Around the Grounds: Plays of the Day

Divison One:

After being bowled out for what looked a sub-par 288, Durham fought back well to polish off Warwickshire for 224, without Trott and Bell only ex-Surrey vice captain Rikki Clarke stood up with 68.  Wickets were shared around, Harmison picking up two and Callum Thorp four.  Durham ended the day 78 without loss and will look to score quickly to set Warwickshire a target.

A horror collapse against the legspin of Adil Rashid and the offspin of Azeem Rafiq saw Lancashire slip from 94-0 to 186-6 and turned what looked like a nailed on draw into a very probable Yorkshire win.  Rashid and Rafiq shared all six wickets between them and Yorkshire look increasingly a good all round package.

Division Two:

My suspicion that Middlesex's total of 236 was well short was confirmed when Gloucestershire racked up 404-8 on day two.  James Franklin, who was out in the 90s against Surrey earlier in the season, made it all the way to 99 before becoming one of Neil Dexter's three victims.  With their strong bowling attack a first innings lead of 168 already will have Gloucestershire eyeing up another win.

Worcestershire are just 34 runs ahead with six second innings wickets in hand against Leicestershire, but it could've been much worse, the Worcs top order collapsing again to 59-4 before Daryl Mitchell and James Cameron put on 109 to steady the ship.  Will Jefferson, Tom New and Jacques du Toit all scored 50s in Leicestershire's innings of 309, James Taylor failed with the bat having inexplicably not been picked for England Lions.