Key events
Yorkshire left frustrated by final pair
Tanya Aldred
North Marine Road shimmies up between Scarborough’s terraces, a sloping patch of green overlooked on two sides. If the crowds do not flock like they once did, there were still plenty of bums on the salt-burned wooden benches. Yorkshire won the toss and duly ran through Sussex, courtesy of disciplined bowling and some nifty slip catching, as well as a sprinting over-the-shoulder swallow dive by James Wharton to catch a top edge off Tom Haines. But then came 30 overs of frustration as the last-wicket pair of Danny Lamb and Gurinder Sandhu added an unbeaten 60.
After a high-class partnership with Rishi Patel (85), Rehan Ahmed ticked off hundred No 5 for the summer. It was the highlight of the day for Leicestershire, who then crumbled to Matt Parkinson. His seven for 104 temporarily cooled the brows of Kent members, whose last place in the table was made worse by news that their club had been docked eight points for disciplinary breaches.
Fifteen wickets fell at Chester-le-Streetwith Durham all out for 153 at tea to the Division One leaders, Surrey, who finished 29 ahead.
At Trent Bridge, Somerset’s calamitous start – 25 for three, all to Nottinghamshire’s Mohammad Abbas – improved as James Rew (162no) and Tom Abell (156) added 313, overtaking Peter Denning and Ian Botham’s 310 to become their club’s biggest fourth-wicket stand.
At Old Trafford, Australia spinner Chris Green found the devil in the dirt for Lancashire, winkling out six Glamorgan wickets. Dropped on 29, Kane Williamson duly advanced to century No 2 in two innings for Middlesex, against his old side Gloucestershire.
Tom Westley added a third hundred in five innings to give Essex another good day. From 89 for five, Martin Andersson’s 105 escorted Derbyshire to 348 for eight and tamed the Yuzvendra Chahal wicket-munching machine.
As the seagulls peck at the North Marine Road pitch in the evening sunshine, time for me to log off. Back tomorrow, thanks for your lovely company. Good night!
Close of play scores
DIVISION ONE
Chester-le-Street: Durham 153 v Surrey 182-5
Chelmsford: Essex 350-4 v Warwickshire
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire v Somerset 338-4
New Road: Worcestershire v Hampshire 146-2
Scarborough: Yorkshire v Sussex 210-9
DIVISION TWO
Cheltenham: Gloucestershire v Middlesex 232-3
Canterbury: Kent v Leicestershire 386-9
Old Trafford: Lancashire v Glamorgan 260-8
Northamptonshire: Northants v Derbyshire 348-8
Seven wickets for Matt Parkinson! Six wickets for Chris Green!
In Division Two, while I wasn’t looking, Matt Parkinson slipped seven wickets into his pocket as Leicestershire peaked early before a sudden collapse. Rehan Ahmed caught off Parky for 119.
And six wickets for George Clooney Chris Green at OT. Glamorgan 243 for eight.
Andersson and the tail have helped Derbyshire to more than respectability at Wantage Road, now 340 for eight.
And there’s a merciful rain delay for the Gloucestershire bowlers, Middx 232-3, Williamson 104 not out.
Now time for me to write up, do keep chatting BTL.
A final wander round the grounds as Yorkshire try to work out how to finish off this stubborn last-wicket pair – Sussex 188 for nine.
Surrey have recovered at CLS, of course they’ve recovered at CLS: 83-3. Essex plough on against Warwickshire, Westley 119. Essex 312 for three.
The Somerset fourth wicket pair pass yet more milestones, they’ve now put on 292, and Rew has 150, Abell close behind. Somerset 321 for three.
It is raining at New Road, where Hampshire had time to put on an unbroken stand of 127 for the first wicket.
105 – and out – for Martin Andersson
From 89 for five, he escorted Derbyshire to 300 for eight, and stopped (temporarily) the Yuzvendra Chahal wicket-munching monster. Well played!
A hundred for Tom Westley
And Tom Westley joins the hundred club, with Paul Walter on his heels. Essex 274 for two.
What sweet mischief did Graham Onions whisper into the CLS groundsman’s ear when the coach trundled back to Durham last week? Surrey are three down, Patel and Lawrence with the repair job.
