August 2008 Archives

Surrey 41 for 1 (6 overs). Benning 17, Walters 1.

The batsmen showing plenty of attacking intent. Woakes taken out of the firing line after two expensive overs. Newman drove Martin for handsome successive fours at the start of the seventh over but then tried to slog a good-length ball and skied it to mid-on where Carter took the catch after a slight, comical juggle.

In has come Bears target Walters.

Grey and windy.

Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. It's humid and cloudy but play should start on time.

Bears: Carter, Trott, Maddy, Troughton, Westwood, Ambrose, Botha, Salisbury, Groenewald, Woakes, Martin.

They'll be aiming for a slight improvement upon Friday night's offering!

Surrey won the toss and will bat. Will Ramprakash fill his boots in customary fashion against Warwickshire?

Ah yes well very nice holiday that was in the gorgeous Peak District. Among the highlights - visiting the grave of former Derbyshire all-rounder and renowned umpire Harry Bagshaw.

Bagshaw, who took four for 16 as Warwickshire struggled to 118 all out from 64.4 overs in a rain-ruined draw with Derbyshire at Glossop in 1900, lies in the churchyard at Eyam. He was buried, just a few miles from his native village of Foolow, in his umpire's coat with a cricket ball in hand.

I sometimes wonder whether Mary properly appreciates how lucky she is to be taken to these places.

Seems the Bears were a smidgin below par at Cardiff last Friday...

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.