As an anecdote to the craziness going on elsewhere in the world, Jack Carson, in sunglasses, wheels in from Grace Road’s pavilion end.A young mum stands and rocks a romper-suited baby and a selection of people in big coats sit in spring sunshine on green bucket seats and drift off into the cricket.Leicestershire 26-1.This Somerset innings has James Rew century written all over it, He’s currently 29 not out.Somerset 63-1.

Simon Harmer, in early spring snood, gets his second wicket of the season – Prest lbw for 55, a super little innings with his side in a tight spot.Hants 86-2 following on, still 219 behind.Heck of a throw from Jack Carson, on one knee from long leg, throws down the stumps as Rishi Patel heads for a second.Sussex whooop a hoop, Patel slopes off.Leicestershire 11-1Play called off for the day because of a wet area on the pitch caused by a cover blowing off during Storm Dave (and landing in a stand).

DIVISION ONESophia Gardens: Glamorgan 302 v Yorkshire 226Southampton: Hampshire 156 and 83-1 v Essex 461-7decGrace Road: Leicestershire 245 v Sussex 361 and 364 Leicestershire need 481 to winTaunton: Somerset 347 and 32-1 v Nottinghamshire 338Edgbaston: Warwickshire 544 v Surrey 328 and 7-0DIVISION TWOThe County Ground: Derbyshire 625-8dec v Worcestershire 283-7Chester le Street: Durham 335 and 83-2 v Kent 197 no play today, storm damageLord’s: Middlesex 445-9dec v Gloucestershire 216 and 57-1Wantage Road: Northamptonshire 258 v Lancashire 384 and 113-8Rehan does Crocombe like a kipper, who charges up the pitch like an eager puppy and is stumped.Three for Rehan, three for Holland and a sleepy period of play comes to a sudden halt.On comes the heavy roller and they take tea.Well bowled! Yorkshire all out 226, Glamorgan have a tasty lead of 76.This was what Kiran Carlson said on media day:“We saw last year that when Mason gets it right, he’s still one of the best spinners in the country, no doubt.

And Kellers is young and is really exciting,If we get on the right surfaces and get ourselves into position with the bat to put pressure on the team, we can really turn the screw,”An update from Wantage Road, and it’s not pretty for Lancs,Hello Mark Gretton:“Poor George Balderson was neatly compact for 25 then suddenly lost his timing completely before being mercy killed by Harrison,As Tom Hartley departs, this continues to slide inexorably towards Northants.

”Sadly no chocolate bunnies for warmth and sustenance as you recommended, doing the best I can with draught cider.Needs must.”A poor substitution.Lancs 110-8, the lead 236.Nick Gubbins and Tom Prest have steadied HMS Hampshire to 59-1, following on at Southampton.

Yorkshire are nine down at Sophia Gardens, trail by 88Somerset surprise no-one by losing an early wicket, Josh Thomas lbw to Dillon Pennington for 6, Somerset 22-1.Ah, a wicket at Grace Road… are we getting a declaration…no we are not…a nonplussed Robinson sent on his way, caught behind to Rehan Ahmed (2-59).So out marches Henry Crocombe.Sussex 358-9.Warwickshire are all out for a huge 544, a lead of 216.

Eighteen year old Ralphie Albert wheeled through 20 overs, taking the last wicket of the egg-cracking Jordan Thompson, and finishing with 3-77.Now we get to see what Surrey 2026 are made of.No hundred for Tom Price who pulls Holland to midwicket for 73.Declaration time? No, here comes Ollie Robinson.Sussex 336-8, lead by 452.

Wind buffeting his trousers, he wheels in, long legs and longer arms, D’Oliveira prods, and is well caught by Ben Aitchinson at slip, who is almost knocked backwards by the ball,Bashir indulges in a little jump for joy,Worcestershire 275-6A little dance through the Division One blossom,At Taunton, Notts were all out nine short of Somerset’s score,Pretorius 4-65, Ogborne 3-81.

At Edgbaston, poor Tom Lawess got hit in the face by Jordan Thompson in his follow through.He seemed ok.Warwickshire a huge 518-8.Yorkshire are seven down at Cardiff, Crane 4-48.Trail by 108, 194-7.

Revis 39 not out.I meant to say that Josh Hull was going through his pace at lunchtime on the Grace Road outfield.Looked quick and pretty menacing.This strange period of shadow play continues – the lead now 437.A wicket for Rishi Patel in the sudden sunshine at Grace Road, no hundred for Jack Carson (85).

Leicestershire’s fielders, hands thrust deep in their pockets, every one, look lost in contemplation.Lancashire 67-5, another tasty morsel for six foot seven Harry Conway.Luke Wells providing the only stability.…and it isn’t a dream start.Cameron Bancroft bowled in the fourth over by Seb Morgan for 0.

Gloucestershire 4-1, trail by 225.They were dismissed for 216 in the first innings, done by TRJ (5-37) and old boy Zafar Gohar (3-47)A recovery of sorts by Hampshire, but still way under the follow on target – 156 all out, trail by 305.Cook 3-33, Porter 2-19, Snater 2-37.Killing time now at Grace Road, with Rishi Patel’s dibbly dobblies.Sussex 292-6, the lead 408.

Tom Price has 60 to cement the good impression he’s given today.And the stadium is now open.Make that 137 for 6.Scurrying run up, towel in his back pocket, and turns the ball past George Hill and into his stumps.Hill stays in immaculate defense for a good few seconds while Glamorgan leap about.

