Cox has played three one-day internationals and two T20s for England Essex batter Jordan Cox will have a scan on Tuesday to determine the seriousness of a side injury that could rule him out of England's Test squad to play Zimbabwe retired hurt on 103 on day three of Essex's defeat by Somerset with a left side issue He walked off after reaching three figures having sustained the injury playing a shot moments earlier and did not field when the match concluded on Monday "We all heard the moment it happened when he gave a cry after playing a shot," said Essex director of cricket Chris Silverwood "It is too early to say how serious it is Rew & Overton take Somerset to win over Essex 'Runs the currency' as batting decision looms Cook in line for England debut after squad call-up A serious diagnosis would be a cruel blow to Cox, who was set to make his Test debut last year against New Zealand only to break a thumb in the build-up to the first Test "Jordan doesn't seem to have much luck when it comes to England call-ups but his century here on a testing pitch showed just what a good player he is," former England coach Silverwood said Cox's century against Somerset was his second in the County Championship this season - he also made 82 against Nottinghamshire - but with wicketkeeper Jamie Smith available again after paternity leave the right-hander was effectively in England's squad as the spare batter Jacob Bethell impressed after being called up for Cox in New Zealand He would have kept his place in the squad but is at the Indian Premier League and will not be recalled England will have to decide whether it is worth calling up a replacement Durham's 20-year-old opener Ben McKinney is highly-rated but missed his side's Championship match at Hampshire this week with a back spasm Somerset's Tom Banton is another who fits England's aggressive mould He has not made more than 26 in seven innings since beginning the season with an epic 371 against Worcestershire Banton's 21-year-old team-mate James Rew scored a fine century to seal the win over Essex on Monday and has been in recent England Lions squads while Sussex opener Tom Haines is the leading run-scorer in the County Championship this season with 513 runs in four matches Champions League updates: Calafiori back training for Arsenal before PSG semi-final Stunning stats and 'Ronaldo behaviour' - is Yamal cut out to rival Messi Real seek to sign Alexander-Arnold for Club World Cup A gritty crime saga set in Liverpool starring Sean Bean Stacey Dooley explores Britain’s shoplifting epidemic Who has made Troy's Premier League team of the week Is the risk that Mercedes took with Antonelli paying off Trailblazer Zhao set to take snooker to 'another level' in China 'Calamity keeper' or 'human wall' - which Donnarumma will Arsenal face Zhao beats Williams in historic final - highlights VideoZhao beats Williams in historic final - highlights Alexander-Arnold leaves as modern Liverpool great - but fans will feel hurt 'Scheffler and DeChambeau wins further raise US PGA excitement levels' Match-fixing scandal to Crucible champion - fall and rise of Zhao 'We need to take a look at ourselves' - Arsenal stalling at wrong time Europa League 'papering over cracks' for Man Utd - Rooney VideoEuropa League 'papering over cracks' for Man Utd - Rooney Ask Me Anything the new BBC Sport service designed to serve you Bayern's 'James Bond' - how Kane clinched his first trophy Nine bolters with a shot of making the Lions squad How 'absolutely outstanding' Palmer 'destroyed' Liverpool VideoHow 'absolutely outstanding' Palmer 'destroyed' Liverpool Solskjaer on Besiktas Saints 'punch' favourites Leinster in game for the ages VideoVardy the best £1m ever spent - Shearer Poppy's tears Elton John & Happy Gilmore - McIlroy on Jimmy Fallon show Copyright © 2025 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Warwickshire win by five wickets at Headingley Leaders Leicestershire beat Northants by 132 runs Use the audio icons in the 'watch & listen' tab to listen to live BBC radio commentaries That's all we've got time for today Day three saw wins for Warwickshire and Division Two leaders Leicestershire There were also double-centuries for Daniel Bell-Drummond and Ollie Price We'll be back at 10:45 BST to find out Enjoy the rest of your Bank Holiday Sunday 110Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingClose of play at Lord'spublished at 19:11 British Summer Time 4 May19:11 BST 4 MayMiddlesex 238 & 81-3 (target 365) v Kent 129 & 473 Luke Hollman steers the final ball of the day into the off side for a single off Joey Evison and this match looks set up for a fascinating finale tomorrow with Middlesex still requiring 284 runs to win with seven second-innings wickets remaining 162Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 19:07 British Summer Time 4 May19:07 BST 4 MayMiddlesex 79-3 (target 365) v Kent Luke Hollman hits his first boundary of the Middlesex second-innings We are into the final over at Lord's on day three which will be bowled by Kent's Joey Evison 83Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharing'Crawley takes a lovely catch'published at 19:02 British Summer Time 4 May19:02 BST 4 MayMiddlesex 74-3 (target 365) v Kent Henry Brookes pushes with it with hard hands and Zak Crawley takes a lovely catch at third slip which he makes look very easy indeed - it wasn't 213Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingWICKETpublished at 18:57 British Summer Time 4 May18:57 BST 4 MayBrookes c Crawley b Evison 10 (Middlesex 74-3 v Kent keeping the strike doesn't look like a very good idea now Kent's all-rounder Joey Evison strikes again forcing Henry Brookes to push at one straight to Zak Crawley at slip and the England man gets down well to take a sharp low catch Kent are absolutely delighted and Middlesex will be scratching their heads wondering how have they let that happen 325Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 18:56 British Summer Time 4 May18:56 BST 4 MayMiddlesex 70-2 (target 365) v Kent Night-watchman Henry Brookes sees out another over for Middlesex comfortably and in fact decides to take the strike with the final ball of it We have three overs remaining on day three at Lord's 72Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 18:49 British Summer Time 4 May18:49 BST 4 MayMiddlesex 64-2 (target 365) v Kent A big appeal from Kent all-rounder Joey Evison who thinks he has Henry Brookes LBW but replays showed the night-watchman got quite a thick inside edge 64Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingClose of play at Sophia Gardenspublished at 18:47 British Summer Time 4 May18:47 BST 4 MayGlamorgan 431 & 132-5 (lead by 213 runs) v Derbys 350 A decent day for both sides who can both draw plenty of positives from efforts with bat and ball Derbys recovered from 162-7 to post 350 largely thanks to Luis Reece (70*) and Alex Thomson (60) Glamorgan were in trouble at 15-3 in their second innings thanks to a great start from Derbyshire's seam attack but Colin Ingram and Zain ul-Hassan put together a momentum shifting 109 partnership to keep all outcomes alive A lead of 213 with five wickets in tact offers hope to all when they resume tomorrow with the hosts needing to kick on hard in the morning session of a day which looks guaranteed to be entertaining 40Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharing'The breakthrough Kent wanted'published at 18:43 British Summer Time 4 May18:43 BST 4 MayMiddlesex 62-2 (target 365) v Kent It's another good ball but that was just the breakthrough Kent wanted and the man that they wanted to get went back when he should have gone forward which is why he is so cross with himself He didn't take a proper stride and there's his stump Nicely batted for 38 but they needed him there for a bit longer than that 145Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingWICKETpublished at 18:38 British Summer Time 4 May18:38 BST 4 MayHolden b Evison 38 (Middlesex 62-2 v Kent Big wicket for Kent just before the end of the day Joey Evison gets the wicket of in-form Max Holden with an absolute beauty that gets past the batsman's defence and clips the top of off Night-watchman Henry Brookes walks into the middle for Middlesex 246Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharing'Hampshire will be satisfied with their day's work'published at 18:36 British Summer Time 4 May18:36 BST 4 MayHants 429-7 (trail by 82 runs) v Durham 511 - close Hampshire were tested this morning after losing three wickets they went to lunch at 216-4 and were still trailing by 295 and the second new ball bought a couple of wickets after lunch - Liam Dawson and Toby Albert but Ben Brown has played a captain's innings and will resume again in the morning Hampshire are not totally out of the