At Hove, James Coles is seven short of his double century, but has only Jaydev Unadkat for company…

All shrivelling to a close at CLS. “It’s cold and grey here now. Derbys already three down - all to Potts.” Derbys 44-3 following on.

Here Chris Benjamin has decided that cloud cover and cold wind equals attack, three fours and a six to the good. Ouch, and to make Lancashire’s day worse, Keaton Jennings has been hit fielding in the gully, the ball bouncing off the grass into his face as he dives to stop it. He crouches on the ground for a few minutes and is walked off the field by the physios.

News you may have missed. Tom Norton, Charlie Harmison and Harry Wallace are the three uncapped players called up for England’s U19 squad for the three match ODI series against South Africa U19s, starting June 30.

Six of the players who were a part of Englands U19 World Cup squad make the cut -Ralphie Albert, Ben Dawkins, Will Bennison, Ali Farooq, Alex French and James Minto - while Rocky Flintoff and Jack Nelson return after injury.

England Men U19s squad:

Ralphie Albert (Surrey)

Will Bennison (Yorkshire)

Ben Dawkins (Kent)

Ali Farooq (Leicestershire)

Rocky Flintoff (Lancashire)

Alex French (Surrey)

Charlie Harmison (Durham)

Byron Hatton-Lowe (Nottinghamshire)

James Minto (Durham)

Tom Norton (Glamorgan)

Jack Nelson (Middlesex)

Harry Wallace (Glamorgan)

And another one down here at Stanley Park, the one Lancs wanted, Harry Finch, for an excellent 83 . Off he trudges, bat under armpit, to cold-handed applause. A second catch for Moores, a first wicket for Bailey and three wickets down since tea. Kent 178-5, lead by 269.

Livi with the breakthrough! Ekash Singh bowled by a zooter between leg and bat for 14. Kent 168 for four, lead by 259. Overcast now and really quite cold, hunched shoulders all round the bleachers.

Champs Notts are finding life tricky at Trent Bridge, 187-8, trail Somerset by 123. Jack Haynes is hanging on in there on 53. Four wickets for Gregory, three for Leach.

While 19 year old Ekash Singh cracks a second six here at Stanley Park, and 17 year old Joe Moores crouches nimbly behind the stumps, 18 year old Tom Norton has taken two wickets in two overs at Hove, where Sussex are 432-9, a lead of 277.

Joe Moores has done nothing wrong behind the stumps and just after tea takes a smart catch legside to send Bell-Drummond on his way for 34. Ekash Singh, who made 95 against South Africa A, marches in and, second scoring shot, pans Livingstone for six.

Division One

Grace Road: Leicestershire 104-6 v Essex 401

Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire 171-6 v Somerset 310

Hove: Sussex 407-7 v Glamorgan 155

Scarborough: Yorkshire 469 v Warwickshire 123-4

Division Two

Chester-le-Street: Durham 377 v Derbyshire 118

Blackpool: Lancashire 87 v Kent 178 and 143-2

Northampton: Northamptonshire 465 v Gloucestershire 118-4

New Road: Worcestershire 151-5 v Middlesex 339

Thirty nine overs left today, which is ten more than Derbyshire managed the first time around. Five wickets for Aldridge, three for Raine. Only Caleb Jewell made it into the twenties.

I ache to say it because they were so fabulous last year, but Leicestershire already look Division Two bound. Rehan Ahmed hasn’t been able to repeat his annus mirabilis of 2025, and the bowling lacks a bit of spite. They’re now 101-6 against Essex, trail by 300 with a follow-on imminent.

Finch is getting frisky, thwacks Livingstone into the hospitality tents for six.

Warwickshire are in more than a spot of trouble at Scarborough, four down and 377 behind. Three wickets for Jack White. Rob Yates still there on 43.

And with a boundary, off Jimmy Anderson too. Very well played.

Liam Livingstone hasn’t found his golden touch of yesterday – wheels through three wicketless overs. Anderson hasn’t had any luck from the south end either. DBD and Finch have now put on 54 and the lead is exactly 200.

