Around the Grounds: Plays of the Day

Division One:

Durham set Warwickshire a gettable 354 to win after they managed to better their first innings score of 288 by a solitary run.  Imran Tahir looks likely to be the first man in the country to 50 wickets as he moved to 45 for the season with 6-69 - how Surrey could do with a spinner like him!  Di Venuto top scored for Durham with 92, Warwickshire had mustered 111 of those runs for the loss of three wickets at the close.  Troughton and Ambrose will need to shoulder much of the burden if Warwickshire are to reach the target.

In a bizarre coincidence, Yorkshire also finished the day on 111-3 having gained a 90 run first innings lead over Lancashire.  Lancs did a great job of clawing themselves back into the match, largely thanks to a first class best score of 88 from Kyle Hogg, while Adil Rashid picked up his first 5-for of the season.  Yorkshire lead by 200 runs and the game looks headed for a draw.

Division Two:

Middlesex's second innings never really got going and only Neil Dexter passed fifty as they reached 228 all out.  Gemaal Hussain continued his impressive season with three wickets and Gloucestershire's openers polished off the 45 runs needed in just 13 overs.

Leicestershire also wrapped up their win over Worcestershire inside three days.  Mitchell, Cameron and Gareth Andrew all hit 70s in Worcs second innings and in the end set Leicestershire a potentially tricky 182 to win.  However Will Jefferson, Paul Nixon and James 'Titch' Taylor saw them to the target only three wickets down.