woods yet they still have work to do and if Durham do polish off Hampshire in the morning then they might have the option of setting a declaration if they want to They trail by 82 currently but on the whole I think they'll be satisfied with their day's work Matthew Potts did work hard and personified that a hard-earned three wickets to date 100Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 18:34 British Summer Time 4 May18:34 BST 4 MayMiddlesex 61-1 v Kent (target 365) Middlesex have been set a target of 365 by Kent to take victory at Lord's in Division Two The hosts are currently 61-1 after Sam Robson was bowled by George Garrett for nine Currently at the crease are Stephen Eskinazi (13 not out) and Max Holden (37 not out) 91Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingClose of play at Old Traffordpublished at 18:31 British Summer Time 4 May18:31 BST 4 MayLancs 450 v Gloucestershire 589-8 (lead by 139 runs) Ollie Price has dominated day three for Gloucestershire and walks off unbeaten on 253 alongside Josh Shaw (21) A gargantuan innings from the 23-year-old all-rounder built in 405 balls with 30 fours and three sixes The lead is 139 and on a pitch which has proved difficult for bowlers from both sides the draw is favourite but Glocs should be able to give themselves an unlikely shot at a victory at some stage tomorrow 90Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingfor Ollie Pricepublished at 18:19 British Summer Time 4 May18:19 BST 4 MayLancashire 450 v Gloucestershire 584-8 Gloucestershire number three Ollie Price goes past 250 It's an innings that has contained 30 fours and three sixes 354Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingLEICESTERSHIRE WIN BY 132 RUNSpublished at 18:19 British Summer Time 4 May18:19 BST 4 MayBreakingLeics v Northants 156 all out (target 289) Spinner Rehan Ahmed is put into the attack by Peter Handscomb and his googly gets through the defence of Ben Sanderson to take the final wicket and win the match for the Foxes It's another comprehensive victory for the Division Two leaders who were helped earlier this afternoon in their quest thanks to some superb inswinging bowling by Josh Hull who took the first three wickets of the the visitors' second-innings in quick succession It's been a difficult start to the season for Northamptonshire on the other hand and they remain winless following their third defeat from four matches 1106Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 18:17 British Summer Time 4 May18:17 BST 4 MayLeics v Northants 154-9 (target 289) You get the sense that Ben Sanderson is enjoying himself out there The fast-medium bowler has moved on to 32 not out and one would bet that every single run of those has been in front of square He has never hit a first-class half-century and may just be fancying his chances of doing so here 76Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingClose of play at Southamptonpublished at 18:15 British Summer Time 4 May18:15 BST 4 MayHants 429-7 (trail by 82 runs) v Durham 511 Ben Brown has produced a superb unbeaten knock to extinguish hopes of a Durham victory and walks from the field on 143 alongside Kyle Abbott The loss of Felix Organ close to the finish of the day was a minor inconvenience with the 25-year-old's 70 contributing to a stand of 161 with his captain The draw will be confirmed at some stage tomorrow with recriminations about a pitch that has appeared indestructible to follow 112Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingDropped catchpublished at 18:10 British Summer Time 4 May18:10 BST 4 MayLeics v Northants 150-9 (target 289) Ben Sanderson attempts a lofted drive for six but mistimes and the ball goes more or less straight to Josh Hull at mid wicket the seamer completely misjudges the flight of the ball and can only get finger tips to it That should really have been the match there 214Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingClose of play at Tauntonpublished at 18:07 British Summer Time 4 May18:07 BST 4 MaySomerset 145 & 216-6 v Essex 206 & 259 Nearly a run out there to finish a brilliant session It ends with four overthrows as Craig Overton tries to nick the strike in order to protect James Rew is sent back and the shy at the stumps evades two fielders and goes to the rope That is the final over of the night and we will be back for another day Somerset end the night with more than a mathematical chance of nicking this game and if they do it will be a thrilling run chase Much of the credit for their overnight position goes to Lewis Gregory (57) and James Rew (65*) Essex's Simon Harmer has looked a huge threat all the way through and there will be a new ball to contend with in 12 overs time which could be significant in the hands of Jamie Porter and Sam Cook But this match is poised for a great final day with Somerset needing 105 runs with four wickets still in hand 676Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 18:04 British Summer Time 4 May18:04 BST 4 MaySomerset 145 & 212-6 v Essex 206 & 259 Sam Cook finishes his final over with a perfect away swinger.. well perfect apart from the fact it was too good for Craig Overton to lay a bat on The Somerset bruiser cocks his jaw in an appreciative nod towards a fellow toiler to acknowledge the skill but to remind him he is still there James Rew was the hero as Somerset roared back to beat Essex by three wickets at Taunton Rew’s uncanny calm belies his years and, at 21, he became the youngest player to make 10 first-class centuries since Denis Compton. Out just before the close for 116, the winning runs were thumped by Craig Overton, a straight six off Simon Harmer for a first victory of the season. A draw at Sophia Gardens was much more than the sum of its parts, eight Glamorgan fielders crowding Derbyshire’s Luis Reece for the final over with one wicket needed, after a brave declaration from Sam Northeast. Ben Kellaway pocketed both career-best batting and bowling figures. “First away game we had a 30-yard boundary and then we had a snake pit, and then you come here and they have already played two games on a wicket.” 17h ago19.51 CESTThrill Southampton: Hampshire 470 DRAW with Durham 511 and 61-0 Taunton: Somerset 145 and 325-7 BEAT Essex 206 and 259 by three wickets Headingley: Warwickshire 253 and 186-5 BEAT Yorkshire 205 and 232 by FIVE WICKETS Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 431 and 256-7 dec DRAW with Derbyshire 350 & 308-9 Old Trafford: Lancashire 450 and 255-8 DRAW with Gloucestershire 589-8dec Grace Road: Leicestershire 304 and 175 BEAT Northamptonshire 191 and 156 by 132 runs Lord’s: Middlesex 238 and 266-8 BEAT Kent 129 and 473 by two wickets Updated at 19.36 CEST17h ago19.31 CESTMiddlesex BEAT Kent by two wicketsZafar Gohar 17h ago19.25 CESTGlamorgan DRAW with DerbyshireSophia Gardens: Glamorgan 431 and 256-7 dec DRAW with Derbyshire 350 & 308-9 17h ago19.21 CESTEight… 17h ago19.20 CESTSeven men round the bat… 17h ago19.19 CESTOne over left at Sophia Gardens: one wicket for Glamorgan to grab. Updated at 19.19 CEST17h ago19.16 CESTAt Sophia Gardens, Glamorgan need a wicket off 12 balls; at Lord’s, Middlesex need 12 runs off 24 balls, Kent two wickets. 18h ago19.03 CESTPendulum swings back at Lord’s: Middlesex need 20 runs from seven overs. Two wickets left. 18h ago19.02 CESTAnd Dal is stumped, Glamorgan need just one wicket. 18h ago19.01 CESTDerbyshire need 49, Glamorgan need two wickets. Five overs left. 18h ago18.55 CESTLancashire DRAW with GloucestershireA great effort by the Gloucestershire bowlers thwarted by some late-order fortitude from Lancs Gloucestershire 13 points, Lancashire 12 18h ago18.22 CESTTime for me to write up for the paper, but do follow the three thrillers BTL. 18h ago18.21 CESTThe new ball has been taken at OT, and given straight to van Buuren, but Lancs look like they’ll get away with this one. I forgot Derbyshire – who are almost swaggering to their target – Andersson (64) and Dal (19) the men at the crease. They need 86 from 13 and a bit overs at Sophia Gardens. Five wickets in hand. Updated at 18.22 CEST19h ago18.14 CESTAnd now Rob Bailey gives an LBW! The brave Eskinazi limps away and the pendulum swings. Middlesex need 51 , eight down. 19h ago18.00 CESTDavies pulls, rolls the wrists, but Richards is waiting under the shade of the stand at deep midwicket and catches it low in the breadbasket. A third wicket for Parky! Middlesex 312-7, 53 needed. Updated at 18.15 CEST19h ago17.56 CESTEskinazi has returned to join the in-touch Davies. 55 needed, four wickets in hand. Updated at 17.58 CEST19h ago17.54 CESTParky strikes! Hollman caught at short leg for 103. Nerves, nerves, nerves, at Lord’s. 19h ago17.45 CEST“There was also a run out, is one way of putting it,” writes Gary Naylor. “THERE WAS ALSO A RUN OUT! is another.” 