With leaders Surrey not in action in this round of matches there was a chance for Warwickshire to close up on the champions-elect. However, things have not gone exactly as the team in second place in the table would have wanted. Lancashire took their first innings total on to 598 with Chris Schofield reaching 91 before he was out, sharing a ninth wicket partnership of 109 with Peter Martin was remained undefeated on 117 with 12 fours and six sixes. Before the close, Glen Chapple had taken the wicket of Mark Wagh to leave Warwickshire trailing by 560 runs.

It took only eight overs for Kent to take the final five wickets of the Somerset innings on the second morning at Taunton. Martin Saggers and Amjad Khan both finished with four wickets. Then Ed Smith reached 115 by stumps, James Treadwell reached a fifty while Paul Nixon is 79 not out as Kent got to within 160 of the Somerset total with seven wickets in hand.

Ryan Sidebottom took five wickets for Yorkshire as Leicestershire were bowled out for 279 at Scarborough. That total was only achieved with fifties from Neil Burns and Javagal Srinath down the order but it gave Leicestershire a first innings lead of just three runs. Before the close, Yorkshire had 137 for three on the board.

Sussex enjoyed the better of the first day of another relegation battle, taking 399 for three off the Hampshire attack. Murray Goodwin and Richard Montgomerie put on 193 for the first wicket after Hampshire had won the toss and elected to field. Goodwin was out for 119 but Montgomorie is still there with 168 to his name.

The battle between the top two teams in Division Two is evenly poised. The last three Middlesex wickets added only 12 runs on the second morning, but then the Essex batsmen struggled. They were all out for 278, thanks to a fifty from Aftab Habib on his comeback from injury, to trail by 17 on first innings. Essex got right back into the game by taking three Middlesex wickets before stumps with the lead now extended to 38.

Derbyshire also harbour hopes of promotion, but they are struggling in their match with Gloucestershire. Gloucestershire lead by 295 with five second innings wickets in hand. Derbyshire were all out for 187 to trail by only five runs, with Mike Smith taking five wickets. Matt Windows was the other Gloucestershire hero of the day, reaching 143 not out by stumps in the second innings.

In the match starting today, Glamorgan enjoyed a solid all-round batting performance to reach 290 for four by the close. Michael Powell was top scorer with 84, Ian Thomas reached a fifty, as did Adrian Dale who is still there.

© CricInfo