Summary

  • Penultimate round of 2026 County Championship, with nine games

  • D1: Essex v Warks, Leics v Hants, Surrey v Glamorgan, Sussex v Notts, Yorks v Somerset

  • Leaders Somerset 4 pts ahead of Notts, 5 pts clear of Warks

  • D2: Durham v Worcs, Glos v Middx, Kent v Lancs, Northants v Derbys

  • Northants 2 pts head of Kent in race to follow Durham to promotion

  • Use the audio icons in the 'watch & listen' tab for live BBC Radio commentaries

Send us your county cricket views

  1. Postpublished at 13:08 BST

    Yorkshire 80-4 v Somerset

    Yorkshire looking busy here. Craig Overton will bowl the second over of the session.

    Jonny Bairstow is back to the ball, pushing into the short third for a single.

    James Wharton drives and the ball is stopped at point.

  2. Postpublished at 13:04 BST

    Yorkshire 79-4 v Somerset

    A single to James Wharton first ball as Jonny Bairstow calls a tight but manageable single.

    Bairstow is on his toes, pushing into the off side. No run this time.

    Good line from Gregory, fractionally outside off. The fourth ball is driven straight, the ball deflects off the stumps at the other end and one more single is taken.

  3. Restart delayed at Hovepublished at 13:04 BST

    Sussex v Notts 69-3

    We were due to restart at 13:04 BST at Hove... but that won't be happening.

    The rain is still coming down and the covers are still on. It looks rather gloomy on the south coast.

    We will keep you updated if and when the grim weather gives way.

  4. Play resumes at Headingleypublished at 13:03 BST

    Yorkshire 77-4 v Somerset

    We took an early lunch here after rain near the end of the morning session in which Somerset fought back to take wickets from 30-0.

    One of those wickets was given away via a run out of Matt Revis, called through for an ambitious single by James Wharton.

    Now James Wharton faces Lewis Gregory on nine not out.

    His captain Jonny Bairstow starts the session at the no-striker's end, also on nine.

  5. Lunch scores round-uppublished at 13:02 BST

    Division One

    Essex 86-7 v Warwickshire

    Leicestershire v Hampshire 109-5

    Surrey v Glamorgan 93-4

    Sussex v Nottinghamshire 69-3

    Yorkshire 77-4 v Somerset

    Division Two

    Durham 117-3 v Worcestershire

    Gloucestershire v Middlesex 91-3

    Kent v Lancashire 73-0

    Northamptonshire v Derbyshire 104-4

  6. Lunch at Northamptonpublished at 13:02 BST

    Northants v Derbyshire 104-4

    The evergreen Wayne Madsen, going strong at the age of 42, alongside Luis Reece have seen Derbyshire through the lunch nicely.

    Before the duo's partnership they had been in a spot of bother at 51-4 but things are looking slightly more positive now.

    For Northants, the wickets have dried up after a fast start in which Ben Sanderson and Liam Guthrie benefitted in the opening hour but they will have a rest and come again this afternoon.

  7. 100 runs

    100 up for Derbyshirepublished at 12:57 BST

    Northants v Derbyshire 100-4

    A strange over with five runs scored from the first ball (yes, five) and a four from the last.

    Wayne Madsen (39*) and Luis Reece (20*) have added 50 together too and it's important for Derbyshire they stay together.

  8. 'The hungry Bears will be enjoying their lunch'published at 12:52 BST

    Essex 86-7 v Warwickshire

    Mike Taylor
    BBC WM commentator

    The extraordinary purple patch being enjoyed by Warwickshire’s bowlers continued here this morning, at least for the first 90 minutes, shattering the Essex top order in much the same way they did Hampshire and Glamorgan in the last two rounds.

    The average innings score against Warwickshire in those two games was 101, and until a late counter-attack from George Bell it looked certain that Essex would fall short of even that.

    Only Kyle Abbott now has more wickets in division one this season than Ethan Bamber, who added three more here after Essex chose to bat. Perhaps the hope was that if they could weather a difficult first hour or so, they could prosper in easier conditions this afternoon, but Warwickshire’s four seamers found encouragement all morning through the air and off the pitch.

    Even a proven specialist like Dean Elgar could not resist. He spent a dogged hour batting as if standing on a turntable, often with his feet moving one way and his bat the other, before Ollie Hannon-Dalby had him taken in the slips.

    Essex seemed ready to be scuttled on the spot after the fifth, sixth and seventh wickets fell in an excruciating half-hour with the score jammed on 33, Hannon-Dalby darting the ball at ever more improbable angles.

    Bell decided on a more direct approach, fighting his way out of the jam with seven boundaries in the final 30 minutes, warmly encouraged by a good crowd. Still, with two points banked already and the sun out, the hungry Bears will be enjoying their lunch.

  9. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 12:48 BST

    Use the yellow button on the left to get in touch

    My beloved cousin is both a West Ham fan and an Essex fan. Season tickets at both. I blame her for this shocking display. Relegation (itis) must be contagious.

    Jeremy, Somerset

    Jeremy of Somerset - I’m a West Ham and Somerset fan - I have the antidote to relegationitis!

    Roger, Somerset

  10. Thomas provides 'champagne moment'published at 12:45 BST

    Yorkshire 77-4 v Somerset - lunch

    Anthony Gibson
    BBC Radio Somerset

    Somerset’s bowlers and fielders have had a good session after Lewis Gregory called incorrectly for the sixth successive time in away Championship games and Jonny Bairstow elected to bat on what looks a good, hard surface.

    Gregory himself picked up both openers, caught in the slips, before Jake Ball forced Sam Whiteman to play on.