19h ago17.38 CEST"What's the point?" Ryan Campbell criticises Hampshire pitchDurham’s head coach doesn’t pull his punches: “It is one of those games where you look back on and think ‘what is the point?’. We played as well as I expected us to play. “Until we start to get wickets right in this competition it is pretty disappointing. First away game we had a 30 yard boundary and then we had a snake pit, and then you come here and they have already played two games on a wicket. “I’m not going to tell everyone else what to do but it is disappointing to play on things like this. If you want to play good first-class cricket you need good cricket wicket. This one gave the bowlers no chance. Some of the things that are going on, I’m not sure what is going on.” 19h ago17.34 CESTA hundred for Luke HollmanWell played! A first f-c hundred, in his first match as a specialist batsman. He takes off his helmet, gives the badge a kiss, and waves his bat at his teammates crowded onto the Lord’s balcony. 19h ago17.30 CESTDespite DBD’s best effort, it seems Middlesex are going to chase this down! Hollman is one short of his hundred, Jack Davies a steadfast sidekick. 102 needed. 20h ago17.07 CESTDivision One table1 Nottinghamshire (played 4) 70 20h ago16.55 CESTHampshire DRAW with DurhamSouthampton: Hampshire 470 DRAW with Durham 511 and 61-0 Time to go home after only 20 wickets fell in four days. Southampton: Hampshire 470 v Durham 511 and 61-0 bad light stopped play Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 431 and 256-7dec v Derbyshire 350 and 136-4 Derbyshire need 202 to win Old Trafford: Lancashire 450 and 178-6 v Gloucestershire 589-8dec Lancs lead by 39 runs Lord’s: Middlesex 238 and 243-5 v Kent 129 and 473 Middlesex need 122 to win 20h ago16.38 CESTLancs not looking entirely at ease here. 20h ago16.33 CESTTom Latham to play for Warwickshire next weekThe Bears hope that Latham, whose arrival in Birmingham was delayed because of a hand injury, will be available for Surrey’s visit next Friday. 20h ago16.22 CESTAnd now Madsen – time to hammer down the hatches, lads. Two wickets each for Leonard and Kellaway. Derby 122-4. 20h ago16.20 CESTDerbyshire have lost Lloyd, Jewell, Came and energy. 119-3. And another at OT! Balderson caught behind off van Buuren. Lancs 160-6, leading by 21, and now knee deep in the dirt. 21h ago16.06 CESTWhat a pose A picture I took of Kapil Dev bowling in the MCC v Rest of the World match at Lord's, August 20th 1987. He took 0 for 54 and 1 for 21 on a pitch which favoured the batsmen. In 221.1 overs, the Rest of the World bowlers only took 10 wickets for 739 runs (there was also a run out) pic.twitter.com/8G867oCguA Joe Root made a spritely 90 to dig Yorkshire out of a hole while Zak Crawley was also in the runs for Kent his 90 with Yorkshire on the back foot was just the warm-up Dr McCullum might have ordered Root was Ethan Bamber’s eighth wicket in the match a bowler thriving after a winter move from Middlesex to Warwickshire There was also good news for England fans of a nervous disposition from Lord’s where Zak Crawley knitted a third second-innings fifty in three games with Kent trailing by 109 on first innings but still contained the trademark imperious drives before he was out lbw to Dane Paterson for the second time in the match Tawanda Muyeye and Jack Leaning flickered briefly but the innings built itself around Daniel Bell-Drummond a captain who has not found runs easy to come by this season his first red-ball hundred in more than a year inched Kent to a lead of 117 before bad light stopped play Middlesex earlier lost their last six wickets for 61 with a second successive fifty for Ryan Higgins Jordan Cox was another England player to settle nicely into form with a rollicking 61 not out at Taunton as Essex eased into a dominant position collecting a lead of 224 in a low-scoring game Somerset had lost nine wickets for 99 in one of their trademark collapses trousers falling down at the same time as their shirt buttons pinged off Simon Harmer happily stepped into Jack Leach’s boots reeling through 19 overs and taking four for 43 from the River End was the second-highest scorer with a boisterous 24 Manchester’s clouds settled into their regular position above Old Trafford on a day when the coat returned to a cricket watcher’s backpack Friday’s centurion Marcus Harris was out after adding just a couple of runs to his overnight 165 but some useful contributions down the order took Lancashire to 450 – more batting points than they had accrued in total in the previous three games Tom Price grabbed the last two wickets in successive balls leaving him to start the next innings on a hat-trick while the not-out batter Tom Bailey caused a stir of his own when his mobile phone fell out of his pocket mid-run as Ollie Price and Myles Hammond put together an unbeaten hundred partnership not in the Durham XI on Friday morning until young Ben McKinney had a back spasm moving to a career-best 160 on a glorious batting surface at Southampton He was out to an spry caught and bowled by Wisden Cricketer of the Year Liam Dawson Mark Stoneman made a gritty unbeaten 54 in Hampshire’s reply Glamorgan had a dominant day against Derbyshire, passing 400 runs and then reducing Derbyshire to 215 for seven with four wickets for Andy Gorvin It was a topsy-turvy day at Grace Road. But Ben Sanderson, in his first match of the season after knee problems restricted his appearance, then went through the Leicestershire top five. It was a topsy-turvy day at Grace Road. First Northants were bowled out for 191, with four wickets for Logan van Beek. Then Leicestershire collapsed like an empty chip bag – Ben Sanderson, in his first match of the season after knee problems, running through the Leicestershire top five. Updated at 20.54 CEST3d ago18.07 CESTEssex have just lost Tom Westley for 26 at Taunton, the lead over Somerset 106, and it is now time for me to write up. BTL will remain open, do stay and chat. 3d ago17.54 CESTJust realised I had the Yorkshire stream on delay, YJB is actually out, top-edging a pull to the keeper. Super Ethan Bamber. Joe Root walks down the pitch and taps away. Yorks 156-5. 3d ago17.51 CESTWarwickshire are keeping Root and YJB in check at Headingley; while Saqib Mahmood and Tom Hartley are turning the screw at Old Trafford. 3d ago17.31 CESTNothing to worry about here: “Delhi authorities urged schools to cancel afternoon assemblies on Tuesday and issued emergency guidelines to ensure water breaks and stocks of oral rehydration salts in first aid kits and to treat any signs of heat stress immediately.” "'Many of the events predicted for 2050 or 2070 are already happening. We underestimated the speed of change'."https://t.co/FXPYNID9Qb 3d ago17.22 CESTTea-time-ish scoresDIVISION ONE Southampton: Hampshire 29-1 v Durham 511 Taunton: Somerset 145 v Essex 206 and 65-2 Headingley: Yorkshire 205 and 152-4 v Warwickshire 253 Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 431 v Derbyshire 123-4 Old Trafford: Lancashire 450 v Gloucestershire 87-2 Grace Road: Leicestershire 304 and 0-1 v Northamptonshire 191 Lord’s: Middlesex 238 v Kent 129 and 167-2 3d ago17.19 CESTJoe Root has lost his England teammate, after a partnership of 53. Brook lbw to Booth for 20, who looked down at his feet and did a little dance before glancing up at the umpire’s raised finger. YJB joins Root (61) , and Yorks lead by 104. 3d ago17.04 CESTCharlesworth advances but is done by the flight and knocks a simple return catch to Tom Hartley (the young Peter Davidson). The first ball of Hartley’s second over Glos: 74-2. 3d ago16.43 CESTBrook and Root batting together for YorksWith a step and a drive, Root reaches fifty, then Brook batters a fat wide one to move into double figures. Yorks 125-3, lead by 77. 3d ago16.39 CESTCrawley will not be racing Root to a hundred, lbw to Paterson after a patient innings of 68. Kent 128-1. 3d ago16.35 CESTAt Headingley That man Joe Root is 45 not out off 58 balls While the returning Dean Elgar has lost his opening partner Paul Walter for 0, and now Elgan too must go, bowled by Gregory for 23. Essex 49-2, lead by 110. 3d ago16.31 CESTThey’ve taken tea at Southampton, with Durham finally all out for 511. Five wickets for the evergreen/indefatigable/choose your own epithet/ Liam Dawson. A very useful 44 from Codi Yusuf at No. 9, alongside Clark’s 160. 3d ago16.25 CESTA missive! Hello Andrew Benton: “It was nice to ‘do’ Zak Crawley’s walk with him, and I was amazed at how nonchalant the MCC members are by his presence. He did the teapot stance at the end and I was wondering if there are other famous cricket stances - perhaps an ashes urn stance with elbows out and hands on hips to troll the Aussies when England are in the field? A ballet dancers stance tip-toeing around a vertical bat at the crease held at arms length?” There is currently a double teapot from Ben Charlesworth, as George Balderson bowls Bancroft with a beauty that nips back. Glos 47-1. 