CC2: Somerset 1st * Round Up

Jamie Cox continued his welcome return to form for Somerset (20) with a majestic unbeaten 127* against Hampshire (3) at the Rose Bowl. Keith Dutch was the only other player to break 20 with a resolute 61 in a 115-run seventh wicket partnership as Somerset made 309. Cox's achievements looked even better the following day as Nixon McLean (4/31), Simon Francis (3/24) and Championship debutant Gareth Andrew (3/30) made light work of the Hampshire batting for 129, just two more than Cox made, as only three batsmen made double figures.

Following on, Derek Kenway's 94 anchored Hampshire to a respectable 306, with Chris Tremlett making a career-best 43 at number nine. Despite an early wobble, Ian Blackwell (41*) and Jamie Bryant (39*) saw Somerset home by six wickets to send them top after Gloucestershire failed to win in a low-scoring game at New Road...

Worcestershire (17) only made 175 as veteran Mike Smith took 5/70, but Gloucestershire (3) could only make 178 in reply. Anurag Singh stood up to be counted in the Worcester second innings, carrying his bat for a match-winning 83* off 213 balls in Worcester's 212 before Kabir Ali (4/39) helped skittle out the visitors for 98 and engineer a 111-run victory.

First innings fifties from Jon Lewis, Martin Love, Gary Pratt and Vince Wells helped Durham (20) to a solid 317 against Derbyshire (4) at the Riverside before Michael di Venuto continued where he left off last season, carrying the innings, with a sensational 150 out of 244. Nobody else passed 20. Graeme Welch took 5/60 to knock over Durham for 149 to win. A target of 223 to win looked viable, and Shahid Afridi's 67 off 47 balls including seven fours and four sixes set them on their way. However, when he fell, Derbyshire's challenge quietly died with him as Dewald Pretorius (4/49) and Vince Wells (3/13) accounted for the tail to set up a 30-run win.

Yorkshire (7.75) played Glamorgan (10) at Headingley in a drab, rain-affected draw. Lower order resistance from Yorkshire helped them from 90/6 to 209 all out, and Glamorgan followed suit, putting on 157 for the first eight wickets, and then 158 for the last two as keeper Mark Wallace's 94 at number seven was backed up by Michael Kasprowicz (36) and Alex Wharf (29*) at the bottom of the order. Stand-in Yorkshire captain Matthew Wood made 73* before declaring and ending the game as a draw, with Yorkshire deducted quarter of a point for a slow over rate.

Posted by Neil