A first hundred of the season for James Coles, who made all those headlines in the Hundred auction pre season. Gets it straight down the ground for a handsome four. Sussex 343-6.

Off the pitch, Crocombe has been hauled off to ECB HQ to be fitted up with his tracksuit, to be replaced in the Sussex dressing room by Dom Goodman.

Scott Read has an orange and white striped paper bag of Cream Rock which he kindly offers round. A kind of liquorice fondant.

Stat of the day, Dawkins and DBD’s partnership of 87 in the first innings, was the same as Lancashire’s entire innings.

Interesting news from the ECB. Young uncapped Sussex seamer Henry Crocombe has been called into the Test squad as cover for Ollie Robinson. Robinson “experienced knee soreness after a training session yesterday and is set to undergo a precautionary scan today.”

At Grace Road, in the very first match of the season, there was a floating seam bowling scout watching Crocombe and Robinson. He must have liked what he saw. Crocombe has 21 wickets at 28 this season. Unlucky Sam Cook is still out injured.

ends

Durham coach Ryan Campbell just been on their TV commentary - says there’s no decision from Durham angle on whether Stokes will play this week - that has to be up to Ben and the ECB. But he still needs to bowl, he needs to hit balls - “and I’ll definitely find him a spot.”

Big love to Paul Edwards who has just come back from the Froth me Silly van with coffee and chocolate muffins. The feel-good vibe seeps onto the pitch where Balderson has Northeast caught, driving, Singh again the catcher at second slip, for 23. Kent 55-2.

Calm has broken out at Stanley park. In the meantime, some pics of Stokes here – rumour is he will be playing for Durham next week.

A flurry of post-lunch wickets:

Gloucestershire have lost Joe Phillips, edging into the gloves of Ricardo Vasconcelos, behind the stumps for this match. Glos 28-1.

Up at CLS, Matthew Potts has bowled Luis Reece for 9, followed shortly afterwards by Montgomery, bowled Raine 5. Derbys 16-3.

Nottinghamshire’s Freddie McCann is caught by James Rew for 33 off Jack Leach, brining to an end a nice little partnership of 60. Notts 75-3.

Rehan Ahmed, fresh from four-wicket success, has been lbw to Shane Snater for 5. Leics 18-2.

And Glamorgan have winkled out John Simpson at Hove, bowled by ul Hassan for 34. But at 289-5, the lead is already 134.

I love this ground. The amphitheatre seating, the floating seagulls, the view of the tower, the peeling wall boundary, the ads for Berry’s Beds and Terry’s Cut Price Carpets. The suspirating trees.

Jimmy leads Lancashire down the pavilion steps and onto the pitch, whirring his arms with intent. The crowd have recovered their equilibrium enough to applaud Lancashire back out. Barm and crisps for four quid in the club house if anyone is hungry.

Division One

Grace Road: Leicestershire 6-1 v Essex 401

Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire 50-2 v Somerset 310

Hove: Sussex 259-4 v Glamorgan 155

Scarborough: Yorkshire 469 v Warwickshire 27-1

Division Two

Chester-le-Street: Durham 377 v Derbyshire 6-1

Blackpool: Lancashire 87 v Kent 178 and 12-1

Northampton: Northamptonshire465 v Gloucestershire 15-0

New Road: Worcestershire 18-2 v Middlesex 339

And Kent survive the last over before lunch, on a morning where nine wickets have fallen. Kent 12-1, Lancs in a pickle. Time for my thai green curry, scores to follow.

Harry Finch has decided that attack is survival, biffs four to square leg. Northeast just keeps out an Anderson yorker.

Ben Stokes watch (with thanks): “Stokes has walked back across the ground from the nets to the dressing room and received some applause from locals.”

In other brief news, Chris Green fans will already know this, but he has broken his thumb.

Sam Northeast gets to the other end as soon as he can. Finch flutters an outside edge for four. Just the one wicket for Jimmy, who pulls on his cap and walks away. Kent 5-1.

And immediately Ben Dawkins is caught by Harry Singh at second slip. Kent 0-1.

A fed up Jimmy now has the ball at the north end. This could be brutal.