3d ago16.15 CESTKent inch into the lead Elsewhere in Division Two: Cameron Bancroft and Ben Charlesworth have safely negotiated hte first 14 overs from Tom Bailey three wickets each for Ben Green and Logan van Beek In the face of Glamorgan’s 431, Derbyshire are in trouble at 73-four, those back polishing their boots include their banker, Wayne Madsen, for seven. 3d ago15.59 CESTA month before WTC final, Rabada announces drugs banA huge loss for South Africa, if he can’t play. I check his stats and realise I’ve fallen for the narrative that he’s consistently failed whereas in fact he’s just failed in the first innings For the last three games he’s hit a fifty in the second The famous walk with Zak Crawley 🤩 pic.twitter.com/wAQxEP96mW Updated at 16.03 CEST3d ago15.35 CESTMatt Henry to return to SomersetThe messianic Henry will be available for selection on May 16. It’s quite some mess that he’ll have to clear up. Somerset all out 145 at Taunton Pretorius and COverton added a precious 48 for the last three wickets Fair play Simon Harmer, that's a brilliant catch #SOMvESS #WeAreSomerset pic.twitter.com/ds6ctIa88l 3d ago15.24 CESTEyes to Lord’s, where, whisper it, Zac Crawley and DBD have survived the new ball. Six fours in ZC’s 40. Kent 73-1, trail Middx by nine wickets. Updated at 16.04 CEST3d ago14.35 CESTSix first ball, century, duck: Andy Bull tells the tale of Vaibhav Suryavanshi. Kagiso Rabada confirms in a statement through South Africa’s players union that he is currently serving a provisional suspension after testing positive for a recreational drug pic.twitter.com/gUd9Uu1Vhu Updated at 14.40 CEST3d ago14.07 CESTLunchtime scoresDIVISION ONE Southampton: Hampshire v Durham 434-7 Taunton: Somerset 106-7 v Essex 206 Headingley: Yorkshire 205 and 9-1 v Warwickshire 253 Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 431 v Derbyshire Old Trafford: Lancashire 437-8 v Gloucestershire Grace Road: Leicestershire 304 v Northamptonshire 87-6 Lord’s: Middlesex 238 v Kent 129 and 25-1 3d ago13.59 CESTElsewhere in Division Two: Glamorgan, who hadn’t passed 300 before yesterday, have passed 400. Van der Gugten 60 not out in 424 for eight against Derbyshire In the battle of the East Midlands, Northants are crumbling in the face of Green-Scriven-Van Beek-Hull: 96 for five v Leicestershire Updated at 14.03 CEST3d ago13.54 CESTI wonder if Lewis Gregory gets fed up of propping up Somerset. He and Rew lay down the dustsheets and start again. Actually, Rew has gone for nine. Somerset 97-7. 3d ago13.48 CESTYorkshire are already batting, and have already lost makeshift opener Dom Bess, not going for the heave-ho, but tentatively pushing and losing his leg stump to a beauty from Ethan Bamber. Yorks 9-1. 3d ago13.32 CESTPhone in pocketAnd trouble for Tom Bailey at Old Trafford, when what certainly looked like a mobile phone fell out of his pocket when he was mid-run. Players’ phones are forbidden on the field of play, so – if it is what it looks like – the match referee will want a word. Updated at 16.01 CEST3d ago13.29 CESTI only went around the ground to buy a couple of coffees, but things have happened. Three wickets at Taunton has quickly changed the rhythm of that game – Somerset 78-4 Luke Wells has fallen victim to the search for bonus points He hit the first ball of Wells’ over for six tried to swipe the second over square leg and was lbw Lancs have scored more batting bonus points over the last two days than they have all season: 403-8 And Warwickshire are all out for 253 at Headingley, Sears 4-45. Updated at 13.52 CEST3d ago12.51 CESTSingh Dale takes a rest after five cracking overs Down at Taunton, Essex are yet to make a breakthrough morning, though Simon Harmer has slipped into the Jack Leach shoes from yesterday. Umeed and Davey have put on 42, the deficit 160. *W.H. Davies All In June. Thanks Duckduckgo. Unforseen tragedies as well as the forseen tragedies is a depressing throught for a Saturday morning. “Robbo is a class act and probably hasn’t scored the runs he would have liked this year, but he has backed himself and stayed true to himself and came out firing today. He might be disappointed not to get a hundred but he played beautifully and put us in a great position.” 3d ago12.07 CESTA nice read with your elevenses: Updated at 12.03 CEST3d ago11.40 CESTA view from Headingley from five-wicket Ethan Bamber: “I loved it out there. These are the games you want to play in. I really enjoyed it. “It’s fast moving and probably finely poised after day one. I got a fair share of luck, including one caught at third-man. But I felt alright. Hopefully we can push on with the bat tomorrow. “There’s a good amount of grass covering (on the pitch) and maybe a few divots. “It was a bit soft underneath at the start and hardened up. It’s nice to bowl on, for sure. As they showed - they bowled really nicely - you can build pressure and there’s a ball in there. But you do get value for shots. “It will be interesting to see how the game progresses from here.” 3d ago11.16 CESTFriday's round-upJoe Root and Harry Brook pulled on their Yorkshire boots to warm up for the Zimbabwe Test It didn’t go entirely to plan on a 16-wicket day at Headingley Root fenced uncharacteristically at Ed Barnard and was caught for a 17-ball one and Brook ran through a spicy repertoire before he was caught for 33 Jonny Bairstow hustled to 47 before being bowled in a blaze of exploding stumps but he and the tail had ushered Yorkshire past 200 Warwickshire then lost six wickets in the evening session Yorkshire’s Adam Lyth and Joe Root see the ball fall short in the slips Photograph: Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com/ShutterstockGloucestershire completed their 100% losing record at the toss in 2025 and were invited to bowl at Old Trafford The energetic and swift figure of Ajeet Singh Dale soon removed George Bell and Keaton Jennings but Marcus Harris had arrived with his overnight bag Harris started with neat accumulation but rolled out his greatest hits once he’d passed his hundred – a glide through midwicket a whip to the rope through backward square he was 165 not out and the leading scorer in the country with 559 runs Somerset prepared an emerald pitch at Taunton but it was Jack Leach, wheeling in for 30 overs from the River End, who caused havoc, inducing a mid-innings collapse and picking up three for 35. Essex squeaked past 200 before Sam Cook, freshly called up by England, removed Archie Vaughan in the first over of the Somerset reply. There was a return to form for Rishi Patel at Grace Road, his 105 a model of patience and skill as wickets fell about him. The South Australian Harry Conway grabbed five for 68 on his Northants debut. Toby Roland-Jones, the Middlesex captain, (five for 33) skittled through Kent, who were dismissed for 129. Poor Zak Crawley’s early season woes continued when he was lbw for six. Graham Clark’s unbeaten 110 put Durham on top against Hampshire. And there were fifties for the Jersey international Asa Tribe, Sam Northeast and Colin Ingram as Glamorgan passed 300 for the first time this season against Derbyshire. Updated at 11.18 CEST3d ago11.16 CESTScores on the doorsDIVISION ONE Southampton: Hampshire v Durham 330-5 Taunton: Somerset 9-1 v Essex 206 Headingley: Yorkshire 205 v Warwickshire 157-6 Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan 336-6 v Derbyshire Old Trafford: Lancashire 342-5 v Gloucestershire Grace Road: Leicestershire 304 v Northamptonshire 6-0 Lord’s: Middlesex 158-4 v Kent 129 We can confirm that Assistant Manager Mickey Spillane has agreed terms to be part of Angelo Harrop’s backroom staff for the 2025-26 season Mickey Spillane joined Chelmsford City in December 2016 and went on to make over 100 appearances in the Clarets’ defence In January 2020 he was announced as interim assistant to Robbie Simpson alongside Chris Whelpdale following the sacking of Rod Stringer He has been part of the coaching staff ever since and has also taken up the role of Head of Academy Under his guidance the academy won the 2022 Champions of Champions His playing career saw him start at Norwich City Spillane also featured for the likes of Brentford Southend United and Cambridge United as well as Lowestoft Town Mickey said: “I’m very happy to be staying Obviously going full-time is a new dynamic “To be out on the grass a lot more every day gives us lot better chance to obviously work with the players on a daily basis and definitely is a more professional way of working “I’ll be coaching the lads on a daily basis along with carrying on my role in the academy The academy lads have been superb