Summary

  • Seven County Championship games

  • Essex beat Northants by an innings

  • All other matches are drawn

  • England all-rounder Moeen Ali hits 136*

  1. wicket

    WICKET Rossington (lbw b ten Doeschate) 17published at 12:14 British Summer Time 27 April 2016

    Northants 119 & 171-6 v Essex 441-8d

    Slowly but surely Essex are edging towards victory.

    Adam Rossington has been trapped in front by Ryan ten Doeschate to leave the hosts four wickets from victory at Chelmsford, with Northants now 151 runs in arrears.

    But please do take a bow Azharullah, who has blocked his way to an impressive nine from 74 deliveries. Bravo.

  2. A record partnership is brokenpublished at 12:09 British Summer Time 27 April 2016

    Leicestershire 232-3 v Kent 264

    Mark Cosgrove and Neil Dexter's 217-run record partnership for Leicestershire against Kent as at long last been broken, as the former is bowled by Mitchell Claydon for 122.

    Dexter is still there and eight runs short of his ton.

  3. wicket

    WICKET Hain (st Bairstow b Lyth) 15published at 12:05 British Summer Time 27 April 2016

    Warwickshire 256-4 v Yorkshire 379

    Adam Lyth has a wicket!

    The England opener's part-time spin has lured Sam Hain in to trotting down the pitch, and Jonny Bairstow was razor sharp in whipping off the bails.

    Jonathan Trott has moved on to 66, and is now joined by Tim Ambrose.

  4. get involved

    Get Involved via #bbccricketpublished at 12:03 British Summer Time 27 April 2016

    What are the best and worst county cricket kits of all time?

    Our friends over at Sportsday are today running through the best and worst sports kits ever made, largely as a tribute to the unveiling of the Team GB kit for Rio 2016.

    So why don't we whizz through some of your favourite and least favourite county cricket kits past and present? You can wing them our way by using #bbccricket on Twitter.

    Here's an early entry from me, though you can make your own minds up as to which category it falls in...

  5. 100 runs

    Dent makes 100published at 11:59 British Summer Time 27 April 2016

    Gloucestershire 380 & 264-6 v Worcestershire 411

    If Gloucestershire fans were a little concerned their team may have been wobbling yesterday evening, the first hour at Bristol today should've calmed a few nerves.

    Chris Dent has been the star of the home side's show, bringing up his century from 226 balls.

    That, of course, follows his 180 against Derbyshire in the last round.

  6. get involved

    Get Involved via #bbccricketpublished at 11:49 British Summer Time 27 April 2016

    Who would make your all-weather cricket XI?

    Before I ask you all to get your thinking caps on for today's big #bbccricket topic (please don't get your hopes up), I thought we might as well run through yesterday's all-weather cricket XI for one final time, just in case you missed it...

    All-weather cricket XIImage source, Getty Images

    Alex Hails, Sunny Gavaskar, HurriKane Williamson, Shiver-narine Chanderpaul, Sam Northeast Wind, AB de Chilliers, Ryan Tornadochate, Gareth Breeze, John Snow, James Andersun, Trent 'Lightning' Boult.

    Twelfth men: Matthew Foggard, Kevin Sleeterson and Derek Thunderwood.

    Umpires: Chilly Bowden and Dickie Birrrrrd.

  7. sun

    Enjoy it while it lastspublished at 11:40 British Summer Time 27 April 2016

    Warwickshire 240-3 v Yorkshire 379

    Edgbaston weather

    If you're planning to pop along to Edgbaston to take in some County Championship cricket today it'd probably be wise to head over there soonish.

    We're set fair for the morning session, at least, but with showers around later this afternoon and without a positive result looking likely we may well be in for an early finish.

    Jonathan Trott, all the while, ticks over to 61 not out.

  8. wicket

    WICKET Carter (c Wagg b Hogan) 39published at 11:36 British Summer Time 27 April 2016

    Derbyshire 345 all out v Glamorgan 377

    Glamorgan have at last got rid of that plucky old last-wicket partnership we were talking about last night, as BBC Radio Wales' Nick Webb explains:

    "Derbyshire's last-wicket stand reached 56 before Glamorgan paceman Michael Hogan induced Andy Carter to sky a catch on a career-best score of 39.

    "Tom Poynton was left on 36 not out as Glamorgan took a first-innings lead of 32."

  9. wicket

    WICKET Burns (c Davies b Overton)published at 11:34 British Summer Time 27 April 2016

    Surrey 463 & 18-2 v Somerset 353

    Now then! Rory Burns is the next Surrey batsman to be sent on his way, snaffled behind off the bowling of Craig Overton.

    Did the badger speak to soon? Given Surrey are still 128 runs ahead, I suspect not, but you never know!

  10. rain stops play

    Which can't be said for Durham...published at 11:32 British Summer Time 27 April 2016

    Durham 295-4 v Middlesex 389

    Durham weather

    This isn't looking overly promising, is it? I think we'll have to consider ourselves pretty fortunate if we're able to enjoy any play at all at Chester-le-Street today.

