aspiblog

A Switchback Ride at The Oval

A look at developments in the ‘James Southerton’ derby (Surrey v Sussex) and two photo galleries.

Another round of County Championship fixtures got underway yesterday. My attention is focussed on Surrey v Sussex (aka the James Southerton derby – that worthy, a slow bowler who also holds the record for being the oldest ever test debutant – 49 years 119 days old on day one of the inaugural test match in 1877, took advantage of a loophole in the qualification system to habitually play for both counties, one being the county of his birth and the other that of his residence), which forms the text part of this post.

DAY ONE

I missed the entire morning session due to a committee meeting of the West Norfolk Autism Group, and joined the coverage at the start of the afternoon session, with Sussex at that point on 105-7, Jordan Clark 5-16. The afternoon and evening both belonged to Sussex as the pitch flattened out and their lower order batted very impressively. Fynn Hudson-Prentice was the first star with a fluent 50, but he was to be overshadowed by Jack Carson and Oliver Edward Robinson. Carson, an off spinner who can bat, and Robinson, a medium pacer who is also Sussex’s current captain and can bat, each had one previous first class century when they came together. They over doubled the score from 167-8 to 340-9 before Carson fell for 105. Robinson took a blow and was injured, but batted on until a six took him to 100 not out and Sussex to 358-9, at which point he declared, hoping for an early wicket or two before the close. In the event Surrey got through without losing a wicket.

GALLERY ONE

This gallery comes with a preamble – I walked through Kettlewell Lane Park at about 8:30AM yesterday, and all was as it should have been. I walked back through that little park about five hours later and saw that a large number of bushes, in all of which I had previously photographed insects, had been cut down, and only a few survivors left.

The first picture showing the devastation at Kettlewell Lane Park – this wall was lined with bushes.

DAY TWO

Today so far has belonged to Surrey. At the time I started this post they had lost only one wicket, Burns bowled by Crocombe for 77. Ryan Patel has just gone to a catch by Hughes off Carson for 67. Dominic Sibley, the immovable object at the top of the Surrey order, has just completed a century, his second off the season, off 236 balls, while Ollie Pope is newly arrived at the crease. Surrey are now 264-2 a mere 94 behind Sussex’s first innings total. The weather has just become questionable down in London (it is still splendid here in Norfolk, though rain is expected tomorrow morning, just in time for GEAR (The Great East Anglian Run). I hope the weather does not do too much damage to this match.

GALLERY TWO

We finish with more photos…

James and Sons April Auction

A brief account of James and Sons’ April Auction and a photo gallery.

On Tuesday James and Sons had a small auction featuring militaria, ephemera, books and postcards.

THE AUCTION

I arrived at James and Sons at about 8:30AM and started to get the IT set up for the auction. All went comparatively smoothly, and we began exactly on schedule at 10AM. Some of the Militaria sold well, and there were occasional highlights from elsewhere in the sale as well. Even some of the books sold. The last lot went under the hammer at about 12:30, and I then spent the rest of the day flitting between helping with picking out sold items from the auction and working on the next sale, a big stamp and postal history auction that will happen at the end of June, and for which I intend uploading a full catalogue to both our online platforms in the last week of May, immediately before I go on holiday for my birthday. I won a couple of postcards, one of The Rookery, Streatham Common, and one of the fort at Margate. I worked yesterday as well, since I had an annual health check booked for today (it went very well indeed, starting with a blood pressure reading of 120/78, very healthy for a 50 year old), hence the fact that I am blogging today.

PHOTOGRAPHS

My usual sign off…

This damselfly was a most unexpected find given that I was walking along Gayton Road having got off the bus at the hospital, and was about 50 yards from crossing Queensway when I spotted it (five pics)

Round Four of the County Championship

A look at goings on in the fourth round of the 2026 county championship and a large photo gallery.