“It can’t only be me who’s noticed that Will Young is replacing the man how decided to Leave Right Now, can it?” Very good, Shaun Clapperton.

Ah, and that’s that for Lancs, Jimmy Anderson bowled by Dudgeon who clutches 6-21 to his chest as he leads Kent off the field. Lancs all out for 87, 91 behind on first innings. On comes the heavy roller and the brush. There will just be time for a few overs before the late lunch at 1.10pm.

A fifth wicket for Keith Dudgeon (5-19), as Balderson clonks him to square leg, out for four. Lancs 85-9. Applause breaks out for No. 11, James Anderson.

In the other division two games, Durham, batting all the way down, and thanks to an unbeaten 55 from Ben Raine, 22 from Callum Parkinson, have reached 369-8.

Northants have just been dismissed for 465 by Gloucs, fifties from Sales and Guthrie accompanying those hundreds from McSweeney and Zaib. Krisitian Clarke 6-109.

And a dismal start for Worcestershire at New Road, both openers gone, 12-2. Middx were all out for 339 – four wickets each for Finch and Swanepoel.

No respite for Lancs as Hasan switches ends and, as I watch, Moores nibbles and Ben Dawkins dives and holds on at first slip with two hands and a satisfying slap of ball on palm. Absolute silence from the crowd. Lancs 77-8.

Writes Mike Daniels at Grace Road, “It is a truth universally acknowledged that an established batsmen needs an obdurate partner to reach the next batting point. Harmer seems to have found that in Mr Bennett.” Yes a valiant 24 been added for the last wicket, with Bennett and unbeaten 0 from 16 balls.

Keith Dudgeon replaces Hasan, and promptly rearranges McDermott’s stumps. Gone for 23. Lancs 73 faceplant to 73 for seven, trail by 105. Dudgeon 4-14.

Here at Stanley Park, no cigar for Livi this time, caught behind for eight as Hasan Mahmud picks up a second wicket on debut with a fabulous ball that just skirted away from Livi’s chasing bat. But Joe Moores looks confident, striding out to a tasty pitch, and striking the ball firmly. Lancs 71-6.

Time to peek in around the grounds:

Leicestershire have fought back at Grace Road, but not before Jordan Cox reached his double century with a pull for four, finally out for 204. Four wickets for Rehan Ahmed, Essex 387-9.

Fergus O’Neill (6-72) polished off Somerset, 310 all out. But Lewis Gregory has already removed HH for a duck and Ben Slater for 1. Notts 18-2.

Yorkshire are having fun at the seaside, maximum batting points, 469 all out. YJB 68. WArwickshire are 4-0, one over in.

And Sussex already have a lead of 49 over Glamorgan at Hove, 204-4, Coles and Simpson at the crease.

Liam Livingstone is in the middle, fresh from his five wickets yesterday, and it looks like he means business, with two fours already in his eight not out.

New Zealand batter Will Young has been drafted into the New Zealand Test squad to replace Kane Williamson, who surprised everyone with his retirement yesterday. Young will arrive in London on Sunday and join the squad ahead of the Oval Test.

And a first wicket in the CC for Hasan Mahmud – and it is the big one - Marcus Harris, snaffled by Sam North East at slip for three. Lancashire 44-5

Emilio Gay has also arrived at CLS to join Stokes in the nets. Hove and CLS the places to gather this round for resting England players.

Just seen the replay of the Bohannon dismissal, a hell of a ball seaming all over. The cricket here at Stanley Park is being accompanied by the whirr of the generator and the dancing tarpaulin and creaking poles of the blown about press tent. Sad food news for us greedy press, the tasty but wholly unnecessary picnic usually given alongside lunch has justly disappeared in budget cuts. Farewell double decker.

Hasan is now running in from the north end, a long and rhythmic run up.

Ooops and another, Bailey, skuppered between bat and pad by Matt Milnes, Lancs 24-4.

Look up to see some spraying bails, Bohanon bowled by Keith Dudgeon for eight, he’s having a bit of a rotten season, poor thing. Lancs 24-3.

IF anyone didn’t know, Ajit Singh Dale and Luke Wells are out for the season.

