County cricket – live! | Vic Marks, Andy Wilson and Richard Gibson - The Guardian (blog)

Ryan Sidebottom celebrates. Photograph: Gareth Copley/Getty Images12.51pm: Good news for England from Old Trafford, writes Andy Wilson. James Anderson has shaken off his injury and illness of the past couple of days to bowl a respectable seven-over spell in which he dismissed Michael Lumb and was unlucky not to send back James Taylor (more details of both below). However Nottinghamshire remain well on top on a grey and cold Manchester day, with a lead of over 200 and plenty of batting to come.

12.47pm: Ian Bell added only 14 runs this morning to his overnight hundred, and even compiling those proved a struggle in helpful bowling conditions, writes Richard Gibson. Twice in one Graham Onions over he edged short of Paul Collingwood at first slip, and he was also rapped on the glove by a lifter before Mitch Claydon did for him with a decent nut from the other end. But some more unorthodox and ultimately entertaining tail-end hitting from Jeetan Patel - whose very name will make Vic wince following Somerset's defeat here - helped secure a 104-run lead for the Division One pacesetters.

12.24pm: Andrew Strauss, with a bit of help from a visiting Aussie, has some runs in the bank, writes Vic Marks. It was tricky at the start. He played and missed; on 5 he edged Allan Richardson to third slip where Michael Klinger failed to cling on. But gradually it became easier; he middled the clips off his legs; there was one exquisite back foot drive through the covers. He seemed to be waiting for the ball to arrive, watching it rather than looking for it. He even pulled a six off Richardson - admittedly to the short side. So here was another England batsman back in the groove.

At the other end Sam Robson has been solid as the Worcestershire bowlers were all too easily blunted. They have an interesting trio: the wonderful journeyman, Richardson, one of Wisden's famous five, David Lucas, an old- fashioned left-arm swinger, and the enigmatic Richard Jones. Watch Jones on a good day and he looks England material - with an easy, high action and the ability to swing the ball at good pace. On a bad day it's 12-0-78-0. Not sure yet which way today is going but at the moment it looks more like the latter.

11.17am: Heavy rain yesterday and overnight has not prevented a prompt start at Edgbaston, where Warwickshire's England batsman Ian Bell has resumed unbeaten on 106, writes Richard Gibson. However, the deluge in the midlands is set to affect one of his international colleagues.

Reports this morning suggest that New Road is two-thirds submerged under water, increasing the likelihood that Kevin Pietersen's first domestic appearance of the season next week will be in Kidderminster rather than Worcester. Worcestershire are expected to make a decision on whether to move their fixture against Surrey today. KP has played in Kiddy before, for Nottinghamshire, but it was not a happy visit as he managed scores of 13 and 0, and was lbw to left-armer Alamgir Sheriyar in both innings.

10.43am: We've already had drama and intrigue at Old Trafford this morning, and play hasn't even started, writes Andy Wilson. James Anderson is here, feeling a bit better and keen to bowl. But at the close of play yesterday the umpires Rob Bailey and Stephen Gale either decided, or were informed, that they'd erred in telling Lancashire that Anderson didn't need to field for a spell in the evening session to allow him to open the bowling today. Chris Kelly, the umpires manager at the England and Wales Cricket Board down at Lord's, was called in to adjudicate. But crucially, these two teams get on pretty well, especially their respective captains Chris Read and Glen Chapple, and directors of cricket/coaches Mick Newell and Peter Moores. As a result they've agreed on a good old British compromise. Anderson won't be allowed to open the bowling, but won't have to field anything like as long as he would under the letter of the law. Mike Watkinson, Moores's predecessor who is now Lancashire's cricket director, guesses it will be around 15 minutes.

Everybody's being very magnanimous but there is an outside chance even that delay before Anderson's introduction could prove crucial. Notts will resume their second innings on 122 for two, with a lead of 145, and their bowling hero Andre Adams suggested last night that a target of anything over 200 would prove very tricky for Lancashire on an "up and down, two-paced" pitch. For the sake of Lancashire's sanity, it is to be hoped they don't end up losing by the odd run.

Plenty of other action today. As well as the three Division One games we're covering, there are another four in Division Two. Yorkshire are well on course for a first win of the season against Leicestershire at Scarborough. The Northants bowlers will be keen to have another crack at Hampshire, who are due to resume on 42 for three, and likewise the Essex attack against struggling Glamorgan in Cardiff. But we'll be keeping an especially close eye on developments at Derby, where the mighty Peakites are well-placed to press for a third win in four matches against Gloucestershire, who are due to resume on 172 for nine and still need another 67 to avoid the follow-on after Tony Palladino continued his impressive start to the season with five for 47.

10.41am: It's slightly less grey, slightly less damp and just as cold at Lord's and play will start – on time, reports Vic Marks. Worcestershire have won the toss and will field. So the latest saga, which has Andrew Strauss in pursuit of runs is about to resume. If the last two matches at Lord's are any guide three clear days should be enough to get a result.

As Strauss straps on his pads the roller goes up and down the Test pitch. Hang on a minute I've just seen a shadow …

9.55am: Welcome to the county cricket live blog for the latest round of Championship action. Our writers will be here with all the day's play shortly. Andy Wilson is back for day three at Old Trafford for Lancashire v Nottinghamshire, Richard Gibson is in Birmingham for the third day of Warwickshire v Durham, and Vic Marks will be at Lord's for the second day of Middlesex v Worcestershire.

You can find full fixture lists for the season here and county-by-county previews here. You can follow the action throughout the season here. Watch video highlights here.

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