Between the games that ended early in definite results and the ones that ended with handshakes on the inevitable draw about 10 minutes ago another round of county championship fixtures is at an end. There is only one place to start, though I caught only the last few minutes of it…

DURHAM’S GREAT CHASE

Chester-le-Street has just borne witness to a remarkable turnaround. At one point Durham were 217-9 in reply to Lancashire’s 370, and in danger of not avoiding the follow-on (though Lancashire may well have chosen not to enforce in any case). Their last pair Matthew Potts and Callum Parkinson added 78 together for the tenth wicket, so Lancashire led by a mere 75 on first innings. Then, hoping to have a bowl at Durham in murky evening light, Lancashire declared on 260-9, a lead of 335. Unfortunately the light was too murky for their strategy to take effect. Even so, when Durham openers Lees and McKinney both fell cheaply and the score read 46-2 it looked dicey for Durham. However that was the end of success for the Lancashire bowlers, as Emilio Gay (159 not out) and David Bedingham (129 not out) put on an unbroken 290 together carrying their side to a remarkable eight wicket win.

SURREY v ESSEX

This game has been my main focus in this round, and at the start of today quick wickets were needed to breathe life into it. When Gus Atkinson struck in the first over it looked possible, but only one further wicket fell all day, though Surrey’s fielders let a couple of chances go begging. One quirk of this day, as Surrey realized there was no point tiring out the regular bowlers was that Ben Foakes bowled two overs near the end, with Jordan Clark standing in behind the stumps. The only Surrey players not asked to bowl were Ollie Pope and Jamie Smith.

ELSEWHERE

The only two definite results other than at Durham were both in division two, Worcestershire beating Kent by an innings and two runs in a match that did make it to the final day, and Gloucestershire beating Derbyshire by 10 wickets in a successful enforcement of the follow-on – Gloucestershire 498, Derbyshire 281 and 252, Gloucestershire 39-0. Warwickshire fared less well with the same tactic in the first division, Nottinghamshire batting through for 537-7 in their second innings to secure the draw, having built a lead of 357, but never being in a position, especially with the inflated award of eight points for a drawn match, to declare in an attempt to force victory.

PHOTOGRAPHS

This building has a macabre legend attached to it…

Surrey v Essex

A look at the early stages of Surrey v Essex in the fourth round of County Championship matches of 2026 and a photo gallery which features a damselfly, the first such sighting for me in 2026.

Another round of county championship matches got underway at 11 o’clock this morning. This post looks at the first two sessions (the latter of which has just ended) at The Oval where Surrey are hosting Essex.

THE PLAY SO FAR

The big news for Surrey was that Gus Atkinson was in the side for his first game of the season. They won the toss and opted to bowl first, so Atkinson was in action straight away. During the course of the morning session there was exactly one moment of trouble for Essex and that was self inflicted – a piece of running so poor that had the throw hit Paul Walter would not even have been in the frame. A rare lapse from Walter saw a return chance offered to Sean Abbott, but the Aussie seamer was unable to hold on to it. Finally, with 183 runs on the board and Elgar looking nailed for a ton Jordan Clark found an edge and Ben Foakes accepted the chance. The former South Africa test opener had scored 92, and had been largely untroubled. Tom Westley, returning from injury, cane in at number three. He struggled to 1 from 27 balls before Tom Lawes bowled him, probably almost as much of a relief to him given his lack of form as it was to the rest of us. That was 194-2. Charlie Allison joined Paul Walter, and pair carried Essex through to tea at 229-2, Walter 95 not out, Allison 23 not out. Play has resumed since I started work on this post, and Walter has moved into three figures, which he has by and large earned, though he did benefit from a couple of fortunate moments as detailed.

QUESTIONING RECEIVED WISDOM

It seems nowadays to be hardwired into captains minds that if you win the toss at The Oval you opt to bowl. However it is put it mildly not a policy with a stellar success rate. Relatively recent instances include Surrey racking up 820-9 declared against Durham, Surrey in their most recent match of this season topping 500 against Leicestershire, and now Essex headed for a huge total against Surrey. I also think the Surrey ground staff might well have questions to answer about the sheer weight of runs their surface is offering up – none of the other matches in action today look in great danger of degenerating into runfests with no real hope of a result, whereas that is a very obvious possibility in this match.

