The County Championship holds sway (briefly)

posted by John Winn

In domestic cricket the championship has things almost to itself for the next couple of weeks, a rare enough event and this week, midsummer week, all eighteen counties are in action, sadly none north of Leicester, but it's festival time with matches at Guildford, Swansea, Tunbridge Wells and Arundel.
Next week is almost as good with only Gloucestershire and Sussex having time off and Scarborough hosting its first match of the season when Surrey come to the seaside.

Today's nine matches see First Division leaders Somerset face Surrey at Guildford and I believe this is the game that will be covered on Five Live Extra. Just one point between these two teams and both have played a game fewer than nearest rivals, Essex. Surrey will be missing the Currans, Foakes and Roy but have brought in Theunis de Bruyn for the next couple of weeks. Somerset are missing Craig Overton but welcome back Leach and Groenewald. Essex welcome Notts to Chelmsford, third v fourth here. Lancashire go to New Road and Yorkshire, for the second time this week, are in Southampton. Floodlights in action here. Tattersall retains the gauntlets, will we see Hodd in first team action again, which will be a first class debut the Knaresborough youngster. Pujara who did not have a happy time on Monday is in the 13 man squad as is Jack Brooks who whilst commentating on the semi final expressed his disappointment at not being able to get a game in that competition. Olly Rayner joins Hants on loan from Middlesex.

Second Division leaders, and by a few lengths, Warwickshire are at Tunbridge Wells to face second place Kent. Third place Leicestershire have Middlesex, who have only one win this season, as their opponents at Grace Road. Durham make the long trip to Arundel and have Collingwood back as captain. Not been a great season for Colly so far, 125th in the Second Division batting averages, 46 runs at 9.20, but his  13 man squad has a bit more experience than the one that took on Derbyshire last week. In the other two matches in the lower tier, Derbyshire are at Swansea and Northants take on Glos at Wantage Road, floodlights here too.

Plenty to look forward to, let's hope the weather holds. And here is a reminder of what next week has in store, only five more sleeps.