Support truly
independent journalism
Rory Burns’ career-best 227 powered Surrey to a score of 444 for nine declared and put them in charge of their Vitality County Championship Division One match against Lancashire.
Ben Foakes added 82 – joining captain Burns to put on 197 for the fourth wicket – as the league leaders and defending champions built a first-innings lead of 240 at the Kia Oval.
Lancashire faced five balls before bad light brought about an early close, scoring four without loss.
Essex’s Jordan Cox responded to England’s decision to leave him out of the Test side to face Sri Lanka by recording his fourth County Championship century of the season.
Cox made 141 off 124 balls before being run out to follow on from another ton from Dean Elgar (136) as Essex reached 404 for eight, having been put in by Hampshire after losing the toss, with Thursday’s play lost to rain.
Brett D’Oliveira returned from injury with 97 off 90 balls as Worcestershire took a first-innings lead of 276 in their clash against fellow Division One strugglers Kent.
D’Oliveira missed the Metro Bank One-Day Cup campaign as he underwent rehab on a long-term shoulder injury, and the decision appeared to pay dividends as Worcestershire made 447 in response to Kent’s first-innings total of 171.
Tawanda Muyeye, who made 56 on day one, was unbeaten on 80 off 84 balls as Kent reached 104 for two in their second innings, but they were still 172 runs behind with eight wickets remaining.
Durham are well on top against Nottinghamshire after a century from Ashton Turner helped them to a first-innings total of 531 for seven declared before Neil Wagner took four wickets to reduce the visitors to 220 for eight in their reply.
Turner, making his first-class debut for Durham, finished unbeaten on 114 after teaming up with Bas de Leede (79) in a partnership worth 134 off 120 balls.
That allowed Durham to declare and Wagner took full advantage, with the Kiwi left-armer ending the day with figures of four for 68, with Durham leading by 311.
Warwickshire’s Ed Barnard took five for 54 as second-placed Somerset were bowled out for 239 at Edgbaston to leave the hosts on top.
Michael Burgess contributed 69 and Jake Bethell 64 to help the hosts make 337 in their first innings and they then reduced Somerset first to nought for two and then 65 for five.
Kasey Aldridge made 84 off 139 balls to help avoid a crisis for the visitors but they finished their first innings 98 runs behind, with Warwickshire reaching 27 for one before the close in their second go around.
In Division Two, Jonny Bairstow returned to action for Yorkshire with his first red-ball fifty since last July, making 57 as the hosts moved into a dominant position against promotion rivals Sussex at Scarborough.
Bairstow, available after being dropped by England, shared in a fourth-wicket partnership of 90 with Will Luxton, helping Yorkshire power past Sussex’s first-innings total of 189 and reach 326 before being bowled out – despite Jack Carson taking five for 83 for the visitors.
Leaders Sussex made 26 without loss before the close in their second innings, but trailed by 111 runs.
Sam Robson (58) and Leus du Plooy (66 not out) both made half-centuries as Middlesex reached 250 for seven, a first-innings advantage of 43 over Northamptonshire.
Ben Sanderson took five for 58 for Northamptonshire to reclaim his status as Division Two’s leading wicket-taker.
Anuj Dal fell six runs short of a century but rock-bottom Derbyshire look well on course for victory over Glamorgan after taking a first-innings lead of 261.
Dal made 94 from 135 balls after Harry Came scored 84 and Wayne Madsen 70 in Derbyshire’s 429 – which came despite the best efforts of Glamorgan spinners Ben Kellaway, who finished with three for 59, and Mason Crane, who claimed three for 43.
Glamorgan reached 39 without loss before the close, but still trail by 222.
Ben Charlesworth’s unbeaten 105 helped Gloucestershire reach 227 for three before bad light stopped play at Bristol, leaving them 175 behind Leicestershire’s first-innings total of 402.
Charlesworth’s second first-class century came off 164 balls with three sixes.
