Warne keeps Hampshire in the hunt

Another five-wicket haul from Shane Warne has helped Hampshire stay in the race for the County Championship in division one. Late last month Hampshire feared Warne had a broken rib and might not play again this season but the injury was later found to be a muscle problem and his recovery was timely.

At Kidderminster last week Warne was too good for the struggling Worcestershire, who have already been confirmed as the side that will be relegated to division two next year. After Hampshire racked up 444 and 2 for 376 declared - the opener Michael Carberry scored a century in each innings - Worcestershire were set an unrealistic chase of 532 for victory.

Warne, who had taken two wickets in the first innings, rattled through the home side's middle order and finished with 5 for 68, his fifth five-for this season. The 294-run victory put Hampshire in third place on the table with matches against the struggling Kent and second-placed Yorkshire remaining.

Lancashire also stayed in touch with the leaders after they beat Durham by seven wickets at Blackpool. In a low-scoring match that was over in two days, the Australian imports were among the only players to impress with the bat.

Durham's Michael Di Venuto anchored their disappointing first innings of 166 with his 78, but it was Stuart Law's unbeaten 82 that helped Lancashire over the line. A remarkable season for Durham's Ottis Gibson, the 38-year-old former West Indies fast bowler, continued when he took 8 for 68 in the first innings to take his season tally to 68 wickets at 20.88.

In division two, Somerset confirmed their stranglehold on top spot despite Andy Bichel's best attempts to help Essex topple them at Chelmsford. Bichel took five wickets for the match and scored an unbeaten 60 but Essex's wobbly 144 in the first innings cost them and they lost by six wickets. Justin Langer added 43 and 28 to his run tally for Somerset.

The second-placed Nottinghamshire kept Somerset in sight with a comprehensive win over Derbyshire at Chesterfield. Michael Dighton was captaining Derbyshire as Simon Katich missed the game with a shoulder injury and he had no answers to the visitors' strong batting in the first innings. Stephen Fleming put aside speculation about his future to collect 243 of Nottinghamshire's 9 for 548 declared. Despite Travis Birt's 85, Derbyshire struggled and went down by an innings and six runs.

Birt and Dighton tried to turn things around for Derbyshire in the Pro40 competition but their side lost the first match to be held under lights at Lord's. Dighton made 67 and Birt added 47 in the visitors' 196 but Middlesex eased to the target with two overs to spare.

A week earlier it was Di Venuto who spoilt Derbyshire's party as he made 64 from 51 balls to guide Durham to an easy seven-wicket win at Chesterfield. Birt made 33 in Derbyshire's 195 but Durham were never troubled and raced to victory with 75 balls remaining. The win put Durham on top of the division two table with only one game left against the last-placed Glamorgan.

In division one, Hampshire were second only to Worcestershire after their 14-run triumph over Gloucestershire at Southampton on Sunday. Sean Ervine, the former Zimbabwe allrounder now contracted by Western Australia, blasted 74 from 70 balls as Hampshire scored 5 for 274. Hamish Marshall and Kadeer Ali were flying in the chase but Warne removed Ali for 114 and his 2 for 52 helped the home side to victory.