A hundred for Kane Williamson
Middlesex feverishly thank those Silicon Valley billionaires whose burnished cheques may have tempted Kane Williamson over to Lord’s, as he knocks up century number two in just two innings. This one collected at a run a ball. Middx 228 for three.
Three years ago today, Rew made his maiden f-c century. He now has 11, the disgustingly talented young maestro.
Sussex crumbling like a fat rascal from Betty’s tea rooms. First Hudson-Prentice, caught excellently by George Hill toppling backwards in the slips and grabbing on with both hands. (And whoever said he had filled out a few weeks back, Hoppsy?, was right – he’s now quite “unit” like.) Two balls later, Carlson, squeezes Sutherland to second slip. And to make it three wickets in eight balls, Crocombe completes the slip catching practise by edging to third where Bean scoops off the ground. Sussex 150 for nine.
Hundreds for Rew and Abell
News from Hoppsy at Trent Bridge.
James Rew and Tom Abell have untroubled hundreds to their name as Somerset have put behind them a new-ball collapse against Mohammad Abbas, to 21 for three. By the time Abbas returned in mid afternoon (800 first-class wickets now to his name) it was with funky fields and a recognition that further rewards would not come easily in the land of the Kookaburra.
One of Rew’s few blemishes came on 92 when he lay back to cut Patterson-White and the ball flashed between keeper and slip. He looks a player and would be a deserving back-up keeper in England’s Ashes party, but there is little hope of that: presumably they will rely on Ollie Pope. Imagine being Rew. Only 21 with the world at his feet and in Somerset they often remark that his younger brother is better… In all formats… and as a keeper as well. That’s younger brothers for you. Incidentally, Patterson-White has just turned one past Rew’s outside edge at 207-3. A microbial sign of hope on a surface that until then had become as lifeless as the Cardona Salt Mountain. It’s 227-3 at tea.
Tea-time scores
DIVISION ONE
Chester-le-Street: Durham 153 v Surrey
Chelmsford: Essex 210-2 v Warwickshire
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire v Somerset 227-3
New Road: Worcestershire v Hampshire 126-0
Scarborough: Yorkshire v Sussex 149-6
DIVISION TWO
Cheltenham: Gloucestershire v Middlesex 195-3
Canterbury: Kent v Leicestershire 272-5
Old Trafford: Lancashire v Glamorgan 192-3
Northamptonshire: Northants v Derbyshire 237-6
Durham all out 153 – four for Worrall, three for SCurran. A hangover from that pitch? Tea round the grounds, scores to follow.
Fifties for Kiran Carlson and Kane Williamson
Carlson and Ingram have put on 80 for the fourth wicket at OT, where Jimmy has bowled 12 overs at an economy rate of two. Glamorgan 192 for three. While at Cheltenham, Kane Williamson, 61 not out, is proving festival manna, Middlesex 178 for three.
And in other live blog news – wonderful scenes here. Have to pinch myself to believe how far women’s sport has come since I was a little girl. Congratulations prowling Lionesses!
Hundred number five for Rehan Ahmed!
Almost done by a grubber from Parky on 99, Rehan nips the ball off his ankles, strolls a single and collects hundred number five! He grins, waves his bat to the crowd, like he’s just collected the sunday paper, and sinks to his knees to perform a sajdah. What an astonishing season. Surely inked in for Australia.
“The closest thing to the WACA”
Unlike at Cheltenham , there is little chance of county cricket at Scarborough coming under threat. The players love playing here, it means too much to the locals and the pitch is always excellent. They are currently promised ten days of cricket a year – usually two Championship games and a couple of one-day cup games. There’s a cracking interview with the groundsman John Dodds in this piece from The Athletic.
A race to three figures underway between Rishi Patel and Rehan Ahmed – except Rishi is now out and Matt Parkinson on a hattrick after Lewis Hill obliges first ball.
A roar, and I lift my head up just in time to see Milnes jumping for joy and upper cutting the air after Simpson drives bullishly and edges behind. Sussex in trouble at 114 for five.
Just a little plug for these guys who do such amazing work with older people.
Can’t make it to a Club session in person?
Don’t forget we have a range of online sessions available for people to enjoy from the comfort of their own homes.