Much nervous peeling of silver foil in Yorkshire, who are in a bit of a pickle at Sophia Gardens Mason Crane picked up a third wicket before lunch and Adam Lyth wiffled a short ball from Hadley and to first slip afterwards.Yorkshire 136-5.A trying morning has segued into a trying afternoon for Lancashire: now 28 for four.Michael Jones is Harry Conway’s third wicket, whose current figures are 5-0-7-3Jack Carlson (53) and Ollie Price(39) have played beautifully at Grace Road, pulling Sussex from a position of fairly comfortable, to very comfortable – the lead 363.Says Paul Edwards, Leics will have to make the highest score of the match to win.

A round of the ground at lunchtime: the groundstaff were having a game of cricket outside their hut, as were a mother and son outside the pavilion,It is bloody freezing on the open east side of the ground, no wonder the players are rubbing their fingers and there is not a single spectator to be found,But if you can find a seat on the west side, and the sun is out, and you hunker down, it is actually quite nice,BTL is open! Apologies all for the delay,“Afternoon from a decidedly blustery Bolton Abbey.

” Hello Sean Clayton!“Bad luck for Bairstow although I would have started Luxton myself (not over YJB, obvs).“Is his absence for the next match a Yorkshire call (due to severity of injury) or part of the new injury substitute rules?”It’s part of the new substitute rules.I assume that’s why they just rested him yesterday as they wanted to have the chance for him to play in the next game.They’ve obviously taken a call that he probably won’t be fit so have made a full replacement.Not sure what happened to Lancs while I wasn’t looking, but they’re 18-3 as they chew over their sandwiches.

DIVISION ONESophia Gardens: Glamorgan 302 v Yorkshire 120-4Southampton: Hampshire 139-9 v Essex 461-7decGrace Road: Leicestershire 245 v Sussex 361 and 235-6Taunton: Somerset 347 v Nottinghamshire 274-6Edgbaston: Warwickshire 330-2 v Surrey 328DIVISION TWOThe County Ground: Derbyshire 625-8dec v Worcestershire 155-3Chester le Street: Durham 335 and 83-2 v Kent 197 no play yet today, storm damageLord’s: Middlesex 445-9dec v Gloucestershire 214-9Wantage Road: Northamptonshire 258 v Lancashire 384 and 18-3An early lunch has been taken at Somerset and Derby.Rehan Ahmed replaces Yadvinder Singh from the pavilion end, his first ball is a creme egg of a long hop which nearly brings a wicket.Everyone finds it very funny.In Division One:Kiran Carlson said pre-season that he was a big believer in playing two spinners, and he is rewarded, as Mason Crane takes two wickets in his first over of the season.Sam Whiteman (48) and James Wharton the men out.

Yorks 90-3, trail by 212.Rain at Taunton, where Notts are 274-6, Clarke out just short of his hundred, Haynes for 55 and Verreynne for 25.Notts trail by 73.Kyle Abbott is doing his best to keep Hampshire afloat, 22 not out in Hampshire 116-8, still 345 behind Essex.And Warwicks continue to plunder Surrey, now 409-4, Mousley out for 144 and Hain for 94.

The lead 85 on a flat pitch at Edgbaston,You’d think Surrey will be able to bat it out…,Ian Holland grits his teeth, crosses his fingers, and brings on Yadvinder Singh from the pavilion end,Poor kid has not had a great first match, with a golden duck, and nine overs in the first innings for 59, with nine no balls,A bit better from this end but no threat.

“Decidedly Northants first hour,” writes Mark Gretton at Northants, “as Sir Jim has run through half a dozen bowlers to no avail as the last pair have eased them past the follow on figure.Mystifyingly McManus is still routinely protecting Conway from the bulk of the bowling even though the giant number 11 is out scoring him.”On the Lancs plus side the sun is shining and fielders -and spectators - are not currently perishing.”You are very hardy, I am too much of a wimp to sit through a whole day outside in the freezing cold.I hope you have a good collection of chocolate bunnies to see you through the day.

With an hour gone, time to skip around the grounds.Division TwoNo play yet today at Durham because of damage caused by Storm Dave; and a delay at Derby, where Worcestershire moved to 141-2 – Lategan 88 not out – before rain settled over the ground.Five wickets for Toby Roland-Jones at Lord’s, who has added Bracey (21) and Hammond (77) to his tally this morning.Gloucestershire 159 for six, 286 runs behind.And Lancs continue to be frustrated by Northants, who are now 254-9, 130 behind.

Well played Northants, who from 41 for five and 191 for nine have avoided the follow-on against Lancashire.McManus, 68 not out, and Conway, 16 not out.The deficit is now 137.Shane Snater, Jamie Porter and Sam Cook are currently toying with Hampshire, who are now 67 for seven.Jake Lehmann the only man to have made it out of single figures.

And another! Simpson is not too happy about that lbw against Holland.Sussex 182-6.They’re back on at Grace Road and a nifty acrobatic diving catch from Eskinazi at second slip sends Jack Leaning on his way.A second wicket for Ben Green.Sussex 178-5, lead by 294.

Ajaz Patel has been spotted at Grace Road, he will spend the season with Leicestershire and play all formats.Lewis McManus and Harry Conway have done a fabulous job at Wantage Road and is inching Northants towards the follow on target – at 230-9, they are five runs away.Ajeet Singh Dale and George Balderson with the ball.I think we’ll be back on quite quickly at Grace Road, the sun is now out and the tractors are racing around.Hello to Mike Daniels up in the scorebox