PHOTOGRAPHS

Before showing the full gallery I have an extract from it, a close up of a splendid insect from today…

Until today I had not seen a dragonfly or a damselfly in 2026. This is definitely a type of damselfly. Its mainly red body, with a black tail section that itself has four red bands can be clearly seen below the outlines of the four folded wings, while the thorax section features two bands of yellow and some yellow spots behind it. The head is quite shiny, with two large red compound eyes, and all six of the creatures limbs are clearly visible as it basks on a green leaf near Kettlewell Lane.

Now for the gallery…

Round Three of the 2026 County Championship

A look back at goings on in round three of the 2026 county championship, starting with a classic match at Southampton. Also a photo gallery.

At about 4:15PM UK time today the umpires at Northampton decided that it was too dark there to continue, and with that decision the third round of this year’s county championship was at an end, all the other games having been decided.

IT WAS THE BEST OF GAMES…

Hampshire and Somerset fought out an absolute thriller at Southampton. Somerset resumed overnight on 139-3, needing 148 more to win with seven wickets standing. The early loss of James Rew was counterbalanced by a fighting fifth wicket stand between Tom Abell and Will Smeed. Then in the run up to lunch both Smeed and Overton got out to ill-advised shots, and it was 197-6, 90 needed and four wickets left, with Gregory joining Abell. Progress in the afternoon was slow, as Hampshire made Abell and Gregory work hard for every run, but the score mounted imperceptibly at first, then noticeably. The ask was down to 25, and Somerset were looking definite favourites when speedster Sonny Baker, who has recently switched counties from Somerset to Hampshire, rattled Gregory’s stumps for his fourth scalp of the innings. Alfie Ogborne, promoted after his career best 38 in the first innings, failed this time, caught behind for 7 to give Baker a fifth scalp, and the score was 272-8. That brought Jack Leach, who of course has history when it comes to tight finishes (see the Headingley Heist) in to join his fellow Tauntonian Abell with 15 required, and Abell closing in on three figures. Like his spiritual forebear Horace Hazell, who made a habit of seeing partners to centuries and sides to narrow wins over the course of his career, Leach is well suited to this sort of situation. The score inched up until just four were needed. The next over went Hampshire;s way for five balls, but Abell managed a single off the sixth to reduce the ask to three and retain the strike. Kyle Abbott then accepted responsibility for bowling the next over, his 25th of the innings – a heavy workload for someone firmly at the veteran stage of his career. Abell got the very first ball of the new over away for four to take Somerset to a two wicket victory and himself to 101 not out. Abell had faced 229 balls in total, been at the crease for 314 minutes and that last boundary was only the eighth of his innings. A pitch which produces a pulsating match, and a definite result late on the final afternoon has to be rated perfect for the match it was prepared for, so props to the Hampshire ground staff. Full scorecard here.

…IT WAS THE WORST OF GAMES

A combination of an overly flat pitch and overly cautious umpires (I suspect given what I know of them that Mr Shanmugam was guiltier in this regard than Ms Redfern) had pretty much consigned the match at Wantage Road to a draw before today even started. Short of Northamptonshire ripping through Middlesex’s last eight wickets in the morning session it was hard to see any chance of any interest developing. In the event Middlesex lost no wickets in the morning session, and only one in the afternoon session. By the time I joined the coverage of this match, purely because it was the only game still in action, the only question was when hands would be shaken. In the event the light intervened shortly after the evening session got underway, and the game did not resume. The scores in this game were Middlesex 341 and 353-3, Northamptonshire 409, meaning that Middlesex were 284 ahead with seven second innings wickets standing – neither side within a country mile of winning. It is true that the light, and the overly cautious decisions of the umpires in this regard robbed the game of a good 80 overs, but even with those overs being bowled it would have taken a declaration in the Middlesex second innings to make things remotely interesting. Thus this pitch was not suitable for the match it was prepared for, since it would in any circumstances have required intervention (in the form of a declaration) to open up the possibility of a result.