If you’re interested in joining an online session, get in touch with contact@sportingmemories.uk to find out more. pic.twitter.com/AjFN3vANIP
— Sporting Memories (@SportsMemNet) July 29, 2025
Seems Surrey’s head groundsman and India’s brainstrust have had a little contretemps at The Oval.
Kane Williamson watch
He’s in, dreaming of catching the surf at Piha, but instead taking on Josh Shaw at Cheltenham college. At the other end young de Caires is 42 not out. Middlesex 83 for two.
Three wickets gone at Old Trafford too, not on the Test strip. And it wasn’t Sam Northeast’s day after all. Three wickets to you know who (no, not that one). Glamorgan 127 for three.
A wicket for the Scarborough faithful, Ibrahim unable to reprise the fifty he made against Yorkshire as a 16 year old back in 2021, and nicking to first slip. Three wickets for White. Sussex 105-4.
Can anyone stop Rehan Ahmed? Not Kent it seems. He and Patel both 58 not out as Leicestershire race along to 150-1.
Durham didn’t read the small print about their social responsibilities with Surrey in town. Graham Clark follows the rest shortly after lunch, giving Rory Burns a nice catch at slip. A third wicket for Worrall, Durham 80-5.
A missive from Hoppsy at Trent Bridge:
It has come to my attention that Tanya has had to negotiate scaffolding that has temporarily closed one of the entrances to the media box at Scarborough and is preventing it from falling down. A sad state of affairs for a wonderful ground. There is scaffolding, too, at Trent Bridge but that is a more ambitious project – a £12m pavilion development that will turn the back of the building into a six-storey affair while leaving the Victorian frontage largely untouched. It strikes me that this could be a metaphor for the respective sides’ Championship seasons – Notts, only a point behind Surrey at the top, still have designs on the title whereas Yorkshire are just trying to stop the season collapsing around their ears. The Trent Bridge pitch is sedate and brown but it has settled since the loss of three early wickets and James Rew, in particular, has looked untroubled. Don’t mention it to Somerset but he might even have the look of an opener about him…
Lunchtime salad leaves: Jack White signing an autograph for a young boy, pie and peas for £7.50 and a strong wind blowing towards the Trafalgar Square end.
Good news for Team GB, not so much for Pakistan, New Zealand and the Caribbean islands.
Lunchtime scores
DIVISION ONE
Chester-le-Street: Durham 68-4 v Surrey
Chelmsford: Essex 107-1 v Warwickshire
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire v Somerset 90-3
New Road: Worcestershire v Hampshire start delayed
Scarborough: Yorkshire v Sussex 92-3
DIVISION TWO
Cheltenham: Gloucestershire v Middlesex 41-1
Canterbury: Kent v Leicestershire 120-1
Old Trafford: Lancashire v Glamorgan 91-1
Northamptonshire: Northants v Derbyshire 98-5
Made it! Lovely scenes of wooden benches, halloumi kebabs and players exercising while kids race all over the field.
Chahal looking tricky
The seagulls are calling, I’m heading to the ground now.
Catch of the year?
An effortless scamper, glance and swallow dive. Bravo, James Wharton.
Rehan Ahmed is on the prowl already at Canterbury, five fours in his 26 not out – Leicestershire 85-1. At Wantage Road, George Scrimshaw has pinned Caleb Jewell for 16, Derbyshire 80-1 while Zain ul-Hassan and Asa Tribe settle in at Old Trafford, Glamorgan 72-0. They’ve just started at Cheltenham, where Middlesex are already a Sam Robson down, 15-1.
More woe for Kent
Kent have received an eight-point penalty after the club passed the threshold of four fixed penalties in one season. The fourth was handed out to Daniel Bell-Drummond, who was reported for showing dissent at an umpire’s decision by word or action on 24 July in the game against Glamorgan.
The previous three fixed penalties were for:
-
Matt Parkinson’s conduct during Kent’s game against Glamorgan on 9 May.
-
Kashif Ali’s conduct during Kent’s match against Gloucestershire on 19 May.
-
Tawanda Muyeye’s conduct during Kent’s game against Derbyshire on 26 May.
