Ali brothers' tons of contrasting fortunes

Hampshire, in second place, managed to defend their total of 274 for 5 against Gloucestershire at The Rose Bowl. Chris Benham (111) and Sean Ervine (74) boosted them to the heady heights which proved just enough as Gloucestershire came close, propelled by Kadeer Ali's 114.

Ali's brother, Moeen, also struck a century - but he was on the winning side as leaders Worcestershire stampeded all over Northamptonshire at Kidderminster.

Ali made an audacious 100 from 49 balls, with 14 fours and four sixes, to lift Worcestershire to 281, with the eventual margin a 151-run victory. Ali's cousin Kabir also chipped in, with 1 for 33 from his six overs, though it was Nadeem Malik who did most of the wrecking, grabbing four.

Worcestershire, with 11 points, now have a lead of two points and a game in hand over second-placed Hampshire heading into the nitty-gritty of the business end of the season.

It was a similarly one-sided story at Grace Road as Leicestershire's 283 was always going to be beyond a sorry Glamorgan who subsided for 168. Jim Allenby and Paul Nixon added half-centuries and shared a stand of 137, then Jigar Naik led the bowling, with 3 for 24.

Martin van Jaarsveld's fifty and Martin Saggers' three wickets proved the difference for Kent who overhauled Yorkshire by 14 runs at Canterbury. Kent reached 228 for 8, mainly thanks to van Jaarsveld's efforts, and he was helped by Simon Cook's 49. Fifties for Jacques Rudolph and Inzamam-ul-Haq were not enough for Yorkshire, who came up short.