Kemp ends Middlesex's unbeaten run

Worcestershire's batting capitulated in pursuit of 152 at Edgbaston, to hand their Midlands rivals, Warwickshire, a comprehensive 38-run victory. Though none of Warwickshire's batsmen made much of an individual impression, the top three all chipped in with breezy performances - the best of which was Jonathan Trott's 37 from 31 balls - while Michael Powell smacked 25 from 19 balls from No. 6 to provide a late impetus. In reply, however, only Graeme Hick - in his 1197th first-team performance - provided any stickability. He made 28 from 23 balls, but of the remainder of the top seven, the next highest contributor was Vikram Solanki with 10. From 77 for 7 there was no way back for Worcestershire, although Kabir Ali's 23 from 22 balls did at least massage the deficit.

Having won their first four games, Northants slumped to their second consecutive defeat in a rain-affected encounter with Glamorgan at Cardiff. The match was reduced to 17 overs a side, in which time Glamorgan made 154 for 6 thanks largely to Robert Croft's 46 from 29 balls. They were 106 for 2 after 12 overs when rain forced a 75-minute delay, and when Northants began their chase, they were set a revised target of 158. It came down to 23 off the final over, but when Niall O'Brien was bowled by Ryan Watkins, the contest was as good as over.

Click here for John Ward's report on a thrilling Roses clash between Lancashire and Yorkshire at Old Trafford.

Leicestershire remain rooted to the bottom of the table after their sixth straight defeat, as Durham routed them by eight wickets at Chester-le-Street. After winning the toss and batting first, Leicestershire lost HD Ackerman in Shaun Pollock's first over, and never gathered any momentum whatsoever. Steve Harmison pinned them to the crease with four superbly economical overs - he took 2 for 12 - while Gareth Breese capitalised on some wild attempts to up the run-rate and finished with 3 for 17. Leicestershire were all out for 119, and it was game over at the halfway mark. In reply, Michael di Venuto and Phil Mustard launched a blistering assault on the new ball, adding 58 runs in 21 minutes before Mustard fell for 42 from 23 balls. Di Venuto finished with 40 from 25, and when Dale Benkenstein wrapped up the match with 21 not out from 13, Durham had sealed their victory with 39 balls to spare.

A three-wicket new-ball burst from Darren Pattinson propelled Nottinghamshire towards a thumping eight-wicket victory against Derbyshire at Derby. Paul Franks and Andre Adams chipped in with two wickets each, as Derbyshire slipped to 47 for 6. The wicketkeeper, James Pipes, salvaged the innings with 45 from 38 balls, but a target of 115 was never going to tax Nottinghamshire. Their openers, Will Jefferson and Adam Voges, added 84 inside 13 overs and Samit Patel and Chris Cairns got the team home with 21 balls to spare.

Middlesex's six-match unbeaten record came to a soggy end at Beckenham, as a Justin Kemp-inspired Kent overpowered them in a rain-reduced eight-overs-a-side contest. Kemp belted three fours and two sixes in a 10-ball 28, to hoist Kent to an impressive 86 for 7, and thereafter Middlesex were always playing catch-up. Dawid Malan did his best, batting until the final over for 25 from 19 balls, but James Tredwell's offspin stopped the middle-order in their tracks. He took 3 for 9 in two overs, and from 24 for 5, there was no way back.

Somerset's home encounter with Gloucestershire at Taunton was abandoned without a ball being bowled.

Ryan ten Doeschate claimed 4 for 24 as Essex subjected Surrey to a 70-run drubbing at Chelmsford. Ten Doeschate, who had earlier chipped in with 35 from 16 balls to propel Essex to an imposing 164 for 9 in their 20 overs, was superbly backed up by his fellow bowlers, not least Danish Kaneria who claimed 2 for 5 in three overs, and Graham Napier, who trapped Scott Newman lbw for a first-ball duck. Surrey were shot out for 94, with only Ali Brown's 22 from 19 balls providing any resistance.

Chris Liddle enjoyed a dream Twenty20 debut for Sussex at the Rose Bowl, as Hampshire were rolled over for a meagre 85 in just 18.2 overs. Liddle, a lanky left-armer, hit the perfect length for the conditions to claim 4 for 15 in 3.2 overs, and stopped Hampshire in their tracks just when it seemed they were ready to post an imposing target. From 38 for 0 they slumped to 43 for 5, with Michael Carberry, Chris Benham and Sean Ervine all making second-ball ducks, and Nic Pothas was forced to occupy the crease for a 34-ball 19, in a vain attempt to bat out the full quota of overs. It made little difference. Murray Goodwin led Sussex's charge with 46 from 26 balls, as victory was sealed by nine wickets and with 10.3 overs still remaining.

Midlands/West/Wales Division

Team	Mat	Won	Lost	Tied	N/R	Pts	Net RR	For	Against
Warwickshire	6	4	0	1	1	10	+0.914	691/93.5	645/100.0
Northamptonshire	5	4	1	0	0	8	+0.625	818/98.2	736/95.4
Somerset	6	2	3	0	1	5	-0.164	824/100.0	839/99.5
Glamorgan	5	1	1	0	3	5	-0.025	340/40.0	341/40.0
Worcestershire	6	1	4	0	1	3	-0.819	738/98.0	821/98.2
Gloucestershire	6	0	3	1	2	3	-0.759	631/80.0	660/76.2

North Division

Team	Mat	Won	Lost	Tied	N/R	Pts	Net RR	For	Against
Nottinghamshire	6	4	1	0	1	9	+0.629	719/90.3	695/95.0
Durham	6	4	1	0	1	9	+0.784	642/77.2	654/87.0
Yorkshire	6	4	2	0	0	8	-0.250	891/114.4	917/114.2
Lancashire	6	3	3	0	0	6	+0.856	897/116.0	816/118.4
Derbyshire	6	2	4	0	0	4	-0.185	759/107.0	723/99.2
Leicestershire	6	0	6	0	0	0	-1.456	799/120.0	902/111.1

South Division

Team	Mat	Won	Lost	Tied	N/R	Pts	Net RR	For	Against
Middlesex	6	5	1	0	0	10	+1.080	821/100.0	770/108.0
Essex	6	4	2	0	0	8	+0.703	831/112.0	759/113.0
Kent	6	4	2	0	0	8	+0.012	872/107.5	872/108.0
Hampshire	6	3	3	0	0	6	-0.644	983/119.0	975/109.3
Sussex	6	1	5	0	0	2	-0.013	852/109.3	895/114.5
Surrey	6	1	5	0	0	2	-1.096	846/118.0	934/113.0