    But the champagne moment of the morning came when, in one movement, Josh Thomas picked up and threw down the stumps to run out Matthew Revis by the narrowest of margins.

    A short, sharp shower dictated an early lunch, which Somerset’s cricketers will enjoy more than Yorkshire’s.

  11. Lunch at Bristolpublished at 12:40 BST

    Gloucestershire v Middlesex 91-3

    Bottom of the table they may be, but improved Gloucestershire are looking to make it three successive wins in this match.

    They got rid of Middlesex openers Luke Hollman and Sam Robson with the new ball, but the visitors recovered as Max Holden and Ben Geddes added 66 in tandem for the third wicket.

    Holden eventually edged Sai Kishore to slip and the Indian spinner has 1-18 from weight tight overs so far.

    Geddes is still there at the interval, on 23 not out.

  12. Postpublished at 12:40 BST

    Northants v Derbyshire 88-4

    A delayed start in Northampton thanks to a gloomy morning means this one is still going while the rest of the fixtures are at lunch.

    Wayne Madsen (33) and Luis Reece (10) are at the crease helping Derbyshire rebuild after the fell to 51-4.

    Ben Sanderson grabbed a wicket in the first over this morning and Liam Guthrie has claimed 3-19 from his six overs.

  13. Lunch at Chester-le-Streetpublished at 12:38 BST

    Durham 117-3 v Worcestershire

    Ben StokesImage source, Getty Images

    Ben Stokes hits three fours off Tom Taylor - two straight drives and a square cut - as Durham end the morning in positive vein at the Riverside.

    Alex Lees, playing his 100th first-class game for the Division Two champions, put on 56 for the first wicket with Ben McKinney before being caught at slip off Ben Gibbon for 40.

    Gibbon also picked up the wickets of Will Rhodes and Matthew Waite bowled Ben McKinney, but Stokes and Maynak Agarwal have since added 43 for the fifth wicket.

    Stokes is 22 not out at lunch, with his Indian partner on 24.

  14. Lunch at Chelmsfordpublished at 12:36 BST

    Essex 86-7 v Warwickshire

    A 50-partnership between George Bell and Zaman Akhter has given Essex's score a little more respectability at the lunch interval.

    The hosts were really wobbling on 33-7 in the 19th over with Warwickshire well on top and at that point it looked like Essex would be bowled out in the morning session.

    Despite the fightback, Warwickshire would have taken this at the start of play, they have taken seven wickets with their opponents still under 100 runs and will come out with a plan to snaffle the final three wickets after lunch.

  15. Lunch at the Ovalpublished at 12:33 BST

    Surrey v Glamorgan 93-4

    Another tough morning with the bat for Glamorgan after being put in by Surrey at the start of a game between two sides needing points to secure their Division One places for next season.

    Having been bowled out for 69 and 65 by Warwickshire last week, the Welsh county lost Zain ul-Hassan in only the fifth over of play.

    Jack Hope-Bell (33) and Asa Tribe (31) steadied things for a while befopre both fell during an impressive five-over spell of 3-27 by Auqib Nabi.

    Ben Kellaway drives Dan Worrall to the mid-off boundary to end a session which also saw the fox pay a prolonged visit to the Oval outfield before being chased off by groundstaff.

  16. Lunch at Grace Roadpublished at 12:32 BST

    Leicestershire v Hampshire 109-5

    Ben Brown batting for HampshireImage source, Shutterstock

    One more before the break. Ajaz Patel will bowl his left arm spin to Ben Mayes, who defends.

    An arm ball is cut late to backward point. No run.

    The last ball is tossed up and pushed defensively. Lunch.

    Leicestershire had the better of that session, where three Hampshire batters fell without scoring.

    A precious stand of 67 from the sixth wicket from the wreckage of 52-5 this morning.

    Ben Brown is on 35 and Mayes has 34.

    Leicestershire skipper Ian Holland was irresistible with 4-19 off eight overs of well-directed swing bowling.

  17. Lunch at St Lawrence Groundpublished at 12:32 BST

    Kent v Lancashire 73-0

    A solid morning session for Lancashire after they were put into bat by promotion-chasing Kent.

    No wickets in the first 28 overs and the visitors are 73 without loss - Michael Jones 40 not out and Keaton Jennings unbeaten on 26.

    Was it a good toss to lose for Lancashire? This is not what Kent skipper Daniel Bell-Drummond and his side would have hoped for when they won the coin flip.

  18. 50 runs

    50 partnership for Bell & Akhterpublished at 12:30 BST

    Essex 85-7 v Warwickshire

    George BellImage source, Shutterstock

    George Bell is doing a great job for Essex here.

    His 40 from 49 balls is comfortably the best batting performance from his side and he is counter-attacking very well.

    Essex lost three wickets without scoring leaving them on 33-7 earlier but Bell and Akhter have put on 50 together since then to add some much needed runs to their total.

    It's still a low score of course but without their input it would have been infinitely worse.

  19. Postpublished at 12:25 BST

    Leicestershire v Hampshire 108-5

    Four runs to Ben Mayes, clipping a leg side ball from Nathan Gilchrist in front of square.

    He gets a single off the next ball to move on to 33.

  20. Lunch at Hovepublished at 12:25 BST

    Sussex v Notts 69-3

    Umpires Mike Burns and David Millns come together... and it's not good news. The players are heading off for an early lunch.

    It's very gloomy at Hove and the rain has just started. The covers are coming on.

    The lunch break comes at a good time for Nottinghamshire in truth. After a solid start, the defending champions have been reduced from 47-0 to 69-3.

    Sussex have bowled very well with a wicket apiece for Jaydev Unadkat, Sean Hunt and Tom Price to dismiss Notts' top three batters.