Somerset at the Oval

Draw it is now, I reckon

Alex! wrote:Draw it is now, I reckon

Almost certainly. We've stuffed up a likely win by batting too slowly. In saying that this pitch doesn't look like it's taking, seam, pace, spin or chinamen so not sure we'll bowl them out anyway. 5pm hand shake (unless we're 50/5).

Alex! wrote:Draw it is now, I reckon

Notts v Worcs - a draw

Essex v Kent - Kent require 314 runs to win with 6 wickets remaining

Hants v Lancs - Tea - Hampshire lead Lancashire by 2 runs with 6 wickets remaining

Wawricks v Durham - Tea - Durham trail Warwickshire by 9 runs with 6 wickets remaining

Possibility all the matches end in draws, just need Kent to hang on!

Chinaman wrote:

Alex! wrote:Draw it is now, I reckon

Almost certainly. We've stuffed up a likely win by batting too slowly. In saying that this pitch doesn't look like it's taking, seam, pace, spin or chinamen so not sure we'll bowl them out anyway. 5pm hand shake (unless we're 50/5).

At what point would you think the Somerset captain will declare, current run rate to get 178 (in 35 overs) is just over 5 an over.

I'd guess he (Lewis Gregory 71no) might be thinking about getting a century?

Somerset won't declare until 4.50. They can't win the game.

Unless the regulation has changed?

It's 4.50. But they'll shake on a draw.

Certainly a very flat wicket now,got lower and lower each day!!

Now then....who's for a bit of T20? Jamie O and Pope to open?

Think if they really fancied a dart we’d maybe see Smith, Lawrence and Pope as a top 3…

Given the way they sprinted off the field surely we’ll have a go?

You never know with this game. How many times do we make predictions that go completely the other way?

Just started absolutely pissing it down over east London

I was caught in a freak hailstorm in Headstone Lane about 30 minutes ago.

I'm 10 miles away in Shooters Hill and it's blowing a gale with hailstones.

Certainly not a bad first over hahahahah

It's rained four or five times in Streatham today ... sunny again!

Memories of ... https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/lv-county-championship-division-two-2015-803389/surrey-vs-leicestershire-804335/full-scorecard

Surrey 2nd Innings (T: 216 runs)
BATTING R B M 4s 6s SR
Jason Roy
c Robson b Taylor 67 39 53 6 4 171.79
Steven Davies
not out 115 69 92 11 4 166.66
Kumar Sangakkara
c Robson b Naik 12 8 12 2 0 150.00
Gary Wilson †
c Robson b Naik 10 14 20 1 0 71.42
Rory Burns
not out 2 2 4 0 0 100.00
Extras (lb 2, nb 8, w 2) 12
TOTAL
21.2 Ov
(RR: 10.21)
218/3
Did not bat:
Zafar Ansari,
Kevin Pietersen,
Gareth Batty (c),
Tom Curran,
Chris Tremlett,
Matt Dunn

They lost time for rain at Chelmsford, need 3 wickets in 12 overs.

This could be a season-defining hour of cricket.

Time to shake hands I think.

Shake hands when in a decent position to win the game? Never

Correction. I was reading the score wrong. Up with the run rate. Anything is possible.

Why the hell did Burns come in at 5 he was useless. Clark should have come in.

Almost time to block.

At least Essex didn’t win.

Credit to the team for going for an unlikely run chase, but that only served to highlight the mistakes that were made in the first innings with regard to pace and the batting order.

I would hate to think that Ben Foakes batted above Jamie Smith and Dan Lawrence to give him batting practice before he is "rested" by England. I can see no other reason for it, especially given the platform which the openers had provided in response to a modest Somerset total.

At least there were no other positive results around the country, but make no mistake we should see this as a wasted opportunity.

Onwards to Canterbury, which given a Duke's ball and a decent forecast is another game we must look to win rather than just draw. There are rumours that both Pope and Foakes have been ordered to "rest" (yes, ridiculous...especially Pope). Let's see. The bowling selection will be interesting. I don't really care which of the seamers (other than Clark) drops out, but Lawes must play.