Summary

  • Hashim Amla's 37 not out off 278 balls secures draw for Surrey against Hampshire

  • Lancashire draw with Kent in Group Three and qualify along with Yorkshire for top division

  • Somerset draw with Leicestershire to move within qualification for the top division of the second phase of the competition

  • Warwickshire draw with Durham after rain-affected match at Edgbaston

  • Sussex draw with Glamorgan at Hove

  • Gloucestershire on course to beat Middlesex at Cheltenham with a day still to play

  1. No play before lunch at Cheltenhampublished at 11:57 British Summer Time 7 July 2021

    Glos 248 & 198-6 v Middx 101

    The morning session has gone to rain at the College.

    It reduces Gloucestershire’s chances of winning today.

  2. Postpublished at 11:57 British Summer Time 7 July 2021

    Hampshire 488 v Surrey 72 & 11-3

    Back to back maidens as Surrey continue to try and dig themselves out of a crater-sized hole. Ryan Patel is two not out and Hashim Amla has made one from 42 deliveries faced.

  3. 50 runs

    for David Bedinghampublished at 11:49 British Summer Time 7 July 2021

    Warwickshire 237 v Durham 195-5

    It's been quite some season so far for David Bedingham and he cracks the ball through the covers for four at the start of a new Ryan Sidebottom over to reach a 121-ball fifty.

    It's his third of the season and he's also made three centuries as well.

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  4. Durham need batting pointspublished at 11:48 British Summer Time 7 July 2021

    Warwickshire 237 v Durham 187-5

    Durham were seven points behind Essex - who are not playing in this round of matches - and nine adrift of Warwickshire when this match began.

    If it is to end in a draw, then it is important for the visitors to earn more batting points than the Bears in order to reduce that deficit.

    They have now faced 74 overs in this innings, so they have another 36 to try and build this total. David Bedingham is 47 not out and Ned Eckersley is on 24 and they have now posted a 50 partnership.

  5. Postpublished at 11:45 British Summer Time 7 July 2021

    Sussex 226 & 140-4 v Glam 215

    Sussex will obviously be disappointed with their results this season but can be content with the emergence of several youngsters.

    Ali Orr, a 20-year-old left-hander, is leading their push to safety on the final day.

    He and captain Ben Brown have taken the score from a precarious 62-4 but there’s still more to do to deny Glamorgan.

    How splendid it would be if young Orr of Eastbourne were the man to see out the match with a maiden century.

  6. Postpublished at 11:39 British Summer Time 7 July 2021

    Hampshire 488 v Surrey 72 & 10-3

    It's not at all important in the context of this match, but Surrey's scoring rate is currently 0.58 an over.

    If you think of that in relation to The Hundred which starts in a couple of weeks, the word 'antithesis' comes to mind.

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  7. Raining at Cheltenhampublished at 11:34 British Summer Time 7 July 2021

    Glos 248 & 198-6 v Middx 101

    That 11:30 BST start at Cheltenham College hasn’t happened and they’ll wait for the rain to disappear over Cleeve Hill.

  8. wicket

    WICKET Virdi c Organ b Barker 3published at 11:25 British Summer Time 7 July 2021

    Hampshire 488 v Surrey 72 & 9-3

    Hampshire dismiss Amar VirdiImage source, Rex Features

    Once again we are guilty of tempting fate (see previous entry).

    Apologies to Amar Virdi who clips Keith Barker off his legs but Felix Organ takes the catch at square leg.

    Seven to go for Hampshire as Ryan Patel comes out to bat.

  9. Postpublished at 11:24 British Summer Time 7 July 2021

    Hampshire 488 v Surrey 72 & 9-2

    Five and half overs negotiated by Surrey - only 91 more to come.

    Amar Virdi is three not out and Hashim Amla has one.

  10. 400 up for Leicestershirepublished at 11:18 British Summer Time 7 July 2021

    Somerset 461-9d v Leics 400-7

    Harry Swindells and Ed Barnes are trying to further frustrate Somerset on the final day at Taunton.

    They came together yesterday with work to do to save the follow-on but their fabulous partnership is now worth 128.

    It should be enough to secure a draw for the Foxes and deny Somerset a win they were probably banking on to stay top of Group Two.

    But as ever with Somerset, it ain’t over until the tubby farmer downs his last flagon of cider.

