Yorkshire tightened their grip over leaders Somersetat Taunton, reducing the home side to 229 for 9 in reply to their 372. Somerset wasted little time in polishing off Yorkshire, Charl Willoughby picking up three of the last four wickets to fall. Despite a patient 53 from Marcus Trescothick, Somerset slipped to 143 for 7 before an unbeaten 53 from Craig Kieswetter steered them within three runs of avoiding the follow-on. Tim Bresnan continued his encouraging recent form, unsettling Justin Langer with a couple of short deliveries before having him caught behind. Steven Patterson, playing just his eighth first-class game, provided superb support and shifted Trescothick when the opener drove up into the covers.
Fourteen wickets fell at Chester-le-Street where Hampshire closed on 186 for 6 in their second innings, just about in charge with a lead of 223 over Durham. Hampshire had moved comfortably to 91 without loss when Ben Harmison produced a great throw from deep square-leg to run out Brown. Stephen Harmison then bowled Durham back into contention with a four-wicket burst in six overs after tea, having struggled with the new ball earlier on. It was a tale of two international fast bowlers, out of their teams for different reasons, as Shane Bond earlier ripped out Durham for 202, with 5 for 57 in his last match for Hampshire. Nic Pothas bagged six catches as the ball regularly found the edge in helpful conditions.
After a complete washout yesterday as the ground recovered from Tuesday's storms, today it was bad light that allowed only 23 overs in Kent's tussle with Sussex at Canterbury. What play there was was hardly enthralling as Kent lumbered to 50 for 1, Joe Denly the one man out to Luke Wright. Sussex, coming off the back of their defeat against Durham, are without Mushtaq Ahmed after a recurrance of his knee injury, but Kent brought back Martin van Jaarsveld following the birth of his daughter.
Click here to read John Ward's report on the second day between Lancashire and Nottinghamshireat Old Trafford.
Second Division
Derbyshire were on control against Worcestershireat Chesterfield, taking a first-innings lead of 205 and then nipping out Daryl Mitchell cheaply before the close. James Pipe made the second fastest century of the season, from 71 balls, to lift Derbyshire from 157 for 7. He ended with 133, to equal his career best and with Graham Wagg put on 145 in 25 overs. Simon Jones once again caught the eye with the ball - in front of national selector Geoff Miller, too - with a five-wicket haul, including Wavell Hinds for a golden duck on his county debut but the match changed as Pipe took control, pulling Jones for six and his second fifty took only 27 deliveries.
Glamorgan were left facing a familiar uphill battle after closing on 183 for 5 in reply to Warwickshire's 421 at Cardiff. Gareth Rees bottom-edged into his stumps when nearing his second century this season, while Ian Westwood fell two short of his career best when he was well-caught by Alex Wharf diving forward at mid-off. David Hemp, against his former club, fell early when he was caught at slip off James Anyon, who was the pick of Warwickshire's attack.
Fifties from Steven Snell, Mark Hardinges and Jon Lewis guided Gloucestershire to 475 at Northampton where Northamptonshire closed on 135 for 3. Northamptonshire paid for some sloppy fielding, the biggest culpability when Rob White offered Hardinges a life off Andrew Hall. Hardinges proceeded to a 70-ball fifty, before White made amends with a catch at short leg. Niall O'Brien began the reply with an aggressive half-century, but fell to a stunning catch at deep midwicket by fellow Irishman William Porterfield.
Click here for Brydon Coverdale's report on proceedings from the second day at Lord's between Middlesex and Essex.