Patel and Read come to Notts' rescue

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Samit Patel and Chris Read shared an unbroken stand of 148 to keep second-placed Nottinghamshire afloat on day two of their LV= County Championship Division One match against Somerset at Taunton.

Somerset ended their first innings with 517 - Craig Kieswetter (88) and Peter Trego (54) both completing half-centuries - and looked likely to pile the pressure on their opponents.

Alex Hales and Mark Wagh both fell cheaply before another spurt of three wickets reduced Nottinghamshire to 130 for five.

But that brought Patel (92 not out) and Read (75 not out) together, with the pair sharing 31 fours and two sixes to take the score to 278 for five.

At the Rose Bowl, Hampshire edged into the lead against Lancashire.

Resuming on 262 for eight, the visitors added 21 for the last two wickets, but Hampshire responded by reaching 287 for six by stumps.

Jimmy Adams top-scored with 72, while Michael Lumb chipped in with 48.

Kent are sitting pretty against Essex at Canterbury, reducing the visitors to 194 for six in response to 420.

Newly-signed Australian leg-spinner Bryce McGain took the last of the Kent wickets to complete figures of 5-151, but all bar opener Mark Pettini (80 not out) failed to knuckle down in response.

Bryce McGain completed a five-for on debut this morning before Essex slipped to 194 for six in reply to Kent's 420

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In Division Two, leaders Sussex drove home their advantage over Leicestershire at Grace Road, where the home side trail by 116 runs with six second-innings wickets in hand.

Chris Nash converted his overnight 52 into 184 to propel Sussex to 379 all out before the hosts slumped to 59 for four by the close, Yasir Arafat and Corey Collymore each taking two wickets.

Leicestershire captain Matthew Hoggard had earlier registered figures of 5-81.

Worcestershire collapsed dramatically in their second innings at New Road to give Northamptonshire an unexpected route back into the match at New Road.

Northants conceded a 129-run first-innings deficit after being rolled for 158 as Matt Mason and Alan Richardson split six wickets.

But the hosts responded with 72 for eight in their second knock, with only Alexei Kervezee (24) and David Wheeldon (14) managing double figures as Lee Daggett ran riot with 4-25.

With two wickets in hand they closed a precarious 201 ahead.

Bottom club Middlesex were eyeing the possibility of a third win of the season, with Surrey 146 behind with four wickets remaining at Lord’s, following a sterling show from Toby Roland-Jones.

Having dismissed the visitors for 167 yesterday, Middlesex posted 423 with 107 for Dawid Malan and four wickets for the lively Chris Tremlett.

Roland-Jones then took over, claiming a maiden first-class five-wicket haul in 10 overs as Surrey lurched to 110 for six.

Fifteen wickets fell on day one of the match between Gloucestershire and Glamorgan, with honours roughly even at Cheltenham.

The Welsh side were inserted having lost the toss and mustered 216 all out, thanks largely to Mark Wallace’s counter-attacking 72.

Gloucestershire fared little better at the crease, though, losing five batsmen on their way to 145.

Will Porterfield, with 41, and Hamish Marshall, who made 34, briefly settled, but otherwise the bowlers were in charge.