Summary

  • Use the audio icons in the 'watch & listen' tab for live BBC radio commentaries

  • Div One: Somerset tail ekes out 50-run first innings lead against Hants

  • Hampshire wipe out deficit and reach 149-1 at close

  • Essex close on 110-3 replying to Warwicks 190 after Sam Hain's 88

  • Div Two: Glos close on 58-3 in their second innings, needing 47 more to avoid innings defeat

  • Nathan McSweeney and James Sales pass 50 before bad light stops play as Northants close on 229-4 against Middlesex

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  1. Postpublished at 12:00 BST 18 April

    Hants 238 v Somerset 178-4

    Liam Dawson is on for Hampshire in a change of bowling as Will Smeed comes to the crease for the visitors.

    Smeed is lucky not to see his off stump dislodged, playing at the wrong line, but he deals with the final two deliveries of Dawson's over far more convincingly.

    Smeed remains 0 not out after 14 deliveries.

  2. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 11:58 BST 18 April

    Click the yellow button at the top left of this page

    A few England hopefuls have put their hands up so far, particularly Somerset wicketkeeper-batter James Rew with the blade, while his team-mate Craig Overton did the trick with the ball, taking 3-50.

    But which new face would you like Messrs McCullum and Stokes to be taking a look at?

    Send us your rallying cries and join the conversation by clicking the shiny gold button on the top left of this page.

    We'll publish the best comments right here throughout the day.

    Don't forget to include your name and where you live.

  3. wicket

    WICKETpublished at 11:57 BST 18 April

    Barker c Snater b Akhter 22 (Warks 144-8 v Essex)

    A good little knock comes to an end as Essex make the breakthrough.

    Keith Barker looks to work a wideish ball from Zaman Akhter into the legside but chips it to Shane Snater at midwicket.

    Ethan Bamber joins Sam Hain who has added just eight to his overnight 44 as he looks to play the anchor role.

  4. Postpublished at 11:53 BST 18 April

    Gloucs 136 v Lancs 9-0

    Solid start to the Red Rose's reply with plenty of time to gain a big advantage today.

    Luke Wells has picked up seven not out while Keaton Jennings has earned a couple off his first eight balls.

    We are making up for lost time yesterday so there are a minimum of 91 overs left in today's play.

  5. 'Hants bowled well'published at 11:52 BST 18 April

    Hants 238 v Somerset 176-4

    Anthony Gibson
    BBC Radio Somerset

    Hampshire have bowled well this morning.

    Hardly anything in the way of free hits.

  6. 50 runs

    50 for Sam Hainpublished at 11:48 BST 18 April

    Warks 113-7 v Essex

    Sam HainImage source, Getty Images

    Sam Hain carves Zaman Akhter off th back foot through point for a boundary and that completes an excellent fifty for Sam Hain.

    It's a 44th half-century in first-class cricket for the 30-year-old and cimes off 116 balls.

    But he will know many more are needed to get the Bears up to a competitive total.

  7. wicket

    WICKETpublished at 11:46 BST 18 April

    Roland-Jones c Bartlett b Sanderson 17 (Northants v Middlesex 325-8)

    The new ball bites.

    Ben Sanderson gets a little extra bounce which squares up Toby Roland-Jones who edges through to George Bartlett at third slip.

    He takes a super catch above his head to end a fluent 19-ball knock.

    Tom Helm joins Zafar Gohar who is on 72.

  8. wicket

    WICKETpublished at 11:45 BST 18 April

    J Rew c Albert b Yusuf 86 (Hants 238 v Somerset 175-4)

    Disappointment for James Rew - no first-innings century for the Somerset wicketkeeper!

    A slight lapse of concentration perhaps after Rew had seen off the threatening Kyle Abbott this morning and he skews a drive straight to backward point with Codi Yusuf's second ball back into the attack.

    Toby Albert makes a safe catch.

    It was there for the drive but Rew doesn't quite get his weight behind it and Somerset lose their first wicket of the day.

  9. 'Hain has batted stoically'published at 11:43 BST 18 April

    Warks 135-7 v Essex

    Don Topley
    BBC Essex

    We haven't seen lots of runs, we haven't seen lots of wickets.

    We've only seen the two boundaries from Keith Barker but Sam Hain at the other end has batted really responsibly, stoically.

    He's made 45, it's going to be a slow-ish 50 if he can get there.

  10. Postpublished at 11:43 BST 18 April

    Gloucs 136 v Lancs 0-0

    Lancashire have just begun their reply to Gloucestershire's 136 all out.