this year and a lot of them have pushed on into the first team and carried on doing really well Hopefully they’ve had a good taste of it and look forward to challenging to get in the squad for next year Angelo Harrop said: “I am really delighted that Mickey’s decided to stay at the football club I am really sort of looking to delve into his brains after the last few seasons He’ll be a really important figure at the club “And I’m just delighted and really looking forward to working with him he can learn off myself and I can learn off him and we’re really looking forward to a good positive season ahead.” We look forward to seeing Mickey continue his excellent work with the Clarets Chelmsford City FC © 2025 It looks like you haven't added any items to your cart yet EssexReporting fromCounty GroundShareSaveEssex CricketDave and Pam Letch presented the player of the match award to Eva Gray after the women's side's first home gameParents who campaigned for Essex County Cricket Club to create a professional women's side said they battled stereotypes to make the dream a reality Dave and Pam Letch wanted better opportunities for females in the sport after their daughter first picked up a bat aged nine England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) created a top tier for women's cricket in 2025 holding its first home game in Chelmsford on Sunday Mr Letch said it took "a lot of pushing a lot of persuading and a lot of sweat and tears" over two decades founded Essex's women's set-up 20 years ago but have continued to urge the club to create a professional side It was an idea Mr Letch came up with while coaching cricket in schools "I could see the ability of a lot of girls in the schools and we pushed our daughter to play at as high a level as she could," he said Essex really didn't have their own set-up The professional women's game was expanded by the ECB in 2025 with the creation of three tiers It was hoped the move would see an 80% increase in the number of professional female players by 2029 Mr Letch said he and his wife took it upon themselves to become a "driving force" for growth in Essex "The biggest challenges were getting females involved with the coaching system," he explained that they were athletically able to play the game from a young age "It was difficult trying to get it through to people." Mrs Letch said they had encountered many men who "don't accept what females can do" in sport The couple hoped Essex Women would inspire the next generation of female cricketers Mr Letch said: "Now there's a pathway from a nine-year-old playing club cricket to England women "That was one of the hardest things years ago for people to accept that there was a pathway for them to follow." Both Mr and Mrs Letch said watching the side play for the first time filled them with pride Mrs Letch said it was "wonderful" with her husband adding: "We never thought there would be a professional game for the girls thanked Mr and Mrs Letch after what he branded an "historic week" for the club He said the side's first home match of the season was "a very special occasion" "We are extremely grateful to Dave and Pam Letch for all their hard work when initially setting up the women's team all those years ago," Mr Feist said "The future is very exciting for the Essex Women's team." Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. Essex Women v Lancashire Women – Women’s Metro Bank One Day Cup – Ambassador Cruise Line Ground, Chelmsford – Report Lancashire Women 230 for eight (50.0 overs) Essex Women won the toss and elected to bowl Essex Women got their Metro Dank One Day Cup campaign up and running at the fourth attempt after beating their Lancashire counterparts by five wickets in a well-contested encounter at the Ambassador Cruise Line Ground, Chelmsford. Scotland right-arm leg break bowler Abtaha Maqsood returned impressive bowling figures of 10-0-42-3 as the home side restricted Lancashire to 230 for eight. Eve Jones, with a half-century for the visitors. Essex chased down their target with sixteen balls to spare. Jodi Grewcock led the way, scoring an unbeaten 73* off 91 balls during her 102-minute stint at the crease. Lissy Macleod contributed 45, and Flo Miller 41. Hannah Jones returned 10-1-39-3 in vain for the visitors. Speaking to Ben Kosky on behalf of the ECB Reporters Network, supported by Rothesay, Essex all-rounder Grewcock, said: “It’s really nice to get off the mark, we’ve worked hard as a team and it’s good to do it at home. We’re looking forward to building on this win and hopefully more going forward. “We showed a lot of fight coming back after drinks, with two key wickets for Kate Coppack and then me and Abs (Abtaha Maqsood) bowling as a partnership was really good – she was a real attacking threat with the ball. “Our opening pair batted really nicely up top, especially Lissy coming in and opening the batting, and they built strong foundations for the rest of us. “When I first went in, it was about being able to absorb a bit and use their sweepers. As I got more into my innings, boundaries were freed up and I built a good partnership with Flo Miller, who did really well to keep the intent going.” Essex Women return to Metro Bank One Day Cup action on Tuesday, May 6, when they face The Blaze at the Haslegrave Ground, Loughborough (10:30 am.) Essex Women: GE Scrivens (Capt*), AJ MacLeod, CL Griffith, JL Grewcock, FH Miller, JL Gardner, SAE Smale, AD Carr (WK†), E Gray, KL Coppack, AM Maqsood Lancashire Women: E Jones, EL Lamb, KM Mack, SA Smale, FMK Morris, DL Collins, E Threlkeld (Capt*) (WK†), KL Cross, TG Norris, GEA Potts, HL Jones About Latest Posts Brian Jeeves Email: sport@yellowad.co.uk Latest posts by Brian Jeeves (see all) Essex sunk by stunning Somerset fightback Tel: 07765530245 Email: sales@yellowad.co.uk Yellow Advertiser68 Crowhill,Godmanchester,Huntingdon,PE29 9NR Tel: 07765530245 Email: mickferris@yellowad.co.uk We can confirm that Head of Medical Arron Benstead has agreed terms to be part of Angelo Harrop’s backroom staff for the 2025-26 season He joined the Clarets after a spell with Concord Rangers where he had been after leaving Royston Town His experience in football also including Bowers & Pitsea and Barnet’s academy He has been running the clinic since May 2013 and has developed it from strength to strength Arron said: “I’m really pleased to be staying This is a club I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my last couple of seasons at and I’m really looking forward to coming on board next year in a full-time set-up “I’ve had quite a few really good chats with Angelo really great guy and I’m looking forward to helping him and the club achieve the goals for next season “I’m looking forward to the full-time set-up I’ve worked in full-time football before but it’s something I’ve always wanted to get back into Having the opportunity to do that with a club like Chelmsford is something I’m really keen to do.” Angelo Harrop said: “I’m over the moon to get Arron on board “I’ve heard so many positive comments regarding his work over the last few seasons  at the football club “He’s had a few other offers at other clubs and decided to stay at Chelmsford a club that he said to me that was really close to his heart “He’s another great addition and someone that will be working with us full-time So absolutely delighted to have a fantastic appointment for our head of medical.” We look forward to seeing Arron continue his excellent work with the Clarets Some Chelmsford residents went to the polls on 1 May to vote in by-elections for the county and city councils One election was to elect an Essex County Councillor to represent the electoral division of Chelmsford Central The other was for two Chelmsford City Councillors to represent the Moulsham and Central ward The two by-elections were called following the resignation of Marie Goldman as a county and city councillor and Graham Pooley as a city councillor David Loxton of the Liberal Democrats has been elected to represent the Chelmsford Central division in Essex County Council Helen Ayres and Seán Manley of the Liberal Democrats have been elected to represent the Mousham and Central ward of Chelmsford City Council © Copyright 2025 Chelmsford City Council Chelmsford will join organisations and communities across the UK in marking the 80th anniversary of VE or ‘Victory in Europe’ Day World War Two came to an end in Europe following the defeat of the Nazis the long-anticipated end to fighting in Europe was celebrated by people from all walks of life who came together in spontaneous gatherings across the UK and Europe Historic photographs of a VE Day Street party held in Widford Close in Chelmsford in 1945 Events are set to take place across the district this May to mark the historic 80th anniversary of VE Day