From a chilly and quickly darkening Oval, good night! Do join us tomorrow for (hopefully) more cricket around the country,Riverside: Durham v Worcestershire no play todayTaunton: Somerset v Hampshire no play todayThe Oval: Surrey 43-1 v Nottinghamshire 231Hove: Sussex v Yorkshire no play todayEdgbaston: Warwickshire v Essex no play todayThe County Ground: Derbyshire v Glamorgan no play todayBristol: Gloucestershire v Northamptonshire no play todayOld Trafford: Lancashire v Middlesex no play todayGrace Road: Leicestershire v Kent no play yet todayThere’s a man sitting along from me in the crowd in an anorak, thick gloves and a hat,Sibley and Burns aren’t in a hurry,After three overs, Surrey are 3-0 but no huge problems to report,I’d better start writing up for the paper but do chat on BTL.

I chose my moment to walk round the ground very badly – Josh Tongue and Dillon Pennington both removed by Matthew Fisher to leave him with five for 61 – his first five-wicket haul for Surrey.Notts all out without a bonus point.But just about par for a first-innings at The Oval this year.Notts need early wickets, but unfortunately Mohammad Abbas is not wearing whites.Weather permitting, there will be 16 overs today.

A crucial mini session.I think the underpowered team was more of an issue for Lancashire than one decision.And I don’t understand what gets into people when they post vile abuse.Following on from Finals Day, @lancscricket has formally expressed its disappointment to the ECB regarding the decision that led to the dismissal of Liam Livingstone.The Lancashire all-rounder was given out LBW for 29, following a review by the TV umpire.

While the Club remains… pic,twitter,com/NLgtnWOXcaHutton brings up the Notts 200 with a leg side wipe for six off Fisher,Crock of gold alert,Rainbow at the Kia Oval,on Battle of Britain Day.

@tjaldred @surreycricket pic,twitter,com/qR5A5gjVOWAnd that’s the full set,Play only in one game, at The Oval, all day,Not sure if this is a record, but at every (non)game around the grounds apart from at Durham, and here at The Oval, has been wind affected.

Patterson-White lasts 15 balls, in an unconvincing way, before he becomes the fifth man to be caught behind/in the slips.A first wicket of the day for Dan Worrall.Notts 174-7.Thanks to the ECB for sending over their wind and covers information.Risks in handling flat covers in high wind include the wind getting under the covers, and covers acting as sails, lifting groundstaff, or causing lacerations, eye or limb injuries.

And I will take them at their word for this stat:“As the wind speed doubles, the wind load on the covers quadruples.”A fourth for the unassuming Atkinson, in bright sunshine, as Lyndon James loses concentration and tips him to Ryan Patel at midwicket.He immediately greets Patterson-White with a deamon lifter.Notts 163-6.High winds causing the bother at the County Ground.

Atkinson is quietly giving a pick-me Ashes masterclass from the pavilion end.Bad news for Durham, trying to avoid relegation.Riverside: Durham v Worcestershire no play todayTaunton: Somerset v Hampshire no play yet todayThe Oval: Surrey v Nottinghamshire 157-5Hove: Sussex v Yorkshire no play yet todayEdgbaston: Warwickshire v Essex no play yet todayThe County Ground: Derbyshire v Glamorgan no play yet todayBristol: Gloucestershire v Northamptonshire no play todayOld Trafford: Lancashire v Middlesex no play todayGrace Road: Leicestershire v Kent no play yet todayI’m sitting next to the Wisden editor Lawrence Booth (currently working on book number 15, Wisden number 163) who welcomes entries to the Wisden writing competition.Entries should be 480-500 words, and sent in by the end of October.Entries to competitions@wisdenalmanack.

com.An excellent stat from Mark Church, via Dave Bracegirdle on the BBC, that the side batting first has only picked up batting points once at The Oval this season – the broiling Kookaburra 820-9 game against Durham.Another scalp for the excellent Atkinson! It looked quick, swung, and it did for the in-touch Clarke, who strides forward, cops an edge, and keeps on walking.Gone for 29.Notts 144-5High winds and frequent showers scupper play in Manchester.

