Lehmann triple ton increases Durham woe

Division One

Darren Lehmann fell three runs short of Yorkshire's highest individual score in his final match for the county, but they are well on course for first division survival as Durham fell to 203 for 6 in reply at Headingley. Lehmann's mammoth 339, a career-best and his second triple first-class century, had a large part to play in Durham's increasing gloom, and he was well assisted by Michael Lumb, who fell two short of a deserved century. Lehmann became the first Yorkshire batsman to score 300 since the great Herbert Sutcliffe in 1932 and he faced 403 balls, striking 52 fours and three sixes. Gary Scott and Garry Park each hit 77 but Deon Kruis took three wickets to begin the Durham slide, and Jason Gillespie added two of his own.

Darren Stevens became Kent's third centurion as they continued to make hay against Middlesex at Canterbury. The home side built on their efforts to reach 603 for 6 before declaring shortly after Stevens reached the landmark. He was unbeaten on 126, and received support from Geraint Jones, who made 59 as Middlesex wilted in the heat. Rob Ferley then heaped on the misery for Middlesex, reducing them from the promising position of 92 for 1 to 136 for 4 in a three-wicket burst which removed Ben Hutton, Owais Shah and Ed Smith.

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For a full report of Lancashire's crucial match against Hampshire at The Rose Bowl click here.

Division Two

Lee Goddard and Graham Wagg's seventh-wicket stand of 181 lifted Derbyshire to 385 and they had a Mark Ramprakash-less Surrey in some trouble by the close at Derby, having reached 208 for 6. The nineties proved too nervous for both Goddard (91) and Wagg (94) but their fight bodes well for the young pair. Half-centuries from Scott Newman and Mark Butcher added some respectability to the Surrey total, but the mood was not improved when Butcher had to retire hurt on 51.

Gloucestershire sealed maximum batting points by coursing to 525, capitalising on their efforts of the first day at Cardiff. Alex Gidman fell eight short of a century, but there were no such alarms for Mark Hardinges, who reached his ton, his second of the season, before falling one run later. Glamorgan's Daniel Cherry and Mark Wallace chipped away forcefully at the deficit, putting on an opening stand of 147 before Wallace edged Steve Kirby for 64.

Essex built on a solid first day at Grace Road to put them in prime position to claim promotion. James Foster added his eighth first-class hundred before being trapped lbw by Nick Walker for 115 and Andy Bichel provided some lower-order fireworks, biffing 75 from 104 balls with eight fours and four sixes. Bichel then struck two early blows to leave Leicestershire in trouble at 21 for 2, before Darren Robinson (80) and John Sadler dug them out with a commanding third-wicket stand of 109. Sadler remained unbeaten on 71.

Monty Panesar ripped through Worcestershire's line-up with a five-for to bowl them out for 284, 61 runs behind Northamptonshire, and dent their promotion hopes. He was supported by Jason Brown, who took three wickets, and there were two victims for Steven Crook. The openers Stephen Peters and Chris Rogers increased Northants' advantage to 85 by the close at Northampton .