and to pay tribute to those who lived it’s important to remember that VE Day did not mark the end of World War Two globally with war in the East continuing until Victory in Japan Day (VJ Day) on 15 August 1945 here’s our roundup of VE Day 80 activities happening across the Chelmsford district a special VE Day 80 flag will fly over the Civic Centre in tribute to those who gave their lives at home and abroad and whose sacrifice enabled peace and freedom today Great Baddow Parish Council will also be flying the VE Day 80 flag over their Recreation Ground on 8 May The Mayor of Chelmsford will join other mayors town criers and officials across the country in reading the official VE Day 80 Proclamation in remembrance of the selfless sacrifice and courage of all those who lived served and lost their lives during World War Two The proclamation will be recorded and shared on the city council and mayor’s social media channels from 9am on 8 May Several locations across Chelmsford will once again be lighting their beacons this year in a special moment of united celebration and remembrance across the country and overseas photo by Paul Starr; and a poster for a VE Day 80 service at Keene Hall in Galleywood Galleywood Parish Council will be lighting a small beacon following a special commemorative service at Keene Hall and all are welcome to join in this moment of celebration for VE Day Later in the evening on 8 May, South Woodham Ferrers has a VE Day 80 beacon lighting event from 6.30pm onwards at the Village Hall Playing Fields There’ll be live musical entertainment throughout the evening from the Sid Bolan Band and Bel Canto Singers The Hall bar will also be open for refreshments From 9.25pm a Bugler will play before their beacon is officially lit and a tribute is read by the Mayor of South Woodham Ferrers Attendance is free for South Woodham Ferrers residents – just turn up and enjoy the celebrations Chelmsford Garden Community Council’s beacon lighting event on 8 May commences at 9pm with the official beacon lighting taking place at 9.30pm The Mayor of Chelmsford will be in attendance to provide a short speech and the Salvation Army band will be playing No tickets are required so just pop down to Channels Park to watch the event Limited parking facilities are available at Falcon Bowls Club Over at the Museum of Chelmsford VE Day 80 is being commemorated through a World War Two-themed refresh of their costume gallery as well as talks on Chelmsford’s war experience On display are wartime uniforms from the museum's collection as well as the Essex Regiment Museum collection Marconi factory overalls and uniforms of the Polish Armoured Regiment Women’s Auxiliary Service and Essex Yeomanry A new display at the Museum of Chelmsford looks back on WWII through uniforms and ceramic poppies Twenty-one ceramic red poppies from the Tower of London are also on display alongside the uniforms Each of the poppies originally featured in the Tower of London’s public art display ‘Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red’ which was first created in the tower moat in 2014 to commemorate the centenary of the outbreak of World War I the Museum of Chelmsford was given 69 of them for their collection sharing insights into the impact of the war on Chelmsfordians Both talks are included with entry to the museum Talks at the Museum of Chelmsford will cover Chelmsford's experience of World War Two If you’re lucky, you’ll have already secured tickets for Chelmsford Garden Community’s family-friendly VE80 celebration event on Saturday 3 May They’ll be marking the anniversary with music Don’t worry if you didn’t manage to get tickets to the above VE Day event, as Chelmsford For You have you covered with another free day of music learning and immersive experiences on Bank Holiday Monday 5 May 1940s performers and military vehicles on display as well as plenty of food and drink options Find out more about the day in our recent City Life article. On Sunday 11 May, from 1-3pm South Woodham Ferrers Town Council is holding a seniors sing-a-long event at Champions Manor Hall for South Woodham Ferrers’ senior residents Refreshments will be provided as you sing along to timeless 1940s favourites at this spirited tribute event Tickets are £2 per person and on sale from 23 April and tickets are limited to manage capacities – so book your tickets soon On Thursday 8 May, as we mark the exact date that war ended in Europe and people across the UK celebrated in the streets in 1945, Chelmsford Civic Society will be holding their own celebratory event The free day of activities in Tindal Square will include musical performances a Winston Churchill walkabout impersonator Following last year’s special D-Day 80 sculptures Parish Council Handyman John Cousins has this year created further artworks to commemorate VE80 having served 26 years in the British Army with the Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineers (REME) TA reaching the rank of Artificer Quartermaster Sergeant before retiring in 1995 His 2024 D-Day sculptures were an eye-catching tribute to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice on the beaches of Normandy in 1944 This year’s sculptures again honour those who fought for freedom 80 years ago West Hanningfield and South Woodham Ferrers serving as a tribute to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for their countries VE Day 80 artwork adorns village green signs in several Chelmsford villages Hylands Estate’s May Open Estate Day on Sunday 11 May also gives a nod to the 80th anniversary of VE Day with a special exhibition on Hylands' role during World War Two The exhibition includes information on the SAS who used Hylands House as their Headquarters including the famous Captain Paddy Blair Mayne There’s a list of wartime incidents with details of bombs that fell in and around Hylands Estate as well as information on how the estate was at one time used as German Prisoner of War camp Hylands Estate's May Open Estate Day exhibition will explore the role of Hylands House during World War Two There’s also the chance for little ones to get involved in the celebrations by making their own spitfire paper aircraft the usual Open Estate Day festivities will be in full swing If you won’t make it to any of the events outlined above you can still mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day from home this May Official VE80 guidance from the Royal Pageantmaster’s office suggests eating fish and chips – which fed the nation during World War Two – on VE Day singing the British anthem ‘I Vow to Thee My Country’ Find out more about VE Day commemorations around the UK this year at www.ve80.com and www.ve-vjday80.gov.uk We can confirm that Head of Player Pathway Rob Moore has agreed terms to be part of Angelo Harrop’s backroom staff for the 2025-26 season Having previously been known to the Clarets through his time at Hullbridge Sports Rob Moore joined in the summer of 2023 in the Head of Player Pathway role He works with the players coming out of the academy and looks to either help them with dual registration or on their pathway to the first team Alongside his role he is also the Under 21s manager giving those players the opportunities to play under the club’s name whilst they’re also out of dual registration he works as a first team coach when it comes to training and matchdays Rob said: “I’m really happy to be staying so there’s no desire for me to go anywhere I absolutely wanted to and I’m delighted to stay The last couple of years here with Simmo have been fantastic “Angelo will bring something different The change to full-time will naturally make things different anyway He’s obviously had success in this league as well really excited about working with him.” Angelo Harrop said: “I’m really happy that Rob will be staying on in his role as Head of Player Pathway “Rob’s work during the last season showed how useful the Under 21s will be and we know that will only get better “Hopefully we can develop the Under 21s continually and will start to see the best young players in the county linking up as well as the opportunity for some home grown talents to make their way into our first team.” We look forward to seeing Rob continue his excellent work with the Clarets It looks like JavaScript is not enabled in your browser Chelmsford For You has announced a family-friendly commemorative event to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day this May The event has seen them partner with Chelmsford City Council and 12 other organisations across Chelmsford and Essex to deliver an entire day of activities on Bank Holiday Monday 5 May exploring Chelmsford’s rich World War II history Further event partners include Essex Record Office the nation will come together to mark 80 years since World