Live blog from the final day of the latest round of LV= County Championship matches with Hampshire looking to hold out against Kent to strengthen their promotion bid while Middlesex need to bat out the final day at Taunton to ease their drop fears.
By Matt Somerford & Rob Barnett
Live Scores / Follow ECB_Cricket on Twitter
12.35pm – Here are those scores:
Division One
Chris Rogers has 152 of Middlesex’s 230 for two as they seek to hold on for a draw that will aid their relegation fight. The visitors to Taunton are following on and trail Somerset by 70.
Luke Wells’ 79 from 62 balls helped Sussex declare their second innings on 406 for six shortly before lunch. Nottinghamshire, needing 385 to win at Trent Bridge, are 10 without loss.
Division Two
There has been no play today at the Ageas Bowl where promotion-chasing Hampshire are 110 for one, following on against Kent who lead by 46 runs. Play is set to start at 1pm.
12.31pm – The two games that have had action this morning reach lunch. We’ll soon round up the scores.
12.27pm – Rogers goes to a rearguard 150! The Middlesex skipper is leading strong resistance as the relegation-threatened team seek a draw with Somerset.
Play is scheduled to get underway at 1pm with 67 overs remaining in the day. Hampshire 110-1, trailing by 46 runs. #LVCC
— Hampshire Cricket (@hantscricket) September 18, 2014
DECLARATION: Sussex declare on 406 for 6 setting Nottinghamshire a target of 385 to win this @LV_Cricket match, with 70 overs left today
— Sussex CCC (@SussexCCC) September 18, 2014
12.10pm – Wells falls the ball after hitting Samit Patel for six. Wells struck 13 fours and two sixes in his 79 from 62 balls, dominating a stand of 78 with Brown.
12.01pm – Ben Brown deposits England Under-19 seamer Luke Wood over the rope and Sussex’s lead has gone beyond 350.
Sussex 372-5 after 67 overs. Will we see any sign of a declaration before lunch? #NottsvSuss
— Nottinghamshire CCC (@TrentBridge) September 18, 2014
11.37am – That break has been clocked at two minutes. We’re up and running again with Johann Myburgh to complete his over.
Meanwhile at Trent Bridge, Wells takes 15 from a Keedy over and that Sussex declaration can’t be far off now. Wells gets to a half-century from 50 balls and Sussex are 317 runs in front.
11.35am – The players are off at Taunton for bad light. Middlesex are 194 for two with Rogers unbeaten on 132 while Denly has 18. Middlesex are 106 behind.
It could be a short break…the umpires want the players to return.
WICKET..Joyce departs for a fantastic 149. His eighth first-class century of the season, an incredible effort @edjoyce24. 320/5 lead is 298
— Sussex CCC (@SussexCCC) September 18, 2014
11.19am – Rogers and Denly have brought up a 50-run stand for Middlesex while Sussex have gone past 300 at Trent Bridge. Three fours in one over from Keedy accelerates the scoring rate further.
11.13am – The reports from the Ageas Bowl are that the rain has got lighter. A start is probably still some way off yet because of all the water that has fallen on the outfield.
11.01am – Gurney concedes a couple fo boundaries in the same over – with Ed Joyce and new man Luke Wells sharing them – to build Sussex’s lead to 256 runs.
Down at Taunton, Rogers hits successive boundaries off Leach while Joe Denly has made a positive start too, taking 11 from his first 12 balls.
Century for the @Middlesex_CCC captain Chris Rogers as he tries to save vital game at @SomersetCCC. @BBC5LSX pic.twitter.com/LIFGECh84p
— BBC TMS (@bbctms) September 18, 2014
10.46am – Sussex are looking for those quick runs this morning. Luke Wright lifts Harry Gurney for six, but the risk-taking comes at a cost as he tamely chips Luke Fletcher to Gary Keedy.
10.37am – Somerset have grabbed the first of the nine wickets they need at Taunton. After Chris Rogers played out an Alfonso Thomas maiden, Dawid Malan fails to negotiate the first ball from Jack Leach at the other end. Marcus Trescothick takes the catch and gets reward for his decision to go with spin straight away.
Play has started at the county ground. Somerset need 9 wickets to win the game!
— Somerset Cricket (@SomersetCCC) September 18, 2014
10.20am – We have confirmation that the start will be delayed at the Ageas Bowl. That’s no bad thing for Hampshire because if they can escape with a draw the five extra points would move them 10 points clear of third-placed Essex in the promotion race.
10.12am – We may have a few delayed starts this morning. The weather doesn’t look good in that picture from Taunton while the news from the Ageas Bowl is not much better.
The covers are actually on at Southampton and it is raining fairly heavily.
Murky, muggy and misty morning in Taunton. Quantock Hills are not visible at all… pic.twitter.com/EVyn0D2Xxw
— Middlesex Cricket (@Middlesex_CCC) September 18, 2014
10am – Welcome to our live blog of today’s LV= County Championship action. After the record-breaking antics of yesterday, highlighted by Chris Rushworth’s 15 wickets at Durham, we are down to three games today. Here’s where we stand:
Middlesex begin on 140 for one after being asked to follow on with skipper Chris Rogers three runs away from a century as his side looks to hold on for a draw against Somerset to aid their fight against the drop.
Sussex cantered to 244 for three before bad light brought an end to play last night with a lead of 222 runs over Nottinghamshire. Ed Joyce hit his seventh century of the season and more quick runs will be on the agenda this morning to push for a result.
Hampshire start the day 46 runs behind Kent after they were asked to follow on. The hosts were making a better fist of it second time around to be 110 for one and looking for a draw, at least, to boost their promotion claims.
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