County cricket opening day: Cox stars for Essex v Surrey, Yorkshire skittled and more – as it happened
The first day of the cricket season in early April isn’t supposed to feel like this.T-shirts, ice-creams, arm-crispingly warm.At Chelmsford, where nearly 2,500 came through the turnstiles, feet in the queue before half past nine, the champions were in town.But Surrey, seeking their fourth title on the bounce, didn’t have things their way against Essex.They lost the toss on a flat pitch, and first Paul Walter, then Jordan Cox, batted with a bounce and a song.
Cox, who was due to make his Test debut in the winter at Christchurch only to be thwarted by a broken thumb, played with bellicose beauty.He drove Dan Lawrence into the boundary boards with a thud to reach his century, watched with purring admiration by Graham Gooch.When he was finally out for 117, including 21 fours, Chelmsford rose.As they did for Walter, the stand-in opener while Dean Elgar is on paternity leave, who fell five short of a hundred – a first Surrey wicket for Matt Fisher.The home side ended the day on 356 for four.
Things weren’t going so well for England’s Zak Crawley, who lost his stumps in spectacular style to the Northamptonshire new boy Liam Guthrie, out for one.Tawanda Muyeye’s 72 then helped Kent to a respectable 231, before Northants were fleeced to 118 for seven.At the Rose Bowl, Jonny Bairstow’s first day as Yorkshire captain didn’t unfold entirely as planned as they were skittled for 121 by Hampshire.Shadow in the corner Liam Dawson snaffled three for eight, and there was a first wicket for Sonny Baker, who had Bairstow caught flaming to third man, bothered by an insect.In reply Hampshire were 165 for five at the close of play.
It was shaping up to be Ethan Bamber’s day at Edgbaston when Warwickshire’s winter signing from Middlesex burst out of the traps with three new ball strikes.But bar a wicket on debut for the 18-year-old leg-spinner Tazeem Ali, things took a downward turn for the hosts thereafter as a succulent career-best 140 from Tom Clark, and a pugnacious 116 not out from the captain, John Simpson, bent the script the way of Sussex, who finished on 386 for five.A statement day for the Division One newcomers; a slightly concerning one for the more established hosts without the injured Oliver Hannon-Dalby and Chris Rushworth.Colin Ackermann had some birthday luck on his way to the first century of the year, bowled for 80 only for the bails to settle back in their groove.Durham ploughed on towards 400 despite four wickets for Nottinghamshire’s Australian Fergus O’Neill.
At Taunton, Kasey Aldridge’s five wickets ruined a good Worcestershire start as they lost nine for 52 and were all out for 154.Half centuries from the Toms Abell and Banton then rescued Somerset from a precarious 39 for three to finish on 187 for four.The big name Division Two game at Lord’s swung merrily; Sam Robson and Max Holden easing Middlesex to 127 for one before the Lancashire debutant Ollie Sutton (two for 57) and Tom Aspinwall (four for 32) took charge.Leicestershire bowled out Glamorgan for 229, the on loan Shoaib Bashir bowled by Rehan Ahmed for 20 while Derbyshire’s Luis Reece grabbed six for 52 against Gloucestershire before Caleb Jewell’s 61 from 48 balls showed why he was in Mickey Arthur’s little black book.And so ends day one – just another 59 days to go! Thanks so much for all your contributions, and see you tomorrow.
A cracking read from Ali at Edgbaston:DIVISION ONEChelmsford: Essex 356-4 v SurreySouthampton: Hampshire 164-5 v Yorkshire 121Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire v Durham 370-9Taunton: Somerset 187-4 v Worcestershire 154Edgbaston: Warwickshire v Sussex 386-5DIVISION TWOThe County Ground: Derbyshire 127-2 v Gloucestershire 222Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 229 v Leicestershire 65-1Lord’s: Middlesex 260 v Lancashire 68-0Wantage Road: Northamptonshire 118-7 v Kent 231I see Caleb Jewell has been showing Gloucestershire just why he was in Mickey Arthur’s little black book: 61 off 48 balls at the top of the order.Michael Jones and Keaton Jennings (with new moustache) have seen off Toby Roland-Jones at Middlesex, Lancs 46-0 on an honours-even kind of day.To anyone at Lord’s, or giving it their full attention on the stream, did Middlesex throw it away or great Lanky bowling?Thanks for keeping the flame alight for the last hour and a half.Essex are still on top here at Chelmsford, Kemar Roach snaffling Jordan Cox, but not before he’d made a scintillating 117.Time for me to write up for early Friday first edition – with Tom Clark and John Simpson licking their lips at the Warwickshire bowling, Ackermann and Graham Clark at ease for Durham; Hampshire just forty runs in arrears of Yorkshire, with only Stoneman back in the pavilion, and Jordan Cox looking good for three figures at Chelmsford.