ELSEWHERE

Lancashire beat Gloucestershire by four wickets in the only game that I did not catch any of. The other match was between Warwickshire and Essex, and it was a low scoring, hard fought affair. Essex needed 206 to win in the final innings, exactly one run more than they had managed in their first innings. When they crashed to 82-7 it looked a foregone conclusion in Warwickshire’s favour, but a lower order fightback would have had Warwickshire just a teeny bit worried when the score had reached 163-8, 43 short of victory. However in the space of two overs and a single run from that point both Simon Harmer (32) and Zaman Akhtar (35) were dismissed by Beau Webster, Harmer falling to a fine slip catch by Yates and Akhtar misjudging an attempted big hit to hole out to Sam Hain. Though I only caught the final stages of this match, having been concentrating on the thriller at Southampton for most of the four days I can tell that it would have been a fine match.

PHOTOGRAPHS

My usual sign off…

A Battle Royal at Southampton

The match between Hampshire and Somerset in the 2026 county championship will have a definite result barring a dramatic downturn in the weather. However there is no telling which way it will go.

BACK AND FORTH

It looked for a long time like Hampshire would build a decisive advantage in the course of their second innings. At 269-4 they were 219 ahead with six wickets standing, and most would have anticipated a final advantage of at least 350 for them. However a fine spell of bowling by Lewis Gregory brought Somerset back in to it. The Plymouth born seamer had final innings figures of 5-42, including the last four wickets at a personal cost of five runs, as 310-6 became 336 all out, and Somerset were left needing 287 to win, one run less than they had managed first time round. The pitch is not showing any signs of serious mischief. Archie Vaughan started well, scoring 30 of the first 33 runs, but then got out. Joshua Thomas and Tom Lammonby have also both been dismissed, for 9 runs each. James Rew and Tom Abell are now batting together and have moved the score on from 52-3 to 79-3. Somerset will have memories of a match against Essex when they were set 325, slumped to 78-5 and ended up winning, while Hampshire will note that Somerset have a longish tail, with Smeed in next, then Overton and Gregory, both good all rounders, but both more bowler than batter, and finally Leach, Ogborne and Ball, of whom the first two can bat a bit, while the latter is a genuine number 11. Somerset Women are also in action, against Lancashire Women in the Women’s One Day Cup, in a match that is going to the wire, though by now Somerset’s hopes would seem to rest on Charlie Dean, who will have to shepherd the tail if Somerset are to score the 27 they still need with four wickets and six overs remaining.

While I have been preparing this post for publication Somerset have moved on to 95-3 against Hampshire, and Somerset Women are within sight of victory over Lancashire Women, with Jess Hazell providing Charlie Dean with good support. Lancashire Women appear to have messed up their handling of the bowlers – Mahika Gaur will not bowl a full allocation, which given that she has 1-19 approaching the end of her sixth over, and the fact that she is an England bowler looks horrendous.

PHOTOGRAPHS

My usual sign off…

Learn more

The holly blues are having a good year this year.

Hampshire v Somerset

A look at developments on the first two days of Hampshire v Somerset in the county championship and a large photo gallery.

There are only a few matches taking place in the county championship this week. One of them, which I am focussing on, is between Hampshire and Somerset.

DAY ONE

I missed the entire morning session and the start of the afternoon session. Just as I was tuning in Hampshire, who had won the toss and chosen to bat, lost their fifth wicket with only 119 on the board. Two more wickets followed quickly before Jake Lehmann and the lower order staged a fightback, boosting the total to 238. Somerset lost three wickets fairly early, but then James Rew, surely soon to be an England cricketer, and Tom Abell took control of proceedings, and by the close Somerset were 154-3.

DAY TWO

I again missed the morning session, this time due a commitment at the library. Hampshire took four wickets during the session. Somerset had gained a lead, but it looked like being a slender one when Jack Leach was run out to make it 250-9. Then Alfie Ogborne, culpable in the Leach run out, redeemed himself by scoring a new career best of 38 to boost the lead to exactly 50. Hampshire lost Toby Albert injured (though under new playing conditions for this season they can introduce a like for like substitute if they can find one) but no wicket fell until the score had reached 114, when Tom Prest was pinned LBW by Jake Ball. The score is now 119-1, a lead of 69 overall. Incidentally about the new substitutes rule there has been one would be injury replacement blocked, when Ajeet Singh Dale of Lancashire was injured yesterday, and they initially wanted to replace him with Tom Bailey, which the umpires deemed to be not sufficiently ‘like for like’, so Ollie Sutton was called in from a second XI match instead.

