Essex and Lancashire go through to C & G fourth round

Mark Chilton and Glen Chapple took carried Lancashire to an emphatic 10-wicket victory over Derbyshire in their third round tie in the Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy at Old Trafford.

Coming together when David Byas was forced to retire hurt on five, the two carried Lancashire to victory with more than 20 overs to spare. Chapple's 81 runs came off just 69 balls, with 11 fours, and Chilton's 76 was off 82 balls with 10 fours.

Earlier Dominic Hewson engineered a partial Derbyshire recovery after their top order was blown away by Lancashire's seam attack, with Peter Martin the star. But Hewson, a close-season signing from limited-overs specialists Gloucestershire, made 63 as the visitors recovered from 39 to six to reach their eventual total of 167.

Martin ended with figures of two for 21 from nine overs, and there were also two wickets apiece for Kyle Hogg, Andrew Flintoff and Chris Schofield.

Nasser Hussain's excellent run of form continued as the England captain made 96 (99 balls, one six, 12 fours) to put Essex on course for a five-wicket win over Middlesex at Chelmsford. Set a stiff target of 292 to win, Essex were indebted to their captain Ronnie Irani for completing the job after Hussain had laid the foundations.

Irani made an unbeaten 86 (five sixes, three fours) off just 73 balls to delight the home crowd and pilot his side to victory with 11 balls to spare.

Earlier Sven Koenig (116) and Paul Weekes (76*) both scored at a run a ball to set up Middlesex's total. And a swashbuckling, unbeaten 39 from Simon Cook (off just 15 balls) provided extra impetus at the end of the innings.