August 2008 Archives

Essex 38 for 2 (18 overs). Flower 15, Middlebrook 0.

On hols now until Monday week. Take care now y'all.

Essex 38 for 2 (15 overs). Flower 15, Middlebrook 0.

Rankin has his first wicket for Warwickshire as Chopra flashes at a wide one and Maddy takes a fast-flying ball head high at third slip.

Play will resume at 6pm with, we think, 12 overs to play. The sun is out.

The umpires and players should be warmly congratulated for their insatiable desire to get out there and play cricket whenever possible.

RAIN STOPPED PLAY. Essex 17 for 1 (8.3 overs). Chopra 6, Flower 0.

Woakes has one for one in four overs. He has bowled some excellent away-cutters, just a little too far outside off-stump on occasions but he got one spot on to Gallian who edged and Westwood took a fine, low catch at third slip.

Rankin came on for the ninth over and his third ball was a cracker which lifted past Flower's outside edge. Before he could bowl his fourth ball, however, rain forced the players off.

Essex 5 for 0 (5 overs). Chopra 3, Gallian 2.

Woakes and Anyon sharing the new ball. Woakes two overs, two maidens.

Rankin at mid-off.

Tea. Warwickshire 154 all out. Anyon 2 not out.

Rankin begins his Bears career with a blob after his middle-stump is uprooted by Wright.
Wright 3 for 21. Kaneria 6 for 48.

The last 8 wickets fell for 37 runs in 17 overs.

To take a positive from an afternoon of tatty Bears batting, the match has hurried along and, amazingly, after two days and 75 minutes lost to rain, is very much alive and kicking as a contest.

Warwickshire 152 for 9 (53 overs). Rankin 0, Anyon 0.

The good news is that Carter successfully kept Kaneria at bay. The less good news is that he had a big mow at medium-pacer Wright and dollied a catch to point.

Woakes, on 8, then essayed a sweep at Kaneria and became the spinner's third lbw victim.

Kaneria 6 for 46.

Warwickshire 149 for 7 (51 overs). Woakes 7, Carter 0.

Salisbury falls lbw to Kaneria and is out for seven. Warwickshire are 69 for 6 from 27 overs since lunch.

Kaneria is closing in on John Lever's Essex v Warwickshire record haul of 8 for 49 (at Edgbaston, 1979).

In has come that renowned player of spin: N.M.Carter...

Warwickshire 144 for 6 (48 overs). Woakes 6, Salisbury 3.

Kaneria has four for 15 in 31 balls after Frost, on 10, plays across the line to a well-flighted straight ball and is plum lbw.

An Essex-based member of the media is speculating on how Essex should best judge their declaration tomorrow to give themselves time to bowl the Bears out again!

That might be a bit premature but it has not been too impressive a display from the Bears. Ambrose will be welcome ballast for the middle-order from next week onwards.

Warwickshire 134 for 5 (42 overs). Frost 5, Woakes 4.

Kaneria strikes twice. Troughton, on 1, pushes forward firm-handed and walks before umpire Holder can uphold the appeal for caught behind. Maddy, having stuck it out diligently for 47, then misjudges the line and is ousted lbw.

Woakes, elevated in the order in Botha's absence, is very fortunate, second ball, to edge at catchable height between slip and gully and get four for it.