Middlesex and Sussex.

The game at the Oval ended as it began, with a wicket for the Dan Worrall-Ollie Pope combination. The final catch was a double-handed, dandelion-floating swallow dive to his right at second slip which equalled the Surrey record for outfield catches in a first-class match, matching Tony Lock’s eight against Warwickshire in 1957. And all with his sunglasses stuck firmly to his cap. Worrall grabbed five wickets in Hampshire’s second innings and led the players off with eight for 91 in the match.

Adi Birrell, Hampshire’s first-team coach, admitted afterwards that, having lost four early-season games at the Oval in succession, it was “a mental thing … it’s certainly been a struggle for us coming to the Oval in recent years”. He added: “We knew what we were going to come up against here but we have to try to find a way to deal with it.”

At Chester-le-Street, Callum Parkinson picked up his first five-fer since joining Durham, while Essex’s Nick Browne collected his first Championship hundred of the year. A draw was ensured once Warwickshire had avoided the follow-on against Nottinghamshire, with Jacob Bethell winkled out by Olly Stone seven short off what would have been a maiden first-class century. Half-centuries by Tom Lammonby and Andy Umeed ensured Somerset were safe against Worcestershire.

In Division Two, Peter Handscomb was run out for 99 and Rehan Ahmed hit 85 as Leicestershire collected maximum batting points. George Scrimshaw took his first two wickets since joining Northamptonshire and Ben Sanderson pocketed his 500th wicket for the club, after a mammoth mopping-up job at Grace Road allowed the game to start on time

On a hybrid pitch at Bristol, Gloucestershire were set 331. They lost early wickets but Ollie Price’s 52 not out steadied the ship against Middlesex. Derbyshire ensured a draw against Yorkshire at Headingley thanks to a hundred from Wayne Madsen and 97 from Aneurin Donald.

Leicestershire 452-8 DRAW WITH Northampton 453-7dec

Leicestershire 15 points, Northamptonshire 15

Gloucestershire 322 and 127-3 DRAW WITH Middlesex 203 and 449-7dec

Gloucs 13 points; Middlesex 11

Worcestershire 451-9dec DRAW WITH Somerset 309-9dec and 190-4

Worcestershire 15 pts, Somerset 12

Derbyshire 447

Yorkshire 16 pts, Derbyshire 13

Durham 358 and 131-2 DRAW WITH Essex 488

Essex 14 pts, Durham 12

Nottinghamshire 400 and 75-1

Notts 15 pts, Warwicks 14 pts

Worcestershire by 46.

And the match has temporarily been put out of its misery at Edgbaston – off for bad light at 75-1, HH 41 not out.

Durham 358 and 84-1 v Essex 488

The Oval: Surrey 359 BEAT Hampshire 151 and 197 BY AN INNINGS AND 11 RUNS

Edgbaston: Warwickshire 361 v Nottinghamshire 400 and 40-1

Kidderminster: Worcestershire 451-9dec v Somerset 309-9dec and 141-3

DIVISION TWO

Bristol: Gloucestershire 322 and 69-1 v Middlesex 203 and 449-7dec

Grace Road: Leicestershire 360-8v Northampton 453-7dec

Headingley: Yorkshire 450-5dec and 13-0 v Derbyshire 447

Somerset to safety: 115- trail Worcs by 27 runs.

Derbyshire all out, just three short of Yorkshire’ 450. Four wickets for Matt Fisher.

Yorkshire, Donald (97) and Zak Chappell (78) have batted Derbyhire to near parity. At 231-9, a spectacular recovery from 23-3.Surrey, having lost heavily now in our last four visits. Last year, actually, I thought we played well and were still in contention to win ourselves on the last day before Pope took it away from us with an unbeaten hundred.”

“But in this game we got behind early and stayed behind and it’s certainly been a struggle for us coming to the Oval in recent years. We knew what we were going to come up against here but we have to try to find a way to deal with it. Surrey’s faster bowlers know the conditions here at the Oval, with the extra carry and swing they get, and they really exploit that.”

