Victory for Essex as rain frustrates Surrey

Nottinghamshire v Essex at Nottingham
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They might have expected to wrap up the match even more quickly, after reducing Nottinghamshire to 19 for 9 in their first innings, but Essex duly claimed their first Championship win of 2003 as Graham Napier completed a 268-run victory at Trent Bridge with four sessions to spare. Napier took 5 for 66, his first five-wicket haul in his seventh first-class season, as Nottinghamshire were bowled out for 215, chasing 484. It was another disappointing performance from Notts. Usman Afzaal and Jason Gallian carried them to 90 for 1 in the first session of the day, but they lost their last nine wickets for 125. Chris Cairns slapped a rapid 39, and the tailender Nadeem Malik took his tally of runs for the match to 45, but after that grim first day, they had lost their will to fight

Kent v Lancashire at Canterbury
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Mal Loye top-scored with an impressive 86, and Carl Hooper and Stuart Law salvaged some dignity after their first-innings ducks, to keep Lancashire on course for a final-day victory at Canterbury. Chasing an unlikely 415 to win, Kent reached the close on 123 for 4, after losing the vital wicket of Ed Smith for 56 with three overs remaining. It was a better-balanced batting effort from Lancashire. Andrew Flintoff once again provided some fireworks with a boisterous 43 from 56 balls, but when he fell at 252 for 5, Lancashire had scored exactly 200 more runs than they had managed for the corresponding wicket in the first innings. Warren Hegg continued the fun with 35 from No. 8, whereupon Kent lost regular wickets in their run-chase. Glen Chapple removed Michael Carberry for a duck, and Gary Keedy grabbed two late wickets to maintain the pressure.

Surrey v Sussex at The Oval
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Ian Ward's second century of the season put Surrey in an ominous position at The Oval, before rain and bad light truncated the evening session to give Sussex a glimmer of hope. Adam Hollioake had turned down the opportunity of enforcing the follow-on, and while Ward was galloping to 135 from 166 balls, his decision seemed justified. But the weather intervened on several occasions, and when Surrey declared on 233 for 3, Sussex's reply was limited to 23 balls. Earlier, Jon Batty continued his excellent form with 56, but if Surrey are unable to force a win tomorrow, Essex's comprehensive victory over Nottinghamshire will increase the pressure at the top of the table.

Derbyshire v Worcestershire at Derby
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Worcestershire recorded their second win of the season, galloping to their victory target of 51 in a mere 7.5 overs. Derbyshire had begun the day in some strife at 185 for 6, still trailing Worcestershire's first innings by 20 runs. Though Dominic Cork and Graeme Welch both completed half-centuries in a seventh-wicket stand of 94, Nantie Hayward wrapped up the innings with three wickets, taking his match tally to eight. Kevin Dean's 21 helped Derbyshire to 245, but Stephen Peters and Anurag Singh made mincemeat of the target, adding 50 for the first wicket at more than a run a ball. Graeme Hick, who scored his 122nd first-class century in the first innings, completed the victory with the second ball he faced.

Yorkshire v Durham at Leeds
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Yorkshire's prospects of a swift return to Division One suffered a humiliating blow at the hands of Durham, as Dewald Pretorius inflicted a shock 167-run defeat at Headingley with figures of 4 for 15. It was the first time since 1999 that Durham had won back-to-back Championship matches, and they did it in some style as well, skittling Yorkshire for a paltry 93. Earlier in the day, there hadn't seemed much danger of such a capitulation - Durham were marginally ahead on points overnight, but Chris Silverwood took 4 for 40 as Durham's last seven wickets fell for 101 in a single session. Jon Lewis top-scored with 66, to add to his bold 124 in the first innings, but a target of 261 ought to have been eminently gettable. Pretorius and Gordon Muchall - who picked up three wickets - thought otherwise. Matthew Wood fell for a duck in the third over, and only Scott Richardson (18) and Richard Dawson (21) managed to reach double figures.

Northamptonshire v Glamorgan at Northampton
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Mike Kasprowicz's first five-wicket haul of the season condemned Northamptonshire to yet another Championship defeat - their third in six matches. Kasprowicz took 6 for 72 to take his match tally to nine, as Northants were bundled out for 172 with a day to spare. For much of the day, however, a Glamorgan defeat had seemed an equally possible outcome. They had begun their innings on a precarious 71 for 4, which soon became 140 for 8. But Jonathan Hughes hung around for a vital 73, and Robert Croft led a bold rearguard by the tail. He finished unbeaten on 50, adding 50 for the ninth wicket with that man Kasprowicz, and 30 with Alex Wharf. A target of 228 shouldn't have been out of reach, especially with Phil Jaques in fine fettle. But he was the only man to pass 20, as Kasprowicz tore through a flimsy batting line-up.