I’m at @orrellcricket, where @snbcc are the visitors. Hosts realistically need a win to avoid relegation. They are batting first but have just lost two in three balls to Tom Crew. 8/2. Still, survival is in Orrell’s hands, whereas it wasn’t before. Pitch at Colwyn is very green, I’m told… New Brighton might have given themselves a better chance of winning, at the expense of a greater chance of it not mattering. Mahoney clubs Crew for four; 29/3 here.

Brook Lane looking fine ahead of @Ormskirk_CC v @orrellcricket. Hosts won the toss and chose to bat as they look to stretch their lead at the top of the @lpoolcomp; visitors need points to stay clear of trouble at the bottom. The pacey Dom Hayes has Calum Turner in his sights. Orrell have had the better of this encounter a couple of times since promotion, but the hosts start as massive favourites here.

32/2 from 14 overs. Not threading tweets means I can’t unroll them later, so they’re useless as notes when I’m writing up. So sporadic updates only I’m afraid - you know who to blame! Hmm maybe it’s working? Sukhjit Singh into the attack, Evan Withe pumps a full-toss for four. 37/2, 303 the target

I’m at a very blustery Rake Lane, where @NBCC1856 are batting first against @ColwynBayCC. Seb Botes has just hit Ryan Holtby for an accidental four, following a very deliberate six. Really is very windy. 24/0

Nice day for it. I’m at @RainhillCric, where league leaders @Leigh_CC are batting first. Couple of overs in, from Khalid Usman and Jamie Harrison, not much to report except what a nice day it is. Relatively sedate start, which honestly I could do with after last week. Opening pair of Tom Grundy and Sam Dorsey have moved the score on to 14/0 without undue alarm. Attacking field for Khalid; Grundy punches a full toss through it. 18/0 from 5 overs.

Excited for the reaction on here when Crawley breaks Lara’s record tomorrow Inside edge past the stumps; innings void

Name a more aesthetically pleasing sport. I’ll wait. @Ormskirk_CC playing host to @SNBCC, and there’s a beer festival on. Neither has really got going yet. S&B batting. It has been a pretty sedate start; JJ Fielding and Jack Stanley fairly untroubled so far. Couple of edges over or short of slips. Scott Lees and Sam Holden toiling away. 25/0

It’s the big day, the one we’ve all been waiting for… across the city, excitement has been mounting to fever pitch. Now, finally, we’re shortly going to find out who will win.

And after Sefton Park v Liverpool, apparently there’s some kind of singing thing happening? Huzaifa Zubair opens the bowling for the hosts, who won the toss. Liverpool skipper Matty Jackson underway with a lovely cover drive. Steve Rimmer the other batter; Jimmy Dixon from the other end.

I’m at Cricket Path, Formby, where there are currently no cricketers on the field. There will be soon, though- 11 from Rainford, who won the toss, and two to start with from the hosts. It’s been a difficult start for Rainford - rained off week 1, then defeats to Ormskirk and in-form Orrell Red Triangle. Running out to hurl themselves against Formby’s firing top order isn’t going to be easy, but there could be some life in the pitch early on.

Honestly sickening how republican/sceptical voices have been sidelined in all this - ignored in the media, arrested in the streets. Nearly half the country don’t want a monarchy.

https://twitter.com/brokenbottleboy/status/1654749357436960770

Though I do have to admire the energy of this reply, “why don’t they arrest MORE protesters huh?”

Klopp's behaviour towards officials is often genuinely terrible and it doesn't get talked about enough. He’s not the only one or necessarily even the worst, but he is one of the most consistently foul. No excuse for it.

Moor Park may not be hosting any Hundred games, but it’s looking fine ahead of @northernclub v @WallaseyCC Northern have won the toss and chosen to 🦇. Think the pitch is two along from the one used by Lancs 2nd XI this week. It’s a bit cloudy but warmer than Wigan was last week.

Re the "cities, not counties" thing... isn't the point of that to look beyond the traditional cricket audience and try to attract a new one? As such, why limit it to cities which already host a first-class county?

https://twitter.com/timwig/status/1651967027588759554

Let's assume two London sides. Of the biggest 16 cities in England & Wales outside London, only seven are already a county HQ. Of those, only Leicester and Bristol don't already host a Hundred side.

I’m at @WiganCricket, where the hosts are batting against @SNBCC. Not sunny, but dry. What is the deal with that one roundabout in the town centre though. Chris Firth and Tom Crew opening the bowling. Just checking Play Cricket to see who’s batting oh actually the game hasn’t started yet.

🚨PERSONAL NEWS 🚨

After the 12 best years of my professional life at @LivEchonews, I’m excited to move on to a new role at the Daily Mirror in a couple of weeks.

But I’m delighted to say I will still be writing about cricket for the Echo. Job offers and career progression mean a hell of a lot; people saying nice things about the stuff I do - either for my job or for the love of it - means a hell of a lot too. So thank you.

Office-bound today so can’t make it to any of the many, many cup finals - all the best to @Ormskirk_CC and @bpcc1846 - and strictly equal shares of the best to @WallaseyCC and @northernclub. Updates as they come in. @Ormskirk_CC @bpcc1846 @WallaseyCC @northernclub Ray Digman Trophy: Wallasey 100/1 against after an opening stand of 89 between Danny Beaver and Jamie Crawley, who is still there on 65.

In the absence of the footy, fancy watching some top-class live sport for no more than the cost of an optional pint or two? Plenty riding on today’s @lpoolcomp fixtures… I’ll be at @Leigh_CC, where @WallaseyCC can wrap up their first title in 20 years. At the other end of the Prem, @SNBCC and @nlwcricket travel to @bpcc1846 and @WiganCricket respectively in dire need of points - and there’s a 50-pointer between @formbycricket and @NBCC1856.

Thanks to the early finish, I’m now at @SNBCC, where @orrellcricket are 39/3 in reply to the hosts’ 226/6. Chris Firth is doing his usual turn from the tennis court end; Chris Cunningham has just come on from the scoreboard end. I don’t know if that’s what the ends are called. There’s a beer festival on. Too many people are talking about the football score for my liking.

Beautiful day here at ⁦@northernclub⁩, where ⁦@nlwcricket⁩ are batting. And an early breakthrough for the hosts, as Liam Grey pins Nathan Hughes lbw. 1/1 in the first over.

Here we go. First semi-final - Oxton batting first against Rainhill, who won the toss. Luke Filer and Grant Hughes have the pads on. Imliwati Lemtur starts with a tight over of left-arm spin. Jack Lowrie from the other end.

Go well today, everyone - I’m keeping my powder dry for finals day tomorrow. Expect sporadic updates. Flying start at Formby for S&B, who need the points… hosts have only won by chasing this summer, so choosing to bat first is the riskier option.