War II ended in Europe on 8 May 1945 Events will take place across the country to commemorate this significant occasion paying tribute to the countless sacrifices made for freedom during the war and reflecting on the values of peace and unity that we continue to uphold Chelmsford For You’s VE Day 80 commemoration event will take place in the heart of the city centre from 10am to 5pm The free event promises an engaging mix of educational displays and immersive attractions that bring the stories of wartime Chelmsford to life Activities will include an exhibition exploring Chelmsfordian experiences during World War II There’ll also be talks and guided walks by local historians detailing Chelmsford’s pivotal role in the war and key wartime locations in our city Military vehicles and vintage buses from the war era will be on display in Tindal Square providing a chance to view them up close and discover the critical role these vehicles played during the war Live performances will take place throughout the day including 1940s music and drummer displays to capture the spirit of Victory in Europe in 1945 There’ll also be children’s World War II-themed arts and crafts and dressing up opportunities said this special event aims to bring people together to learn about and honour the history of World War II: “VE Day 80 is a unique opportunity to honour the sacrifices of those who lived through the war while educating our community on Chelmsford’s vital role during World War Two We are delighted to bring together an array of local organisations and services to create an enriching experience for all.” says the city council is proud to be supporting events to commemorate VE80 this year: “Chelmsford City Council is pleased to be linked with events commemorating the 80 years since World War Two ended in Europe in 1945 The war took and affected millions of lives and we pay tribute to the sacrifices of all of them in the fight against fascism.“Chelmsford’s historic role in World War Two is often not recognised From the contributions of Hoffman and Marconi factories here in Chelmsford – which made the town a target for enemy bombers – to the role of Hylands House as a base for the SAS “Chelmsford For You’s special VE Day event is one of many activities taking place across Chelmsford this May to commemorate VE80 – and what a spectacular event it is set to be Such events should give us a chance to pause and reflect on the costs of war which remain relevant today in other parts of Europe We are very much looking forward to partnering with Chelmsford For You and other Chelmsford organisations to deliver this memorable event.” Chelmsford For You’s full event line-up is set to be announced over the coming weeks via their dedicated VE Day hub: www.chelmsfordforyou.co.uk/chelmsford-ve-day and their Facebook and Instagram pages There’ll be further events taking place across the district throughout May to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day These include a special Open Estate Day on 11 May at Hylands Estate which will feature an exhibition in the Library on Hylands’ role as SAS Headquarters during the war Other events taking place around Chelmsford this May include beacon lightings and commemorative services Special services of thanks and remembrance will also take place in churches and village halls around the district including a choral service at Chelmsford Cathedral on 9 May and a commemorative service at Keene Hall in Galleywood on 8 May Communities across the country are encouraged to take part in honouring the 80th anniversary of VE Day this May whether through large-scale events or by marking it privately at home When Victory in Europe was announced in 1945 many Chelmsfordians held street parties to celebrate peace in Europe You could commemorate their celebratory spirit in 2025 by holding your own street party alongside your neighbours If you’re thinking about holding a street party to mark VE Day, you’ll need to apply for permission to close your road by Friday 28 March. To apply, simply head over to our website and complete the short form. Once this is done, you can start planning the day! Check out The Street Party Site for tips Chelmsford Awards for Voluntary Service returned for the eleventh year this week. Organised by Chelmsford CVS in collaboration with The Mayor of Chelmsford the awards saw dedicated volunteers across Chelmsford receive a special thanks for their work to support local charities The awards were first held in 2014 and have since become an annual event to recognise outstanding contributions in volunteering by local people through a presentation ceremony and celebratory tea “It is a great pleasure to have this opportunity to personally thank those outstanding individuals in our community who give their time so selflessly and tirelessly to deserving causes we had a very difficult time this year choosing the winners of the 2025 awards as there were so very many great nominations It was an absolute pleasure for us to read every one and hear about the incredible dedication and diversity of support that volunteers offer to charities in Chelmsford “Congratulations to all those who were presented with a CVS award this year and an enormous well done to all those who were nominated – your actions do not go unnoticed.” yet are still humbled by the scale and scope of time and talents that people give to so many different causes It’s both an honour and a great source of pride that Chelmsford CVS is able to recognise some of the incredible volunteering that takes place in our community This year’s winning team gave an impressive combined 2,500 hours of volunteering in 2024 to supporting refugees and asylum seekers The Ideas Hub Integration Team at The Art Place in the city centre gave 1-2-1 assistance to vulnerable individuals and families across Chelmsford Their support ranged from translation services and help with organising doctors’ appointments to providing and repairing bikes for easier transport opportunities The awards panel recognised how this team’s work crucially fills a gap in community support Cameron Breward was chosen as this year’s winner in the Young Person category Cameron has been volunteering as a Young Leader with 2nd Chelmsford Scouts for three years contributing an impressive ten hours every week to organising and taking part in activities on evenings and weekends He is well-respected by the cubs he works with and often supports new Young Leaders as they embark on training The panel were impressed with the level of dedication from Cameron at such a young age and with the clear impact his volunteering has on young scouts Before moving onto the winner of the Adult category four further certificates were presented at this year’s Chelmsford Awards for Voluntary Service These were given in recognition of long service in volunteering to: ·       Jane Shelley first starting at a soup kitchen in the early 1990s and church halls during the winter months to provide those rough sleeping with food and shelter ·       Gloria Nicols As well as volunteering for Chelmsford’s Town Twinning Association Gloria has supported different charitable causes over 41 years including Mary’s Meals and Broomfield Hospital where she recently raised £15,000 for a new dialysis machine ·       Judith Pickess volunteer with Great Baddow Parish Hall Brownies Judith has been volunteering for an astonishing 51 years with two different Brownie packs in Chelmsford helping generation after generation of young people to develop new skills ·       Roger Cole Roger has been volunteering since 1973; a staggering 52 years set up the 1st Broomfield Book sale that has been raising funds for over 40 years he has helped thousands of people over the years Judith Pickess and Gloria Nicols with the Mayor and Mayoress All four recipients were praised for their consistent dedication to supporting others over many decades With a great many worthy nominations received in this year’s Chelmsford Awards for Voluntary Service the panel decided to award Nigel Hardy with a Highly Commended certificate in the Adult category Nigel is a volunteer and trustee with Sanctus homeless charity His humility and empathy for service users combined with his forward-thinking vision for Sanctus’ Chelmsford shop was praised for its impact – helping the store to make a profit within just a few months The final award of this year’s ceremony was presented to Mary Stopher trustee and volunteer with kidney cancer charity Mary was praised by her nominator for her tireless almost full-time support of kidney cancer patients which has had a significant impact on the lives of those facing the disease After being diagnosed with kidney cancer herself and recognising a gap in understanding and support Mary set about providing comfort and information