Arafat shines for Sussex

Pakistan paceman Yasir Arafat undermined Kent’s bid to establish a first innings advantage on the second day of their Liverpool Victoria County Championship Division One match against Sussex at Hove.

As his fellow countrymen toiled for much of the day at Lord’s against England, 24-year-old Arafat grabbed three wickets just as the visitors appeared to be taking control of the game.

Darren Stevens (118) and Matthew Walker (87) put on 188 for the fourth wicket - but both fell victim to Arafat, as did West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo for 23.

Fourth-placed Kent, replying to the second-placed hosts’ first innings score of 399, closed on 295 for six - having found themselves in early trouble at 34 for three.

Third-placed Hampshire undisputedly had the best of the opening day of their match with Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge.

The visitors piled up 303 for one after winning the toss and choosing to bat, with Michael Carberry (49) the only scalp of the day for Nottinghamshire, caught by wicke-keeper Chris Read off the bowling of Ryan Sidebottom.

Carberry put on 111 for the first wicket with James Adams, who was unbeaten on 123 and shared in an undefeated stand of 192 for the second wicket with John Crawley (106 not out).

Ed Joyce scored 158 not out to help Middlesex’s bid to move off the bottom of Liverpool Victoria County Championship Division One against Warwickshire.

The visitors slipped to 56 for two after captain Scott Styris had chosen to bat in the match at Edgbaston.

But Joyce - celebrating his return to action after a month out with an ankle ligament injury - led the revival as Middlesex closed on 344 for five.

The 27-year-old Dubliner shared in stands of 71 with Nick Compton (52) and 82 with Jamie Dalrymple (43), while debutant Paul Harris and fellow South African Neil Carter each took two wickets on what was generally a day of toil for the hosts.

Anthony McGrath was the only major success story with the bat as the seamers excelled in Durham’s match with Yorkshire at Chester-le-Street.

McGrath made an unbeaten 140 as Yorkshire were skittled for 339, with Ottis Gibson taking three wickets and Callum Thorp and Mick Lewis each getting two.

Yorkshire then hit back, with Jason Gillespie trapping Jon Lewis lbw and wicketkeeper Gerard Brophy capturing Jimmy Maher off Deon Kruis as the hosts closed on 64 for two.

Another batsman who scored a century as his team struggled to make the most of winning the toss was Surrey’s Ali Brown.

Brown made 113 but only Mark Ramprakash (51) and Rikki Clarke (47) provided much support as the Division Two leaders were dismissed for 328 by Northamptonshire at Wantage Road.

Australia paceman Matt Nicholson was the pick of the home attack with four wickets for 84 runs, while Ben Phillips weighed in with 3-58.

Northamptonshire’s reply started poorly, with Mohammad Akram trapping Bilal Shafayat for a duck with the scoreboard reading just one.

And Azhar Mahmood then claimed the wickets of Robert White (15) and Sourav Ganguly (six) before they closed on 61 for three.

Somerset hit back after Derbyshire looked like posting a big total after winning the toss and deciding to bat at Taunton.

When Marcus North (132) and Chris Taylor (60) were sharing in a third-wicket total of 145, Derbyshire looked well set.

But the Cidermen hit back in the latter stages of day one, with Simon Francis, Charl Willoughby and Andrew Caddick all taking three wickets as Derbyshire closed on 374 for nine.

HD Ackerman was Leicestershire’s star performer in the clash with fellow strugglers Glamorgan at Cardiff.

Leicestershire, who chose to bat, closed on 354 for six with Ackerman unbeaten on 177, including 22 fours and one six.

Veteran wicket-keeper Paul Nixon (60) shared in a stand of 160 with the South African before falling shortly before the close.

Andy Flower made an immediate impression on his return to the Essex line-up on day two of the match with Gloucestershire at Bristol.

Flower, back in the side after a back injury, made an undefeated 114 as the visitors reached 265 for four.

Flower put on 111 for the third wicket with Mark Pettini, as the visitors sought to overhaul Gloucestershire’s first innings score of 394.