Don't get why we've forced Jimmy to retire after 1 game personally.

................

Jimmy should have took the decision out of their hands and retired on his own terms.

I think it has been implied that Anderson will stick around in some form of coaching / consulting role. He's keen to still be involved and I think it would be stupid not to lean on his knowledge and experience.

I think now we have Stokes back as a proper bowling option, they must have thought now was the time to build a Jimmy Andersonless team. It sounds like it was done a lot better than the last time he was retired.

Essex look like they are letting another game get away from them. Early days mind.

Burgess always seems to score runs against us but 100/6 to 300/6 isn't ideal. 57 overs without a wicket!

After building up Sam Cook. He takes 2/75, which isn't awful, but he usually goes at less than 2 an over but in this innings he has gone at close to 4. Given Snater went at 2s, Porter and Harmer at 3s, that is surprisingly poor from him.

Pitch has flattened out a lot and despite having a world class off spinner and a pretty good leg spinner, we definitely miss a guy who can really bend his back and bowl a hostile spell. Doug Bracewell would have been useful this afternoon/evening.

I hope the pitch has flattened out a bit as Hannon-Dalby has a habit of running through our batting order.

Saturday's updates: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/live/ce7rwzn3jd4t

The poor old Foxes getting a thumping as Gloucestershire declare on 706-6.

Pitch suddenly so not flat

Back to back losses on the cards here. Title chances are done already with Surrey well on the way to winning again.

comment by Emile Death Rowe (TCM) (U8959)
posted 3 minutes ago
Pitch suddenly so not flat

Back to back losses on the cards here. Title chances are done already with Surrey well on the way to winning again.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

It does look that way doesn’t it.

Close of play scores:

Chelmsford: Essex 162 v Warwickshire 397 and 43-5

Stanley Park: Lancashire 357 and 91-2 v Durham 236

Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire 235 and 33-1 v Hampshire 276

Taunton: Somerset 554 v Kent 108-5

The Oval: Surrey 213 and 342-5 v Worcestershire 128

DIVISION TWO

Derby: Derbyshire 170-2 v Northamptonshire 422

Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 183 v Middlesex 303-6

Grace Road: Leicestershire 133-5 v Gloucestershire 706-6 dec

Hove: Sussex 150 and 194-7 v Yorkshire 195.

comment by Vidicschin (U3584)
posted 16 hours, 3 minutes ago
comment by Emile Death Rowe (TCM) (U8959)
posted 3 minutes ago
Pitch suddenly so not flat

Back to back losses on the cards here. Title chances are done already with Surrey well on the way to winning again.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

It does look that way doesn’t it.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Sadly yes, Surrey are relentless. They've got about 8 red ball seamers, all of whom could probably walk into any side and most of them are pretty capable with the bat too so they pick 5 of them and have one or two batters who are part time spinners but do enough to take wickets when the seamers don't. The top order batting is where they are most vulnerable but they recover so annoyingly often.

We've made a bit of a comeback but we are still miles behind here. Have to bowl them out for under 100 to stand any chance.

Well we've done the first part in bowling them out for 94. Just need a Dean Machine Elgar special now.

Well it's not been a good start with the bat.

Michael Rae looks a decent bowler and is clocking 86/87mph. Surprised to see his FC bowling average is around 34, he looks better than that. The Essex bats are definitely struggling with the pace of him and Che Simmons as its coming down about 10-15mph faster than what our bowlers are sending down.

The Foxes' Rishi Patel makes 117 but they're now 236-6 and still 466 behind Gloucestershire.

Sunday updates: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/live/cv2651l13qzt

Stokes has just taken a 5fer but they're 450 runs behind so Durham are going to need him with the bat as well.

Crawley has just scored a ton with Kent following on against Somerset as he and my boy Compton approach 200/0.

Essex have recovered well after 2 early losses but have lost wickets just as partnerships have been looking pretty solid. Still a long way to go but they're in a better position than I thought they would be some 24 hours ago.

Anticlimactic ending to the season despite the late winner. Fully focused on the cricket now! Thankfully Cox and Critchley have put together a nice partnership, just need to keep it together until the close. It's been a very good fight back especially after losing the 2 early wickets.

Crawley now has a double ton!

And here comes the Essex collapse we have seen hinder us so much in the last few years.

Glad I got that wrong. Not for the first time this year Cox and Critchley come to the rescue.

Cox has been brilliant, wonder if he will take the gloves when he can or whether he will committ to just being a batter. Great win for the Eagles.

Some fantastic games this week, Lancashire who looked doomed for a while beating a strong Durham side with Ben Stokes was a great win for them. The bottom.7 only separated by 15 points at the moment whilst Somerset and Essex attempt to chase Surrey.

A new round of matches.

Stokes is playing again.

Updates: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/live/cw07lxp82rxt

Round eight fixtures:

Division One:

Chester LS: Durham v Somerset

Durham won the toss and put Somerset in

Southampton: Hampshire v Surrey

Surrey won the toss and will bat

Canterbury: Kent v Essex

Essex won the toss and will bat

Old Trafford: Lancashire v Warwickshire - no play before lunch

Worcester: Worcestershire v Nottinghamshire - no play before lunch

Division Two:

Bristol: Gloucestershire v Derbyshire

Derbyshire won the toss and will bat

Leicester: Leicestershire v Glamorgan

Leicestershire won the toss and put Glamorgan in

Lord's: Middlesex v Sussex

Middlesex won the toss and put Sussex in

Northampton: Northamptonshire v Yorkshire

Northants won the toss and put Yorkshire in.

Stokes in the wickets again. That'll please those who think he should be dropped.

I wonder whether he may drop to 7 this summer if he's bowling more with the keeper bat whoever he may be, moved up to 6. Thinks it's a move that would suit Foakes but I don't expect him to be keeping this summer.

Need the top 5 for Essex to get the runs here as Pepper at 6, Harmer at 7 and Snater at 8 feels a place too high for all 3. We've dropped Khushi for Beard which I can understand on a flat deck so this opening century stand is very welcome.

Surrey will be fine as they always thrash Hampshire but Dawson has had an impressive morning with 3/18 from 11 overs so far.

One of the two Essex boys to save Surrey.

Abbott bowling like a man possessed. Hampshire better not mess up this position of dominance but I don't expect them to get more than 250 which won't be enough. Surrey won't fail twice with the bat.

Slow going at Canterbury, hopefully Cox and Pepper can get things moving tomorrow else we might only end up with 2 batting points.

Surrey in trouble but I fully expect them to battle back tomorrow.

Somerset look to be in another low scoring thriller as Stokes makes 0 with the bat. The batting element will take care of itself though but his bowling is encouraging.

Close of play scores.

Division One:

Durham 177-6 v Somerset 171

Hampshire 102-1 v Surrey 127

Kent v Essex 287-4

Lancashire v Warwickshire 89-3

Worcestershire v Nottinghamshire - no play on day one

Division Two:

Gloucestershire v Derbyshire 434-5

Leicestershire v Glamorgan 352-8

Middlesex v Sussex 295-4

Northamptonshire v Yorkshire 312-7.