Good morning from tropical Scarbados. Unfortunately it’s not quite sun shining and golden sand between the toes weather as it was against Surrey here in late June, but we are set for a start on time at 11am between Yorkshire and Worcestershire.
There has been some overnight rain around North Marine Road, and Worcestershire have opted for an uncontested toss and to bowl first. They desperately need a win, what would be their second in eight, to breathe life into their bid to avoid an immediate return to Division Two. Yorkshire have a bit more breathing space. They sit in fifth with three wins and insist they are targeting a top three finish rather than looking over their shoulders at the relegation zone.
But they do come into this game with significant injury issues. Key seamers Steve Patterson and Ben Coad miss out with finger and side problems, meaning they head into this fixture with David Willey and Matthew Fisher playing their first Championship games of the season. Willey captains.
There is a return to Yorkshire for an old favourite here, with visiting coach Kevin Sharp a former White Rose batsman and coach. Joe Root’s first coach at Headingley, no less.
It is a full round of fixtures in the Championship following the culmination of the Blast group stage on Friday.
Leaders Surrey face relegation-haunted Lancashire in the pink ball fixture at the Oval, which starts at 1.30pm. Sam Curran is available to the hosts, but Jordan Clark isn’t for the visitors. He signed for Surrey earlier in the week, and while he does not head to the Oval until the end of the season, he isn’t available for this fixture as a result of the move.
Hampshire face Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge, while Somerset host champions Essex at Taunton. Both Notts and Somerset have to win to try and put the pressure on Surrey. Somerset are the most likely to put a spanner in Surrey’s works given they are second, 34 points behind and with them still to play.
In Division Two, the race for promotion is reaching fever pitch, with the top four teams separated by just 17 points with six rounds remaining. Warwickshire lead the way and host Gloucestershire at Edgbaston, while second-placed Sussex host Derbyshire at Hove. The pick of the fixtures sees Leicestershire in fourth host Kent in third at Grace Road. I reckon promotion for the Foxes would be a pretty popular outcome for most county supporters.
Elsewhere, Glamorgan host Durham at Cardiff, where Alex Lees will debut for the visitors having signed from Yorkshire last week, while Northamptonshire host Middlesex at Wantage Road.
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