Key events
Early drama here at The Oval, where Sean Dickson has retired hurt after being rapped on the hand by Gus Atkinson. Lammonby joins Vaughan.
Mornin’ Tanya! Hello there, Tim Maitland!
”It’s far too soon to dismiss the title pretensions of last season’s 1st versus last season’s 3rd at The Oval, at least mathematically, but given that between them they’ve managed five draws and a loss between them in 2025 they are both in dire need of something this week aren’t they?
”The only reason they’re not out of it is that no-one’s managed more than one win in their three starts.
”It really has been a strange start to the season hasn’t it? Especially when you consider that the weather wasn’t getting in the way.”
I know I sound like such a fan girl but doing a lap of The Oval is a heart-warming experience. People stream through the gate, the sun is shining, the coffee is good and as the ground announcer said the names of the openers, I saw one young man walking to the gate quicken his step and tell his friend “Yes! Archie Vaughan is playing.”
Ali Martin
Good morning from New Road, where the sun is (in and) out for Worcestershire’s first home fixture of the season against Durham. Things are tinged with a touch of sadness here after the recent passing of club journalist and former Press Association writer John Curtis.
JC was among the very best people on the circuit: knowledgeable, generous and just so incredibly welcoming to anyone who walked into the press box. One of the members has just passed me some flowers to pop in JC’s usual spot, where he would spend a day’s play cracking jokes and swapping stories. As the BBC’s Martin Emmerson quipped just now, the minute’s silence planned before the start of play could scarcely be less appropriate (or more deserved). For further reading, there is a lovely tribute on the Worcestershire website here too. Cheers, JC.
I’m sitting next to the Wisden editor, who allowed me to touch (once) Jamie Smith’s embossed Cricketer of The Year 2025 edition before it was handed over. Lovely end papers.
Any questions for Lawrence? Just email me at tanya.aldred.freelance@theguardian.com, or ask BTL.
Josh Hull interview
Ali talks to Leicestershire’s big beast:
How well do Somerset travel? Let’s just say that they haven’t won at The Oval since 1995 and haven’t won an away game in two years.
Limping Durham have been desperately leafing through the address book. In come three pace bowlers: South African Codi Yusuf ( signing for six games) plus Jake Ball (Somerset) and Jack Blatherwick (Lancs)on loan for the next two games.
Fixtures
DIVISION ONE
Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire v Sussex
The Oval: Surrey v Somerset
New Road: Worcestershire v Durham
DIVISION TWO
Derby: Derbyshire v Middlesex
Bristol: Gloucestershire v Leicestershire
Preamble
Good morning! An early train down to London (off peak all day on a Friday) and The Oval is beaming. Footballs are being kicked about in warm-up and there’s a lazy-days net to the side, next to the banks of blackbird-egg seats.
It’s a truncated progamme of games today – just two in Division One and three in Division Two. We’ll be here all day – play starts at 11am.