Not good news for Middlesex’s (already tiny) chances of promotion.…And picks up a wicket in his first over! Atkinson has an arm in the air running towards the slips before Haynes dares to look up, concrete boots, plumb.Notts 132-4, at risk of not picking up any batting pointsJoe Clarke is looking in super touch, eases Lawes away through the covers, the perfect clonk of bat and ball echoing around The Oval.Atkinson returns from the pavilion end.The south London wind zips up fleeces and fastens hats; a huge lbw appeal against Clarke, the umpire has no interest at all.

Notts 121-3.The first of many.Thanks to RichMR23 BTL for explaining the wind regulations, brought in after a member of the Trent Bridge ground staff broke his shoulder when working with the covers.Here Leicestershire’s head groundsman gives us a brief lesson.An unusual delay.

Winds in excess of 50mph are preventing play from beginning at eight of the nine matches across the country, including here at Uptonsteel County Ground,💨Head Groundsman, Callum Lewin provides an update on the prospects of play,#Foxes🦊 pic,twitter,com/1rIMpEytp5And on come the covers, off go the players, hands in pocket, scurrying up the steps.

Notts 104 for three.The flat covers billow as the groundsmen pull them on.And now the sun appears.I’m sorry to report that umbrellas are up and spectators are moving rapidly away from the open stands.Another wicket for the bubbling Fisher, who bounds down the pitch to celebrate Foakes collecting Slater for a well-made 50.

Notts 100-3.Had a lovely chat over cauliflower pie and mash with Brian Cowley, a member of the Surrey research group, who also provides pre-match stats to the club.He is 90 later this year and the first match he remembers being taken to is Sussex v India at Hove in 1946 – it was, as he points out, pretty good going to knock up 1361 runs in three days.Whoever BTL said Paul Coughlin could be heading to Old Trafford – is right! “I’m thrilled to be making the move to Lancashire,” he says.It’s a Club with a great history and big ambitions, and I’m really looking forward to getting started with a new chapter in my career.

“The chance to commit to Lancashire for the future and be part of what they’re looking to achieve here is something that I’m hugely excited about,“I know Keaton Jennings and Michael Jones very well from our time at Durham together and it will be great to link-up with both again,”A couple of laps of The Oval at lunch, still blue, still sunny, still people springing through the gates,And a breakthrough just after the break, when McCann gets a breath of an inside edge on a cracking ball from Matthew Fisher, for 34,Riverside: Durham v Worcestershire no play yet todayTaunton: Somerset v Hampshire no play yet todayThe Oval: Surrey v Nottinghamshire 75-1Hove: Sussex v Yorkshire no play yet todayEdgbaston: Warwickshire v Essex no play yet todayThe County Ground: Derbyshire v Glamorgan no play yet todayBristol: Gloucestershire v Northamptonshire no play yet todayOld Trafford: Lancashire v Middlesex no play yet todayGrace Road: Leicestershire v Kent no play yet todayAtkinson with the final over before lunch, whites billowing in the wind as he tiptoes in.

McCann drives the penultimate ball prettily for four and Notts finish 75 for one,Time to investigate the Surrey catering,Slater gets a something nasty and brutish from Fisher as lunch approaches,Notts 69-1,And farewell Chris Wright, how fantastic to step down on a high.

Enjoy your next chapter.A statement from Wrighty.📜Let's end your incredible journey on a high, Chris.💚#Foxes🦊 pic.twitter.

com/F45lGstU5TFreddie McCann gets a good working over from Gus Atkinson, who is looking in fine fettle running in.There are no moving cranes peering over The Oval this morning due to the high winds.Notts 68-1.Olly Stone was recalled from his loan spell with Middlesex ahead of this game, but not chosen for the final Notts XI.Has anyone spotted him darting up the M6?Still no play anywhere else.

