Durham close in on victory

Liam Plunkett added to his six first-innings wickets with five more as Durham continue to boss matters at Chester-le-Street today

Durham paceman Liam Plunkett was on song as the LV= County Championship Division One leaders moved to within striking distance of victory in their match against Worcestershire at Chester-le-Street.

Plunkett’s 5-56 today helped Durham bring an end to Worcestershire’s second innings for 179, as the bowler chalked up an 11-wicket match haul.

Requiring just 179 to claim a fourth Championship win in succession, Durham showed none of their first-innings jitters as they reached 64 for one at the close on day three.

After Plunkett mopped up the Worcestershire tail, Durham had 21 overs to bat this evening and raced away to 47 inside 14 overs before Kyle Coetzer played back and was caught behind off Ashley Noffke.

Michael Di Venuto was unbeaten on 43 at the close.

Yorkshire finished day three well in control of their match against Somerset at Taunton.

Joe Sayers hit his second Championship century of the season as Yorkshire built steadily on their first-innings lead of 112.

Yorkshire closed on 329 for five, a lead of 441. Sayers, dropped on 30 before going on to a hundred off 208 balls, was out to the last ball of the day for 152 while Jonathan Bairstow ended 54 not out.

Nottinghamshire set Lancashire a victory target of 393 as Mark Wagh hit his second hundred of the campaign at Trent Bridge.

The former England A batsman made 131 from 177 balls, striking three sixes and 11 fours, before Notts declared their second innings on 289 for seven, with David Hussey making a quickfire 74.

The hosts need nine wickets on the final day after Wagh ran out Paul Horton early in the Lancashire second innings as the visitors closed on 22 for one.

Division Two leaders Gloucestershire suffered the loss of five wickets as they wobbled in their quest to chase down a victory target of 332 against Kent.

Kent tailenders Ryan McLaren (42) and Simon Cook (40) had frustrated Gloucestershire with an 10th-wicket stand of 87 before Vikram Banerjee had the former caught by Will Porterfield.

Gloucestershire then lost Porterfield (11) early in their chase before Kadeer Ali (38), Hamish Marshall (45), Alex Gidman (12) and Craig Spearman (13) perished before stumps to leave Gloucestershire on 131 for five - 201 runs behind - heading into the final day.

Iain O'Brien took 6-87, including a spell of 5-13 in 23 balls, as Leicestershire bowled out Derbyshire for 365 to secure a lead of 47 at the end of the first innings.

Leicestershire slipped to 92 for five at the start of their second innings, but Tom New's unbeaten 63 and James Allenby’s 52 led a recovery that took the visitors to 209 for seven, 256 in front.

Surrey’s Mark Ramprakash underlined his status as the most successful batsman the County Championship has seen by continuing his assault on former club Middlesex.

The 39-year-old hit 136 at Lord’s, defying the heat to score his 106th first-class hundred in more than six hours at the crease.

Ramprakash hit 17 fours and faced 306 balls after starting the third day on 64 as Surrey reached 392 all out in reply to Middlesex’s 385, who then made 38 for no loss in their second innings at stumps.