County Championship Round 6

Six matches get underway tomorrow and another on Friday:

Division 1

Derbyshire v Sussex
Nottinghamshire v Surrey
Somerset v Middlesex
Warwickshire v Yorkshire

Division 2

Glamorgan v Essex
Northamptonshire v Leicestershire
Kent v Worcestershire (Starts Friday)

Deep Extra Cover have full previews of each match, including team news - http://deepextracover.com/home/

BBC Commentaries - http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/13629853
DEC Live Blogs - http://deepextracover.com/livematchcentre/

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Sadly, the weather is likely to have a major say....

5-fer for Plunkett as Warkishire are all out for 128 on the first day vs Yorkshire. Plunkett and Brooks looking like very good signings so far.

Rogers and Robson got Middx off to a good start but then got out. A collapse followed before some late order rallying saw them to 293-8. An even day, but probably a tad disappointing for Middx in the end. A good game in prospect I think.

Warks in a deal of trouble - not going to script at all at the moment.

Agree it's an interesting game with Middlesex - not sure who is on top.

Sussex doing well against Derby.

Essex as too often getting themselves into a good position and then threatening to self destruct!

Another fivefer though for Masters - where would they be without him? A likely future Wisden cricketer of the year in my view.

Spriegel finally gets a game in the cc for Northants (he moved from Surrey as he had become pigeon holed as a limited overs player.) But opening for Northants he was out for 11.

Masters is our rock...the day he retires il be devastated.

Murtagh matching Masters blow-for-blow in the battle of the evergreen seamers...

Middlesex in a very strong position to get their 3rd win out of 5 matches, although Trego and Buttler have put together a good partnership.

Ravi Bopara with 145 for Essex today, Napier adding 41no as we take a lead of 112 after two days. If we can stretch that to 130-150 tomorrow morning off of Napier's bat, I fancy us for victory

Murtagh was apparently again awesome today. If Middlesex win the Championship, I wouldn't be surprised if he tops the bowling averages.

Win looking likely which would put distance between Middlesex and everbody apart from Durham, who we face next week.

Poor day had by the bottom three in the table, Derby, Surrey and Somerset. If all three lose there will be a fairly substantial gap between these three and the rest.

Chris Jordan continues to impress at Sussex, falling just short of a century....

Essex all out for 345, a lead of 114. Masters comes in and gets a wicket with the second ball, Glamorgan 0-1

The ever-green Alan Richardson doing it again for the Mighty Pears, 3 wickets in 12 balls for Richo to leave Kent on 43-3

His figures are currently 8-4-9-3. What a man!

Northants doing well yet again in the 4-day stuff right on top against Leics

Wins today for Middlesex and Yorkshire.

Tim Murtagh had another storming game for The Middle - 10 wkts in the match including 6-49 in the second innings. A bit of a one man show in this match though, with TRJ out of sorts and Harris finding his feet after his hamstring niggle (Middlesex won't actually use the word injury...). 85 from Buttler and 82 from Trego gave Somerset hope, but in the end a 9 wicket win completed at gone 7 o'clock.

Yorkshire's win over the county champions was by an innings. Set up by another hundred from Adil Rashid, Warwickshire were all for 140 second time round with Bresnan, Sidebottom and Patterson taking 3 apiece (Bresnan took advantage of the rule allowing players left out of Test matches to join a county game mid-way through and play a full part; he replaced Richard Pyrah). Not good for Warwickshire, whose title defence is already on very rocky ground. A few excuses with injuries but this week's team wasn't far off full strength (only 1 player who isn't a 1st XI regular).

Sussex are close to wrapping up victory against Derbyshire. Mike Yardy scored 153 and Chris Jordan 92 as Sussex secured a big lead. They then reduced Derbys to 189-7 with two each for Anyon, Magoffin and Panesar. Derbyshire still trail by 11.

In Division Two, Glamorgan-Essex looks like an enticing encounter. After Bopara's century gave Essex a first innings lead of over a hundred, Glam are now 303-6 with Wallace (61*) and Wagg (31*) at the crease.

Leicestershire will have a fight on their hands to save the game against high-flying Northants tomorrow. Trent Copeland's 7 wicket haul saw Leics bowled out for 234. Northants are 94-5 but already have a lead of 215 and will be looking to declare around lunchtime. Freckingham, who is recording some good figures for Leics, has 9 in the match. I'm really pleased its working out for Freckingham: he's a rare example of a player who didn't come through the Academy/ Eng U19s structure getting a county contract - he's 24 and impressed in club cricket.

The vagaries of the county schedule meant Kent-Worcs started today. And Alan Richardson took 5 wickets as Kent were skittled for 159. Worcs 105-4 in reply.

Worth looking at the table - http://www.espncricinfo.com/county-championship-div1-2013/engine/series/592759.html?view=pointstable. Middlesex, Yorkshire and Durham have broken clear of Warwickshire (who have played 1 more game). As corporal rightly pointed out on the other thread if Sussex beat Derbys (as looks highly likely) and Notts beat Surrey (as is very possible) Somerset, Surrey and Derbyshire will also be cut adrift at the bottom.

Remarkable performance by Yorks to crush Warks so comprehensively....

Kent bowled out for 63

The game at Canterbury started yesterday and is about to finish

Alan Richardson is a God. 12 wickets in the match. He just gets better.

Essex won

Round 6 has to go down as one for the seaming old uns. Richardson, Murtagh and Masters taking a grand total of 30 wickets!