County cricket: Surrey defeat Somerset, Lancs beat Gloucs and more – as it happened!

Hassan Ali plucked the final wicket, with just 23 balls left, in a
rip-roaring day at Old Trafford Gloucestershire so nearly pulled off a
heist, stoutly defending ball after ball, hour after hour, against
Lancashire’s X-factor attack.

Tom Lace’s magnificent 71 over four-and-a bit hours was the mainstay of
Gloucestershire’s resistance. Dropped twice, and hit in the midrift, he
displayed Michelangeo-esque powers of concentration.

Matt Parkinson, impish, silver chain glinting inside the collar of his
shirt, grabbed the two wickets of the morning, two in two balls, with drift
and turn. With another wicket after lunch, and an lbw for James Anderson,
Gloucestershire seemed done. But Lace found support.

Josh Shaw resisted stoutly, but a four through the slips too many enraged
Hassan, who bounced him twice before plucking out the stumps with a booming inswinger. When Lace himself fell, off bail skimmed by a Saqib Mahmood away swinger, he could barely drag himself off the field. Jared Warner was last man out after a heroic 119-ball 10. Hassan Ali applauded the crowd, nine wicket-happy on his home debut.

Kyle Abbott nabbed three in four balls after tea to end Kent’s resistance
on a docile Canterbury wicket. A second fifty in the game for Jordon Cox
and yet more runs for Ben Compton had frustrated Hampshire.

It went down to the wire at Wantage Road too, where a superb six-hour 96 by Will Young helped Northamptonshire defy Yorkshire.

At The Oval, Ryan Patel continued his pretty start to the season with a
career-best 102 that carried Surrey to a three-wicket victory over
Somerset. Patel’s innings, spruced with plentiful boundaries, was supported by 48 not out from Ben Foakes, who recovered from his head-blow on Jamie Overton’s shoulder on Saturday evening. It was Somerset’s seventh successive Championship defeat.

Dom Sibley and Alex Davies eased Warwickshire to their first win of the
season, a comprehensive pummelling of Essex. Essex added only 33 in the
morning, with both wickets falling to concussion substitute Craig Miles.
Dan Lawrence, who injured his hamstring fielding, will be out of action for
several weeks.

Derbyshire duly defeated Leicestershire by an innings to complete the
quartet of third-round innings defeats in Divison Two. Callum Parkinson was the last man out for a two-and-a-bit hour 49, Louis Kimber played stoutly for 54. It was Derbyshire’s first win of the season, under new head coach Mickey Arthur and with super signing Shan Masood.

Well done Lancs - what a win - what a signing in Hassan Ali - and congratulations to ‘umble Northants for holding off those Yorkies. Another thrilling round done, time just to say thanks to all of you for joining in - three days off and then see you again on Thursday! Good night!

Northants, magnificently, are still six down.

Nine overs left.

WICKET! Saqib does it! After a long pause, Illingworth raises the finger as a bail falls. A stout and fabulous innings by Lace - 201 balls in four and a bit hours - who shuffles off, head bowed, waving his bat half-heartedly.

Lace dropped on 65! At second slip, off Mahmood, who had already started wheeling round in celebration.

I’m going to start writing up while still keeping an eye on OT, where four crouch around the bat to Parky.

Kent slip, slide. Qadri gone, now Gilchrist - two in two balls. Abbot 4-25. Hampshire need just the one wicket now.

Surrey almost there - 56 needed, six wickets left. Of the other three, I’d expect Lancs and Hampshire to wrap things up. While a superb 91 not out by Will Young is puffing life into Northants .

Don’t flick Hassan Ali through the slips!

His retort is two successive bouncers before ripping out Shaw’s stumps with an inswinging work of staggering genius.

Enthusiastic applause and banging of the dressing-room balcony by Gloucestershire, as Tom Lace, dropped on 0, moves to his fifty. And very nicely he has played too.

Saqib Mahmood takes the new ball- and off it goes for four byes.

Round the grounds - Al Davies and Dom Sibley doing it for Warwickshire in steadyish style - 95-0, 12 needed.

And at Canterbury, Compton has been Barkered, for 89 - which ridiculously seems a failure. Robinson followed, but Jordan Cox (56), totting up his second half-century of the match. and Stevens (15) aim for tea.

Here at OT Shaw and Lace are battling double leg spin in Parky and Shaw. While at The Oval, it has been pointed out, Ben Foakes, knocked flat yesterday, is batting.

Shaw throws the bat for six - and why not? At The Oval, Pope has followed Amla, and Surrey are 107-3, the target 130. Patel though, is stil there, on 71.

Scott Read really interesting on Parkinson on the BBC comms, about how he’s improved in the last 18 months, what he’s working on, what he’s worked on with Jeetan Patel and England, other variations up his sleeve. His lack of a googly.

And with that, Anderson shimmies one past Shaw.. Gloucs 129-7

Parky drifts one in, pitches full and... Zafar is bowled! Leg stump pinged back. Parky 3-50.

And a breakthrough at The Oval, where Amla has been caught by Davies on the rebound. Surrey 97-2, 140 needed. Somerset need Coverton inspiration.

Jimmy now bowling with a full on flashy field, four close on the off side: a short cover, short point, short extra cover and short mid-off, close enough to pinch each other’s pockets, and that’s the wicket! Third over after lunch, Hammond gone lbw for very good fifty. Gloucs 122-6.

It’s Anderson. Hammond flashes impatiently at his second ball. Be calm.

This was sublime.

Lancashire form a circle on the outfield, hands in pockets, as out come Hammond and Lace. Day four, part 2.

In Manchester, Parkinson; in Surrey, Leach, a maiden. Surrey 77-1.

And in the remaining Division Two game, Derby are just two wickets from victory. Suranga Lakmal has picked up a couple of wickets. Parky C doing his bit, 22 not out. Leicestershire 201-8.

Very much enjoying Parky’s despairing, beseeching, reaction when an lbw apppeal is turned down. Next ball driven for four.

Canterbury: Still no wickets lost this morning, Compton just 32 away from yet another century. Kent 135-3

Old Trafford: big-spinning, wicket-man Parky does the business. Gloucs 101-5.

Wantage Road: Slowly, slowly, Yorkshire press in. Saif Zaib has joined Vasconcelos and Gay back in the pavilion. Fifty for Will Young, Rob Keogh his companion. Northants 110-3

The Oval: Patel continuing with the fluent form he started the season with, 41 off 44 balls with eight fours. Amla eight not out. Surrey 67-1, need another 170.

Edgbaston: Warwickshire easing through the gears, 19-0 need another 88 to win.

As a slip, leg slip and forward short leg bend and wait for Parky, let’s skip round the grounds...

Surrey hit a bump in their run-chase, Burns gone for 17, in Jack Brooks’ fist over. Surrey 49-1, another 188 to win.

Whatever Ben Compton, is having for breakfast, I’d like some please. Yet another fifty and Kent bat through the first hour and twenty of the morning untroubled. He’s outscoring his more talented and gloriously exuberant opening partner Crawley by some distance this season. Kent 119-3.

Oh I think that’s a drop. Lace on 0 by Vilas at mid-off. Vilas rubs his eyes as if he’s got something in his contact lenses. And yes at the end of the over comes to shake Parky’s hand in apologies.

No hat-trick, but not a bad haul in Parky’s third over of the day. Gloucestershire, who had lasted an hour, 86-5.

Higgins! Next ball! Whoop-de-loop! Clipped his off stump. Hat-trick ball...

Parky makes the breakthrough! Beautifully snaffled by Wells at first slip as Van Buuren is beaten by the drift. Gloucs 86-4.

Oh dear Northants, two down, and Yorkshire start to slice. Vasconcelos and Gay, both to Haris Rauf, in consecutive overs. Northants 75-2.

In case you missed this beauty yesterday:

Hammond and Van Buuren making it look sleepy-easy against Jimmy and Hassan. Gloucestershire 78-3. The wind whistles still.

And away we go!

Last night’s report on Ben Foakes from Surrey bowling coach Azhar Mahmood : “Ben (Foakes) is hopefully ok. He took a blow to the neck and shoulder and has a small cut near his ear. He’s under observation in the dressing room from our physios and he’ll have a concussion test. But we hope he’ll be feeling ok tomorrow and can get back into the game.” Will keep you posted.