The Cricketer wraps up the key moments in the games across Division One and Division Two on the second day of the current round of fixtures...
Essex v Nottinghamshire
Chelmsford (second day of four): Nottinghamshire 187 & 87-6, Essex 241 - Nottinghamshire lead by 33 runs with four second-innings wickets remaining
Simon Harmer saved Essex with the bat before causing panic with the ball after Nottinghamshire fast bowler Luke Fletcher had celebrated his fifth career five-wicket haul.
Harmer had scored an invaluable 43 runs during an 81-run stand with Peter Siddle for the ninth wicket after Nottinghamshire, led by Fletcher and spinner Matt Carter, had ripped Essex’s middle-order apart.
Having secured a 54-run first innings lead, Harmer then found impeccable spin to claim figures of 4-32, including two wickets in two balls.
The South African’s efforts meant Nottinghamshire ended the day on 90 for 6 – with a slender lead of 36 and facing a battle to save the match.
Kent v Yorkshire
Canterbury (second day of four): Yorkshire 210 & 166-3, Kent 296 - Yorkshire lead by 80 runs with seven second-innings wickets remaining
Gary Ballance posted Yorkshire’s first half-century of the game to keep his side in contention against a Kent side buoyed by a second County Championship century of the season by rookie keeper-batsman Ollie Robinson.
Having conceded a first innings deficit of 86 runs, Yorkshire closed on 166 for 3 after 46 overs of their second innings to lead by 80 runs going into the third day of this finely poised Division One game in Canterbury.
Ballance, who won the last of his 23 Test caps in July 2017, went in at the close unbeaten with 57 and having added 27 with fourth-wicket partner Jack Leaning (11 not out).
Somerset v Surrey
Taunton (second day of four): Surrey 380, Somerset 243-5 - Somerset trail by 137 runs with five first-innings wickets remaining
James Hildreth top-scored with 90 as leaders Somerset fought hard to stay on terms with Surrey.
Azhar Ali and Steve Davies also weighed in with half-centuries and shared in stands of 94 and 70 with Hildreth for the second and fifth wickets respectively as the hosts reached the close on 243 for 5, still 137 runs behind.
Rikki Clarke had earlier scored an unbeaten 59 to help Surrey achieve 380 in their first innings and then claimed the key wicket of Hildreth in the final session to give the defending champions a potentially crucial advantage at the halfway stage.
Much will depend on Davies when he resumes his innings on 54 not out on a pitch which is expected to offer increasing assistance to spin during the next two days.
Warwickshire v Hampshire
Edgbaston (second day of four): Hampshire 354, Warwickshire 184-7 - Warwickshire trail by 180 runs with three first-innings wickets remaining
A searing post-tea burst from South African paceman Kyle Abbott put Hampshire in total command against Warwickshire on the second day at Edgbaston.
After Hampshire were lifted to a solid 354 by Tom Alsop's classy, career-best 150 (317 balls, 23 fours), the home side's reply advanced smoothly enough to 135 for 3 before Abbott's blast of three wickets for four runs in eight balls.
Suddenly, the follow-on figure of 204 was far from a formality for Warwickshire and they still have work to do to reach it, having closed on 184 for 7.
Glamorgan v Gloucestershire
Newport (second day of four): Gloucestershire 463, Glamorgan 241-8 - Glamorgan trail by 222 runs with two first-innings wickets remaining
Gloucestershire are in control at Spytty Park after Ryan Higgins scored103.
Glamorgan ended the day 241 for 8, needing a further 73 more runs to avoid the follow-on.
To add to their troubles, their captain Chris Cooke injured his ankle while turning for a second run, and is unlikely to take any further part in this game.
Lancashire v Northamptonshire
Old Trafford (second day of four): Northamtonshire 230, Lancashire 276-6 - Lancashire lead by 46 runs with nine first-innings wickets remaining
A day which Lancashire had dominated swung back in Northamptonshire’s favour after tea when Alex Wakeley’s pace bowlers took four wickets in 10 overs with the new ball to reduce the home side from 188 for two to 209 for 6.
By the close of play Lancashire had recovered to the extent of reaching 276 for 6, giving the home side a first-innings lead of 46 with four wickets in hand.
Skipper Dane Vilas ended the day on 30 not out while Tom Bailey is unbeaten on 42. The pair’s seventh-wicket stand staunched the flow of wickets and is so far worth 67 runs
Earlier in the day, Keaton Jennings’ 97 and Rob Jones’ 67 had seemed to give Lancashire something near to dominance but Luke Wood, who is on loan from Nottinghamshire, hit back and finished the day with 3-44 from 19 overs. Ben Sanderson took 2-32 from 21 overs.
Middlesex v Leicestershire
Lord's (second day of four): Middlesex 349, Leicestershire 257-9 - Leicestershire trail by 92 runs with one first-innings wicket remaining
Ollie Rayner took four wickets on his first appearance of the season to keep Middlesex in control on the second at Lord’s.
The offspinner removed both Leicestershire’s half-centurions, Harry Dearden and Colin Ackermann, who had threatened to take the game away from the home side with a fifth-wicket partnership of 110.
Earlier, Rayner had also pulled off a fine reaction catch at second slip to account for Foxes captain Paul Horton, with the visitors losing four wickets for 23 runs during the evening session.
Leicestershire closed on 257 for 9, still trailing by 92 runs after the Seaxes posted a total of 349 in the morning.
Worcestershire v Durham
New Road (second day of four): Durham 273, Worcestershire 321-6 - Worcestershire lead by 48 runs with four first-innings wickets remaining
Riki Wessels marked his home County Championship debut for Worcestershire with a superb century as his side established control against Durham at New Road.
The 33-year-old reached three figures off 120 balls with four sixes and 13 fours and entertained the sun-drenched crowd with a series of sparkling strokes.
It was the 23rd first class hundred of his career and first since making the move from Nottinghamshire to Worcestershire on a three-year contract.
He was eventually dismissed for 118 from 133 balls after hitting four sixes and 16 fours as Worcestershire closed on 321 for 6, a lead of 48.
But Wessels will be the first to acknowledge the major importance of the contribution of Josh Dell on his first-class debut for the County after the pair added 140 in 34 overs for the fifth wicket.
Academy product Dell came to the wicket at 17 for 3 and showed great determination and composure in reaching a 135 ball half century.
Reports courtesy of the ECB Reporters Network
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