What is going on? We've had ten minutes of cricket this afternoon and not a single wicket yet in the three Championship games in Division One.

There were 21 this morning!

C&B: As much as it's great to see Essex win, it's got to be worrying for the game to see a team win by an innings after scoring only 170 themselves. Over 100 wickets fell yesterday in 9 matches. What a poor advert for the game.

Staging matches towards the end of September is definitely playing into bowlers' hands, put it that way.

While the outcome of this year's County Championship title race is still to be sorted, Essex - winners in 2019, Bob Willis Trophy and newly crowned Division Two champions - are already talking about next year.

Chairman John Faragher has spoken to BBC Radio Essex this morning on his hopes for the outcome when the bosses of all 18 county teams sit down for the first time next week to discuss how best to proceed.

“We have a meeting with all the clubs at Lord’s next Wednesday where the format for next year will be discussed and hopefully confirmed," he said.

Image source, Getty Images

“My personal opinion would be we’ll have a conference system again ready to go back to two divisions for 2023. That would be decided by the performances of teams in 2022. But that’s my view and we’ll have to wait and see what is decided.

“Two divisions gives you more competition. Promotion and relegation gives everyone something to play for but with the conference system your season can effectively be over quite early.”

“At the moment, according to the statutes of the club, I have to stand down as chairman next March and if it happens, I’ve had the most magnificent of six years and given it my best shot but we’ll see what happens. But whatever, I’ll still be on the board and will still have a contribution to give to the club.”

Kevin Hand
BBC Radio London

Middlesex's morning at Canterbury as they made short work of what remained of the Kent innings before rattling through some runs in what could have been a tricky stint up to lunch.

It was the young pair of Ethan Bamber and Martin Andersson that got it going with the ball, reducing Kent to 122-7 before Toby Roland-Jones took two in two balls to leave the innings all but over and the hosts, who would have eyed a lead this morning, facing a deficit.

Seam and swing have been prevalent throughout despite the blue skies and a straw coloured pitch but day two should be the best day to bat and former Test openers Mark Stoneman and Sam Robson have certainly looked in the mood to make the most of their last knocks of the year.

Nick Webb
BBC Radio Wales

It has been a very sedate first session at The Oval where Glamorgan have managed just two boundaries in two hours despite being well on top.

They added only 87 runs off 34 overs for the loss of Kiran Carlson, brilliantly caught at square leg by Dan Moriarty off Will Jacks for 69.

Surrey have been on the defensive with their spinners doing a fine holding job as Glamorgan look to bat the home side out of the game.

Captain Chris Cooke has moved quietly to 93 not out while Dan Douthwaite, on 11, has started very slowly for a powerful striker of the ball - but the afternoon could see a switch of tactics once Glamorgan pass 500.

Adrian Harms
BBC Sussex

Another very good session for the visitors, who added another 94 runs, and then taking the wicket of Alastair Orr with the first ball of the Sussex reply.

This looks a good batting wicket, and Sussex will need to bat with more resolve than they showed at Leicester last week, if they are to save this game, and avoid a fourth consecutive County Championship defeat

Anthony Gibson
BBC Somerset

Let no Hampshire supporter imagine that Somerset gifted Warwickshire the fourth batting point which has done so much to strengthen their Championship pretensions.

With Craig Overton leading the attack superbly, Tom Abell's men did everything they could to frustrate the home side, only for Jack Brooks to concede 20 off the 110th over, when anything less than 11 would have seen Warwickshire denied.

Poor Jack. He cut a forlorn figure as the players went off.

Craig Overton, having celebrated his own thoroughly deserved 5-fer, hanging back to put a consolatory arm round the shoulders of his fellow quick.

Division One

Trent Bridge: Notts 296, Yorkshire 63-8

Edgbaston: Warwickshire 367 v Somerset 36-1

Aigburth: Hampshire 143, Lancashire 115-8

Division Two

Chelmsford: Essex (170) beat Northants (81 and 45) by an innings and 44 runs

The Kia Oval: Glamorgan 466-5 v Surrey

Bristol: Durham 140 & 17-0, Gloucestershire 218

Division Three

Hove: Derbyshire 465, Sussex 4-1

Canterbury: Middlesex147 & 32-0, Kent 138

New Road: Leicestershire 222, Worcestershire 138-1

Scott Read
BBC Radio Lancashire

A breathless morning session in Aigburth with Hampshire all over Lancashire as this fascinating title challenge continues.

Keith Barker and Mohammad Abbas have been outstanding.

The counter attack for the Red Rose was led by Luke Wood, whose 37 is currently the top score in the game.

The difference is now just 28 runs between the two sides as this game turns into a second-innings shoot-out.

And with that dismissal of Duke, the players head in for lunch at Trent Bridge.

Nine wickets and just 67 runs this morning and Nottinghamshire in total control of this match. Expect Yorkshire to be following-on not too long into the afternoon session.

Azhar Ali has negotiated a testing first six balls - and Somerset can take lunch with no further loss.

Martin Emmerson
BBC Radio Newcastle

Gloucestershire have ended up with a decent lead of 78 after they were dismissed in their first innings by Durham for 218.

It got a bit sloppy from a Durham point of view though.

Liam Trevaskis took his first five-wicket haul in first-class cricket to reduce the hosts to 174-9,m but then Gloucestershire wriggled off the hook.

Zafar Khan decided the best way to deal with things was to swing the bat and it worked. He hit 30 as he added 44 for the final wicket with David Payne (14*).

It took them to a batting point and a lead, which on this spinner's paradise, could be priceless. They were also helped by two misfields which went for four and some sloppy overthrows.

A tale of two hours in Liverpool from this morning session.

When Keith Barker and Mohammad Abbas ripped through the Lancashire middle order to leave Lancashire at 47-7, it felt like Hampshire were taking an iron grip on this match and possibly the title.

But that stand of 46 between Luke Wood and Steven Croft and another 22 runs between Croft and Tom Bailey have dragged home side to less than 30 runs behind.

Postpublished at 12:27 British Summer Time 22 September 2021

12:27 BST 22 September 2021

Lancashire 105-8 v Hampshire 143

On a morning when wickets have been tumbling like leaves off a tree, let's mention a rare triumph for a batsman.

Chasing a fifth wicket, Keith Barker is hit over mid-wicket for six by Steven Croft as Lancashire bring up their 100.

The lead is down to 38 and the idea that Hampshire were flying towards victory has slowed up.

Somerset openers Ben Green and Tom Lammonby are unparted and looking relatively untroubled in the seventh over in Birmingham.

But the way they are going for their shots has to be encouraging for the Warwickshire bowling attack.