Tanya's county roundup
On a day so grey and dank that it shuffled along in a dripping gaberdine coat, swathes of rain orchestrated when and where cricket would be played.
At Edgbaston, with floodlights on, Kemar Roach rolled up his sleeves and laid into the Warwickshire batting. Two early wickets were topped off with a super caught-and-bowled to dismiss Michael Burgess for a duck. The rest of Surrey’s bowling was nearly as impressive and only 55 from Dan Mousley kept them at bay. Jordan Clark grabbed two wickets in two balls, including Chris Woakes for a sprightly 27, but Chris Rushworth played out the hat-trick ball before rain returned with Warwickshire 143 for 8.
Ben Compton’s long-suffering 38 not out was the only ballast in Kent’s innings against Middlesex. Ethan Bamber took three for 26 and the player manager, Tim Murtagh, picked up two, including Zak Crawley for 11.
In Division Two, Alex Lees got Durham off to their now-typical cantering start against Derbyshire at Chester-le-Street, with 45 at less than a run-a-ball, but the bouquets went to Ollie Robinson – who scored his first hundred for Durham since moving from Kent during the winter.
It was an innings of beautiful timing, sweet with straight drives. Brydon Carse, fresh from his heroics against Glamorgan last week, was unbeaten on 77 when bad light stopped play. Matt Parkinson, on loan from Lancashire to fill in for the injured Australian leg-spinner Matthew Kuhnemann, made his Durham debut.
Leicestershire could be pleased with their work after being put into bat by Glamorgan at Grace Road. There were four wickets for Timm van der Gugten, from a 17-over slog, but Peter Handscomb and Rehan Ahmed stitched together an unbeaten 73 for the sixth wicket.
The rain fell early at Bristol, where only 16 overs were possible, with Gloucestershire. Sussex were asked to bat, Ali Orr’s unbeaten 31 the only bright spot on the day as they reached 47 for one.
Updated
Right, with play only at The Riverside, and Carse a busy 45 not out from 335-7, time for me to write up for the paper. Please carry on chatting BTL.
