Somerset are up and running in the LV= Insurance County Championship after defeating champions Warwickshire by an innings and 82 runs inside three days at Taunton.
Tom Abell’s side, who began the season with three straight defeats, quickly took Warwickshire’s last first-innings wicket in the morning session to secure a lead of 249 and then bowled the visitors out for 167 second time around.
Jack Brooks led the way with four for 44 but it was a hugely impressive collective effort, with all five bowlers used getting among the wickets and maintaining pressure on the batters.
Harry Brook fell narrowly short of a maiden career double century before lunch on day three as Yorkshire edged towards victory over Kent at Headingley.
Brook, Division One’s second-leading run-scorer behind Kent opener Ben Compton, continued his superb form by advancing from 131 overnight to 194 and taking his tally of runs to 512 in five innings this summer as Yorkshire piled up 571 in reply to Kent’s 291.
Kent impressively resisted to close on 118 for two from 50 overs – Compton unbeaten on 67 – giving them hope they can avoid a third defeat in four games.
Nick Gubbins scored two centuries in a County Championship match for the first time in his career as Hampshire set Lancashire 351 to win at the Ageas Bowl.
Gubbins followed his crucial 101 not out in the first innings with an effortless 130 to give Hampshire a hefty lead on a pitch which had previously benefited the bowlers.
Hampshire were eventually bowled out for 344, with the visitors reaching nine without loss by the close.
Essex pair Paul Walter and Matt Critchley staged a belligerent rearguard action to frustrate Northamptonshire’s hopes of claiming victory at Chelmsford.
The fourth-wicket pair came together at 58 for three shortly before tea and were still there at stumps, having put on 91 valuable runs as Essex fought to save the match.
Essex, eventually dismissed in their first innings for 193 with Ben Sanderson finishing with four for 32, were asked to follow on by Northamptonshire and by the close were 149 for three, requiring another 48 to make the visitors bat again.
Chris Dent scored a superb double century and batted all day to frustrate leaders Surrey and usher Gloucestershire towards safety in Bristol.
Responding to Surrey’s imposing first-innings 603, Gloucestershire reached the close on 443 for two, thanks in large part to Dent’s defiant knock of 207 not out – an innings spanning eight hours so far.
The Bristolian shared a record-breaking opening stand of 296 with Marcus Harris (124) and then staged an unbroken third-wicket alliance of 147 with Miles Hammond, his fellow left-hander finishing undefeated on 75.
Division Two leaders Nottinghamshire completed a third win in four matches with a day to spare despite Ed Barnard’s heroic 163 not out for Worcestershire.
Ben Duckett, who has a century and four fifties from his last five innings, top scored with 78 as Nottinghamshire overhauled a target of 233 to win by five wickets.
Worcestershire had been bowled out for 339 in their second innings, with four wickets each for England’s Stuart Broad and last season’s leading Championship wicket-taker, Luke Fletcher.
Ben Mike was left stranded on 99 as his thrilling counter-attacking innings failed to save Leicestershire from a 10-wicket loss to Middlesex at Lord’s.
Mike’s efforts took the visitors to 272 and ensured Middlesex, who were a bowler light due to an injury to Tom Helm, had to bat again. However, their target of 52 proved little problem for openers Mark Stoneman and Sam Robson.
An unbroken opening stand of 169 between Alex Lees (50) and Sean Dickson (110) gave Durham an excellent chance of saving their match against Sussex at Hove after they had conceded a first-innings deficit of 315.
Earlier, Sussex had continued to dominate as overseas stars Cheteshwar Pujara and Mohammad Rizwan put on 154 for the sixth wicket.
Pujara scored 203, his second double century in three matches, while Rizwan found his form on his home debut with an innings of 79 as Sussex piled on 538.
Derbyshire’s Shan Masood fell agonisingly short of a runs record on the third day against Glamorgan at Derby.
The Pakistan opener was out for 42, failing by three to beat the most first-class runs in April set by Nick Compton who scored 715 for Somerset in 2012.
Marnus Labuschagne had earlier scored 130 from 199 balls out of Glamorgan’s 387 with Sri Lankan fast bowler Suranga Lakmal taking five for 82.
Derbyshire wiped out the slender deficit of 19 and with Wayne Madsen cruising to an unbeaten 58, they closed on 170 for two, a lead of 151.
