Key events
100 for Ben Charlesworth!
Off just 123 balls, and against England’s leading wicket taker. Cracking knock.
Just popping back to confirm that Rehan Ahmed has six for 50… after yesterday’s quick-fire century. Derbyshire 187-8.
Time for me to write up for the paper, with things slowly pottering to a close here at Cheltenham, and Pant stretchered off in the Test. Hope it isn’t as bad as it looks, he’s such a gem of a player. Do keep chatting BTL.
The hundred partnership between Charlesworth and Phillips comes and goes at Cheltenham. Meanwhile Kent are making a much better fist of their second innings, currently 84-1.
Gloucestershire are going along at quite a lick – 75 for the excellent Charlesworth – 116 for one. The cloud is bunching over Cleve hill and the seagulls circling.
Khurram Shazad pockets victim number six – Bamber lbw for 0. Warwickshire 158-8, trail by 175.
“An incredible surface”
Knock me down, Somerset head coach Jason Kerr has a different view of the Taunton pitch:
“There has been a lot of noise surrounding the pitch, but I thought it was an incredible surface. You can’t see 400 runs scored in a day as happened yesterday and then complain about the wicket.
“We have to find a way of getting results here and because there has been so much cricket at the ground this year we had to prepare a used pitch. Craig and Jack exploited any help in it because they are top quality bowlers.”
“We are running out of superlatives for Jack Leach, who is arguably the best spin bowler in the country. He is an incredible performer and probably does not get enough credit for the job he does for us.
“We have seen a few short run-chases here over the years that can become very hairy, but Tom Banton managed the situation brilliantly today to see us home.”
Rain at Hove, stumps at Scarborough
They haven’t come back on at Hove since tea, and they’ve called it a day at Scarborough.
200 for James!
Notts have declared, James unbeaten on 203, Notts 578-8. Hampshire start their long trudge towards parity – 7 for 0.
“There was excessive turn”
Durham’s bowling coach Graham Onions on the Taunton pitch: “My take on the pitch is that there was excessive turn. The bottom line is that it is day one and a half and the game is over, which is not good for county cricket. Turn on days three and four is okay and it’s a shame because Jack Leach is a fine bowler capable of taking wickets on flat pitches.”
“The pitch helped the bowlers, but we have to be honest with ourselves and admit that looking back we could have done better with some of our dismissals.
“I’m pleased for Callum Parkinson today as I was for George Drissell yesterday. We knew spin would play a big part in the match and, having been out of the team, Parky has worked really hard to put himself back in the frame.”
A chilly wind is now blowing over Cheltenham. Tom Hartley isn’t having much time off from his century, already seven overs into his spell.
Tea-time scores
DIVISION ONE
Southampton: Hampshire v Nottinghamshire 571-8
Taunton: Somerset 250 and 89-5 BEAT Durham 145 and 190 By FIVE WICKETS
Hove: Sussex 204 v Essex 451-7
Edgbaston: Warwickshire 144-6 v Worcestershire 333
Scarborough: Yorkshire 376-5 v Surrey Rain stopped play
DIVISION TWO
Derby: Derbyshire 123-3 v Leicestershire 398
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 327 v Kent 155 and 25-0
Cheltenham: Gloucestershire 59-1 v Lancashire 557
Merchant Taylors’ School: Middlesex 625-8 v Northamptonshire
Somerset BEAT Durham by five wickets
Taunton: Somerset 250 and 89-5 BEAT Durham 145 and 190 By FIVE WICKETS
Derbyshire are wobbling – a second wicket for Rehan Ahmed, 123-3.
And at Cheltenham, Chris Green swishes his cloak, tosses his hair and bowls a maiden over, and they take tea, Gloucestershire 59 for one. Tea scores to follow.
Foreman winkles out Webster for 57 – Warwickshire 122-5.
The equation now five wickets or 21 runs at Taunton.
Four for Parky…
With a six, Lyndon James reaches a career best 167.
While at Taunton, Callum Parkinson has a third. First-innings hero Lammonby gone – 39 needed.
The crowd get what they came for, Jimmy Anderson hoovering up an Australian opener. Gloucestershire 28-1.
In Division One, rain has stopped play at Scarborough again, but they’ve taken an early tea. Yorks 376-5.