Do carry on chatting below the line.DIVISION ONEChelmsford: Essex 231-3 v SurreySouthampton: Hampshire 76-1 v Yorkshire 121Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire v Durham 243-5Taunton: Somerset 53-3 v Worcestershire 154Edgbaston: Warwickshire v Sussex 232-4DIVISION TWOThe County Ground: Derbyshire v Gloucestershire 198-6Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 181-8 v LeicestershireLord’s: Middlesex 245-8 v LancashireWantage Road: Northamptonshire v Kent 231Colin Ackermann, bowled on 80 without losing his bails, gets the 2025 badge of honour, and on his 34th birthday as well.Durham 243-5 against Nottinghamshire.Tea approaches.The first hundred of the season won’t belong to Paul Walter, who is caught brilliantly by Ben Foakes – a first Surrey wicket for Matt Fisher.
Surrey rejoice, Walter drops his head and trudges away to a standing ovation,In Division Two: Lancashire left-armer Ollie Sutton has his first and second first-class wickets, a mini collapse by the Middlesex middle-order from 215-3 to 237-6,Dudgeon (25) and Singh have taken Kent past 200 at Wantage Road; Glamorgan’s batting also a little rusty, 180-8 and Graeme van Buuren holding Gloucestershire together against Derbyshire,, 192-6,A half century for Cox, who reaches it with a sweet drive at Fisher, who in turn furiously throws his hands down in exasperation.
And a ball later, grabs his hat and stalks back into the field.Walter (92) and Ackermann (95) do battle for first century of the season.Hampshire are nearly half way to Yorkshire’s score, with all ten wickets in hand.Archie Vaughan has been out at Taunton – I wonder* how fragile Somerset’s batting is going to prove this year – 33-1, 121 behind Worcestershire.Jordan Cox threads two fours off one Jordan Clark over with some panache.
Chelmsford applauds with hard, early season hands.Essex 195-2.Tawanda Muyeye (72) the top scorer for Kent, who are also struggling towards 200.A third wicket for Raphy Weatherall in the Hollioake v Lehman face-off.And a happy 90th birthday to Geoff Smith, the oldest-living Essex player who popped into the press box.
Tom Clark and James Coles put on 121 for the fourth wicket at Edgbaston, but Coles has just been caught off Tazeem Ali for 51.Sussex, promoted with a twinkle at the end of last season, holding their own, 172-4.Here in the Essex sunshine, Walter top-edges Fisher for four.Jordan Clark, who looks more and more like a brick-carrying body-builder with each passing year, prowls at mid-on.Essex 164-2.
And Worcestershire join Yorkshire in being bowled out in less than two sessions: 154 all out; Aldridge 5-36, Overton 3-24.At Southampton, Mark Stoneman, adding a Hampshire crest to his Middlesex and Surrey shirts, and Fletcha Middleton, have taken Hampshire to 17-0.At Taunton, Craig Overton has added a couple of wickets to his couple of catches.Make that three , Worcestershire 153-9.Here, at Chelmsford, Surrey persuade the umpires to change the ball.
Middlesex are doing justice to the Guardian’s tip for promotion: 173-2 in the sunshine at Lord’s.Max Holden (65 not out).Lancashire toiling away.And Dawson (3-8) picks up the final wicket – Yorkshire all out 121.A big afternoon for Jack White, who joined Yorks from Northants in the off season.
Surrey’s post-lunch containment strategy works at Chelmsford – Kemar Roach picking up Tom Westley for 40.Enter Jordan Cox.And Yorkshire’s brave new world lasted just over a session: now 119-9 at Southampton.Malan the highest scorer, run out for 31.Three for Abbot, two for Dawson.
Make that five, as D’Oliveira loses his stumps.Worcs 133-6.A fourth wicket for Kasey Aldridge at Taunton, Roderick gobbled up by Coverton slip – his second.Worcestershire 130-5.GONE!! Kasey Aldridge again!!! He's got four now and it's the big wicket of Roderick!! Worcestershire 111/5LIVE STREAM ➡️ https://t.
co/aRtGCP76ez#SOMvWOR#WeAreSomerset pic.twitter.com/YErZroIBeXThere doesn’t seem to be anything much wrong with Dan Worrall, who was wandering around the field at lunchtime in his singlet.Actually quite blissful scenes in central Chelmsford: cricket fans, topped up from M and S, picnicking in Central Park in the sun.Birds tweeting.
