County Championship matches in progress

While Surrey have gradually been consolidating their position at the top of the table First Division, in the PPP County Championship, with Yorkshire and Lancashire in near proximity; things are getting difficult for Hampshire, languishing at the bottom.

The four teams in the top division who are a game behind the others are currently engaged. Durham are aware of their position in the relegation zone as they take on Kent whose star batsman Rahul Dravid's excellent form continues, although in their last match, against Leicestershire, his contributions were modest. In that match it was the turn of his team-mate in the Indian national team, Anil Kumble, to shine with a match haul of ten for 105 in addition to his half-century.

Hampshire could ill-afford to lose Shane Warne while he is back in Australia for International limited-overs games. With Alan Mullally spearheading their attack and taking five for 84, they did well to dismiss Leicestershire for 266 in their match in progress at present but conceded a first innings lead of 38. Adrian Aymes top scored with 71 in Hampshire's first innings.

The Second Division matches will be keenly followed with four of the top five teams playing each other. Only three points separate the leaders Northamptonshire from Sussex who are on 113 and are without Michael Bevan, also back in Australia and whose phenominal form has given him the highest run aggregate so far. Northants Australian captain, Matthew Hayden, is directly behind Bevan in the aggregate.

While Middlesex, at the bottom-of-the-table and Nottinghamshire, two positions above them, battle it out at Trent Bridge, bearing in mind that the London county have lost the previous three encounters between the two sides, there is more at stake in the Worcestershire and Essex game.

Both are promotion contenders with just one point between them. Worcestershire, are in third place on 112 points, the same as Warwickshire. With five points between the five top teams, it's going to be a very close run thing. Essex won the last match between them by four wickets with the help of an unbeaten century by Stuart Law.

Worcestershire, like Sussex and Hampshire, will be without their Australian star player. Fast bowler Glenn McGrath, who with 62 wickets, has the highest number of victims this season, will be back in the side by the last week of the month. By then his county's fate may well have been decided.