Warwickshire have recovered a little, thanks to an attacking half century from Beau Webster and twenty from Kai Smith, who has had a cracking summer (going purely on vibes and not looking anything up). Warwicks 103-5.
An unbeaten 123 by Matt Critchley has put Essex in a dominant position against Sussex, 427-5.
Callum Parkinson has both Somerset openers, who, 26-2 need 60 to beat Durham.
And Jack Haynes (103) and Lyndon James (153 not out) have quietly made centuries to grind Hampshire into the dirt. Notts 501-7. And soon Josh Tongue will arrive, fresh from sitting on an England bench.
So impressive that Gloucestershire only gave away two extras in 141 overs. Jimmy teases and tests, then comes up the other end to arrange Blatherwick’s field.
Jimmy has the ball, as the wind picks up. Phil Salt arranges his hearty slip cordon.
Round the grounds, in a hurry.
In the other Division Two games: Leicestershire’s last six batters made just 15 runs between them so they ended up with an almost disappointing 398. Jewell and Came have carried Derbyshire to 69-1.
Middlesex are batting on, and on, now 552-6, Cracknell just caught off Leech for 73. Du Plooy 69 not out.
And Parky has three, Agar has four, in Glamorgan’s 322-9, a lead of 167 over Kent. Ingram 87, Kellaway 90.
A hundred for Tom Hartley!
In a blizzard of big hitting, Hartley reaches his first hundred for Lancashire – and after more biffing finally falls for 124, a record score for a Lancashire number 11. Lancs finally all out for 557 – and now Gloucestershire must face Jimmy Anderson.
And that is the end of Chris Green, bowled by Charlesworth for 160. He pulls off his helmet, smiles and gets a standing ovation nearly as large as the one that greets No. 11.
Surrey’s slow left arm two-match import rids them of a turbulent red-head (for 72). Yorkshire 376-5.
YES, SAI!! 📈 Sai Kishore picks up his first Surrey wicket as Jonny Bairstow is well caught by Will Jacks.
Sai’s bowled extremely well so far, taking 1/52 from 25 overs.
Yorkshire 364/5.
🤎 | #SurreyCricket pic.twitter.com/lL3e8O3f6N
— Surrey Cricket (@surreycricket) July 23, 2025
Chris Green klaxon (thank you Scott Read). His 158 is the highest score by a Lancashire number eight, beating 155 by Wasim Akram in 1998 and Glenn Chapple in 2001.
And with a seventh six, 150 for Green, as Lancs motor towards 500.
A diversion to Taunton, where Durham are 170-8. “I think it is fair to say that wickets are not tumbling quite so quickly as they were yesterday,” says Vic Marks, “and the seamers are not getting as much purchase. Neil Wagner got 35 as a nightwatchman, and they got about 70 runs in 45 minutes this morning without losing a wicket, so it is not impossible to bat on – but it but demanding. Leach is wheeling away. it is wonderful.”
Chris Green now launching into mega mode – six wafted like the fifth easy pancake from the batch. And, without wanting to induce BTL drooling, he is amazingly flexible for someone so tall, stretching forward like a ballet dancer as Murphy approaches. At the other end, more quietly, Tom Hartley has reached his highest first-class score of 74.
A fourth wicket for Khurram Shahzad, Warwickshire in dissaray.
It seems Azhar Ali recommended Khurram Shahzad to Worcestershire, in the words of the club press release “an effective exponent of swing bowling”. See Warwickshire’s downfall here, Rob Yates’ leave is a particular ouch moment.
Fifty for Jonny Bairstow, 68 balls, nine fours, one six – with a baby to catch in the next few days. Surrey’s toil on, after a wicketless first hour. Yorks 342 for four.
100 for Chris Green
The players are out after lunch at Cheltenham, but rain is spotting the balustrade. And a huge cheer as Green lofts Murphy for four to reach his hundred off 156 balls. Fabulous knock, his second in consecutive Championship matches.
Lunchtime scores
DIVISION ONE
Southampton: Hampshire v Nottinghamshire 387-6
Taunton: Somerset 250 v Durham 145 and 152-7
Hove: Sussex 204 v Essex 301-4
Edgbaston: Warwickshire 16-3 v Worcestershire 333
Scarborough: Yorkshire 292-4 v Surrey Play has just started after a weather delay.