They’re taking an early lunch at Taunton and Grace Road and a usual-timed lunch at Derby (where strong winds prevented the umpires making an inspection earlier).The sun shines on here at The Oval, the flags straining at the flagpole on top of the pavilion.Notts are 51 for one, Tom Curran four overs into his first Championship bowl of the season.A thoughtful five balls from Gary Naylor on a brilliant Blast finals – 100 per cent agree on Sonny Baker (wild but full of potential), and the (constant) organised fun.But fair play to the organisers, it was a great day, despite the occasional interruption from the weather.

Atkinson makes the breakthrough, Hameed snaffled at second slip for nine.Mean Surrey machine.“Good morning Tanya, how are you doing?” Hello Finbar Anslow.“Greetings from a thoroughly satisfied Somerset supporter; not only did we win the Blast but my wife sat through the highlights with me and made thoughtful questions such as “how many spectators have been killed or seriously injured by sixes?”I think this! I can never see the ball when it is hit in the air and I’m supposed to be watching the game.I noticed last week they had a little net up at Grace Road near the cake queue to protect heads/slices of chocolate sponge, but it wasn’t very thorough.

“A question of my own, why are on earth are we letting Sean Dickson go?”Wasn’t he great on Saturday? I think Somerset want someone who can contribute in red-ball cricket as well.As Sibley drops Hameed on seven at first slip, low to his right, a reminder of Leicestershire’s success last week.“Hi Tanya,” Good morning Tim Maitland! “How many Monday morning starts have there been this season, because this one’s caught me by surprise? A cynic might even suggest that the only person who would come up with such a scattered, hard-to-follow schedule for the County Championship, is someone hoping to help it fail.” ”Is it still two-up and two-down like last season? I laughingly tried to find out on the ECB website, but quickly realised that life is too short.”I think we have two Monday starts and a Wednesday start in September, just to keep us on our toes.

As for two-up,two-down, no-one knows! We await the vote from the county chairs very soon.I think there is a good chance that any change will come in for 2027, not 2026, but either way there are two up.If the counties plump for the “alternative” structure, no-one goes down.Everywhere, except The Oval where I can report gorgeous sunshine and a working coffee machine.Surrey won the toss and are bowling, though without Jordan Clark (ill).

HH already has a boundary to a generous round of autumnal applause,1 Surrey 1862 Notts 1853 Somerset 1634 Warwicks 1595 Essex 1406 Sussex 1387 Yorkshire 1358 Hampshire 1329 Durham 12610 Worcestershire 921 Leicestershire 205 (promoted)2 Glamorgan 1803 Derbyshire 1534 Middlesex 1505 Gloucestershire 1466 Lancashire 1397 Northamptonshire 1378 Kent 109Some news,Hot prospect Ben Kellaway has signed a three-year deal at Glamorgan, while Paul Coughlin will leave Durham this autumn,Riverside: Durham v WorcestershireTaunton: Somerset v HampshireThe Oval: Surrey v NottinghamshireHove: Sussex v YorkshireEdgbaston: Warwickshire v EssexThe County Ground: Derbyshire v GlamorganBristol: Gloucestershire v NorthamptonshireOld Trafford: Lancashire v MiddlesexGrace Road: Leicestershire v KentAutumn is unpacking her suitcase as we roll into this penultimate round, sun shining on already rusting leaves, acorns everywhere, swallows almost gone,All eyes to The Oval where Surrey (first) play Nottinghamshire (second) in what could be the 2025 Championship decider.

Surrey lead by just one point and with rain threatening the last two rounds, every bonus point is crucial.Leicestershire confirmed promotion at a soggy Grace Road last week but want to go up as Champions, and they must have a good chance of clinching it against wooden spoonists Kent.There is a big match too at The County Ground, where promotion outsiders Derbyshire need to deliver Glamorgan a knockout blow to stop them joining Leicesteshire in Division One next year.They can find inspiration from last year’s match when Glamorgan lost by 10 wickets after tripping to to 32 for six in their first innings.Do join us, play starts around the grounds at 10