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CC1: Worcestershire well on top

Thursday, May 20 2004

Worcester: Worcestershire v Gloucestershire
Batty builds upon Hick's heroics

Graeme Hick's second First Class double-century in as many weeks was the centre of attention at New Road as he and Ben Smith (187) added 419 for the third wicket. When Hick finally fell to Jon Lewis for 262, he had hit 35 fours and three sixes.

Vikram Solanki hit a brisk 75 to push the hosts past 600 before Smith declared, but when Gloucestershire cruised past 50 without loss, a draw seemed certain. However, the introduction of Nadeem Malik (2-24) and Gareth Batty (3-27) to the attack triggered a sudden collapse.

Worcestershire first fell to 70-3 and then, after an hour's resistance from Craig Spearman (62) and Chris Taylor, 108-6 at stumps with Alex Gidman and Shoaib Malik faced with an almighty rebuilding effort tomorrow.

Worcestershire 619-6
GA Hick 262, BF Smith 187
Gloucestershire 108-6
CM Spearman 62, GJ Batty 3-27

Hove: Sussex v Warwickshire
At long last, the Bell tolls

Ian Bell amassed the highest First Class score of his career - 147* - as Warwickshire closed the first day strongly despite four wickets from Mushtaq Ahmed.

Brad Hogg also contributed 68, but though all the other batsman made double figures, none passed 26, and Bell's 303-ball knock - including 18 fours and a six - stands out even moreso because of this.

Warwickshire 357-6
IR Bell 147*, Mushtaq Ahmed 4-118

The Oval: Surrey v Middlesex
Murtagh strikes back

Surrey may have lost their air of invincibility of late, but they've conceded none of their frustrating ability to mount tail-end rearguards.

After Paul Hutchison and Lance Klusener reduced them from 98-1 to 126-6, Ali Brown falling first ball, Mark Ramprakash (89) led the response before becoming the ninth wicket to fall at 253. However, Tim Murtagh (74*) and James Ormond (40) then bludgeoned 106 for the last wicket.

Paul Hutchison and Lance Klusener took three wickets each for the visitors before Ben Hutton and Sven Koening batted out fifteen overs to stumps.

Surrey 359
MR Ramprakash 89, PM Hutchison 3-50
Middlesex 23-0
BL Hutton 10*

Northampton: Northamptonshire v Kent
Symonds' salvo not enough

A belligerent century from Andrew Symonds wasn't enough to save Kent's day at the County Ground as Johann Louw snapped up 4-33 and Graeme Swann 3-81 to reduce the visitors to 254 all out.

The only fifty partnership came when Symonds and Ed Smith (35) added 92 for the third wicket before young Ireland wicketkeeper Nick O'Brien hit a brisk 32* at the end. Martin Saggers struck early for Kent, but Tim Roberts and Martin van Jaarsveld added an unbeaten 108 for the second wicket.

Kent 254
A Symonds 107, J Louw 4-33
Northamptonshire 115-1
TW Roberts 64*, MJ Saggers 1-20

Posted by Neil