DIVISION TWO
Derby: Derbyshire 6-1 v Leicestershire 398
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 250-5 v Kent 155
Cheltenham: Gloucestershire v Lancashire 415-8
Merchant Taylors’ School: Middlesex 479-5 v Northamptonshire
A fabulous morning for Lancashire, Green and Hartley, 98 and 53 not out respectively, walk off to warm applause from the crowd, who start to wander onto the pitch. Lunchtime scores to follow.
After yesterday’s 22 wicket day, five more this morning at Taunton as Rob Key’s spin-dream is acted out by Jack Leach (4-50) and Archie Vaughan (3-59). Durham 149-7, lead by 44.
Gloucestershire are said to have one of the fastest attacks on the circuit – and Singh-Dale gives Hartley a working over here. Sadly (for the club, not the players), he, Akhter and Archie Bailey may be ploughing a different furrow next season.
And after Leicestershire lost seven wickets this morning, Derbyshire follow suit – David Lloyd bowled by Ian Holland for 0.
A hundred for Jordan Cox
England’s man on the sidelines with another stellar century – Essex 277-4.
Lancashire pass four hundred, the partnership between Hartley and Green now 102. More from Stephen Chalke – nine Gloucestershire players are out of contract this year and have been able to talk to other counties since June. And he once saw Graeme Hick hit six over the top of the pavilion, which is some feat.
Just had a lovely chat with Stephen Chalke, who is interviewing Ashley Giles in the hub marquee about his new book – The King of Spain and I. He says it is a fascinating read.
Scarborough watch
Play will start at one o’clock at North Marine Road.
Louis Kimber and Ian Holland have bucked the feast or famine trend by being out for two and eight at The County Ground, Hill finally removed for 151. Leics: 394-7, a good fight back by Derby.
If you’re wondering why there is no news from Scarborough, bad weather has postponed any play this morning.
And here is a fascinating read by Kaushik Rangarajan on why willow production is under threat.
I love festival cricket, as I passed the pavilion kitchen, an adorable black dog padded out to be stroked. Along the outside of the ground, next to the luxury portaloos, are a line of black poplar trees, planted to commemorate the achievements of old alumni – eg, Duleep Singh’s seven for 35 against Marlborough in 1921. But the tree planted by the PG Wodehouse Society in 2016 to commemorate the death of Percy Jeeves (the inspiration for the fictional valet) on the Somme looks a little worse for wear. If there are any society members out there, it might be worth a check.
Hmm, suddenly feeling slightly vulnerable on this balcony as Hartley takes his turn to whallop Singh-Dale for six. Divine protection from the parasol, maybe.
Chris Green sweeps successive sixes into the crowd dozing by the pavilion, suddenly shrinking the ground to the size of a hankerchief.
Applause rattles around the ground for Chris Green’s fifty, which he acknowledges with a little wave of the right glove. Todd Murphy wheels through over number 30.
A hundred for Ethan Brookes!
A cracking innings against his old club. Worcs 291-8, an excellent effort from 196-6.
Josh Tongue has been released by England…
..and will rejoin Notts midway through their game against Hampshire.
A hundred for Kane Williamson!
An excellent mid-summer fillip for Middlesex. A century for Williamson in his first first-class match for the club. Modest and brilliant. Middlesex 356-1, the second-wicket partnership an unbroken 235.
A hundred for Peter Handscomb
He tucks that one run neatly into his pocket, for his 28th first-class century. But now he’s out, for 101 – a second wicket for Chappell – Leicestershire 361-4.
Vic Marks promised to update the blog on the pitch at Taunton. In the meantime, here is six-wicket Craig Overton dampening down speculation.
“The pitch did a bit all day, but not too much, as was shown when the batters applied themselves.
“There were 400 runs scored in the day, which suggests it wasn’t a minefield.
“It turned a little, but again I don’t think it was excessive. There was some very mediocre cricket played with the bat, which was perhaps a hangover from playing T20 cricket in recent weeks.
“Tom Lammonby played wonderfully well and showed that if you committed to your shots and tried to stick around runs could be made.”
