LV County Championship: Thursday April 19

Thanks for all your involvement today. It has been 10 hours and 3 minutes between the launch of today's blog and this farewell and, in the meantime, England (and Wales) has become slightly less drought-stricken. Match reports and news follows on our county cricket home page

These are not the best of conditions for spectators to absorb the finer points of cricket as they sit attempting to withstand the cold, wind and, as happened earlier today, a hail storm. It is to the credit of Liverpool Cricket Club that they have allowed anyone attending today’s game to shelter in the pavilion rather than just restrict access to members.

Those who took up the offer have seen a stop-start day, although the weather appears to be clearing nicely for an extra-long final session. Providing further weather or bad light does not intervene, Warwickshire will have bowled 40.1 overs in the final session.

Sadly, day one at Lord's is a complete washout. There were hopes that some play would be possible but the field is so full of moisture that, even with its state-of-the-art drainage system, it takes only one heavy shower to top it up again, so to speak.

The showers have been heavy and keep coming at just the wrong moments, usually undoing an hour of hard work by groundsman Mick Hunt and his team. Despite the last two pleasantly summer-like springs, Mick would still place 'cricket before the last week in April' in a file marked Not A Good Idea.

Andrew Strauss must wait until the morning, then, to find out what this pitch and the Durham seamers have in store for him. Quite an examination, you suspect.

There is scarcely anyone on the ground. Earlier, there were several school parties sheltering in the stands. A number of them passed through the media centre. Watching a dozen or so hacks scratching their heads over what to write about was probably not the highlight they were hoping to take away with them.

That’s it, sorry to say. The umpires have decided there is no chance of any play today. Here’s hoping for better luck tomorrow.

It has been quite a week for Chris Waters. His acclaimed biography of Fred Trueman won the Cricket Society and MCC Book of the Year award for 2012. He collected a £3,000 prize – presented at a dinner in the Long Room at Lord's on Monday. His victory completed a prestigious double; he also won the Wisden Book of the Year prize last week.

As correspondent of the Yorkshire Post, Waters is among a declining number of regional newspaper cricket journalists and he has done himself proud with a deeply-researched and elegantly-written biography which displays both generosity of spirit and honesty of purpose.

The book, which benefited both from the fact that Trueman authorised it and the additional freedom of completing it after his death, became a labour of love over several years. It is regarded by many as superior to what has always been regarded as the seminal work on Trueman, John Arlott's Fred. I loved Arlott's biography, but after dipping into it today I think they may be right.

Here is one short extract, concerning England's 1962/3 tour of Australia:

Bit of a first here at Canterbury with lights on in a daytime Championship match for the first time. They did have the pink ball experiment for the day/night affair last year – I can imagine that was even colder than today. But the weather did get more amicable as the afternoon went on and Gloucestershire built a partnership to try and get back into the innings.

Alas, the rains have swooped down and around from London, so the nasty stuff that’s kept them off so far at The Oval and Lord’s could prevent any further play here today. This weather is now awful. Time to get Elton back on the headphones...Benny Howell incidentally was lbw in the second over after lunch after a promising knock...he's got electric boots...

How often has Chris Read saved Nottinghamshire over recent years? His side were 34-5 at one stage today but Read, putting bat to ball in typically uncomplicated fashion, has lead the recovery with an innings of 48 not out. He made 40 of the 55-run stand with Mullaney, who just left a straight one and lost his off stump. Indeed, to put Read’s contribution in perspective, the next highest score in the innings has been ‘extras’ with 13. Nottinghamshire are 89 for 6, but the players have just come off for rain.

Since the start of 2009, Read averages 47.12 in first-class cricket; not bad for a man whose batting was supposedly too weak to sustain hopes of a substantial international career.

Even these new super-duper outfields have a limit – and that limit must just about have been reached at The Oval today.

After so much dry weather, even quick draining soil will struggle to absorb heavy rain of the kind we have seen here today. Umpires Nigel Llong and Jeff Evans trod delicately across the outfield this afternoon before deciding that an early tea was the logical next step. Followed, most likely, by an early call off.

