Key events
Bat? Bowl?
The captains have tossed a coin, and these are the decisions, decisions:
Hampshire will bat.
Worcestershire will bat.
Lancashire will bat.
Surrey will field.
Glamorgan will field.
Northants will field.
But, to restore your faith in humankind, a lovely spin by Rob Smyth on walking cricket:
And this was Barney, chewing over and spitting out private investment in Hundred Franchises:
News dropped yesterday that the ICC had renewed their deal with oil and gas giant Aramco, a global partner for another four years, until the end of 2027. Not content with ignoring the plight of its own game played in many of the most climate vulnerable nations in the world, the desperate calls of the UN for immediate action, and the worries of their own players over air pollution, they went ahead and trousered the money.
The “themes at the core of the partnership are performance with a focus to engage a younger audience” reads the press release, ignoring the depth of young people’s climate anxiety and their involvement in climate activism. “How to toxify your brand” might have been a better way of putting it.
Jonathan Liew wrote this in 2022 when the original deal was signed.
Division Two table
1 Sussex (4) 72
2 Middlesex (5) 68
3 Leicestershire (5) 68
4 Yorkshire (5) 60
5 Northamptonshire (4) 54
6 Glamorgan (4) 44
7 Derbyshire (5) 43
8 Gloucestershire (4) 39
Division One Table
1 Essex (played 5) 74
2 Somerset ( 5) 72
3 Surrey ( 4) 71
4 Warwickshire (4) 55
5 Durham (4) 50
6 Kent (4) 46
7 Worcestershire (4) 45
8 Nottinghamshire (4) 43
9 Hampshire (4) 31
10 Lancashire (4) 27
Fixtures
Division One
The Rosebowl: Hampshire v Durham
Canterbury: Kent v Worcestershire
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire v Lancashire
The Oval: Surrey v Warwickshire
Division Two
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan v Sussex
The County Ground: Northants v Gloucestershire
Preamble
Good May morning from round five. We’ll be a third of the way through the season by Monday, the apple blossom barely on the trees.
There are six games in this round – with a heavy first-division focus. Surrey entertain Warwickshire, Durham travel to Hampshire and cellar-dwellers Lancashire walk out at Trent Bridge. Worcestershire play their first game since the death of young Josh Baker, and will be in Canterbury, wearing his squad number, 33, on their shirts today and for the rest of the season. Ali writes about it movingly, here.
In Division Two, Glamorgan entertain Sussex, and Gloucestershire travel to Northampton.
