Goodwin blasts century for Sussex

Got him at last: Nic Pothas clings on to an edge from Murray Goodwin © Getty Images

Lancashire continued to battle against Warwickshire at Blackpool, forcing the follow-on after bowling them out for 231. All the Lancashire bowlers had performed impressively with Murali Kartik producing a probing spell of left-arm spin in his first Championship match of the season. Ian Westwood offered the major resistance with a 198-ball 67 but the pressure created by the bowlers was too much for the rest. Earlier, Lancashire declared on 456 for 9, after Naqaash Tahir had bagged 7 for 107. For the second time in the match play was halted when a water bomb landed on the pitch and Mal Loye, the Lancashire batsman, even climbed a wall to try and find the culprit. It had earlier happened on the first day.

Middlesex totally unraveled at the hands of Yorkshire's spinners at Scarborough, leaving Yorkshire with a target of 274. In heartening sight, two young legspinners took all 10 wickets. Mark Lawson took 6 for 88 and Adil Rashid, on the ground where he burst onto the scene a few weeks ago against Warwickshire, had 4 for 96 as the visitors fell away for 224. The bulk of those runs came from Ben Hutton, who stuck 105 from 166 balls, with ten fours and two sixes. Yorkshire had started grafting their way towards a win, and were 39 without loss by stumps.

Murray Goodwin fired a century for table-topping Sussex in their crucial match against Hampshire at Hove. David Nash joined him in a third-wicket partnership of 132 to boost the home side to 416 for 8, a first-innings lead of 69. Sean Ervine removed both openers early, but firstly Nash, then Chris Adams, steadied the innings. Adams passed 1000 runs for the season before Shane Warne managed to stem the runs with late wickets. However, Sussex have already notched up maximum bonus points.

Surrey clinched promotion against Glamorgan at The Oval. Click here for a full report.

Chris Taylor's century provided some much-needed stability for Derbyshire, as he shared a second-wicket stand of 191 in the second innings at Derby. Northamptonshire were finally all out 424, a first-innings lead of 267, but Taylor and Stubbings (64) had gone some way to stubbing out that lead after the early loss of Hassan Adnan. Still, Northants will be confident of pushing for victory tomorrow.

The indomitable Graeme Hick another century to give Worcestershire a boost in their clash for the second promotion with Essex at New Road. Earlier, Essex successfully avoid the follow-on reaching 330 in reply to the home side's 473 for 6. But Worcestershire continued to build on their lead, mainly through Hick, and went on to make 331. Essex reached 19 for 1 by the close, still 455 behind. Worcestershire will be confident of sealing the deal tomorrow if the rain holds off.

Leicestershire crumbled at the hands of Somerset, falling away for 170 at Grace Road. Andrew Caddick took the 73rd five-wicket haul of his career, bagging 5 for 46. HD Ackerman (53) and David Masters (43) played the only innings of note for the home side as they were blown to pieces, Charl Willoughby and Richard Johnson helping themselves to two wickets apiece, and Keith Parsons grabbed the other. But Somerset's batsmen found the going tricky, too, Nicholas Walker snapping up the openers to leave them in some trouble at 32 for 2.