County Roundup

Wickets continued to tumble on a slow seaming pitch at Durham, where Nicky Peng's 98 is starting to look like a match winning innings. Resuming from 42/2 overnight, Surrey provided little resistance, with only a last wicket partnership of 20 taking them past 100 (and saving the follow-on). Surrey's 104 is the lowest recorded against Durham since they joined the Championship. Kileen bowled most impressively for his 3 wickets, and England opener Butcher laboured for over 2 hours for his top score of 15. Alex Tudor and Martin Bicknell proved equally difficult to play, and Durham finished the day on 121/7, already leaving Surrey with the task of scoring the highest total of the match to win. Overseas player Katich is still there on 43*.

Hampshire 'keeper Kenway showed he has fully recovered from a March knee operation with a fine unbeaten 93*, just failing to reach a century despite a plucky supporting innings from number 10 Morris. Caddick was the pick of the Somserset bowlers, making the most of overcast conditions, and taking 5/62. Shane Warne, making his first-class debut for Hampshire, was bowled by Caddick 3rd ball for a duck. The Southampton crowd must have been somewhat surprised to see Shane Warne opening the bowling (an inventive move to continue play in poor light), but it was the other less heralded spinner in the side, Udal, who did the damage, dismissing Trescothick and night-watchman Caddick before the close. Alan Mullally misses this match through injury, and Somerset opening bowler Bulbeck also broke down, forcing Somerset coach Dermot Reeve to take the field as 12th man.

Former England seamer Peter Martin showed that he is still a force to be reckoned with in English conditions as he bowled well to take 6 of the 9 Leicestershire wickets to fall at Old Trafford. Captain Vince Wells contributed a patient half-century, and Kumble and Ormond have so far put on 45 for the last wicket.

The current England strike bowler Darren Gough went wicketless, and was overshadowed by his colleagues at Yorkshire. Hoggard, Hamilton and Sidebottom dismissed Derby for 239. Di Venuto made an enterprising 70, with two sixes, but Yorkshire openers had little trouble in taking their reply to 74 without loss at the close.

Nottinghamshire skipper Gallian seemed to have miscalculated by asking Essex to bat as after Prichard retired hurt a good partnership between Grayson (58) and Law (120*) took them to 138/1. Law continued on in dominant form but a late spell by 21-year old left-armer David Lucas (4/38) pegged Essex back to 216/6 at the close.

Northamptonshire captain Matty Hayden must be regretting his decision to ask Middlesex to bat at Lord's, and his opposite number and fellow Australian Justin Langer made a sparkling 120. Mark Ramprakash, opening the innings (a position he may be asked to occupy for England) made 93, and put on 196 for the 2nd wicket with Langer. Middlesex finished the day at 282/3.

Another prospective England opener, Nick Knight, dominated the first day of Warwickshire's match against Glamorgan. His unbeaten 127 took Warwicks to 252/2 in a shortened day of play. An oddity and a scorer's nightmare is that the game features two MJ Powells, one on each side. Michael James opened with Knight and contributed 73 to and opening stand of 172, whilst Michael John spent the day in the field.

At Fenners, the students were overwhelmed by McGrath who returned the figures of 11-7-10-4 in a shortened day's play. Only a plucky 31* by number 9 Pimlott took Cambridge past 100.

At the Parks a sparse crowd saw Gloucesterhire take some batting practice against an undemanding attack, reaching 425/4, with Matt Windows scoring 166 at nearly a run per ball. Only captain Mark Alleyne failed to cash in falling to New Zealander Weenink for a single.