The Cricketer wraps up the best of the action on day two of the eighth round of LV= Insurance County Championship matches in 2023
Southport (second day of four): Hampshire 142 & 119-1, Lancashire 374 - Hampshire are 113 runs behind with nine second-innings wickets remaining
Lancashire still hold the upper hand after two days of this LV= Insurance County Championship match at Southport, leading by 113 runs as they hunt a first red ball victory this season, but Hampshire have fought back hard after a poor first day to keep their hopes alive.
The visitors were indebted to a career-best six-wicket haul by Felix Organ after Phil Salt had struck his first century for Lancashire with Daryl Mitchell and George Bell contributing significantly to the host's first innings 374 to give the home side a huge 232-run lead.
A determined unbeaten second wicket partnership between Fletcha Middleton (44 not out) and Nick Gubbins (45 not out) then helped take 95 runs off that advantage as Hampshire closed on 119 for 1 in their second innings, but with a lot of work still to do if they are to turn this match around.
Simon Harmer was on song at Chelmsford (Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
Chelmsford (second day of four): Essex 462-9d & 15-1, Somerset 167 - Essex lead by 310 runs with nine second-innings wickets in hand
Simon Harmer claimed his first five-wicket haul of the season as Essex put themselves into an imperious position in their County Championship clash with Somerset.
Harmer had taken 18 wickets in his first six Championship appearances of the season but tore through the Somerset lower order after Jamie Porter had dealt with the top order and seen the visitors slump to 10 for 3.
Sean Dickson carried his bat for Somerset, the first since Tom Lammonby against Worcestershire in 2020, as he scored an unbeaten 82 – comfortably his best since arriving from Durham.
Somerset were bowled out for 167 and trailed after the first innings by 295 runs, but Essex didn't enforce the follow-on and ended the day on 15 for 1, with the lead extending to 310.
Trent Bridge (second day of four): Warwickshire 571-9d, Nottinghamshire 82-5 - Nottinghamshire trail by 489 runs with five first-innings wickets in hand
Warwickshire have a firm grip at the halfway stage of their County Championship match at Trent Bridge as they bid to cut Surrey's lead in the Division One table.
As an approaching electrical storm persuaded umpires Peter Hartley and Steve O'Shaughnessy to take the players off just before 5pm, Nottinghamshire were in deep trouble at 82 for 5 in their first innings, still 489 runs behind after Warwickshire declared at 571 for 9.
Pakistan international Hassan Ali had taken two wickets in addition to his quickfire 54 with the bat, with wicketkeeper Michael Burgess grabbing two catches to go with his unbeaten 77 earlier.
Nottinghamshire, last season's Division Two champions, need to score 340 more runs just to avoid being asked to follow on.
No further play was possible but eight of the 22.2 overs lost will be added to the schedule for day three.
Hassan Ali's burst leaves Nottinghamshire in trouble (Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
Canterbury (second day of four): Kent 301 & 197-6, Surrey 145 - Kent lead by 353 runs with four second-innings wickets remaining
Leaders Surrey were battling hard to avoid their first defeat of the season in the County Championship, taking six wickets in the final session after Kent had built a significant lead on day two at Canterbury.
The champions were all out for 145 in their first innings with Matt Quinn taking 3 for 22 and Wes Agar 3 for 32, while India's Arshdeep Singh took his first Championship wickets. Sean Abbott was their top scorer with 34.
Tawanda Muyeye then cracked a gleeful 79 and Daniel Bell-Drummond made 59 as Kent moved on to 197 for 6 in their second innings, a lead of 353, but a productive evening session gave the visitors hope going into day three, Dan Worrall claiming 3 for 53.
Welcome to www.thecricketer.com - the online home of the world’s oldest cricket magazine. Breaking news, interviews, opinion and cricket goodness from every corner of our beautiful sport, from village green to national arena.