There has been an encouraging glint of sunshine on the wet covers here, although plenty of dark cloud still lurking, ready to pounce, no doubt, should anyone dressed in white make a move towards the middle.

There has been and will be no play at all on the last day of Durham's Second XI match against Essex at Billericay, a match that features two notable absentees here in Stephen Harmison and Liam Plunkett. The two former England Test bowlers have been told they will be recalled to First XI duty only if they merit it.

This is nothing new for Plunkett, who has struggled in recent times and whose confidence in his bowling has been so low that he has been working on a remodelled action over the winter. For Harmison, once the world's number one bowler and a double Ashes winner, it must be harder to take.

Even Phil Mustard, who would once have spoken about his teammate only in reverence, has had to spell out the truth. “It’s not a question of if Harmy’s fit he plays,” he said. "We’ve got about nine very good bowlers and it’s not just going to be a case of 'you’re fit, you play'. You’ve got to show us what you’ve got."

Harmison's 20 overs at Billericay do not appear to have advanced his cause much, if figures of 0-76 are anything to go by. Plunkett, from the same number of overs, finished with 3-81.

Tea scheduled for 3.40pm as usual here, with an inspection planned for 4pm. Sheets being rolled up again.

We have had two interruptions inside the first hour of play, including a sudden hail shower sending players, officials, stewards and photographers scurrying for cover before they suffered serious injury.

What little play we have had has struggled to match the impact of last week, when Lancashire slumped to 46 for four at lunch after collapsing against Sussex’s taller bowlers like James Anyon and Steve Magoffin. Playing on a wicket alongside the strip used last week,

Warwickshire have been unable to make any inroads, although as any bowler will tell you, it is difficult to get into much of a rhythm when weather interrupts every few overs.

Keith Barker was unfortunate not to claim a wicket with his first delivery from the River End, when he knocked back Stephen Moore’s off-stump, only for umpire Trevor Jesty to call a no-ball for over-stepping. Since then, Warwickshire have had little encouragement at a ground where they have not won since 1898.

James Taylor has just been dismissed in a manner that could sum up his current technical issues. Confronted with a fine ball from Kirby, full, pitching off and leaving him off the pitch, Taylor attempted to whip the ball through mid-wicket and edged to the keeper. Had he attempted to drive it back past the bowler, there is a fair chance he would have a boundary. Playing at Trent Bridge, on pitches that demand a good technique, may well prove the making of him, but there may be some tough days on the road to success.

Chris Read recently hit the first boundary off the bat in the innings. It was in the 17th over. Nottinghamshire are 39 for five.

Andy Flower, England's coach, has an interesting blog on the ECB website about his entry in the London marathon on Sunday. He has visited New Road to see Worcestershire's physio, Ben Langley, who treated hip and Achilles problems and, in Flower's own words, "helped me loosen up a little." Flower himself got the punchline in first, adding: "People have been telling me to do that all my life."

Flower is running on behalf of three charities: The Lord's Taverners, Hope For Children and Factor 50 and his blog naturally has details about how you can donate. And, what is more, if he breaks five hours he also wins a 50p bet with Michael Atherton.

Dominic Cork – now a member of the media – reckons he used to get a bit of abuse when he played here at Trent Bridge. He also reckons that brought the best out of him.

So, after his next report on Sky, I’m going to tell him he was a gibbering disgrace and should never be allowed on our screens again. Just to be supportive, you understand.

They have just brought chocolate cake into the press box, which has precipitated much grunting from Cork along the lines of ‘If I knew it was like this in here, I’d have retired 10 years ago… we had hot gravel when I was a kid.’

Worcestershire have confirmed that Saeed Ajmal will not be able to join them for the Friends Life t20 due to international commitments with Pakistan.

ESPNcricinfo reported earlier this month that Ajmal would have to pull out of his contract because of Pakistan's tour of Sri Lanka and that trip is now set to take place between late May and mid-July. The FLt20 tournament begins on June 12 with the group stages finishing on July 8.

Full story here

Most cricketers agree that there is still something that excites the senses about playing at Lord's, even on days when the groundstaff appear to outnumber the spectators. For Durham it has been a privilege not enjoyed often lately. This is the county's first Championship match at headquarters since 2006. Only Dale Benkenstein, Phil Mustard, Callum Thorp and Graham Onions of the Durham side on duty then are in today's line-up, although they come up against a Middlesex XI different in its entirety.

Durham made Middlesex follow on in that match, which was drawn, as they had in 2002, which was the last occasion on which Andrew Strauss faced them here in a first-class match. He hit 96 in the first innings against an attack made up of Neil Killeen, Nicholas Hatch, Mark Davies and Marc Symington, although it was an innings somewhat overshadowed by the colossal efforts of Durham's Martin Love, who made 251 as Durham piled up 645 for six declared.

Strauss's first-class record against Durham is encouragingly good. He averages 65 exactly in seven innings, including 176 here in 2001, which was the last time Paul Collingwood appeared in the Championship here.

Lunch was taken during the sunny's period of the day so far and mopping up was completed in time for a 1.10pm inspection, at which point the skies darkened, beckoning another hefty shower. It is likely to be the story of the day.

Umpires Tim Robinson and Trevor Jesty have made a further inspection and we are going to finally start at 1.45pm, providing there is no further rain. The outfield still looks damp and very few players from either side have emerged yet from under fleeces, hats, and in some cases, gloves. We're all set for another scorcher at Aigburth!

Good heavens it’s cold. A delicate but deadly wind is brushing over the floor of the press box. My hands are trembling across the keyboard. Someone bring out the Bovril...

Lunch here, Kent’s session. Benny’s still there for Gloucestershire, and looking pretty good too. He really gives it a tonk. But the Jets have been coming and going all morning; three of the wickets victims to poor footwork.

To the uninformed observer, those who may have read it in a magazi-iii-iinne perhaps, the scoreline will look as many expected on a day like today but it’s not been disastrous to bat and the visitors will be disappointed.

We’ve reached lunch at Trent Bridge with Somerset having enjoyed much the better of the morning session: Nottinghamshire are 20-4.

Peter Trego removed both left-handers, Edwards and Lumb, leg before with deliveries that nipped back at them, before Craig Meschede struck with his fourth delivery; Alex Hales wafting without foot movement. The kick of the turf that Hales gave spoke volumes: it was not much of a shot.

Samit Patel went the ball before lunch. Frustrated by some tight bowling, he attempted an oddly aggressive drive only to edge it to point, where he was very well held by a diving Arul Suppiah.

Well, no play here before lunch. Before tea? It is a bit brighter at the moment but showers will never be far away.

Just a little more on the absence of Jacques Rudolph. He tweeted yesterday on his shock and sadness at the death of South African cricketer Louis Vorster, who was killed by armed robbers near Johannesburg. And a few hours later he tweeted “on a jet plane.”

As mentioned earlier, Surrey are simply saying the batsman was withdrawn from this game for “family reasons” but it is understood that his family are friends of the Vorsters.

The latest news from the middle is entirely predictable: an early lunch at 12.30 followed by a 1.10 inspection. The sun has, at least, made an appearance but the outfield is still very wet and the groundstaff still have plenty of work to do.

Ian Bell, making his first championship outing of the summer, is practicing hard in the solitary net while Ashley Giles, Warwickshire’s likeable Director of Cricket, is in good spirits following their nail-biting victory last week. It should be quite a contest if the weather ever relents long enough for any play.

Somerset have opened the bowling with Peter Trego, who has never taken a five-wicket haul for them in the championship. Their supporters could be forgiven for pondering the wisdom of allowing Charl Willoughby to leave them for Essex. Without the injured Philander, Hussain and Dibble, the Somerset bowling attack does not have the look of prospective champions.

The pitch has more than a tinge of green and, if the bowlers can make the batsmen play more often, should provide plenty of assistance. It is slow, though, as is the outfield.

Dominic Cork has joined us in the press box. Talk about poacher turned gamekeeper. He is working for Sky now, but still looks far too slim and healthy to fit in with the journos.