Essex all out for 488. Two run outs in three balls,(including Browne for 184) then two wickets in one over for Parkinson. Essex lose four for 11 and lead by 130. Now this is interesting.Durham 358 v Essex 450-6

The Oval: Surrey 359 BEAT Hampshire 151 and 197 BY AN INNINGS AND 11 RUNS

Edgbaston: Warwickshire 293-7 v Nottinghamshire 400

Kidderminster: Worcestershire 451-9dec v Somerset 309-9dec and 68-3

DIVISION TWO

Bristol: Gloucestershire 322 v Middlesex 203 and 406-6

Grace Road: Leicestershire 247-4 v Northampton 453-7dec

Headingley: Yorkshire 450-5dec v Derbyshire 297-7

Surrey record, matching Tony Lock’s eight in the match. The Worrall-Pope deadly duo of six in match is a Surrey record. And all with his sunglasses stuck firmly to his cap. Five wickets for Dan Worrall, who leads the players off with 8-91. Surrey stride top-of-the-table-wards.Hampshire nine down. Brown gone attempting a boundary too many.Worcestershire have only got rid of nightwatch Jake Ball this morning. Somerset 62-2, trail by 80.

Hampshire wickets.Essex have taken the lead, Ben Browne has his hundred, but Callum Parkinson has grabbed another two wickets. Essex 379-5. Young Thain in – reckon he can slam it around a bit.Hampshire 139-7.Hampshire 117-6.Surrey stream and see Ben Brown get a snorter from Kemar Roach, that just bounces before Ollie Pope at slip. Not sure this is going to last long.Peter Eckersley, by Malcolm Lorimer. Before he was 32, he’d captained Lancashire for seven summers, won two County Championships, become a skilled pilot and been elected to parliament. In the early days of flight, he once flew Lancashire to an away game (which would not be approved of now!) A fascinating guy, died too soon in a plane crash, aged 36. Anyway, we’re about to get going around the grounds, with all eyes, first, to The Oval.Hampshire still trail Surrey by 92, with five wickets remaining, and Monday’s forecast in London offers them little chance of succour.

Ed Barnard’s determined 69 helped hold off the Notts dogs at Edgbaston on a day when only 35 overs were possible. He was also helped by thirties from Dan Mousley and Jacob Bethell. Warwickshire need another 76 runs to avoid the follow on.

A century from Gareth Roderick gave Worcestershire the upper hand at Kidderminster, four batting points and a first-innings lead of 142 before Jason Holder removed Sean Dickson for a duck in Somerset’s three over batting test in the evening light. Shoaib Bashir bowled with aplomb, settling into a good rhythm and keeping his head despite being dispatched for sixes over the railway line, removing both Jake Libby, for a sterling 97, and the boundary-happy Kashif Ali.

Max Holden and Ryan Higgins both made classy unbeaten hundreds to set up what could be a thrilling final day at Bristol. From the dregs of 9-2, Holden and Higgins, with help from Leus du Plooy, helped Middlesex build a second innings lead of 143 – with seven wickets still in hand. Earlier, Henry Brookes had finished off the Gloucestershire innings with three wickets in an over. At Grace Road, Chester-le-Street and Headingley, no play was possible.

Durham 358 v Essex 314-3 no play yesterday

The Oval: Surrey 359 v Hampshire 151 and 116-5

Edgbaston: Warwickshire 175-5 v Nottinghamshire 400

Kidderminster: Worcestershire 451-9dec v Somerset 309-9dec and 5-1

DIVISION TWO

Bristol: Gloucestershire 322 v Middlesex 203 and 262-3

Grace Road: Leicestershire 97-2 v Northampton 453-7dec no play yesterday

Headingley: Yorkshire 450-5 v Derbyshire 190-3 no play yesterday

Source: theguardian.com