Window Cleaner

Oh dear, Hants 9/2 again after bowling out Middlesex for 172.

A better, if shortened, day yesterday. Put Middx in and they were 90/4 at the close. 3 wickets for Abbott. Abbas bowled pretty well but isn't getting wickets just now. Hope we'll get nigh on a full day's play today because we need a win.

Yes, the two straight losses for Hants is a bit of a downer. I just don't see how we're going to correct the batting disasters against decent seamers on a track that's doing anything at all. At least we made an effort of it yesterday but losing Abbott to a nothing ball on Saturday evening really didn't help. Northeast doesn't seem to be the solid top order batsman that he seemed to be at Kent. I didn't watch a lot yesterday but I do wonder if our batsmen are taking the off stump guard that seems to be relatively successful against our pace bowlers.

Perhaps not. In an ideal world we'll finish them off for not too many this morning, have a solid 2nd innings, rain tomorrow and get a draw on Sunday. Then again they'll probably make 400+, skittle us again and take maximum points..

Well no, the opposing teams have worked out that all you need to put Hants in trouble when batting is a couple of average, work-horse seamers bowling straight and on a length and flawed batting technique will do the rest. Shambles 72/8

Not a great start again today, Hants 26/2 . Survived a fair few passable appeals for leg before and caught behind as well.Still as we look to bat down to 10 we might get past 100 this time.

A very poor day for Hants so far. Might as well write off this match I think. Might even be a zero pointer, although that would take some doing .

Anyone else think we should get some extra points for a first innings lead equal or superior to the follow-on number? Gloucs obviously went into this match looking not to lose, aided and abetted by a dead wicket they'll probably succeed with some awful slow batting. We weren't a lot better but at least our blokes tried the odd shot now and again.

Looks like the rest of this game is going to be a bit of a slog. Nothing in the wicket for either batsmen or bowlers. Will probably end in a high scoring draw.

Hants won the toss and are batting first. Weatherley looking as inept as usual, was lucky to survive what looked like a dropped catch behind the wicket in the first over and was eventually out for 8,lbw to the first ball of the first change bowler. Since then unspectacular but solid stuff from Holland and Alsop to put us on 65/1 from 32 overs.

Holland having a bit of a good match this week. Top scorer in both innings and got vital breakthroughs with the ball to boot. Pitch looks absolutely dead.

Yes I do think we're still lacking a serious opener. Then again us older followers have been spoilt for great openers in years past. When you've seen Richards, Greenidge, Carberry, Terry and others it's hard to accept that Weatherly is the best you can find to open.

No follow on enforced. At 2 for 2 already Hants might well regret that decision. Batting really doesn't look easy on this track.

Abbas hat-trick already, Middx 8 for 3. Wicket obviously isn't all that docile.

Grosso Modo yes, the never ending we're crap, going broke..oh wait we won a game so we're world beaters after all on the football threads gets tiresome after 15 years or so.

Can't expect 600+ with 3 centurions every time. Poor shots by Alsop and Vince though. Wicket is a bit more lively than that of last week all the same.

T'was indeed. All the matches in our group produced a result though. Wouldn't have expected Surrey to get beaten by Gloucs though, still cricket is a funny old game sometimes.

Excellent session for Hants. Pushing 300 at tea with centuries for Alsop and Vince. Been a bit of a Vincefest really, excellent watching on the live stream.

Ah got it now; Cricinfo must automatically adjust to my time zone. Hants 37/1. Holland out for 11

Perhaps not. The Covid 19 crisiis in Continental Europe is pretty serious just now, probably because the vaccination programme here is a bit of a joke, started late, poorly organised and not enough doses. Here in France we don't even know how many cases there are each day due to regular statistics bungles Then you have to consider that some of the early administrated vaccine doses in the UK will be beginning to fade in efficiency, if you take the 6 months protection estimate as gospel that is.

So then, new season starts today at midday, strange start time for a CC match. Does that mean less overs in a day or a later finish?

Just a mini-season not worth worrying about. Scratch team most of the time because of injuries, other unavailabilities and I suspect a bit of perfectly comprehensible cost cutting.

Just a typical start to a Saint's season. We'll pick up in a month or so.

Much as expected, Hant's batting nowhere near good enough. Fortunately there's no relegation for this truncated season.

Not a bad start to the 4 day season today with Sussex 73-5 at lunch. Two wickets for the young Dale and 2 for Holland. Batting looks weak though, perhaps they'll yet surprise me.