As I get deeper into this post about the early action in round five of the county championship you will realized while I have borrowed the title of Trevor Bailey’s autobiography for this post.
HORRENDOUS HAMPSHIRE
The game I am principally focussed on at present is Hampshire versus Somerset. Lewis Gregory is back for Somerset, his girlfriend having had the all clear after a Covid scare. Hampshire dropped Brad Wheal and Scott Currie, bringing in Liam Dawson and Felix Organ, two all rounders (Dawson bowls left arm orthodox spin, Organ off spin). Somerset won the toss and put Somerset in. Although Gregory was not at his best early on, overall Somerset bowled superbly, and actually could well be doing even better – several close LBWs have gone Hampshire’s way and at least on edge failed to carry to the slips. No one has made a significant score, and Captain Statpadder (aka J Vince) was once again MIA when faced with good bowlers and his team desperately needing runs. Hampshire are currently 75-8 with Kyle Abbot and Keith Barker batting together. Gregory has 3-22 and Overton 2-16, with Davey having just claimed his second wicket to make it 75-9, 2-32 for Davey. There has also been one comedy run out, accounting for Sam Northeast.
AROUND THE GROUNDS
Leicestershire v Surrey: Leicestershire, batting first are 117-1, having lost Azad early. Sam Evans has 63 and Marcus Harris 47. Reece Topley has the wicket.
Warwickshire v Worcestershire: Warwickshire are batting first and have reached 133-2, Robert Yates on 69, Sam Hain on 8. Pieter Malan made 32 on his Warwickshire debut, and Joe Leach and Ed Barnard have a wicket each.
Middlesex v Gloucestershire: Middlesex are 63-3, with a rain interruption at present. Gubbins is on 11 from 59 balls. David Payne, Ryan Higgins and Matt Taylor have a wicket a piece.
Lancashire v Glamorgan: Glamorgan are 97-2, with rain also affecting that one. James Anderson has claimed the wicket of Marnus Labuschagne, gaining an early psychological point ahead of this winter’s Ashes tour. Saqib Mahmood, the young pretender, has the other wicket. David Lloyd is 60 not out.
Northamptonshire v Sussex: Sussex are batting first and are 87-8, a recovery after being 25-7 at low water mark. Oliver Edward Robinson, in the hunt for an England cap later this summer is unbeaten on 40. Stuart Meaker made 23, and Jack Carson, the young off spinner, is currently batting with Robinson. Ben Sanderson and Gareth Berg have each taken four wickets – Berg 4-16, Sanderson 4-23.
Nottinghamshire v Essex: Essex, batting first, are 99-8. Luke Fletcher has 5-24, Stuart Broad 2-31. Nick Browne made 53 for Essex.
Yorkshire v Kent: Kent are 109-3, Zak Crawley 66 not out. Ben Coad, Jordan Thompson and Steven Patterson each have a wicket.
While I have been writing this up Hampshire have been finished off for a beggarly 79, Gregory 4-26, Weatherley 20, and Somerset are about to start their first innings.
PHOTOGRAPHS
Before I get to my main gallery, today is local/regional elections day. I have voted – in the county council election I voted for the Green candidate, Rob Archer, who is quite well known in these parts. In the Police and Crime Commissioner election I gave my first preference to the Green candidate and used my second preference as an insurance policy, giving it to Labour, an approach I may well have taken in the London Mayoral election if I still lived there, though there would have been a temptation to vote for Count Binface and give my second preference to the Greens just to ensure that a certain failed actor got the wooden spoon he so thoroughly deserves. The two pictures below show my tools for the polling station and my ballot papers:
The mask and the pen are both #EveryDoctor products, and both excellent. 
My ballot papers, filled in.
Now time for the rest of my photos:
aspiblog 
Good stuff as always! It’s really starting to frustrate me the way Hampshire play when the going gets tough. Need to find solutions ASAP!
Yes. Some of Hampshire’s batters could do with taking notes from Tom Abell, who held things together for Somerset in the latter part of the day.