  11. Postpublished at 11:12 British Summer Time 7 July 2021

    Warwickshire 237 v Durham 178-5

    Craig Miles has a 'five-for' in his sights at Edgbaston this morning after collecting four Durham wickets on day three.

    No luck, though, in his latest over, from which three singles were scored. David Bedingham is 40 not out and Ned Eckersley has 20.

  12. rain stops play

    Weather holds up Lancashirepublished at 11:04 British Summer Time 7 July 2021

    Lancashire 259-9 v Kent 74 - start delayed

    There will be no play this morning at Old Trafford.

    The teams will take lunch at 12:30 with a view to starting at 13:10, which would leave a maximum of 72 overs in the day's play.

    Lancashire lead by 185 and that could be enough time if James '1,000 wickets' Anderson is in the mood again.

  13. Postpublished at 11:02 British Summer Time 7 July 2021

    Hampshire 488 v Surrey 72 & 6-2

    This looks like being a very tough day for Surrey.

    Hashim Amla and nightwatchman Amar Virdi are the batsmen and Brad Wheal has three balls to bowl to complete the over left unfinished last evening when he dismissed England's Rory Burns for a duck.

  14. Start delayed at Cheltenhampublished at 11:00 British Summer Time 7 July 2021

    Glos 248 & 198-6 v Middx 101

    Only day three remember at Cheltenham so plenty of time for the Glosters to try and force victory.

    They might be able to do so today but will have to wait until 11:30 BST to get going after some rain.

  15. Bears sign Mayers for short T20 staypublished at 10:57 British Summer Time 7 July 2021

    Birmingham Bears sign West Indies all-rounder Kyle Mayers for their final three T20 Blast group games.

    Read More
  16. Listen livepublished at 10:55 British Summer Time 7 July 2021

    Our BBC local radio commentators are in place at the six grounds to bring you ball-by-ball coverage as usual. Choose a match from the audio promos at the top of this page and we'll keep you updated with what is happening elsewhere with regular text updates.

    BBC commentary boxImage source, BBC Sport
  17. Abbott 'proud' of Hampshire attackpublished at 10:52 British Summer Time 7 July 2021

    Hampshire 488 v Surrey 72 & 6-2 (match resumes 11:00 BST)

    Kyle AbbottImage source, Rex Features

    Acting Hampshire captain Kyle Abbott praised his side's focus after they ran through Surrey's batting line-up following a delayed start to day three at the Ageas Bowl on Tuesday.

    They took six wickets for 30 runs to wrap up Surrey's first innings and then removed Mark Stoneman and Rory Burns after Abbott, named as skipper after James Vince was summoned by England, enforced the follow-on.

    "I asked the guys for a huge effort in a short amount of time and that is what they gave us on a disrupted day," he said.

    "It's never easy to come out so late in the day and ask for performances but we knew it was going to be worse for them to bat. I am incredibly proud of the boys to get eight wickets in quick time."

  18. Covers on at Old Traffordpublished at 10:48 British Summer Time 7 July 2021

    Lancashire 259-9 v Kent 74

    Lancashire are hoping to bowl Kent our cheaply today to confirm their place among the top six sides for the next stage of the Championship. Looks like the weather isn't 'ready to play ball' just yet.

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  19. Withdrawals caused 'little bit of chaos'published at 10:45 British Summer Time 7 July 2021

    Warwickshire 237 & Durham 173-5 (match resumes 11:00 BST)

    It was a frantic start to the day for several counties on Tuesday with 11 players pulled out of games to join a new England one-day squad.

    No-one suffered more disruption than Durham, who lost Ben Stokes and Brydon Carse and drafted in Graham Clark and Jack Burnham.

    "It caused a little bit of chaos among the county teams, it was a very busy morning trying to organise things," Durham head coach James Franklin told BBC Radio Newcastle.

    "There's a huge amount of flexibility with the like-for-like scenario and there needs to be, because every county that had to replace players was only notified a few hours earlier and you've got to think on your feet."

    James FranklinImage source, Rex Features
  20. Weather outlookpublished at 10:42 British Summer Time 7 July 2021

    County Championship (play starts 11:00 BST)

    Sunny spells and showers is about the size of it today. Here's BBC forecaster Simon King with more detailed information.

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