One good thing about the heavily tinted windows in the press box at this place is that life is never quite as gloomy as it might appear. Step outside today and the sky is merely grey, rather than black.

Whatever the colour, though, there has been a fair bit of rain this morning and no prospect of a start any time soon.

Having won the toss, Worcestershire will be keen to get cracking in conditions that should have Alan Richardson, newly crowned as one of Wisden’s Cricketers of the Year, licking his lips. As for Surrey, they just want to get that three-run defeat by Middlesex out of the system.

You may remember that the Brown Caps were less than complimentary about the state of the Lord’s pitch following their loss. Well, in the best traditions of ‘taking the positives’ from every situation (even one that saw Surrey lose their last six wickets for 36 runs last week) team director Chris Adams has moved on.

“The loss against Middlesex was disappointing,” he told the club’s website. “But that said it was a game that in the past we would have lost by greater margins.”

We’re underway at Trent Bridge.

Lewis Gregory and Craig Meschede replace the injured pair of Philander and Dibble in the Somerset team. It appears that Cricket South Africa have had a hand in the absence of Philander from this game. Just two games into the season, they were already uneasy about the demands upon him. He might well have proved hugely demanding in these conditions.

Steven Mullaney is playing instead of the sickly Adams. Harry Gurney, one of the trio of men recruited from Leicestershire in recent years, makes his Nottinghamshire debut. He only played one championship match for Leicestershire last year.

I’ve just spent some time looking at weather websites. I can’t help but notice that most weather forecasts seem to tell you what the weather was doing recently or is doing right now. Which might be great for those trapped in a basement, but is not that useful to the rest of us.

Kent have announced that Jack Foley, the longest-serving scorer in county cricket, has retired from the position he has held since 1987. Remarkably, Kent have had only had two official scorers -- Claude Lewis being the other one -- since 1959 and only eight since 1874. Kent have made Foley a life member in recognition of his long service.

Despite the advent of computerised scoring – most recently the ECB's link this season with Opta – Foley has maintained the county’s long run of manually-completed scorebooks. There is nervousness among the statisticians, who tend not to like change, even if nobody can quite find any stats to prove it. Howard Milton, Kent's statistician, has called Foley's retirement a moment he has "almost dreaded." I like the use of the word "almost." Kent cricket does not like to deal in overstatement.

Good morning from the Garden of England. And the garden is getting its spring watering. We did start on time but only 15 minutes were possible before a stiff shower. But as I type the sun is shining and Richard Coughtrie has got a short sleeve shirt on...then again, he is from the north-east.

Kent’s new look West Indian-inspired X1 have been setting the early pace in Division Two. Jimmy Adams will be very satisfied with their opening salvos and will look to target a fragile Gloucestershire side for a victory to kick off their home season. Saying that, the Glosters won at Southampton last week and have Benny Howell in their side – has to be a good player with a name like that surely? I heard Elton John thinks so...

Somerset have won the toss and decided to field. They are without Vernon Philander, however, who has a sore back.

Nottinghamshire must cope without the loss of Andre Adams, who has flu.

The plan was to start at 11.15 here. Shortly after 11am the sun broke through and the covers were off but no sooner had the possibility of cricket been contemplated than the groundstaff hurriedly covered the pitch again and, ominously, began rolling out the plastic sheeting.

Durham have won the toss and chosen to bowl, as well they might, which means an early taste of what are likely to be challenging conditions for the England captain, Andrew Strauss. He will face a Durham seam attack comprising Graham Onions, Callum Thorp and Mitch Claydon, with Paul Collingwood back after missing the defeat to Nottinghamshire with a virus (it's always a virus - never a cold or a tummy upset). Steven Finn is back in the Middlesex side as well. Corey Collymore and Ollie Rayner are the two names displaced from the side that opened the season with a thrilling win over Surrey last week.

Strauss could do with some runs, of course, to silence any more talk of his place in the England side being under threat. Ironically, his Middlesex captain, Neil Dexter, has stood down from the role temporarily in the hope of rediscovering his form. Chris Rogers is in charge for the moment.