  11. wicket

    WICKET Harinath (c Davies b Gregory) 10published at 11:28 British Summer Time 27 April 2016

    Surrey 463 & 18-1 v Somerset 353

    Just as I was finally making my way to The Oval to give you a quick update and weather forecast, Lewis Gregory has made Arun Harinath his first victim of the day. His departure brings Kumar Sangakkara to the wicket, which I'm sure Somerset will be delighted about following his 171 in the first dig.

    Anyhow, the good news is the sun is out and we're expecting a relatively trouble-free day of cricket in London.

    London weather
  12. 50 runs

    Trott makes 50published at 11:23 British Summer Time 27 April 2016

    Warwickshire 223-3 v Yorkshire 379

    If there's one man you'd expect not to be phased by an early dismissal, it's former England batsman Jonathan Trott. The 35-year-old brings up his half-century from a not-too-sluggish 73 balls.

  13. wicket

    WICKET Levi (c Lawrence b Porter) 29published at 11:20 British Summer Time 27 April 2016

    Northants 119 & 150-5 v Essex 441-8d

    The boy Jamie Porter is a machine!

    The 22-year-old Essex seamer has snaffled the early breakthrough his side would've wanted, and it's the key man Richard Levi who's heading back to the hutch for 29.

    Essex are just five wickets from victory, Northants another 168 runs away from making them bat again.

  14. wicket

    WICKET Chopra (c Lyth b Patterson) 107published at 11:18 British Summer Time 27 April 2016

    Warwickshire 220-3 v Yorkshire 379

    Varun Chopra may be glad it's a little warmer outside - but he'll be spending the next we while in the pavilion after become day four's first casualty.

    He added just six to his overnight score before being caught by Adam Lyth off the bowling of Steven Patterson. Sam Hain joins Jonathan Trott (49 not out) at the crease.

  15. 100 runs

    Cosgrove reaches 100published at 11:15 British Summer Time 27 April 2016

    Leicestershire 190-2 v Kent 264

    The first serious act of the final day, however, has very much come down at Grace Road. And thank goodness, for Mark Cosgrove's sake.

    The Leicestershire batsman was stuck on 99 not out overnight, after hail, sleet and snow brought about an early close, but thankfully he's wasted not too much time this morning in dabbing away the single needed to reach three figures.

    His innings has taken in 115 deliveries and featured 19 fours.

  16. Gloucestershire 380 & 220-6 v Worcestershire 411published at 11:11 British Summer Time 27 April 2016

    Chris DentImage source, Getty Images

    Another game hanging slightly in the balance is down in Bristol, where a couple of late Matt Henry wickets on day three reduced Gloucestershire to 220-6 - a lead of only 189.

    Like Richard Levi for Northants, Chris Dent (81 not out) is going to play an important role for the hosts today.

    We'll be keeping a close eye on this one.

  17. Northants 119 & 149-4 v Essex 441-8dpublished at 11:08 British Summer Time 27 April 2016

    Right then, where are these positive results going to turn up?

    The most likely certainly looks to be at Chelmsford, where Northants, having been made to follow on, are resuming on 149-4 - still 173 runs behind Essex.

    Richard Levi is still there and unbeaten on 29, and I reckon he'll have to stick around for a good while to give his side any chance. A spot of dodgy weather might help them, too.

  18. Chopra hoping for warmer daypublished at 11:03 British Summer Time 27 April 2016

    Warwickshire 205-2 v Yorkshire 379

    BBC WM's Richard Wilford is all set for the start of play at Edgbaston, and has already sent us this wee snippet from down the road:

    "Varun Chopra will be delighted that it is, indeed, a couple of degrees warmer at Edgbaston today.

    "The former Bears' skipper resumes on 101 not out, his first ever century against Yorkshire achieved in what he conceded were the coldest conditions he has ever batted in."

    Varun ChopraImage source, BBC WM
    Image caption,

    Varun Chopra

  19. How things standpublished at 11:00 British Summer Time 27 April 2016

    Here's how we're looking as we march towards the business end of this round of fixtures then. Still a couple of results possible?...

    Division One:

    Warwickshire 205-2 v Yorkshire 379

    Somerset 353 v Surrey 463

    Durham 295-4 v Middlesex 389

    Division Two:

    Leicestershire 174-2 v Kent 264

    Gloucestershire 380 & 217-6 v Worcestershire 411

    Northants 119 & 148-4 v Essex 441-8d

    Derbyshire 331-9 v Glamorgan 377

    Click here for full scorecards.

  20. sun

    Let's play cricket!published at 10:59 British Summer Time 27 April 2016

    Those were the words of Kent's Mitchell Claydon last night, after another day full of quite ridiculous Springtime weather.

    Nonetheless, the sun is shining (sort of) here in Birmingham and six of our seven County Championship matches will begin the fourth day on time.

    No prizes for guessing where's struggling, mind you...