County Cricket Live 2012

Craig Kieswetter has greeted Jackson Bird in the first over on the resumption by hitting him for two fours through the covers and a six over midwicket. Very clean hits they were too and Kieswetter is now 102 not out and smacking it to all parts. What did he have for tea, one wonders.

On outgrounds , I accept the claim of Uxbridge, but it not as venerable as Aigburth, nor is it as much an integral part of the English summer as the (other) Cheltenham Festival. It certainly hasn’t hosted as many games as Scarborough. But it remains true – said the member of Southport and Birkdale CC - that when they are occasions rather than routine events, outground games are better attended than those at HQs and the players enjoy performing on grounds where 3,000+ people fill the place as distinct from 1000 folk rattling around like peas in a drum. Of course, the wicket has to be good enough to host first-class cricket. That’s an essential pre-requisite. Then again, some wickets at HQs have been rated as “poor” this season, which is rather where we came in, with Lancashire shifting a game to Liverpool......

It’s much less gloomy out there, with the sun having come out just after the floodlights were switched on. Typical of county cricket, they are only allowed to play while natural light exceeds that produced by the floodlights. For now it definitely does, so we should have all the 20 remaining overs we are due today.

That will feel like a long time for Surrey, who, having being bowled out for only 144, with the immaculate Tim Murtagh claiming 5-37, have looked very flat in the field. Middlesex are already 40 without loss, with skipper Chris Rogers on 25. It feels worth pointing out that he has been strongly linked with joining Surrey next season. Then again, Surrey’s transfer policy under Chris Adams is such that not being linked with them is perhaps more noteworthy.

6.45pm: Jon Culley at Northamptonshire v Leicestershire

Leicestershire have escaped with a draw at eight wickets down, thanks to another fine performance from Shiv Thakor. I know I've mentioned it several times before these last few days but it is relevant: he is 18 years old.

He saved the follow-on in the first innings and has batted for two and a half hours here for his unbeaten 39, facing 105 balls, the last several of which saw him surrounded by up to seven close fielders in addition to wicketkeeper David Murphy as James Middlebrook tried in vain to winkle him out.

The draw probably means that Northamptonshire have seen their chance of a late run for promotion slip away. It leaves them 15 points adrift of the two teams in second place, which is probably a gap too far at this stage.

Fingers crossed that the rain does not ruin things but we could be on for a decent final day at Wantage Road, where Northamptonshire closed day three with a lead of 311 in pursuit of a win that will put them in contention for a promotion place in Division Two.

Stephen Peters and Niall O'Brien gave them another terrific start with their second century opening stand of the match, Peters allowing himself the liberty of a couple of sixes in his 56 off 110 balls, O'Brien collecting 10 boundaries in his 96-ball 79. Leicestershire's bowling left a good deal to be desired at times.

Except, that is, for Will Jones, an Australian-born Cardiff University student who bowls leg spin. This is his second Championship match and the first in which he has bowled but his introduction by skipper Josh Cobb in the 34th over brought wickets with his fifth and seventh balls as Peters knocked back a straightforward return catch and O'Brien holed out to deep midwicket, where Robbie Joseph needed a bit of juggling to bring the ball under control but did finally hold on.

Middlesex have started with the bat as they finished with the ball – like a team in a hurry.

Chris Rogers has plenty of protective padding around the ribs and chest area, just in case he gets one of those vicious lifters, but it is his bat that’s handing out all the blows at the moment.

The Australian scored 36 of a 50-run stand with Sam Robson that took just 13 overs and now that lead of 117 has been reduced to 60.

A second century in a week from Stephen Peters, and a very fine effort too, has re-established Northamptonshire's grip. His 12th boundary completed his hundred and he celebrated with another off the next delivery, off Claude Henderson's slow left arm. Peters and Andrew Hall have added 94 so far for the fifth wicket.

Wayne White has just finished a hostile spell from the Wantage Road end that deserved some success. Wicketkeeper Ned Eckersley had his work cut out when the bowler strayed down the leg side but there have been a couple off the edge that flew through the strangely vacant second slip area and several that have beaten the bat for sheer pace. Northants 255-4.

The second new ball in the hands of Kent's wily seam bowler Charlie Shreck finally proved too much for Essex as the vistors lost their last for wickets for 20 runs to post 273 for a tidy first innings lead of 47. Shreck, the winter recruit from Nottinghamshire, finished with 5-51 after mopping up the tail in his third burst of the day from the Pavilion End. Darren Stevens accounted for James Foster after a marathon 76 from 226 balls, caught at slip off an away swinger, leaving Shreck to run through nine, 10 and jack.

Warwickshire will require the largest score of the match to win this game but some more flimsy batting - pretty much the theme of this game - has given them an outside chance of success.

There were no batting gremlins in the pitch for Essex in the closing nine overs of the day as the visitors reached 14 without loss in reply to Kent's disappointing first innings of 262 all out. Napier, Masters and Chambers claimed three wickets apiece as Kent succumbed by 5.50pm, with only Michael Powell reaching 50.

Durham have not enjoyed the easiest of seasons, which is reflected in their position at the bottom club in division one having only recorded their first victory last week. Should they follow that narrow win over Middlesex with an important triumph over Surrey this week then they will have a momentum none of their relegation rivals can match.

Well that didn’t last long. It was eight overs of hell for the batsman with Pete Trego and Steve Kirby beating the bat and finding the edge – most of the 18 runs were to third man. With the first ball of the ninth over Trego found Rikki Wessels’ edge and straight after a heavy shower took the players off. That’s now upgraded itself to steady drizzle and surely this is going to be knocked on the head now.

It had looked hellish over the hills during that eight overs, the umpires flirted with leaving the field and finally they were forced to go and surely this is goodnight Charlie now with all the sheets being dragged on. Not soon enough for Wessels the poor boy. Well, he should have moved his feet properly!

After the latest inspection, the umpires have decided the playing area is too wet to continue, so the match is abandoned as a draw, I’m afraid. Match report and reaction will follow.

After looking at the middle, umpires Peter Hartley and Nigel Llong are still not happy with the damp outfield and have agreed to look again at 4.15pm. Given that conditions have improved little over the last hour, it seems unlikely there will be a start any time soon. The scorers estimate there were around 40 overs left at 4.00pm, so an exciting end to the match seems remote.