MaidstoneFox

Not surprisingly, finding it difficult to dislodge Stubbs, Miller, Starc or Ngidi. But he's the go-to guy now at running on with tape, drinks, bats or helmets.

Wouldn't have been a great look if the coaches who had secured us our first promotion (and convincing at that) in 20 odd years had just walked away. The timing of these announcements aren't always perfect, as negotiations can get delayed etc.

Credit to Essex, most of this has been exceptional bowling in conditions perfectly suited to their 72-78 mph seamers. As with all 4 day cricket, luck plays a part and they just happened to have all their best bowlers fit, in form and bowling when the condition are best for them. These conditions actually would have suited a match-fit (which is not what we've seen so far) Josh Davey, but we can only pick from what we've got. There was a logic in signing a world-class bowler like Maharaj, because he can hold down one end and take wickets in any conditions. Patel is just way off that level and it probably needed a rethink in terms of recruitment, because he doesn't look very threatening.

29/5. Cook's unplayable in these conditions.

Very good seam bowling conditions and the Essex bowlers are just dropping on a spot and moving it around. If we can scrap to around 200 lead and the conditions remain the same then we have a chance.

Harvey is on their coaching team this year. Not sure what Trott is up to, usually does some 20 over franchise work.

Richard Dawson was a great coaching appointment at the start of last season, he's really transformed them.

It's complicated. But my understanding is.... Harmer is now an overseas player having returned to play for SA, but having previously been a kolpak; Elgar is now a local player as he has a British passport, having previously been an overseas player, but he no longer plays for SA; Snater has a Dutch passport, as this is part of the EEA and The Netherlands aren't a test nation, it means he is treated as a local player, despite being born in Zimbabwe; Mulder is just a plain overseas, nothing complicated! Van Beek is classed as an overseas player here, because although he has a Dutch passport, he also plays in New Zealand, where he is classed as a local player, having been born there and you can't be a local player in more than one country.

Holland, finally has his optimum bowling conditions.

Turner bowls spin as well doesn't he, so another reason to pick Kelly over Patel.

I lived in Manchester before and after trams and it really transformed the place, helped open up areas and it made it feel like a modern accessible city. But it's a very costly project and i doubt the money would be there for Leicester. Could you turn Gallowtree and Granby St into more of residential area with a cafe culture? It would take quite a vision and lots of questions about whether there are jobs for those under 35s, in what has never really been a white-collar city. But at some point I assume those landlords will run out of any sort of takers for the leases in that area.

Yes, first train back to Islington.

Build some nice retirement flats like they have at Canterbury. I'll take one in 15 years and watch from my balcony as Alex Green takes his 500th first-class wicket

Pretty much the same everywhere. Even somewhere like Oxford Street in London is finding it tough and has filled up units with American candy stores. One of the initial reservations around building the Highcross was that it would move footfall away from Gallowtree Gate and that's happened, even more so with the decline of high street shopping and the focal point now is very much High Street, Highcross and St Martin's. The reality is that with out-of-town and online shoppers there just aren't enough customers to sustain a shopping area from Belgrave Gate, Gallowtree Gate, up to Market Street and across to High Street and the Highcross. So the bigger question is what do you do with those areas that are declining, you don't want them to become no-go zones. Would we have been better not building the Highcross in the first place? I think it was impossible to predict the rapid expansion of online trade and arguably the city needed the newer facilities of the Highcross to attract the marquee entertainment brands, stores and restaurants that would of gone elsewhere. Similarly, there were quite a lot of arguments at the time, against locating The Curve and the Phoenix where they are now and creating the 'Cultural Quarter', as it was away from where most of the footfall was. Some figures in the council argued that the creation of that Cultural Quarter was better positioned close to the station to appeal to commuters and out-of-town visitors. However, what you now have is a very siloed city centre. In my opinion, the one thing that might rescue the city is a tram system, linking all the key sites, such as hospitals, universities, stations, shopping areas and so on. But maybe it's too late for that, you are possibly looking at just how well you manage the decline of those shopping areas.

Not great to lose, but I wouldn't underestimate Sussex. They would be top without the points deduction and in Robinson and Crocombe they have two of the best seam bowlers in the country on current form. Robinson might get called up for England and Crocombe, the Lions.

Holland being asked to do too much in captaining, batting 3 and opening the bowling (who else does that in 1st class cricket?). He's been a bit unlucky and could have had more wickets, but i think the slightly higher quality of batters in div 1 means they have more time to react and he's just lacks that yard, even if he is economical. I think he's batting at 3 because nobody else wants to while Rehan is absent. He's very much doing everything because the team needs it. Rehan is a big miss, both for his destructive innings and his ability to clean up tails with his leg-spin. But we better get used to it, not sure how much he'll play at all this season. Nick Kelly may be able to bat 3, in the Championship, later in the season. Davey, I don't think has been fit or bowling fit yet, he needs a couple of games to get into his groove. Patel may be better in the September red ball games, when the pitches will be drier and more worn. But I also suspect he is just past his best and was essentially all we could get as a late replacement. Should be remembered that things couldn't have gone much worse for us in terms of personnel - both overseas withdrawing at the last minute/Rehan called up to IPL/4 bowlers getting injured at the same time - in that context we are hanging on in there and we aren't bottom. Hampshire/Yorkshire don't look great and will probably both lose a players or two each to England call-ups.

Another wicket for Helm - beautiful spell this. Slightly mystifying why he's not playing for Middlesex.

Wicket for Helm - looks a good bowler (when fit). Still doing a bit.

McLintock is a good shout, not just for 62-63 with us but winning the double with Arsenal.

He's a bit quicker than what we have, though ironically has suffered lots of injuries. What's the odds he breaks down at some point? I wonder if he'll play ahead of Hull. He's contracted until the end of 2027 with Middlesex, so I assume he's just here for the two weeks.

Shouldn't forget Handscomb's astute captaincy, which we are missing.

Record 9th wicket partnership against Notts and highest first class score for Patel, who doesn't look like a number 10. Eskinazi is turning out to be a great signing so far - currently averaging 62 in his knocks for Leicestershire, since he joined last September.

Crikey, no wonder she normally keeps those covered up, Owen Hargreaves would be a dribbling wreck.

Yeh, forecast is not great for the next two days. Olly Stone may have bowled well here, but he's only played 11 first class games in 4 seasons. Not a great return overall.

Roach would have been a good signing, consistently takes wickets in county cricket. I suppose part of their thinking is that they want to give a pathway to Hull and Green, by offering them as much game time as possible.