    Keaton Jennings is at the crease with Luke Wells in the Red Rose's favoured opening partnership.

  11. 100 runs

    100 partnershippublished at 11:41 BST 18 April

    Hants 238 v Somerset 174-3

    James Rew runs a delivery from Sonny Baker just short of a length down to the vacant third man boundary to move onto 85 - equally excellent batting from Rew and frustrating for Baker.

    That brings up the 100 partnership between Rew and Tom Abell.

  12. Postpublished at 11:38 BST 18 April

    Warks 133-7 v Essex

    Sam Hain has been watchful this morning as you can understand, with keith Barker contributing all but one of the runs so far today.

    Jamie Porter tries to ruffle his feathers wuth a short ball.

    The tall paceman aims a hook at it and top-edges over the slips for four and moves to 18.

    Barker then quickly spots an attempted bouncer and pulls into the legside for a single to keep the strike.

    So far so good for the Bears.

  13. Postpublished at 11:37 BST 18 April

    Hants 238 v Somerset 170-3

    James Rew moves into the 80's and his fourth-wicket partnership with Tom Abell is now worth four runs short of a century.

    This has been absolutely massive for the league leaders who only trail Hampshire by 68 runs now.

    With the ball going soft, this could be the moment to put the foot down.

  14. 'Baker's run up is interesting'published at 11:37 BST 18 April

    Hants 238 v Somerset 170-3

    Simon Hughes
    The Analyst on The Cricket Social

    It's quite interesting.

    He's got this run up from bowling around the wicket, running up behind the umpire.

    Because he's got that curving run that starts off behind the umpire it's quite disconcerting if you're the batsman.

    You can't really see him apart from his elbows for about the first 10 paces and then suddenly he pops out there.

  15. new ball

    New ball for Northantspublished at 11:35 BST 18 April

    Northants v Middlesex 317-7

    Toby Roland-Jones can smack a ball and decides to have a bit of fun with the 80th over.

    He drives Liam Guthrie for back-to-back boundaries as Middlesex march on.

    Calvin Harrison continues with the old ball, but Luke Prcter decides enough is enough and calls for the new cherry.

    Ben Sanderson will have first use.

  16. GLOUCESTERSHIRE ALL OUT FOR 136published at 11:28 BST 18 April

    Boorman lbw b Balderson 19 (Gloucs 136) v Lancs

    George Balderson has five-for!

    Moments after seeing an opportunity dropped at slip, Balderson has the five wickets in the match his terrific bowling showing has deserved - his second five-for in first-class cricket for the Red Rose.

    Last man out is debutante Tommy Boorman who goes for a heave-ho over cow corner but gets nothing on it and is trapped lbw.

    James Anderson backed Balderson up at the other end with a superb spell this morning in which he picked up three wickets as the Red Rose turned the screw and polished sorry Gloucestershire off inside a half hour of play this morning.

    We will have a small interval before Lancashire begin their reply.

  17. wicket

    WICKETpublished at 11:24 BST 18 April

    Cracknell c Guthrie b Harrison 79 (Northants v Middlesex 304-6)

    He will be furious.

    A fine innings from Joe Cracknell comes to a tame end as he tries to clear the legside but slaps Calvin Harrison's delivery straight to Liam Guthrie.

    A big error just nine balls before the new ball is due.

    Toby Roland-Jones joins Zafar Gohar.

  18. wicket

    WICKETpublished at 11:23 BST 18 April

    Williams lbw Anderson 0 (Gloucs 132-9 v Lancs)

    James AndersonImage source, Shutterstock

    And another!

    With just his second ball, Will Williams is struck bang in front on the pads and it's a simple decision for the umpire who raises his finger.

    James Anderson's third wicket in the first 22 minutes this morning and it's a double wicket maiden for the England legend.

    Superb stuff from the 43-year-old.

  19. Postpublished at 11:22 BST 18 April

    Warks 119-7 v Essex

    Big appeal from Jamie Porter as he smacks Sam Hain on the front pad with a ball which swung in a good deal.

    Too much in fact. Going down leg and not out.

  20. 'Hants must break Somerset partnership'published at 11:22 BST 18 April

    Hants 238 v Somerset 163-3

    Anthony Gibson
    BBC Radio Somerset

    They've got to break this partnership.

    I know that's stating the blindingly obvious but if they can break this partnership then they've got Will Smeed coming in next who's playing only his second game of Championship cricket and looked very nervous against Essex at Chelmsford.

    Obviously, he's desperately keen to do well.