The Sports Lowdown For All Your News and Opinions
Division 1
Hampshire (515) Vs Warwickshire (254 & 167 f/o)
Hampshire (22 points) beat Warwickshire (3 points) by an innings and 94 runs.
Warwickshire suffered their third innings defeat of the season – this time at the hands of Hampshire. The Bears had reduced the home side to 31/3 on the first morning before Sean Ervine (203) and Jimmy Adams (166) put on an incredible 367 for the fourth wicket.
Warwickshire never recovered from that and despite Jonathan Trott’s century, they were forced to follow on. Kyle Abbott then took 4/32 to send his team to the top of the table and Warwickshire to the bottom.
Middlesex (358) Vs Somerset (443/9d & 161/3)
Middlesex (10 points) drew with Somerset (11 points).
Middlesex drew their fourth game in succession in a rain-affected match against Somerset. Dean Elgar and Lewis Gregory helped Somerset recover from 80/5 to 329/6 as they posted a big first innings score.
In response, Middlesex managed 358, but with their first innings not ending until the fourth day, there was never a prospect of a result.
Yorkshire (273 & 61/0) Vs Lancashire (123 & 209)
Yorkshire (21 points) beat Lancashire (3 points) by 10 wickets.
It took Yorkshire just seven sessions to win the Roses match at Headingley. Ben Coad’s excellent season continued as he took 6/25 to dismiss Lancashire for just 123. Adam Lyth’s century then gave Yorkshire a big first innings lead and Lancashire, despite a slightly improved second innings, could not set a challenging target.
Division 2
Durham (166 & 376) Vs Northamptonshire (338 & 205/8)
Northamptonshire (22 points) beat Durham (3 points) by 2 wickets.
Durham lost another thrilling encounter – this time against Northamptonshire at Chester-le-Street. Having been skittled for 166 on the first day following Nathan Buck’s 6/34, they were always up against it but managed to set a target of 205, thanks to Cameron Steel’s century.
The visitors moved to 105/1 once play got under way on the final day, but another rain delay left them only seventeen overs to get the remaining runs. Despite the loss of late wickets, (Paul Coughlin finished with ten for the match), Northants got home with one ball to spare.
Nottinghamshire (229 & 349) Vs Derbyshire (363 & 190/5)
Nottinghamshire (9 points) drew with Derbyshire (12 points).
The weather saved Nottinghamshire from their first defeat of the season against Derbyshire at Trent Bridge. Billy Godleman’s century gave the visitors a healthy first innings lead before Steven Mullaney, Samit Patel and Chris Read all made half-centuries as Derbyshire were set 216 to win from 49 overs.
Bad light and then rain ended their chance of a victory, finishing on 190/5 – just 26 runs short.
Sussex (579/8d) Vs Worcestershire (312 & 260 f/o)
Sussex (23 points) beat Worcestershire (4 points) by an innings and 7 runs.
Worcestershire suffered their first defeat of the season at the hands of Sussex at Hove. Luke Wells ensured Worcestershire would regret inviting the home side to bat first by hitting his second century in three matches as Sussex racked up 579/8 before declaring.
In response, Daryl Mitchell and Brett D’Oliveira put on 215 for the first wicket before collapsing to 312 all out. Following on, there was resistance again from Mitchell (54) – who passed fifty for the fifth consecutive innings in all competitions – and Ross Whiteley (53) – playing in his first County Championship match of the season – but they fell just short of forcing Sussex to bat again.
