Key events
WICKET! Fisher c Lehmann b Organ 12 (Surrey 69-3)
Fisher lasted 20 minutes this morning before pinging the ball to short mid-wicket. In marches Dan Lawrence, 218 already under his belt this game. Hampshire are scurring through these overs after starting the day on an over rate of -3. They’ve now brought it back up to -1. Surrey 106-3.
Keith Piper dies, aged 56
Some sad news from Edgbaston. Keith Piper, Warwickshire’s long-serving wicketkeeper, has died aged 56, from cancer. He was part of Warwickshire’s treble-winning team of 1994 and at the other end when Lara scored 501, with a hundred of his own.
Piper, who started his career at the famous Haringey Cricket College, took more than 500 catches in his 200-match career, played in seven Lord’s finals, winning three, as well as two Championship titles in 1994 and 1995 and the 1994 Sunday League. He was one of the best wicketkeepers of his time.
In 1997 he served a four-month drugs ban and tested positive for cannabis in the opening round of the 2005 summer, after which he retired. Rest in peace.
The wheels fall off in Dhaka.
Rod Bransgrove steps down as chairman of Hampshire
Bransgrove, the man behind Hampshire’s move to the Rosebowl and subsequent development, has stepped down as chairman, after GMR Global Pte Ltd completed the full acquisition of Hampshire Sport & Leisure Holdings Limited. Kiran Kumar Grandhi, the chairman of GMR, who also own IPL franchise Delhi Capitals, takes over.
Bransgrove has been appointed honorary life president.
Play: Surrey 57-2 lead Hampshire by 145 runs
And on time too. Sibley and his nightwatch, Matt Fisher
Warwickshire sign Manav Suthar
Warwickshire have strengthened their ranks by signing left-arm finger-spinning allrounder Manav Suthar on a short-term contract.
He made his Test debut for India last week, in a one-off Test against Afghanistan, taking six for 33 in the first innings and one for 29 in the second.
He will be available for selection for the next two rounds of the Championship, starting with Warwickshire’s match against Yorkshire at Scarborough on Friday.
The fallout from drinking sessions at the White Horse pub, aka the Sloaney Pony (or so I am told) and the Rex Rooms continues to drift.
Preamble
Hello! The final day of this one-off match unbuttons its shirt. We seems to be drifting towards a draw, especially if the weather intervenes again, but Hampshire have tumbled down the stairs more than once this season. Do join us, umbrella in one hand, espresso in the other, play starts at 11am.
