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Hello from a train chugging damply towards Liverpool. The sky is heavy with grey clouds, of the type that Jimmy Anderson might order – which is handy as today he makes his first Championship appearance of the season, at Southport. After that comes his swansong at Lord’s and then – who knows? So, in short, this could be the last chance for anyone not going to the Test to see him bowl in the flesh.
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Of course he could roll in, slim as a pin, for Lancashire for another three years, but the organisers at Southport and Birkdale CC won’t mind – they’ve already sold all 2,300 tickets for today – so don’t travel if you haven’t got a ticket as you won’t get in!
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Festival cricket also at Cheltenham and Chesterfield, the top of the table clash at The Oval and much much more you lucky people.
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DIVISION ONE
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The Oval: Surrey v Essex
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Taunton: Somerset v Warwickshire
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Trafalgar Road: Lancashire v Nottinghamshire
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Southampton: Hampshire v Kent
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Chester le Street: Durham v Worcestershire
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DIVISION TWO
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Grace Road: Leicestershire v Middlesex
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Cheltenham: Gloucestershire v Glamorgan
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County Ground: Northamptonshire v Sussex
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Chesterfield: Derbyshire v Yorkshire
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A Sunday morning Test announcement, I feel suddenly transported back to 1985. Two new caps, Surrey wunderkind wicket-keeper Jamie Smith – which marks, you’d have thought, the end of Jonny Bairstow’s 100-Test career, and gently closes the door on Ben Foakes. Ollie Robinson, the Durham one, can feel unlucky. Pennington beats Sam Cook to the first ‘replacement-for-Jimmy’ spot, Gus Atkinson, Chris Woakes and Matthew Potts make up the rest of the pace attack. Shoaib Bashir takes the spin spot. Ollie Robinson, the Sussex one, is left to ponder what might have been.
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England Men’s Test Squad:
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Ben Stokes (Durham) Captain
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James Anderson (Lancashire) (First Test only)
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Gus Atkinson (Surrey)
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Shoaib Bashir (Somerset)
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Harry Brook (Yorkshire)
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Zak Crawley (Kent)
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Ben Duckett (Nottinghamshire)
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Dan Lawrence (Surrey)
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Dillon Pennington (Nottinghamshire)
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Ollie Pope (Surrey)
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Matthew Potts (Durham)
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Joe Root (Yorkshire)
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Jamie Smith (Surrey)
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Chris Woakes (Warwickshire)
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Important Events
Gary Naylor It points out that the email link at the top of the page is incorrect. Sorry, if you send something to that address I won’t receive it. I think I’ve fixed it, but if not the correct address is tanya.aldred.freelance@theguardian.com.
“I grew up a few miles along the coast,” Gary writes. “It was always windy and would drop the temperature by about 5 degrees. The sand would blow off the dunes and into my eyes and whiten my skin!” Let’s hope it helps with wrinkles.
Tour the grounds – Durham started poorly against Worcestershire, with Borthwick lbw for 0 and Ackerman caught for 1. Ben Stokes is in pre-Test conditioning mode for Durham. Other Test players warming up for this final midsummer round at Lord’s are newcomers Jamie Smith and Pennington, Matthew Potts, Dan Lawrence and Chris Woakes.
Newly recruited Pennington His second over is quick and accurate. I’m glad his trouser legs are still a little above his ankles, though not as short as they were when I first saw him play for Worcestershire in the ’20s. Notts’ opening attack is impressive. Lancashire will do well to prevent it.
Olly Stone New balls have arrived from Grosvenor Road End and are less likely to tip over in colder cross winds than before.
Statistical Attack: (Thanks to Paul Edwards) Nathan Lyon will play his final game for Lancashire in 2024 but needs one more wicket to reach 800 first-class wickets.
I walked around Trafalgar Road. Hundreds of gray flip-up seats, enthusiastic spectators in anoraks, a father pointing out Jimmy Anderson to his young son. Very gray clouds. Spectators may be disappointed that they won’t get to see Anderson pitch, but they’ll be just as happy to see his successor, Dillon Pennington, pitch.
Lancashire lost the toss so… they bat!
It’s cloudy and windy in Southport. It’s chilly but dry. I’m already bitterly regretting not bringing a coat. Notts wins the toss and HH spoils the party by choosing to bowl. There are quiet boos as it is announced.
Rob Key brings in the black pen – Bairstow, Fox and Leach out, Pennington and Smith in.
Jamie Smith and Dillon Pennington named in Test squad
a Sunday morning test announcement Suddenly, it’s 1985. Two new caps, wicketkeeper extraordinaire from Surrey, Jamie Smith. That ends Jonny Bairstow’s 100-Test career and Ben Foakes’ door seems quietly closed. Durham’s Ollie Robinson is out of luck. Pennington takes Jimmy’s place ahead of Sam Cooke, while Gus Atkinson, Chris Woakes and Matthew Potts make up the rest of the pace attack. Shoaib Bashir takes over as spinner. Sussex’s Ollie Robinson can only agonise over what might have been.
England Men’s Test Team:
Ben Stokes (Durham) Captain
James Anderson (Lancashire) (1st Test only)
Gus Atkinson (Sally)
Shoaib Bashir (Somerset)
Harry Brooke (Yorkshire)
Zak Crowley (Kent)
Ben Duckett (Nottinghamshire)
Dan Lawrence (Sully)
Dillon Pennington (Nottinghamshire)
Ollie Pope (Sally)
Matthew Potts (Durham)
Joe Root (Yorkshire)
Jamie Smith (Surrey)
Chris Woakes (Warwickshire)
Equipment
Division One
Oval: Surrey vs. Essex
Taunton: Somerset v Warwickshire
Trafalgar Road: Lancashire v Nottinghamshire
Southampton: Hampshire v Kent
Chester-le-Street: Durham v Worcestershire
Part 2
Grace Road: Leicestershire v Middlesex
Cheltenham: Gloucestershire v Glamorgan
County Ground: Northamptonshire v Sussex
Chesterfield: Derbyshire v Yorkshire
preamble
Hello from the traing is walking damply towards Liverpool, the sky overcast with grey clouds that Jimmy Anderson loves to bowl at. Which is good because today he’s playing his first Championship game of the season at Southport, then his final game at Lord’s and then who knows what will happen after that, which means that for those of you not going to a test match, this may be your last chance to see him bowl live.
Of course, he could roll into Lancashire, skinny as a pin, for another three years, but the organisers at Southport and Birkdale CC aren’t going to care – they’ve already sold out all 2,300 tickets for today, so if you don’t have a ticket, don’t travel – you won’t get in!
There’s also plenty of lucky events happening at Cheltenham and Chesterfield, where cricket festivals will be held and top teams will clash at the Oval.
