The Cricketer wraps up the best of the action during day two of the 15th round of LV= Insurance County Championship matches in 2023
The Oval (day two of four): Northamptonshire 351-9, Surrey
Title favourites Surrey were held up by Karun Nair's brilliant unbeaten 144 and an 114-run eighth wicket stand with Tom Taylor at the Kia Oval, before bad light and heavy rain arrived to further frustrate the LV= Insurance County Championship leaders.
Nair's memorable hundred and Taylor's punchy 66 from 77 balls took Northamptonshire to 351 for 9 in the 41.1 overs possible on the second day of a match both teams are desperate to win – the home side as they seek to hold off Essex's challenge and complete back-to-back championship triumphs and Northants as they try to pull off a miracle escape from relegation to Division Two.
Jamie Overton took two wickets in successive balls in the second over after lunch to dismiss Taylor and Ben Sanderson, leaving Northants on 307 for 9.
But with last man Jack White hanging on, and even managing one on-driven four off Tom Lawes, the 31-year-old Nair produced some remarkable strokes to bring Northants a precious third batting bonus point, clinched when he slashed Lawes for a six and four from consecutive balls to square third man just moments before play was halted at 2pm.
Tim Murtagh took a five-for on his final appearance for Middlesex at Lord's [Harry Trump/Getty Images]
Lord's (day two of four): Middlesex 121, Warwickshire 228-6 - Warwickshire lead by 107 runs with four first-innings wickets in hand
Will Rhodes and Danny Briggs shared a century stand as Warwickshire threatened to spoil Tim Murtagh's fairytale ending on a severely truncated day two of their clash with relegation-threatened Middlesex at Lord's.
Murtagh, who retires at the end of the season, took two early wickets to complete a five-wicket haul (5 for 55) on his last appearance for the county at the home of cricket to reduce the visitors to 95 for 6 in the first hour of play.
However, with the veteran seamer's support cast lacking any direction or rhythm, Rhodes (95) and Briggs (71) added an unbroken 133 for the seventh wicket to steer Warwickshire to 228 for 6, a lead of 107 before rain washed out any further play less than an hour after lunch.
To add to Middlesex's woes, allrounder Ryan Higgins left the field just prior to lunch with what appeared to be a rib or side injury and it remains to be seen whether he will be able to return to the attack in the match.
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Old Trafford (day two of four): Lancashire, Nottinghamshire
Rain throughout the morning led to play on the second day of Lancashire's County Championship match against Nottinghamshire being abandoned at 12.30pm.
A saturated outfield at Emirates Old Trafford meant it was a fairly straightforward decision for umpires Ian Blackwell and Hassan Adnan to halt proceedings at the scheduled lunch interval.
It means no play has been possible on either of the two days so far with a draw looking a highly likely outcome even if the two teams manage to take to the field in the next two days.
Matt Critchley was dismissed on 99 [Warren Little/Getty Images]
Chelmsford (day two of four): Essex 447-9d, Hampshire 10-0 - Hampshire trail by 437 runs with 10 first-innings wickets in hand
Matt Critchley fell one run short of his third County Championship century of the season before title-contenders Essex declared on a hefty 447 against Hampshire.
Critchley had been strolling towards three figures and 1,000 runs for the season but stuttered on 99 before he slapped to short extra cover.
Simon Harmer and Umesh Yadav, the latter in electrifying style, struck half-centuries as Essex continued to tot up the runs before a lunchtime declaration, before Hampshire scored 10 without loss in seven overs.
Essex accrued three batting points in their quest to challenge Surrey for the title – which cancelled out the three bowling points Surrey picked up against Northamptonshire. The points difference since 18.
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Taunton (day two of four): Somerset 214-2, Kent
No play was possible on the second day of the County Championship match between Somerset and Kent at Taunton.
Heavy rain during the night and morning left the outfield at the Cooper Associates County Ground saturated and there was never much prospect of the game resuming.
Umpires Martin Saggers and Tom Lungley took the decision to abandon play for the day at shortly after 2pm.
Somerset were due to resume their first innings on 214 for 2, with Lewis Goldsworthy unbeaten on 70. But it was Kent who were more frustrated by the weather as they desperately need points to escape the threat of relegation from Division One.
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