Lancashire rip through Warwickshire

Lancashire's title hopes were boosted at Old Trafford by Glen Chapple and Saj Mahmood who each claimed four wickets to knock over Warwickshire for 106. Dominic Cork claimed the other two. But Lancashire didn't have things all their own way, reaching 156 for 4, with Paul Horton falling shortly before the close for 71.

Relegation threatened Kent frustrated Hampshire on the opening day at The Rose Bowl, reaching 342 for 5. Martin van Jaarsveld proved particularly difficult to budge, and he was unbeaten on 112 by stumps. Joe Denly and Rob Key combined with an opening stand of 122, and each made a fifty, before Shane Warne finally made the breakthrough, claiming Denly. Hampshire did strike back with three wickets in the final season, but Kent will be pleased with progress.

Robin Martin-Jenkins' 77 led Sussex to 293 against Durham at Chester-le-Street. But he was left stranded as Ottis Gibson - whose prolonged purple patch continues - mopped up, to end with four wickets, taking his season's tally to 72, a record for Durham. Graham Onions also grabbed three. Durham then eased to 115 for 1, Mark Stoneman unbeaten on 56. Michael Di Venuto was the only faller; he made 28.

Mark Wallace's century dragged Glamorgan from 87 for 6 towards a more respectable 280 against Northamptonshire at Northampton . Lance Klusener picked up 5 for 40 from 17.1 overs - including Wallace for 120 - and then sat back as his colleagues Stephen Peters and Andrew Cook moved Northants to 61 without loss by the close.

Middlesex's slim promotion hopes all but disappeared as Leicestershire blasted them away for 176 and then moved to 124 for 1 at Southgate. The whirlwind Jerome Taylor blew right through them with 6 for 35, although Ed Joyce did hold them up with 75. Tim New made 47 for Leicestershire before being trapped lbw.