northants, Sussex 54-1.

Rain on the press tent roof – and they’re off. Lancashire 29-1.

Pennington’s first spell as a soon-to-play-for-England bowler is fine and dandy: 6-4-3-0. Just a wicket missing from the final column.

Good morning Martin O’Donovan-Wright! “Re: Notts winning the toss and fielding… could I suggest, as a Lancashire supporter with no ulterior motive (coughs), that any bowler – no matter which county they play for, in order to be totally fair – with 700+ test wickets should get to choose whether or not they bowl first.” That seems entirely right and proper. On the upside, Southport and Birkdale may sell more tickets for Monday and Tuesday now.

“It’s ridiculous how we’ve gone from last week’s baked-out 1976-throwback pitches to lush green swing bowlers’ wet dreams in the space of a week,” writes Tim Maitland.

”I’m sulking because I cast my wandering affections in the directions of Surrey v Essex, which lasted two overs before the rain came.

”The only constant seems to be the live scores on the ECB being a clusterf**k.”

Rain has stalled Surrey’s advance at 8-0 at The Oval; Warwickshire, 31-1, have lost Davies for 9, batting against Somerset; Wells and Jennings are surviving nicely at Southport – Pennington running in hard and showing just why he’s caught the selectors’ eye – but, hang-on, it is Dane Patterson who makes the breakthrough, clipping Wells’ off bail for seven. Lancs 26-1. Hampshire are 19-0 v Kent and Durham recovering, 33-2 against Worcestershire.

Gary Naylor points out that the email link on the top of the page is wrong. Apologies, if you sent anything to that address I won’t have got it. I think I’ve fixed it but if not, the right address is: [email protected].

”I grew up a few miles down the coast ” writes Gary, “and it’s always windy, usually knocking 5 degrees off the temperature. The sand gets blown off the dunes and into your eyes and bleaches the skin too!” Hoping it works on wrinkles.

Round the grounds – Durham have had a bad start against Worcestershire, Borthwick lbw for 0, Ackermann caught for one. Ben Stokes is turning out for Durham in pre-Test tuning mode. Other Test players warming up for Lord’s this final mid-summer round are: newbies Jamie Smith and Pennington, Matthew Potts, Dan Lawrence and Chris Woakes.

The newly-called up Pennington with the second over, fast and accurate. Glad to see that his trouser hems still rest fractionally above his ankles, though not quite as short as they were when I first saw him play for Worcestershire back in the 20tweenies. Notts’ opening attack is quite something – Lancs will do very well to see it off.

Olly Stone with the new ball from the Grovenor Road End. Less likely to blow over in the more-than-nippy cross-wind than he used to be.

Stat-attack: (thank you Paul Edwards) Nathan Lyon needs one wicket to have 800 first-class wickets in what will be his last appearance for Lancashire in 2024.

Did a lap of the Trafalgar Road. Hundreds and hundreds of grey tip up seats, lots of eager punters in anoraks, a dad pointing out Jimmy Anderson to his young son. Very grey clouds. Nicely apt that, although the punters might be disappointed not to see Anderson bowling, they will get to see his heir apparent – Dillon Pennington.

Southport is overcast – windy, chilly but dry. I’m already bitterly regretting my decision not to bring a coat. Notts won the toss and HH immediately spoils the party by choosing to bowl. A quiet boo rings out when it is announced.

A Sunday morning Test announcement, I feel suddenly transported back to 1985. Two new caps, Surrey wunderkind wicket-keeper Jamie Smith – which marks, you’d have thought, the end of Jonny Bairstow’s 100-Test career, and gently closes the door on Ben Foakes. Ollie Robinson, the Durham one, can feel unlucky. Pennington beats Sam Cook to the first ‘replacement-for-Jimmy’ spot, Gus Atkinson, Chris Woakes and Matthew Potts make up the rest of the pace attack. Shoaib Bashir takes the spin spot. Ollie Robinson, the Sussex one, is left to ponder what might have been.

England Men’s Test Squad:

Ben Stokes (Durham) Captain

James Anderson (Lancashire) (First Test only)

Gus Atkinson (Surrey)

Shoaib Bashir (Somerset)

Harry Brook (Yorkshire)

Zak Crawley (Kent)

Ben Duckett (Nottinghamshire)

Dan Lawrence (Surrey)

Dillon Pennington (Nottinghamshire)

Ollie Pope (Surrey)

Matthew Potts (Durham)

Joe Root (Yorkshire)

Jamie Smith (Surrey)

Chris Woakes (Warwickshire)

DIVISION ONE

The Oval: Surrey v Essex

Taunton: Somerset v Warwickshire

Trafalgar Road: Lancashire v Nottinghamshire

Southampton: Hampshire v Kent

Chester le Street: Durham v Worcestershire

DIVISION TWO

Grace Road: Leicestershire v Middlesex

Cheltenham: Gloucestershire v Glamorgan

County Ground: Northamptonshire v Sussex

Chesterfield: Derbyshire v Yorkshire

Hello from a train chugging damply towards Liverpool. The sky is heavy with grey clouds, of the type that Jimmy Anderson might order – which is handy as today he makes his first Championship appearance of the season, at Southport. After that comes his swansong at Lord’s and then – who knows? So, in short, this could be the last chance for anyone not going to the Test to see him bowl in the flesh.

Of course he could roll in, slim as a pin, for Lancashire for another three years, but the organisers at Southport and Birkdale CC won’t mind – they’ve already sold all 2,300 tickets for today – so don’t travel if you haven’t got a ticket as you won’t get in!

Festival cricket also at Cheltenham and Chesterfield, the top of the table clash at The Oval and much much more you lucky people.