English Domestic Season 2026

[Woodster]

Essex got thupped despite putting 190 odd on the board. After being 100-0 after 10, the tarter set was somewhat underwhelming. They couldn’t get sufficient momentum into the second half of the innings and at the halfway stage you had a feeling they’d left plenty more runs out there and were going to need them.

Given the lack of real quality short-form bowlers it wasn’t a huge surprise Sussex sauntered home but credit in particular to the knocks played by Coles and John Simpson, who decimated the Essex attack. Lots to learn from this for Essex if it’s not going to be another difficult T20 campaign.

 

[tony p]

I'm not sure why Lancashire would risk Anderson at the beginning of the T20 tournament.
He's far more valuable in the championship.

If he needed some bowling, they could have played him in a few weeks time before they go to Chesterfield for their next CC Match.

 

[wpdavid]

Older CWers may remember when Jason Roy was actually able to lay a bat on the ball. Not much sign of that today, sadly. Young Cornwell put his wretched innings out of its misery after Lord knows how many hopeless swishes at thin air.

 

[Third_Man]

I'm not sure why Lancashire would risk Anderson at the beginning of the T20 tournament.
He's far more valuable in the championship.

If he needed some bowling, they could have played him in a few weeks time before they go to Chesterfield for their next CC Match.

Agree Tony,

Would have been an obvious game for a rest having played every other match.

They have announced their squad tomorrow's game Anderson and Bailey are missing. Neither name is mentioned in the match preview. The squad has not been announced separately as it normally is, just as a jpeg inserted into the preview. Surprisingly as for every other game this year their postings pre-match have included a note of who is rested and / or injured. I wonder how serious that injury is? There is apparently no truth in either the idea that home matches will be played in North Korea next year or that website articles will be written by someone with some cricket rather than marketing background.

But who cares they have managed to announce a three year Blast contract until 2028 for Jos Buttler. “Even if his availability is limited to short periods each season....." I wonder if he will still be playing by then if he loses his England place?

 

[Blenkinsop]

Middlesex's pink kit is truly minging.

Excellent start for the Steelbacks, hope we can maintain it rather than running into the sand like last year.

 

[LangleyburyCCPlayer]

Middlesex's pink kit is truly minging.

Excellent start for the Steelbacks, hope we can maintain it rather than running into the sand like last year.

Is that why they used to be known as the Panthers?

 

[mackembhoy]

Cricinfo decision last season to completely strip back their coverage outside of Tests and IPL owned franchise leagues is appalling.

They've compounded it this year as got the Blast table as one 18 table instead of 3 tables of 6 the ignorant bastards.

Thankfully we still have NVplay but I just don't get it.

Vitality Blast Men 2026 Points Table | Latest Standings, Net Run Rate & Rankings

 

[Molehill]

Of course it had to be against Sussex that Crawley got some runs. Although, given the start that Clark gave them, Sussex only have themselves to blame for leaving Kent with a reachable target.

 

[mackembhoy]

Is that why they used to be known as the Panthers?

They were the Crusaders before they were the Panthers and played in Pink. They won the T20 comp in Pink as the Crusaders in 2008(only time they made finals day)

No idea why they chose pink. But AI says it was too do with breast cancer originally in 2007 as they played in dark blue and red prior to that.

Then just kept it after that, the pink probably inspiring them to change name to Panthers in 2009!

 

[chris.hinton]

Cricinfo decision last season to completely strip back their coverage outside of Tests and IPL owned franchise leagues is appalling.

They've compounded it this year as got the Blast table as one 18 table instead of 3 tables of 6 the ignorant bastards.

Thankfully we still have NVplay but I just don't get it.

Vitality Blast Men 2026 Points Table | Latest Standings, Net Run Rate & Rankings

I haven't really used Cricinfo for years. I remember in the late 90s and early 00s i used it religiously. Not the same anymore

 

[Molehill]

The fact that Crapinfo will still provide ball by ball for the Hundred sums it up.

What's the best app to use for ball by ball County/Blast games then?

