The Cricketer rounds up what happened on day two of the current round of County Championship fixtures across the country...
Jonathan Trott of Warwickshire is bowled by Matt Salisbury of Durham at Edgbaston on Wednesday
Essex vs Surrey
Rikki Clarke had an outstanding day all-round at Chelmsford before bad light sliced 25 overs off the end with Essex, following on, still 212 runs away from making Surrey bat again.
The veteran seamer had caned Essex for 56 runs from 69 balls at the end of Surrey’s first innings, which ended on 351. With ball in hand, Clarke ripped the heart out of the Essex batting first time round, taking 4-28. The reigning county champions were dismissed for 126, and it could have been worse if they had got edges to any number of balls which flashed past the outside of their bats.
When the umpires took the players off at 4.37pm, openers Nick Browne and Varun Chopra had reduced the 225-run deficit by 13 runs in seven overs. The game was finally called off for the day at 5.15pm.
Clarke had been supported with the ball by Tom Curran, whose three wickets cost 36.
Nottinghamshire vs Yorkshire
Gary Ballance led Yorkshire’s fightback on the second day against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge.
The 28-year scored his second hundred of the season as the visitors reached the close on 258 for four, still 190 runs adrift.
Ballance was at his fluent best as he raced to a 44-ball half-century before settling down to a more workmanlike pace as he advanced to his 34th career ton from 121 deliveries.
Tom Kohler-Cadmore added an unbeaten 57, sharing in a stand of 95 with Ballance, who had earlier put on 78 with Harry Brook.
Worcestershire vs Hampshire
Kyle Abbott claimed a hat-trick as Hampshire closed in on victory in the relegation battle with Worcestershire after 24 wickets fell on the second day at Blackfinch New Road.
The home side were set a 248 target on a bowler-friendly wicket and had collapsed to 120 for eight by the close in their second innings.
The extra half-hour was taken but Worcestershire hung on to extend the game into a third day after bad light had the final say.
Sussex vs Leicestershire
Sussex are on course for a vital victory in their promotion bid after taking a first-innings lead of 240 on an extraordinary second day at Hove.
Leicestershire slumped to 49 for nine in reply to Sussex’s 373 before a last-wicket stand of 84 between Mohammad Abbas and Callum Parkinson took their side to 133.
Sussex had a lead of 240 but decided not to enforce the follow-on and when bad light brought an early close with 18 overs not bowled they were 100 for six in their second innings, an overall lead of 340. Eighteen wickets fell in the day.
Gloucestershire vs Middlesex
Unheralded Ben Charlesworth played a starring role with bat and ball as Gloucestershire assumed the upper hand on day two at Bristol.
Making only his third first-class appearance, the 17-year-old academy product raised a career-best 77 not out to propel the hosts to 296 and then took 3-21 from eight overs as Middlesex limped to the close on 182 for seven, still 114 behind.
Discarded England batsman Dawid Malan offered stubborn resistance in making 62, but the home side were firmly in the ascendant when Matt Taylor dismissed him in the penultimate over.
Warwickshire vs Durham
A devastating spell from Olly Stone helped Warwickshire end day two at Edgbaston on top.
With Durham reaching 152 for three after tea, Stone replaced Keith Barker at the Pavilion End and recorded his third five-for of the season with a destructive spell (8-2-13-4) that saw four wickets fall for 13 runs.
Derbyshire vs Glamorgan
An inspired spell of seam bowling from Tony Palladino put Derbyshire in a commanding position and left Glamorgan facing the prospect of another defeat after 21 wickets fell on the second day of the Division Two match at Derby.
The 35-year-old ripped through Glamorgan’s fragile batting to take 6-29 in 13 overs, including his 300th first-class wicket for Derbyshire, as the visitors were shot out for 121.
They lost their last eight wickets for 38 to trail by 130 on first innings but Derbyshire were then bowled out for 171 with Alex Hughes top-scoring with 57 and Glamorgan closed 16 for one chasing 302 for victory.
Report courtesy of the ECB Reporters Network
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