PHOTOGRAPHS

I have a bumper haul of photographs to share…

Championship Capers

A look at events on the final day of action in round two of the 2026 county championship and a photo gallery.

Today was the final day of action in round two of the 2026 County Championship. What follows is my take on a day that ended just about an hour ago.

NEW SIGNINGS SHINE FOR SUSSEX

My first port of call was Hove where Sussex were playing Warwickshire. The match looked very interestingly poised at the start of play. However the potentially classic finish did not arise because Jack Leaning and Tom Price, each of whom had been playing elsewhere last season, batted superbly and carried their side to a five wicket win, Leaning scoring 120 not out and Price 70 not out. In all their stand was worth 144, about 100 of them on this final day.

EXPERIENCE TELLS FOR LANCASHIRE

A fine second innings bowling performance by Derbyshire after both sides had topped 350 first time round left them needing a mere 138 to win. When they moved past halfway to that target with only three wickets gone it looked like they were in control. Then wickets started to fall, and as things got nervier it became more and more a time for experienced heads, and in contemporary cricket they do not come much more experienced than Sir James Anderson, 44 years of age and still going strong. Sir James’s scalps included those of Derbyshire’s in form batter and his near namesake Martin Andersson to give his side hope and Ben Aitchison to virtually seal the deal. He also trapped Anuj Dal LBW for 0, and had Shoaib Bashir caught by Harry Singh to put Derbyshire nine down. The final wicket fell in somewhat comical fashion, a mix up between Zak Chappell and Mohammad Abbas leading to the former being run out. Derbyshire had subsided from a high water mark of 73-3 to 108 all out and defeat by 29 runs. Anderson had figures of 9.5-3-18-4. If Sir James needs further inspiration to keep going he might look up the details of Ernie Robson, a Yorkshire born swing bowler who played for Somerset and played his last season in 1923 at the age of 53.

CAPSIZED BY AN OVERLOAD OF RUNS

Surrey and Leicestershire eventually shook hands on a draw, with Surrey 263-4 in their second innings, 92 ahead and barely more than an hour to go until stumps. This game yielded 1474 runs for 24 wickets (Surrey 783-13, Leicestershire 691-10), and average of 61.47 per wicket. I consider this pitch to be unfit for a four day game by reason of being too favourable for batting, and were it up to me would certainly be docking Surrey points for it.

A LUCKY ESCAPE FOR KENT

The last match standing was at Canterbury, where Northamptonshire were trying their utmost to win in the face of resistance from Kent in the person of Ben Compton (114 not out from 287 balls) and the local weather. The combination of Compton’s resistance, a long rain delay and the light closing in at about six o’clock thwarted Northamptonshire, and with Kent an effective minus 253 for five and having taken only two wickets themselves the match ended in a very one-sided draw. Northamptonshire themselves were once arguably even more humiliated in a match in which they escaped defeat, against Gloucestershire in 1907 – they had been bowled out for 12 (the lowest ever total in a completed championship innings) in their first innings, and were 40-7 in the final innings when the rain made its final intervention.

PHOTOGRAPHS

My usual sign off…

Runs Galore

A look at happenings in the county championship, with a focus on Surrey v Leicestershire, and a photo gallery.

The second round of matches in the 2026 county cricket championship is now into its third day. This post focuses mainly on events at The Oval where Surrey are facing Leicestershire.

THINK THAT’S A BIG SCORE?

