The players reemerge at a sun strewn Edgbaston, afternoon sessions about to get underway on day one.

Gary Naylor is at Old Trafford and sends in this heartfelt message about the state of things at Lancs:

"Afternoon from a beautifully sunny Old Trafford, James. The weather may be sublime but the outlook is anything but at Lancashire of late. After a lively start to the season, the wheels have very much come off. As much as I adore Jimmy, if your top stroke bowler is in his 40s, that's an issue. We've struggled to bowl sides out, and when we have, we can't back up up with runs.

Today is no exception, with Durham looking serene at lunch, both McKinney and Gay good for their century partnership and while Bailey was economical, and Stanley pacy, things feel like they're getting away already. The announcement of the departure of Mark Chilton felt long overdue but jettisoning David Thorley felt pretty unfair given the recent trophies for the women. You feel it's a clearing of the decks before Richard Kenyon starts his tenure, but with red ball cricket at rock bottom, who will feel the job is an attractive one? We can talk about being a big club, but the results just don't back it up. It's a massive shame, because it's a fantastic place to watch cricket. I hope things can turn around soon."

The century is batting's yardstick, from the amateur game to the very highest level. Blame it on a decimal counting system if you want. Blame your lack of one on a lifetime of dodgy dismissals, snakepit surfaces and apparently "unplayable" deliveries. Whatever. When it comes to centuries, you've either made one or you haven't.

A man who knows that all too well is Mason Crane. After more than 10 years as a professional, the Glamorgan leg-spinner has seen his batting form flourish in the past couple of years, culminating in a maiden first-class century against Surrey this summer. "It's so cool to be able to say you've got one," he says. "That extra column … it's special. Everyone still puts plenty of weight on it."

Up the road, up a bit, a bit more right a bit, at Headingley, England have just started bowling at Sri Lanka in the second ODI. Rob Smyth and Taha Hashim are on the tools for that one. You can go and have a look, but be back for your tea – the afternoon sessions.

Luke M pops up with a lunchtime update from Lord's:

No sooner had I written that Vasconcelos was leaving the ball well, he was caught in the slips for 26 via a wild slash outside off stump: and Northants are listing badly at 80-6 at lunch. There are glimmers of hope: the 23-year-old James Sales looked in good nick in the nets at around 9.45am, and has looked good in the middle too, hitting five fours in his 27 not out. Gloucestershire are looking capable of making a game of it against Kent in Canterbury, but at this rate Darren Lehmann's side will certainly be in Division Two next season regardless. Lewis McManus was unlucky to see a leading edge fly straight back to the bowler Tom Helm, who took a sharp catch for the sixth wicket. The first session emphatically belonged to the hosts."

The players leave the field here at Edgbaston, Leicestershire battling at 78-5. You know what, it could have been worse. Time to take a tour around the grounds for the lunchtime scores.

Notts have lost their first at Trent Bridge, Ben Slater edging a rising ball from Ben Coad to Adam Lyth at slip. Notts 59-1.

At Old Trafford, Ben McKinney has gone to fifty off 74 balls for Durham but – don't tell Big Kookaburra's Gary Naylor – it's the fourth Dukes ball of the morning they have gone through in the opening twenty or so overs. That's a bad batch.

"Hi Jim."

"Radical thought… too much turns on the toss in late September, as scorecards today attest. At Lord's, the ball isn't hooping or seaming miles, but it's doing enough for Northants' batters to push hard at it with a "get some runs now because there's one with your name on it" attitude. What is to be done?

Well, why not play this last tranche of Championship fixtures with the much maligned old Kookaburra? That might tip the balance back towards the batting side and make 10.30am starts more even."

I take your point Gary, I do, but also if it was so cut and dried I am confused as to why some teams, including Leicestershire here at Edgbaston who are 63-5, would choose to bat first? Herein lies the wonder of cricket and the unreadable nature of pitches, balls and conditions?

I'll do a lunchtime sweep around the grounds but am currently all eyes on the action here at Edgbaston with Leicestershire 55-5, Ben Cox and Ian Holland digging in against Hannon-Dalby and Barnard. There's a sense that a wicket could fall almost every ball.

Ollie Hannon-Dalby strikes here at Edgbaston! Leicestershire are now 47-4 and in some serious trouble… make that 47-5! Sol Budinger nicks off to Ed Barnard and is snaffled by the teflon handed Rob Yates at second slip. Carnage.

No sooner had I pressed send on Luke's morning dispatch than the alert pings that Vasconcelos has nicked off to second slip to leave Northants 46-5! Gulp.

