Once a very absorbing days play had ended between Lancashire and Middlesex I decided to go out for a walk and enhanced my photo collection. The two sides are scrapping to avoid relegation to the second division of the county championship, and with two days to go Middlesex are heavy favourites to do so. This is because owing to the bonus point system (5 batting and 3 bowling points available in the first 110 overs of each first innings) and their standings prior to the match starting, mere victory is not good enough for Lancashire, they also need to outscore Middlesex on bonus points. With six wickets currently down and some 40 runs needed to reach the next batting bonus point mark, Lancashires sole hope is to reach 300 for the loss of no more than two further wickets (a third, being the ninth in total would give Middlesex full bowling points and thereby condemn Lancashire) and then declare and bowl Middlesex out cheaply enough to have a manageable fourth innings run chase. I resume this having had to break off for a days work, and a check of www.cricinfo.com tells me that Lancashire did reach the magic 300 only 8 down and declared, so the relegation battle is still live. The final day tomorrow could see some fireworks as Lancashire have to go all out for whatever target they are left when they bowl Middlesex out, since a draw for them would be just as bad as a loss.
Some big news from work: the BBC have picked up on the Olympic medal story. The full story can be viewed at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-29360899 and I have of course already mentioned it on our own facebook and twitter accounts.
As usual I have plenty of photos for you to enjoy…
aspiblog 