Unfortunately it is raining steadily now.

The doom-mongers in the press test are testifying that today’s weather is the brightest for the four days of the match and tentative excursions outside the press tent have revealed that the outfield is already pretty sodden.

On a brighter note, the local refreshment van – no doubt in an attempt to generate interest from the only populated area in the ground – are offering discounted bacon butties to the press tent. They know a target audience when they see one.

Morning from Trent Bridge. It has been very wet here, but it is dry at the moment and the current hope is for a toss at 11.30 before a noon start. That is all dependant, though, on it remaining dry.

It’s grey, it’s pretty grim and a game of ‘count the spectator’ would not take very long – but at least the toss took place on time. That is the good bit. The bad news is that rain, which had been threatening for some time, began to fall 15 minutes after the coin came down in Worcestershire’s favour.

To no-one’s surprise, given the conditions, the visitors chose to bowl first – against a Surrey outfit that will have to make do without Jacques Rudolph. The South Africa batsman has been withdrawn from the match for “family reasons.” Jason Roy takes his place with Stuart Meaker preferred to Tim Linley in the pace department.

As for Worcestershire, they are unchanged from the team beaten by Notts in the first round of matches.

Last summer you could bet that no matter what the weather en route to Aigburth, the unique micro-climate of the Liverpool suburb usually guaranteed a full day’s play. This quirk of the North West weather patterns ensured Lancashire lost just a few hours play from their seven home games at this venue, a major contributory factor towards their surprise championship triumph.

Perhaps they are destined for a change in luck this summer and, having lost their opening match of the season against Sussex, they look set to wait this morning before they can try and make amends against Warwickshire, who beat Somerset in such thrilling fashion during the last round of matches.

Steady rain this morning has ensured a delayed start, although we do know that Tom Smith, Lancashire’s all-rounder, has already been ruled out with a grade two hamstring strain he sustained against Cambridge University a fortnight ago.

The ECB's luck had to run out sometime. Until this year, every time they edged the season closer to the start of April, the weather improved. Something had to give in this pestilential climate and this year it has with temperatures grumbling along in single figures, a fair bit of rain forecast and players in county dressing rooms wondering where the cards are.

Card schools are not as common as they were as technology provides alternative entertainment. Perhaps that is just as well. A friend of mine recalls how in childhood he was a fan of the elegant batting skills of the Pakistan international Zaheer Abbas. When he saw him join a Gloucestershire card school during a rain break, it destroyed the illusion that he might follow up a high-class cover drive or two with some intellectual off-field pursuit. I wonder if any sensitive soul would be equally disillusioned today if they saw Danny Briggs get out a PlayStation.

And when play does take place, we are bracing ourselves for another rush of wickets on bowler-friendly pitches. The banning of the heavy roller - so sensibly in mid-season - seems entirely illogical in April when the pitches are softer and soon become pock-marked with indentations, causing variable bounce to go along with the sideways movement. But is that any reason to play gung-ho cricket in the belief that a ball will soonn fcome along with your name on it.

We have six writers out and about today, all staring mournfully at the skies and the Met Office forecast.

George Dobell - Nottinghamshire v Somerset. David Lloyd - Surrey v Worcestershire. David Hopps - Yorkshire v Essex. Alex Winter - Kent v Gloucestershire. Myles Hodgson - Lancashire v Warwickshire. Jon Culley - Middlesex v Durham.

And you might also spot our upgraded Twitter feed - look to your right, down a bit, perfect - which now includes every county cricket media officer. In that way, they can officially tell you the prospects for play and we don't have to bother. It's all here in the most comprehensive and natural home for English county cricket.

While you are awaiting their first pontifications of the day, our new top columnist, Mark Nicholas considers the relationship between the county championship and IPL and concludes the IPL is no more a piece of contemporary evil than the county championship is a relic

Not quite as seriously, Kenny Shovel, in his latest distinctive take on the county scene, reveals that he can no longer suppress his secret desires.

It comes to everybody in the end.