M'esteemed colleague Luke McLaughlin is at Lord's and sends this missive after the first hour of play. Northants are in big trouble already:

Sunshine has broken out at Lord's after a cloudy start, where it feels more late August than late September, and the pavilion is well populated. The climate is changing but Toby Roland-Jones remains constant, the 38-year-old dealing an early blow to Northamptonshire's promotion hopes by removing Luke Proctor lbw for 0 in the first over. Gus Miller went for 10, also lbw to Ryan Higgins, and Saif Zaib was caught at first slip off the same bowler, before Calvin Harrison slapped a Danru Ferns long-hop to cover. No 1 batter Ricardo Vasconcelos survived a confident caught-behind appeal off Higgins in the fourth over, but has looked solid for 26 not out, and has left the ball well. Not the start the visitors wanted after winning the toss and batting, though: 44-4 off 14 overs."

That man Jack Leach has got the breakthrough in Taunton. Michael Vaughan and Steve Finn have both been calling for Leach to be recalled into the Test side, definitely one to keep an eye on, particularly with the Bangladesh series early next year.

Leach snares his old England teammate Rory Burns who plays a loose sweep and gifts a top edge to Tom Abell.

I've arrived at Edgbaston to see Ethan Bamber deliver his seventh over on the spin with sun bursting through the clouds. Leicestershire need it to flatten this pitch into the roadiest road pronto… Baby faced assassin Bamber has 1-13 and Woakes 2-11. Tidy.

A ripple of applause for the introduction of Ollie Hannon-Dalby. I enjoyed his chat with Tanya ahead of this game:

His long career gives him the perspective to see how the game has been transformed, and what matters. "Cricket has changed a little bit, there are lots of offshoots, and the franchise world of course. But on a day-to-day basis, the measure of you as a cricketer is either Test cricket if you can play it, or otherwise the County Championship.

To do well in county cricket is incredibly satisfying, and being able to win the championship is a great marker in your career. It says a lot that the great Chris Woakes could have sailed off into the sunset, but he has stayed for weeks like this." By Sunday, we will know how the die fell."

Am enjoying the chat below the line, do keep the pearls coming.

This for example:

"Morning Jim, morning everyone. Oh Leicestershire, don't do that…"

"Off-topic: Mark Wood is one of only two cricketers in my short time following the sport who I've thought, "There's a cricketer I'd love to sit down and have a chat with." (Moeen Ali the other.) This is partly due to me not knowing much about most cricketers, but Mark Wood was so odd, so interesting that he broke through that barrier. Seemed like a genuinely lovely chap who kept his weird personality despite his time in the limelight. Amazing cricketer as well.

First-class and Test cricket has lost a goodun, but it's the commentary box's gain. Every radio and TV platform showing the cricket should be showering him with offers."

Taha did a lovely piece on Mark Wood yesterday:

Toby Roland Jones has picked up an early wicket at Lord's, Procter pinned LBW…

and that is out too!

It's all go at Edgbaston, the Wizard Woakes nips one back into Rishi Patel who offers no shot and is stone dead. … Leics 10-2 and in the mire after choosing to bat.

Ethan Bamber bowls Sheridan Gumbs with the fourth ball of the day at Edgbaston! It's a beauty that nips in a touch and beats the outside edge of Gumbs' textbook forward defence to kiss the off bail! Bamber hares off in delight!

DingDingDingDing! For one last time this 'summer' whites clad county players take to the field. Let's play!

Good news! The weather is set fair around the country with only a small chance of rain coming in a bit later on and only in a few places. That's a detailed forecast eh? Schafernaker is safe for now…

Permutations, dear boy, permutations:

have their destiny in their own hands, 14 points will see them crowned Division One Champs. They don't even have to win outright either, a draw with six bonus points gets the job done.

are 11 points behind in second place and last year's winners 15 behind.

At t'other end of Div one it is spicy too –

are down already, (who are due to appeal their 27 point pitch infraction deduction, say that ten times fast) and are battling to not be the other team relegated to Div 2.

Leics have to beat Warwickshire scoop some bonus points to realistically have any chance of dropping down and Essex need to not lose to Glammy. It's all much more complicated than that of course but you don't need me to tell you that.

Glamorgan v Essex – Essex win the toss and bowl

Hampshire v Sussex –

Nottinghamshire v Yorkshire – Yorks win toss and bowl

Somerset v Surrey –

Warwickshire v Leicestershire – Leics win toss and bat

Kent v Gloucestershire – Kent win toss and bowl

Lancashire v Durham – Durham win toss and bat

: Middlesex v Northamptonshire – Northants win the toss and bat

Worcestershire v Derbyshire – Derybshire win toss and bowl

Hello and welcome to the final round of the 2026 County Championship.

Jim here, I'm stepping into Tanya's red stillettos, yes they have a prominent Dukes seam circling around the toe, for the next two days. Be gentle won't you?

I'm currently on the rattler up to Edgbaston to see if Warwickshire can get the job done against Leicestershire. A fair few folk in Somerset will be hoping the next few days take a different course.

That's just at the top of Division One. We'll have an eye on all of the action across the shires and the comments below the line will be open for your musings, frustrations and exultations.

Join us for all the end of season stories as they unfold. Play starts around the grounds at 10:30am. All aboard!

Helpfully, Tanya and Andy Bull have prepared these excellent scene setters: