Kirby cuts through Somerset with eight of the best

Yesterday's Championship review

Frizzell County Championship Division One
Points table

Middlesex 370 and 218 for 2 drew with Surrey 568 at Lord's
Scorecard
Andy Strauss and Sven Koenig batted Middlesex to safety in a rain-affected last day against Surrey at Lord's. Even though only 39 overs were bowled after the morning session was washed out, which meant Middlesex were guaranteed a draw, both Strauss and Koenig fell agonisingly short of well-deserved centuries. Strauss was caught at leg slip off Ian Salisbury for 95, and Koenig at first slip off Adam Hollioake for 89. However, there was some late drama when a frustrated Hollioake was ordered to stop bowling by Graham Burgess for persistently hurling down bouncers.

Essex 514 drew with Kent 381 and 416 for 8 dec at Chelmsford
Scorecard
A mixture of bad light and heavy rain meant Essex's match against Kent meandered to a draw. Just over 46 overs were bowled during the day, in which time Mark Ealham reached his first Championship century for two years, and Geraint Jones his second of the season. Jones batted through the day to end on 108 not out, by which time the fearful bowling duo of Andy Flower and Aftab Habib - who each picked up a wicket - were wheeling away.

Leicestershire 243 for 5 for 1 drew with Nottinghamshire 326 and 318 for 6 dec at Leicester
Scorecard
Nottinghamshire's hopes of a win were dashed by the rain at Grace Road. There was no play at all, which means the match, of which Notts were firmly in charge, was abandoned as a draw.

Frizzell County Championship Division Two
Points table

Yorkshire 512 and 71 for 0 beat Somerset 275 and 213 for 6 by 10 wickets at Taunton
Scorecard
Steve Kirby polished off the last four Somerset wickets for figures of 8 for 80 - the best in the Championship so far this season - as Yorkshire steamrolled Somerset by ten wickets. Not only was it Yorkshire's first win since the opening weekend of the season, but Kirby's match figures of 13 for 154 were the best by a Yorkshire bowler in the Championship since Ray Illingworth's 14 for 64 against Gloucestershire in 1967. Somerset were bowled out for 306, and Matthew Wood and Stephen Fleming only needed 13 overs to race to their 71-run target. The only bad news for Yorkshire was that they were docked a quarter of a point for a slow over-rate.

Glamorgan 270 and 366 for 9 dec drew with Worcestershire 328 and 175 for 6 at Cardiff
Scorecard
Worcestershire held on for a grafting draw against Glamorgan at Cardiff and kept hold of their lead at the top of the division. Kadeer Ali (53 from 130), Ben Smith (44 from 111) and Stephen Moore (28* from 76) all denied Glamorgan with fighting, backs-to-the-wall knocks. It was a different story earlier, however, when Michael Kasprowicz (35) and Alex Wharf (32*) plundered quick runs before the declaration. Kasprowicz then took 3 for 35, but Worcestershire showed their mettle and refused to give in.

Hampshire 330 and 161 for 7 drew with Gloucestershire 185 and 427 at Southampton
Scorecard
Gloucestershire ran out of time to beat Hampshire at The Rose Bowl. Jonty Rhodes scored an unbeaten 151 as Hampshire were set 283 off 55 overs. But they were soon forced to close shop when Ian Harvey (4 for 43) removed both openers in quick succession. Simon Katich pulled things together with a stubborn 52, but when he was out and Martyn Ball (3 for 24) then got in the groove, Hampshire were in trouble at 149 for 7. But the old pro Shaun Udal ground out 16 runs from 44 balls to move Hampshire off the bottom of the table.