Division One leaders Surrey remained on course to win their fifth Vitality County Championship match of the season despite prolonged resistance from Worcestershire’s Gareth Roderick and Kashif Ali on day three at New Road.
Surrey claimed the final three Worcestershire first-innings wickets before lunch to enforce the follow-on with a lead of 278 despite resistance from Jake Libby, Ben Allison and Adam Finch.
Opener Roderick and Kashif then dug in to add 135 from 34 overs in relatively untroubled fashion for the second wicket but three wickets then fell in three overs to turn the game firmly back in Surrey’s favour in the final session of the day.
Lancashire closed in on a huge victory over fellow Division One strugglers Kent after continuing their domination at Canterbury.
The Red Rose reduced the hosts to 143 for six at stumps on day three, leaving Kent trailing by 162, with Charlie Stobo and Beyers Swanepoel the not-out batters on 25 and 18 respectively.
Lancashire declared on 549 for nine, a lead of 305, with Josh Bohannon making 205 and Matty Hurst 50, while George Garrett claimed three for 89.
Will Williams and Tom Bailey then both took two wickets apiece to leave Kent six down at stumps.
Wicketkeeper Michael Pepper equalled the Essex record for most County Championship wickets in a match but his side will need 405 runs to beat Durham on the final day.
Pepper’s four catches and a stumping in the second innings took his tally for the match to nine.
Paul Walter completed the second century of his career but Matthew Potts’ exceptional fast bowling gave Durham a 248-run first-innings lead as the hosts were dismissed for 339 at Chelmsford, before Durham declared on 188 for eight and Essex reached 28 for one at stumps.
James Vince and Liam Dawson both hit centuries as Hampshire declared on 453 for six on the third day of their match against Warwickshire at Edgbaston.
Vince scored an unbeaten 166 from 197 balls, his 29th first-class century, and Dawson 120 from 157, his 15th, in a sixth-wicket partnership of 255 in 53 overs to set the home side a victory target of 498 in a day and 12 overs.
Warwickshire reached 40 for one by the close after Kyle Abbott’s first ball trapped Alex Davies lbw, but a draw remains the likeliest outcome on a flattening pitch.
South African all-rounder Migael Pretorius added an unbeaten 95 to his four first-innings wickets to help Somerset carve out a 110-run first innings lead on day three against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge.
However, with Nottinghamshire 177 for one in their second innings at the close, Craig Overton’s team have a lot to do if they are to take home a third Championship win of the season.
In Division Two, Yorkshire wrapped up their first win of the season inside three days with an emphatic innings-and-22-run victory over Gloucestershire at Scarborough.
The White Rose took 13 wickets on day three to record a 22-point haul and breathe life into a promotion push which has struggled to get out of the blocks since being labelled as Division Two title favourites in April.
Gloucestershire, replying to 456, started the day on 168 for seven in their first innings and were made to follow-on 259 runs in arrears having been bowled out for 197. Despite a career-best 70 from Zaman Akhter, they were bowled out for 237 after tea.
Sussex took four wickets in the final hour to put themselves in a strong position to see off unbeaten Leicestershire at Hove and consolidate top place spot.
Off-spinner Jack Carson removed Foxes’ skipper Lewis Hill, makeshift opener Ian Holland and Lewis Goldsworthy as four wickets fell for 30 runs in 12 overs, leaving Leicestershire on 139 for five and still needing 325 in their pursuit of a target of 464.
Middlesex captain Toby Roland-Jones tore through Derbyshire’s tail with a five-wicket haul on the third day at Lord’s.
Seamer Roland-Jones finished with five for 81 as the visitors, who began day three on 308 for four, were hustled out inside the opening hour at Lord’s for 339.
Having top-scored with 163 in Middlesex’s first innings, Ryan Higgins took three for 60 before helping his side stretch their overall lead to 396 with a total of 302 second time around.
Two late wickets from Mason Crane kept Glamorgan in front against Northamptonshire in Cardiff, with the visitors set to begin the final day on 236 for four, just 25 runs in front with six second-innings wickets in hand.
