Derbyshire have won their first home Championship match since September 2014, beating pre-season title favourites Middlesex. Duanne Olivier, the pacy South African, bowled Tim Murtagh to finish with four wickets and wrap up the win. Another result has landed in the last half hour or so, but one entirely expected. Leicestershire drew with Sussex at Grace Road. Glamorgan are 22-0 chasing 83 at Bristol. Plenty of overs remaining, so that should be a formality. Famous last words …
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Gloucestershire are all out at Bristol for 372, meaning Glamorgan are chasing 82 in 23 overs. Meanwhile, a bit of Yorkshire and England news. Liam Plunkett has taken three wickets for Delhi Daredevils at the IPL. Bowled very well from the 10 minutes I’ve seen.
Surrey complete victory at Oval
It’s all over at the Oval, where Surrey won by 139 runs. Sam Northeast was last man out for 129, brilliantly caught behind by Ben Foakes off Matt Dunn.
Hampshire are on the verge at the Oval and nine down, although Sam Northeast is unbeaten on 118 and trying to fashion a great escape for them against Surrey. Jade Dernbach has just trapped Brad Wheal lbw, ending a 68-run stand for the ninth wicket.
In Division Two, Middlesex are clinging on at Derby, eight down and with 28 overs to bat. James Harris and Tom Helm are unbeaten on 40 and 35 and have shared 68 for the ninth wicket. If Derbyshire don’t win that, they will probably be thinking they’ll never win a Championship home game again. September 2014 was the last one. Meanwhile, there’s a belting finish in prospect at Bristol, where Gloucestershire now lead by 65 with two wickets in hand over Glamorgan. A James Bracey unbeaten century has been the key factor in heightening the tension there. The best part of 32 overs remain.
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That’s a hundred for Sam Northeast at the Oval, his first for Hampshire. It was a lovely one, too, from 171 balls, with 14 fours. But he’s fighting a losing battle, since Hampshire are eight down as I write. Kyle Abbott came and went for a quick 29, Chris Wood after a rather more careful 26. Right now Brad Wheal is doing his best to hold up an end.
Amar Virdi has four for 69, the best figures of his fledgling career in the championship. Truth be told I’ve only one eye on what’s happening. I came here because I wanted to see what the county fans made of the ECB’s proposal for a new 100-ball-a-side tournament. Fair to say that cold as the day is, it’s still warmer than the reception to the plans.
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While Andy Bull watches Surrey try to wrap up their win over Hampshire at the Oval, needing two more wickets, it is a similar story at Derby where Middlesex are 205/7 chasing 442 with Toby Roland-Jones and James Harris at the crease. Gloucestershire look like making Glamorgan bat again at Bristol - 12 behind with three wickets left, while that early handshake is still on the cards at Grace Road, where Sussex are 127/3, leading by 143.
If Ben Coad keeps taking wickets at this rate, speculation around an England Test call-up will inevitably reach a crescendo. The 24-year-old Yorkshire seamer finished with six wickets in the second innings and 10/130 in the match as the White Rose beat Notts by 164 runs, taking 21 points.
Coad has now taken 65 wickets in 16 first-class matches, including 50 in the Championship last season: “There’s people saying stuff about that, but I’m just concentrating on Yorkshire,” he said. “I just want to be the best I can be here. If that comes, great.”
Elsewhere, in Division Two, Middlesex are 166/7 at Derby and still on course for a defeat. They lost John Simpson on the stroke of lunch, while Gloucestershire look set for a home defeat to Glamorgan, although the visitors may have to bat again. Gloucester are 51 runs with three wickets left. Leicestershire and Sussex are heading for an early handshake and a draw at Grace Road.
Hampshire feeling the chill
After last week’s little heatwave it’s a bit chilly here at the Oval, but the way play’s shaping we might not be outdoors long enough to get cold. Sam Northeast, not out overnight, is still in. He’s just brought up his 50, two sweet cover drives in succession off Sam Curran the best of his batting this morning. But a couple of wickets have fallen at the other end. Rilee Roussow made it through most of the first hour, but fell lbw to Surrey’s young off-spinner Amar Virdi and Liam Dawson hardly settled before he was bowled by Jade Dernbach. Viddi’s a lovely bowler to watch, with an easy, graceful action and lots of puppyish enthusiasm. So Hampshire are 176/6, some 296 behind. Kyle Abbott’s in now, the first man in a long Hampshire tail. He doesn’t have the air of a man who is going to bat through the day.
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Coad seals Yorkshire victory
Yorkshire have won by 164 runs. Ben Coad struck twice in the over – he had just switched ends to the Kirkstall Lane End – to remove Jake Ball bowled and Harry Gurney caught at second slip, finishing with six wickets in the innings and 10 in the match. 21 points for the White Rose county.
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Jake Ball and Tom Moores are impressively defying Yorkshire and have shared an unbroken 61, with a number of eye-catching straight drives from the pair. They have taken the score to 233/8, with left-handed Moores on 36. I had to laugh last night when Dave Bracegirdle from BBC Radio Nottingham spoke to Tom and said ‘If you believe in Roy of the Rovers stuff, you could end up 200 not out tomorrow with a win under your belt’. His reply ‘Who’s he?’. Young ’uns, hey!
Good morning all from Headingley
Good morning. I would imagine we’re in for a pretty short fourth day. Notts will begin on 181/8, chasing 403 after crumbling in Sunday night’s evening session to the extent that umpires Michael Gough and Nick Cook even sanctioned the extra half hour.
A Yorkshire win would see them gain 21 points to Notts’ three and win their first match of the season at the second attempt (first if you are ignoring the Essex abandonment). Their excellent young seamer Ben Coad is a wicket away from a second-innings five-for.
This is one of only two matches still in progress in Division One and five in all around the country. At the Oval, Hampshire are 116/4 requiring another 356 to beat Surrey. That isn’t happening, I’m afraid, Hampshire fans.
In Division Two, Middlesex are 86/3, also needing 356 more to beat Derbyshire at the County Ground. A rare home win for Derby in the offing. Gloucestershire are battling to avoid a home innings defeat against Glamorgan. They are 133/5 in their second innings and trailing by 157. And finally, it’s been a weird old game at Grace Road, where it looks to have been fairly routine. 400 plays 400 between Sussex and Leicestershire and a draw very much on the cards.
PS, it’s certainly worth having a look at Tim Bresnan’s mid-pitch fall during his 68 not out here yesterday ...
Tim Bresnan (@timbresnan)I'll share this before anyone else does.
April 22, 2018
Who said the heavy roller wasn't available for this game 🤣🤣🤣
Boys enjoyed it for a good while after in the viewing gallery. I heard them laughing. pic.twitter.com/kOgQCAElwK
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