Arrive at Scarborough railway station, the salt already thick in the air. Around the grounds, Surrey have dismissed Ben McKinney – an early season England talking point, whose season hasn’t caught fire – caught off Worrall, and Emilio Gay caught off Sam Curran. Durham 53-2. Essex have lost Elgar, 68-1, while Sussex a couple, just down the road, 50-2.
A very welcome message from CCLive!’s occasional roving correspondent, David Hopps, who embarrassingly has beaten me to his press box, at Trent Bridge.
The identity of Somerset’s opening batters have been so unpredictable in this season’s Championship that it would have been no surprise to see the Trent Bridge dressing room attendant all padded up for action at five to eleven. They have tried seven different combinations and today, against Notts, have reverted to the strangest of the lot – the captain and allrounder, Lewis Gregory, teaming up with Josh Davey, seam bowler by trade although he did have batting pretensions as a youngster. Dickson, Vaughan, Lammonby, Umeed, Kohler-Cadmore are others to have given it a go. Matt Henry, too, although he was nightwatchman. At least I think he was nightwatchman. It’s hard to tell. Anyway, it hasn’t worked: Gregory and Lammonby have departed to Mohammad Abbas for ducks, leaving Davey to revisit his youth a little longer.
Glamorgan are so far defying Jimmy. This feels like a Sam Northeast double century kind of match. Incidentally, lovely to read the story about the Bread of Heaven Chapel being saved.
No Jamie Overton for Surrey, who has been called up for the Test squad. Imam ul-Haq makes his Yorkshire debut, no Jonny Bairstow, on paternity leave. And Somerset lost a second wicket very soon after the first – Lammonby, also via Abbas, also for a duck.
Rain and a wicket
Delays at New Road, Cheltenham and Canterbury. Play elsewhere, and in a hurry at Trent Bridge where Lewis Gregory lasted two balls against Mohammad Abbas. And an unfamiliar figure in the Notts line-up – Calvin Harris, who has had a season to remember (for Northants).
York is looking very handsome from the train, but the wifi/phone connection is iffy in the extreme, so apologies for the hiccups in posting.
Good news for Cheltenham
Gloucestershire reported that the festival has already done enough to live another day – so congratulations to all involved.
And more good news – Miles Hammond has signed a three year contract to stay at Bristol.
A wise and measured piece by Ali – I was listening on the radio and couldn’t get my head around why everyone was getting so worked up about India staying out there.
A lovely round-up – though brave of Gary to describe Chris Green as “a journeyman”.
Division Two table
1 Leicestershire 179
2 Glamorgan 145
3 Derbyshire 128
4 Lancashire 124
5 Middlesex 123
6 Gloucestershire 116
7. Northants 110
8 Kent 92
Division One table
1 Surrey 154
2 Nottinghamshire 153
3 Somerset 137
4 Warwickshire 136
5 Sussex 125
6 Hampshire 117
7 Essex 112
8 Durham 111
9 Yorkshire 104
10 Worcestershire 78
Fixtures
DIVISION ONE
Chester-le-Street: Durham v Surrey
Chelmsford: Essex v Warwickshire
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire v Somerset
New Road: Worcestershire v Hampshire
Scarborough: Yorkshire v Sussex
DIVISION TWO
Cheltenham: Gloucestershire v Middlesex
Canterbury: Kent v Leicestershire
Old Trafford: Lancashire v Glamorgan
Northamptonshire: Northants v Derbyshire
Preamble
Hello from a train shambling through the late July Pennines – which are just starting to look a bit careworn around the edges. Welcome to this final round of summer cricket – the next time we meet, the days will be drawing in, the coats zipped up.
With four rounds to go, things are hotting up. Surrey, who play Durham, are just one point ahead of Notts, who play Somerset – who are not themselves yet out of contention. Worcestershire look almost certain to go down, but there’s a dog fight for the second relegation spot – if that’s what there will be (more on this later). Yorkshire need a win against Sussex at the seaside.
In Division Two, Leicestershire are within touching distance of promotion, and get a free hit this round (Kent). Glamorgan, visiting Old Trafford, are best placed for the second spot, although the big beasts breathe fast upon their necks.
Play starts at 11am, and though the vagaries of public transport mean I won’t quite be in my seat at Scarborough, please join us!