Ice cream van doing a roaring trade.DIVISION ONEChelmsford: Essex 114-1 v SurreySouthampton: Hampshire v Yorkshire 106-5Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire v Durham 118-3Taunton: Somerset v Worcestershire 110-4Edgbaston: Warwickshire v Sussex 88-3DIVISION TWOThe County Ground: Derbyshire v Gloucestershire 84-4Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 90-3 v LeicestershireLord’s: Middlesex 130-2 v LancashireWantage Road: Northamptonshire v Kent 128-3Tom Westley is all wristy gloriousness, 32 not out off 35 balls.And that is lunch.Off the players stroll in shirt sleeves, short shadows leading the way.Lunch scores to follow.
Lees now out, for 52, a wicket for Farhan Ahmed.Apparently he became an offspinner because his dad said that he and Rehan couldn’t play in the same team if they were both legspinners! Robson 64 not out at Lord’s; Roderick 56 not out at Taunton.As the Essex batters have a mid-pitch chat, Walter dwarfing the six foot 2 Tom Westley, I wonder how different life would be if I was six foot seven.Surrey are without Dan Worrall ,who may or may not be injured – Surrey are keeping their cards close to their chest.Talking of Sonny Baker, here is a lovely interview Taha did with him earlier this month.
Tim Maitland writes: ”When he accepted the Yorkshire captaincy, do you think Young Jonny Bairstow envisaged that he’d be batting in bright sunshine with barely an hour gone on the opening day? ”If he genuinely wants his England place back, I think he should have opened as a pinch hitter when he won the toss and swung for the fences,Regardless of whether it succeeded, only that kind of front-foot thinking would get the attention of the McCullum/Stokes axis of Bazball,”…which alerts me to the fact that Jonny is batting, or in fact NOT batting, caught off Sonny Baker for 10,Yorks 75-4,With the characteristic whirly-gigs, a leaden-footed Allison lbw for 25.
Essex 78-1.The Guardian’s Luke McLaughlin is in north London: “Good morning from Lord’s.Middx 81-1 - Lancs surely starting to wonder if batting would have been the correct option.Stunning weather!”But for Jimmy’s dodgy calf …Tall Paul makes the first fifty of the summer, and rather gorgeous it is too.Essex 71-0 in the sun.
Twenty year old Charlie Allison, on debut, is taking his time at the other end, 19 not out.Older brother Ben (25) is playing for Worcestershire today after moving to New Road on a loan last year.Lizzy Ammon of the Times comes back from collecting coffee and reports angry Essex fans still queueing at the gate to get in because of problems with the QR code entry system.And Walter, an Eiffel Tower of a man, eases the ball to the rope to move onto 39.Walter, incidentally, is only opening because Elgar is on paternity leave after the birth of his twins.
Matt Fisher is to get his first bowl in a Surrey jumper.Burns, in huge sunhat and shades, gives him a pep talk.It is left by Allison, first hurdle safely navigated.Ethan “La” Bamber is making quite the first impression here at Edgbaston, marking his Championship debut for Warwickshire by slipping into a nice smooth early groove and nipping out three early wickets.Both openers fell lbw, with Tom Alsop then edging to second slip first ball when a delivery from around the wicket left him a touch.
Sussex are 40 for three in the ninth over and must feel like they’ve been thrown to Los Lobos.In Division Two: Derbyshire’s Luis Reece has dismissed Gloucestershire’s Chris Dent, Glos 32-1; Ul Hassan is still the only wicket against Leicestershire, Glamorgan 26-1; Tom Bailey has Lancashire’s first wicket at Lord’s, Middx 31-1; and Bell Drummond has joined Crawley back in the pavilion at Wantage Road, a second for Guthrie, Kent 37-2.Wonder what Adam Hollioake is thinking.With half an hour gone, let’s skip around the grounds: Division OneEssex, 28-0, are holding their own against Surrey.Yorkshire, 25-1, have lost Lyth to Abbott – who operates without Abbas this year.
Nottinghamshire’s Fergus O’Neill has tucked into Durham, 24-2.Roderick and Libby are racing along against Somerset, Worcs 49-0,; while Sussex, 40-1, have lost Haines for 17 at Edgbaston.Worcestershire’s players are wearing black armbands in memory of John Curtis, known as JC, a devoted Worcestershire fan and writer.John joined the club as a junior pear, then operated the scoreboard at the Diglis end before becoming a journalist covering the club for decades, including during the famous Brian Lara 501 match.Worcestershire CEO Ashley Giles said: “John was the heartbeat of the press box and a treasured part of the Worcestershire family
UK politics: Starmer warns Trump’s US tariffs not just ‘short-term tactical exercise’ – as it happened
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After Doge come Doze and Dope | Brief letters
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