Mind you, with the inception of youtube coverage, I tend to watch most of the Sussex games when I'm free anyway.

 

[mackembhoy]

The fact that Crapinfo will still provide ball by ball for the Hundred sums it up.

What's the best app to use for ball by ball County/Blast games then?

Mind you, with the inception of youtube coverage, I tend to watch most of the Sussex games when I'm free anyway.

NVplay linked below better than cricinfo ever was for the county game as has clips of wickets 4s/6s and milestones etc. Also imbeds the stream of the game from youtube. Alas doesn't have the indpeth ball by ball commentary you would get on some games.But still provides a ball by ball summary.

Covers various levels of the game in England. So get the same for second XI in most cases too.

Live scores, live streams, video highlights and schedules from ECB Play-Cricket | powered by NV Play

Comprehensive schedules, live scores, live streams, video highlights and match statistics from ECB Play-Cricket | powered by NV Play

live.nvplay.com

Yep my point exactly RE The Hundred all the IPL linked franchises get a full treatment. No doubt soon they will stop covering international games if clashing with franchise crap.

 

[mackembhoy]

I haven't really used Cricinfo for years. I remember in the late 90s and early 00s i used it religiously. Not the same anymore

Cricinfo was still brilliant up until 2023. Then they've just gone full on franchise crap since.

Still use it regularly to check scores out of habit. But get frustrated and then have to flick over to NVplay.

 

[Third_Man]

Lancashire now up to 11 squad players unavailable for their Blast match tomorrow. Livingstone at least should be able to make his seasonal debut next week in front of the Western Terrace. Their website now admitting this:

James Anderson, Jack Blatherwick and Paul Coughlin all miss out on the squad after picking up injuries during the opening stages of the Blast. They join long-term absentees Ajeet Singh Dale, Arav Shetty and Luke Wells on the sidelines.


Mitch Stanley is currently away with England Lions while Jos Buttler, Phil Salt and Luke Wood are at the Indian Premier League. Liam Livingstone's Sunrisers Hyderabad were knocked out of the tournament last night.

 

[chris.hinton]

Worcestershire vs Warwickshire tonight....oh joy

 

[chris.hinton]

National Counties

The Group Stage of the 1 day Trophy reached it a finish a couple of weeks ago, Here's the tables for these :-

Group 1

Cumbria 8
Cheshire 6
=======
Suffolk 3
Shropshire 2
Cambridgeshire 1

Group 2

Norfolk 8
Staffordshire 6
=============
Lincolnshire 4
Northumberland 2
Bedfordshire 0

Group 3

Wiltshire 6
Berkshire 6
=============
Devon 6
Herefordshire 2
Hertfordshire 0

Group 4

Buckinghamshire 8
Oxfordshire 6
===============
Dorset 2
Cornwall 2
Wales 2

 

[Third_Man]

National Counties

The Group Stage of the 1 day Trophy reached it a finish a couple of weeks ago ....

Quarter Finals week on Sunday (7th June):

Cumbria v Staffordshire at Carlisle
Norfolk v Cheshire at Sprowston
Wiltshire v Oxfordshire at Warminster
Buckinghamshire v Berkshire at High Wycombe

these southern clubs have such easy travel to away games.

 

[Chin Music]

Quarter Finals week on Sunday (7th June):

Cumbria v Staffordshire at Carlisle
Norfolk v Cheshire at Sprowston
Wiltshire v Oxfordshire at Warminster
Buckinghamshire v Berkshire at High Wycombe

these southern clubs have such easy travel to away games.

Well yes, Berks is not very far away from High Wycombe. Indeed I once got a lift to play a game over the border! That was a good deal lower than MC level, mind!

 

[mackembhoy]

Does anyone know how they decide who gets the 4th home QF in the Blast?

I assume it's the best second place finisher?

As I know they are providing 2 of the best third place finishers the final 2 spots in the QF.

 

[Blenkinsop]

A lot of very one-sided matches in the Blast this evening.