Live county cricket season day two: Bob Willis Trophy!

A second wicket at Trent Bridge – no make that a third, all three to Jake Ball – this isn’t looking so good for Derbyshire; Warwickshire take the lead against Northants with Tim Bresnan (that feels very wrong) batting for the first time in a Warwickshire helmet.

So the clashing of Women’s IPL and Women’s BBL is proving controversial.

Early wickets! Ahem, Josh Shaw falls to the second ball of the day off Josh Tongue; Heino Kuhn lbw to Jamie Porter, also to the second ball of the day; Charlie Hemphrey out to the second ball of the day from Craig Overton; Luis Reece gone now too, off Ball; and now Michael Burgess for 39 just after completing a 50 partnership with Yates (can you all just stop taking wickets so quickly pls, ed).

And at Chester-le-Street, they’re off for rain. Yorkshire 100-4.

News that the BCCI are intending to hold a women’s IPL, to run alongside the last leg of the men’s IPL, November 1-10 in the UAE. Sources say it will consist of four teams and is expected to involve some overseas players, though it will clash with the Women’s Big Bash in Australia. All subject to change in the current situation.

A reminder that The Edge, the documentary following England’s quest to become No.1 in the world, is being shown on BBC2 at 9pm tonight

Thought I’d start to keep a tally – let’s see where we are on September 10. One problem with regionalisation is that those in the South may get more opportunity to get on the field (though luckily Old Trafford is only in use for one match.)

South Group: Hundreds (2 – Gubbins and Kuhn); 5 wickets (0)

North Group: Hundreds (0); 5 wickets (0)

Central Group: Hundreds (0); 5 wickets (0)

and welcome to day 2 of the Bob Willis Trophy. Such good vibes yesterday, for all its weirdness and empty grounds and Covid restrictions and lack of overseas players. The highlights? Hundreds from Nick Gubbins and Heino Kuhn; four wickets from Ollie Stone and Ben Coad; and 68 from Haseeb Hameed, which was more than the sum of its parts.

A quick recap of the minutiae of the rules: