Sussex fight back against Lancashire

Day one
Sussex twice fought back from poor positions against title rivals Lancashire at Hove as the first day finished with both sides still neck and neck. Lancashire enjoyed the perfect start when Dominic Cork struck twice in his opening spell but was later forced to leave the field for stitches in a hand injury. Michael Yardy and Murray Goodwin began the rearguard with a stand of 99 but Sussex then stuttered again at 161 for 5. However, with Cork and with Simon Marshall struggling with cramp, Lancashire couldn't ram home their advantage. Matt Prior produced a mature half-century - much more circumspect than some of his dashing displays - as he and Robin Martin-Jenkins put Sussex back on course for a decent total.

Matt Walker and Tyron Henderson both made half-centuries to take Kent to 285 all out against Hampshire before bad light stopped play at Canterbury. Geraint Jones looked set for a fifty of his own, but couldn't quite send a strong reply to the England selectors for dropping him; he made 39 before Shane Warne trapped him lbw, one of three wickets. Kent will be annoyed at wasting a number of promising starts but, Hampshire, trying to keep pace with Lancashire and Sussex at the top of the table will be aiming for a lead on the second day.

There was no play at all on the second day between Durham and Nottinghamshire at Chester-le-Street, with rain washing out proceedings.

Claude Henderson and Stuart Broad helped Leicestershire to work their way through Gloucestershire's line-up at Cheltenham. Alex Gidman and Stephen Adshead made fifties for the home side,while most of their batsmen made starts, but couldn't capitalise. Henderson took 5 for 76, while Broad continued his dazzling streak, this time he took 4 for 47. Gloucestershire eventually made 282, but their bowlers struck early, removing Darren Robinson for 4.

Half-centuries for Daryl Mitchell and Roger Sillence quietened Glamorgan as Worcestershire took charge at Colwyn Bay. Vikram Solanki just missed out on a century, he made 49 before he was run out. Still his knock, at least, will be a handy run-out in celebration of his recall to England's one-day squad. Worcestershire's batsmen played well in pairs and will be happy with making nearly 400 by stumps.

Andrew Caddick took five wickets as Somerset ran the rule over Essex at Southend-on-Sea. However, another former England paceman hit back before the close as Darren Gough grabbed two wickets. Ronnie Irani played a captain's innings to just about hold Essex together; he struck 80 to lift them from 126 for 6 to 252, sharing a seventh-wicket partnership of 102 with Tim Phillips. Phillips made 44. Grant Flower and Mark Pettini had got the home side off to a solid start, with a stand of 68, but Caddick did the damage, with 5 for 83 to leave Essex in trouble. Charl Willoughby was also in the wickets; he grabbed 3 for 46

For a full report of Surrey's match against Northamptonshire click here.