Surrey might well have been feeling pretty good about things when they responded to being put into bat by scoring 520 in the first innings. Leicestershire have moved into a comfortable first innings lead, and with day three approaching its end they are effectively immune from defeat. Rishi Patel anchored the early part of their innings with 164, being fifth out with the score at 412. At that point wicket keeper Ben Cox joined Stevie Eskinazi, and they put on 227 for the sixth wicket before Jordan Clark pinned Eskinazi LBW for precisely 100. Cox and Ben Green have taken the score on to 661-6, with Cox passing 150 for the first time in his career. It has just started to rain at The Oval, which may well be the end of day three there. The rain seems to have stopped as quickly as it started, and play is back on at The Oval. Leicestershire are now on to 673-6

ELSEWHERE

Scoring has generally been less extravagant elsewhere, but most matches are still in progress (unless the weather has intervened). Gloucestershire are plummeting towards a hefty defeat against Durham, being currently the equivalent of minus 229 for eight – 201-8 following a first innings collapse for 175 in the face of a Durham score of 605-5 declared. Kent may escape in their match against Northamptonshire, but if so it will be more than they deserve. First they allowed their visitors to plunder 684-2 declared – the highest ever first class innings to feature the loss of just two wickets, beating a 682-2 declared by West Indies v Leicestershire many years ago (Everton Weekes scored a triple century in that innings), then they collapsed for 178 in their own first innings, and lost Zak Crawley early in their second innings, although Sam Northeast, back where he started his career after playing for several other counties over the years, and Ben Compton are enjoying a good stand for the second wicket. Worcestershire are closing in on a win over Middlesex, in a game that has not seen ridiculous scoring. Middlesex need 76 more runs, while Worcestershire need one more wicket. Somerset have beaten Essex by 10 wickets in the one result to be confirmed thus far.

PHOTOGRAPHS

My usual sign off…

Surrey Going Well in ‘Tony Lock’ Clash

A look at happenings at The Oval where Surrey are facing Leicestershire in what I have dubbed the ‘Tony Lock’ clash.

The second round of county championship matches of the 2026 season got underway this morning. At The Oval Surrey, great left arm spinner Tony Lock’s first county, are in action against Leicestershire, the other county for which he played. This post looks at developments in that game so far.

THE PRELIMINARIES

Leicestershire had Josh Hull playing after he had missed the first match of the season. Other noteworthy names in their XI included New Zealand left arm spinner Ajaz Patel and England spin bowling all rounder Rehan Ahmed. Leicestershire have not of late often been good enough to be in division one – the last time this equivalent match took place was way back in 2015. For Surrey Jordan Clark was back in the side after missing the season opener due to illness. Leicestershire won the toss, and in spite of the presence of Ajaz Patel and Rehan Ahmed, they chose to bowl first.

THE PLAY SO FAR

When both Surrey openers were back in the hutch by the end of the 15th over, with only 42 runs on the board, Leicestershire would have been feeling happy with themselves. By lunch, with the score reading 110-2, and both Jamie Smith (coming off a second innings ton against Warwickshire) and Ollie Pope looking fluent it had quite clearly been Surrey’s morning – if you put the opposition in three wickets by lunch is break even point, with four+ needed to put you ahead on the session.

After the interval Smith and Pope continued to play impressively, extending their partnership to exactly 200, with both completing centuries. This was especially important for Pope, in need of some big scores after a horror show Ashes series during which he got dropped from the side, and saw his replacement Jacob Bethell bat superbly. Smith also struggled in that series, but he at least has a test average the right side of 40, something to which Pope as yet has never been able to point.

The partnership ended when Pope edged Patel through to Cox to go for 103 and make it 242-3. Jamie Smith and Dan Lawrence then shared a rapid 50 stand, which has just been ended with Lawrence being bowled by Rehan Ahmed for 31. Smith is on 122 not out. Ajaz Patel and Rehan Ahmed having a wicket a piece on day one is good for Leicestershire in one way, but it does not strengthen their case for bowling first.

Surrey have cruised past 300 while I have been preparing this post for publication – the score currently stands at 314-4 with Smith on to 137 not out and Foakes having just hit his most convincing shot so far to move for 2* to 6*.

PHOTOGRAPHS

Today’s photos come in two parts. I start with a special feature – four pics of a ‘Holly Blue’ butterfly (they seem to be doing well this year) from yesterday…

A Holly Blue on a green leaf in Kettlewell Lane Park.

Now for the full gallery…

	Round Three of the 2… on The Headingley Heist
	Maiden County Ton fo… on Cricket Season Underway
	Aoteroa Axed by Ahme… on South Africa Finnished as Alle…
	Thomas on World T20 Cup Underway
	Anna on World T20 Cup Underway