Good morning Mike Daniels, in the Grace Road scorebox. “Allison toe-ends a long-hop to Kelly at mid-wicket to give Leicestershire a good start to the day. They desperately need Cox out but the new ball is available soon. Missed Cox’s innings yesterday, must have been some knock, but looking to seeing if he can build on it.” Cox is currently 194 not out, Essex 355-7.

Have arrived at Blackpool where there is quite some wind and slightly wonky Wifi. A couple of hearty appeals but no wickets yet. This morning Paul Edwards and the photographers were called into cover service for a early morning squall.

My spy tells me that Ben Stokes was standing in the middle at CLS, wearing his pads, and is now wandering over to the nets with the Durham batting coach, ex Lancs supremo, Dale Benkenstein.

After England’s stonking victory last night in the tournament opener, there are four more World Cup games today. West Indies v New Zealand, Australia v South Africa, India v Afghanistan and Scotland v Ireland. Tim de Lisle is watching things unfurl at Old Trafford.

I was too hasty. It has stopped raining and I’ve just glimpsed the sun as the train approaches Kirkham and Wesham. Like any self-respecting child, the little boy opposite has already eaten the barbecued beef hoola hoops and one finger twirl from his lunchtime picnic.

Division One

Grace Road: Leicestershire v Essex 342-5

Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire v Somerset 295-7

Hove: Sussex 136-2 v Glamorgan 155

Scarborough: Yorkshire 386-6 v Warwickshire

Division Two

Chester-le-Street: Durham 302-7 v Derbyshire

Blackpool: Lancashire 17-2 v Kent 178

Northampton: Northamptonshire 380-7 v Gloucestershire

New Road: Worcestershire v Middlesex 291-8

Jordan Cox, fresh from warming the bench for six weeks in the IPL, and buoyed by an England call-up, clunked, thumped and chunked an unbeaten 184 against Leicestershire at Grace Road. Essex’s Cox, who reached his century off just 73 balls, got there with a monstrous six right out of the ground. Matt Critchley was bowled just before stumps for 97, nightwatch Jamie Porter following soon afterwards.

Meanwhile Liam Livingstone, playing in his first Championship game for Lancashire since 2021, collected five wickets for 20 runs in 46 balls at Blackpool with a heady mix of leg and off-spin as Kent slipped down the stairs and landed with a thump. They collapsed from 111 for two to 178 all out after being asked to bat on a damp pitch. Lancashire’s Joe Moores, just 17, took a catch and a neat stumping on his first-class debut.

Glamorgan had an unhappy first day at Hove, whistled out for 155, with four wickets for Sussex’s Indian left-arm seamer Jaydev Unadkat under heavy skies – all 10 batters out caught. Ollie Robinson, Gus Atkinson and a rapid Jofra Archer were all spotted bowling in the nets under the close eye of England fast-bowling supremo Troy Cooley.

Jordan Hermann, in good touch after a century against the Lions for South Africa A, was the linchpin of Somerset’s innings with 106 at Trent Bridge. But he was the unwitting cause of James Rew’s dismissal, a stinging straight drive deflected by Dillon Pennington’s fingertip into the stumps when Rew was backing up. But it was a good day for one member of the Rew family, younger brother Thomas, 18, who cantered to 68 in just his second Championship appearance. Notts fought back with the new ball.

Derbyshire’s man of the moment Ben Aitchison grabbed four wickets against Durham at Chester-le-Street, where England selector Marcus North was also spotted. Shoaib Bashir, released by England, bowled 11 overs.

Will Luxton galloped to a maiden Championship century for Yorkshire against Warwickshire at Scarborough; Northamptonshire’s Saif Zaib refound his touch with a lovely 142 against Gloucestershire, helped by Nathan McSweeney (117), and Worcestershire restricted Middlesex to 291 for eight at New Road.

Good morning from a Northern train heading to Blackpool north. The further west I go, the wetter it gets, soggy elderflower and scowling pylons staring through the train window. Still, hope springs eternal. Play might start at 11am at Stanley Park and around the country, do join us.