to other patients She then developed this into a charity to maximise opportunities for and awareness of the cause The awards panel were particularly impressed with Mary’s efforts to turn what would have been an extremely challenging time for her into an opportunity to help others recipients and their families celebrated with the Mayor and Chelmsford CVS staff with an afternoon tea in the Mayor’s Parlour Local charity Chelmsford CVS offers help and guidance to voluntary organisations, community groups and charities across Chelmsford, and a brokerage to match people with local voluntary opportunities. Services include specialist information, resources, online directory Chelmsford Connects, and a variety of voluntary projects. Find out more about their work at www.chelmsfordcvs.org.uk Welling United’s final away game of the 2024/25 season ended in defeat to Chelmsford City at the Melbourne Stadium on Easter Monday The hosts took an early lead in emphatic fashion after just five minutes when Charlie Ruff sent a powerful drive into the net from just inside the box And the Wings fell further behind shortly after the hour mark when the Clarets skipper secured his brace heading home from close range after a corner was nodded back across the six yard box have got worse for Welling on 34 minutes when Chelmsford had the ball in the net but the referee had already blown his whistle for a penalty seconds before it had crossed the line  – to add to the controversy Tyrese Briscoe forced home keeper Ted Collins into a good save while Gene Kennedy fired just wide from the edge of the box Welling would half the deficit early in the second half when Josh Redfearn pounced on a loose backpass punishing the hesitancy of Collins to nick the ball off him and finish into an empty net to make it 2-1 the visitors nearly took advantage of another error at the back when Collins was left stranded on the edge of the box after tackling Redfearn leaving the ball to run loose to Scott Kashket who fired just over the empty net But just as it looked as if the Wings had got a foothold back in the game with Ruaridh Donaldson finding the bottom right-hand corner for 3-1 the Clarets added a fourth to put another nail in the coffin with sub Freddie Hockey sliding the ball past Rhys Lovett while Archie Tamplin banged in the final nail from close range three minutes later Welling’s season will end with the visit of Salisbury to Park View Road on Saturday J Hearnden Skip Hire Community Stadium Park View Road Welling Kent DA16 1SY Welling United Football Club is a Community Interest Company registered with Companies House Full name Welling United Football Club Community Interest Company Limited Registered number 08055420 Chelmsford Museum is launching a brand-new membership scheme and a small admission fee for adults from 2 April 2025 The initiative is being introduced alongside a fresh identity as the Museum of Chelmsford Memberships starting at £20 per year will provide free entry year-round and additional discounts and benefits Entry to the museum will continue to be free for children and young people under the age of 18 while adults without a membership will pay a £4 entry fee The scheme is being introduced to make the museum more financially sustainable and to play a part in reducing Chelmsford City Council’s ongoing budget shortfall sits at the heart of Oaklands Park in the city of Chelmsford Housed in the Victorian Grade II* Oaklands House with an extension funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund its galleries tell the story of Chelmsford from the Ice Age to the present day Highlights include an interactive display depicting the princely Anglo-Saxon Broomfield Burial artefacts exploring Chelmsford’s significant role in the birth of radio and a range of artworks by Turner Prize-winning Chelmsford-born artist Sir Grayson Perry The museum is also home to the Essex Regiment Museum which tells the story of the county infantry regiment The museum traces the history of Chelmsford the museum runs a programme of temporary exhibitions exploring subjects from Chelmsford’s LGBTQ+ communities to the local nature writer JA Baker as well as a gallery of artworks by local artists The museum is run by Chelmsford City Council and this move to admissions charges and memberships aims to help close the council’s ongoing and substantial budget gap Cabinet Deputy for Cultural Services at Chelmsford City Council although the Museum of Chelmsford will start charging a fee the council will continue a substantial subsidy for the museum to ensure it remains excellent value for money and accessible for all: “The Museum of Chelmsford is well-loved by families locals and visitors to Essex thanks to its high-quality galleries exhibitions and events that display our heritage “We want to make sure this fantastic facility continues to thrive and deliver a brilliant service for all the community to enjoy in the years to come The museum’s running costs currently stand at more than £800,000 per year (and that’s after any income generated)."So we’ve made the difficult decision to charge a small fee for adults to visit the Museum of Chelmsford and explore its wonderful collections.“A visit to the museum continues to be subsidised by the city council The average cost per visitor to run the museum is around £12 but we’ve kept the fee to £4 per adult and maintained free entry for children to ensure our community museum remains as accessible as possible the new membership scheme offers excellent value for money.” For frequent visitors to the Museum of Chelmsford memberships will offer the best value for money starting at just £20 for free entry year-round But they’re also perfect for those who simply want to be part of the museum’s community and support its work all memberships offer a range of discounts and benefits memberships also provide a 10% discount when booking any four children onto a workshop or club – perfect for school holidays Joint membership allows the named card holder to bring along any second adult for free entry allowing you to bring along a different guest for each visit representing over 75 local authority-funded museum services across England says the Museum of Chelmsford is among many civic museums introducing new initiatives amid challenging circumstances: is adopting new strategies to ensure they are financially sustainable in very difficult circumstances "Local museums remain the cornerstones of inspiration navigating the current challenging economic landscape places many particularly those run by local authorities “Civic museums are a fundamental part of England’s cultural and social fabric and are a catalyst for growth on all our high streets generating £3 of economic output for every £1 in funding they receive.” As the museum prepares to introduce an admission fee and membership scheme it will be unrolling its brand-new identity over the coming months as the Museum of Chelmsford This new name and brand identity was shaped with input from the museum’s valued community groups With vibrant colours and a simple but bold logo featuring the letters MOC the new brand can be flexibly adapted for different purposes and reflects the museum’s future ambitions Museum banners on a lamppost and a selection of products featuring the colourful new brand explains why this rebrand is important for the next phase of the museum’s life: “Since the extensive Heritage Lottery Fund redevelopment in 2019 the museum has continued to grow its offer and audience It is now an established part of the community regularly working with different groups to share Chelmsford’s story through exhibitions host displays from talented local artists and entertain and educate little ones throughout the year.“As the museum continues to move forwards it feels like now is the right time for a rebrand to make it fit for purpose for the next stage of its life With the existing museum logo strongly tied to the city council’s overall brand the museum was missing its own unique and individual personality so I’m thrilled to finally begin rolling out this vibrant new brand that showcases the museum’s playful inquisitive and friendly side.“This new identity marks a significant step forward in the museum’s mission to build better connected and inspired communities across Chelmsford It also plays a crucial role in securing the museum’s long-term financial sustainability with strong brands proven to help draw in new and varied audiences as well as attracting potential new funding streams this is a transformative time for the Museum of Chelmsford one that will reinforce our position and impact for the years ahead.” Memberships and admissions will launch on Wednesday 2 April 2025. Further information on what’s included and how to sign up is available on the museum’s website.