And Lancs lose another, Ollie Price hanging onto a skier from Jack Baltherwick (1), that could have been easily misjudged. Lancs 302-8.
If I was rubbing my hand’s together in Kyle Abbot’s slip cordon, I might be a little nervous. “The dropped catches are incredibly frustrating. It hasn’t been good enough,” he told the reporters network yesterday.
“It takes a toll on the bowling group when you’ve put in three overs at a batter then change your line for one. There is a whole build up for those and then you are back to square one.”
Here come the umpires, centurion Matty Hurst and BTL man-crush Chris Green, who plays an immaculate defensive shot to van Buuren, long leg half way down the pitch. And oh, Matty Hurst has just been caught, head almost down to his belly button, he crawls off the pitch.
A 101-over day here at Cheltenham, where Lancashire are practising their slip catching and a nifty little mower pulls away the temporary nets from the outfield, off behind the sightscreen and into the car park. A healthy line of spectators, cushions in hand, marched past the handsome buildings with their iron-wrought balconies, past the park with its summer art exhibition, and into the college grounds.
An excellent, and sad, read on West Indies cricket by Taha in this week’s Spin.
Daniel Harris with all the doings from an overcast Old Trafford.
Tuesday’s round-up
The sandy-stoned gorgeousness of Cheltenham college, the white hospitality tents full of bonhomie and beer – it wasn’t long ago that the world’s longest-running cricket festival was a healthy homage to the county game.
But times have changed, and Gloucestershire lost £80,000 at last year’s festival, and a similar amount the year before. The future looks uncertain, but the 2,400 who came through the gate saw an intriguing day on a butterscotch outfield, that largely dodged the menacing dishwasher clouds that swung in from the north west.
Lancashire’s Matty Hurst reached his hundred to a enthusiastic round of applause, after holding the innings together against the off-spin of Todd Murphy, the zippy Zaman Akhter (four for 64) and Ajeet Singh Dale, who, festival rumour has it, is off to Old Trafford at the end of the season.
Kane Williamson enjoyed his red-ball debut for Middlesex, with an unbeaten 88 against Northamptonshire, a cameo companion to Max Holden’s 137 – his third hundred of the summer.
An eyebrow raising 22 wickets fell at Taunton, and in a Kookaburra round as well. Craig Overton hustled Durham out for 145, with six for 23; before George Drissell returned the favour for Durham, with five for 59. Tom Lammonby helped Somerset to 250, giving Durham just time to lose two wickets in the three overs before stumps.
Spectators at Sophia Gardens watched an epic Kent collapse – six wickets for seven runs against Glamorgan, while at Scarborough, Yorkshire’s top four kept top of the table Surrey at bay, despite the unavailability of their new signing Imam-Ul-Haq, with visa issues. There were three wickets for Dan Worrall.
Rehan Ahmed danced to his third consecutive century, from 118 balls, as Leicestershire bloomed from a sub-optimal nought for two after eight balls against Derbyshire. Lewis Hill was unbeaten on 132 at stumps, while Peter Handscomb perched on 99.
Essex had one of their better days of 2025, ushering Sussex out for 204, the clockwork Jamie Porter (four for 40) and Sam Cook reunited. Ethan Brookes’ 80 against his old club kept Worcestershire in the hunt against Warwickshire at Edgbaston. Freddie McCann and Jack Haynes pocketed half centuries for Nottinghamshire on an emerald pitch against Hampshire at Southampton.
Scores on the doors
DIVISION ONE
Southampton: Hampshire v Nottinghamshire 241-5
Taunton: Somerset 250 v Durham 145 and 5-2
Hove: Sussex 204 v Essex 152-4
Edgbaston: Warwickshire v Worcestershire 262-8
Scarborough: Yorkshire 282-4 v Surrey
DIVISION TWO
Derby: Derbyshire v Leicestershire 357-3
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 125-4 v Kent 155
Cheltenham: Gloucestershire v Lancashire 290-6
Merchant Taylors’ School: Middlesex 319-1 v Northamptonshire
Preamble
Hello! On my morning walk I was surprised to find myself dawdling past GCHQ, then accidentally bought the most expensive glass of overnight oats in Cheltenham. Play starts here, and at the Test, at 11am – gather round the fripperies box and join us.