The Cricketer wraps up the best of the action during day two of round 14 of the Vitality County Championship in 2024
Cardiff (day two of four): Yorkshire 361 & 116-1, Glamorgan 239 - Yorkshire lead by 238 runs with nine second-innings wickets remaining
Yorkshire took a significant step towards a return to Division One by taking control of this game, despite a late fightback from Glamorgan's tail in saving the follow-on.
Matthew Fisher and Ben Coad took four wickets apiece to dismiss the Welsh county for 239, a first innings lead of 122. Glamorgan’s highlight was Colin Ingram's 82 making him the highest run-scorer in County Championship cricket so far this season.
Adam Lyth and Finlay Bean had a century opening partnership to extend Yorkshire's lead to 238 with two days of the contest remaining, both notching half centuries to close on 116 for 1, Lyth lbw to James Harris just before the close.
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Bristol (day two of four): Gloucestershire 109 & 140-3, Sussex 311 - Gloucestershire trail by 62 runs with seven second-innings wickets remaining
Zafar Gohar claimed his 300th first class wicket in taking 6 for 76 as Gloucestershire bowled out Sussex for 311 on the second day of the Vitality County Championship match at Bristol.
But the left-arm spinner's efforts could not prevent the Division Two leaders taking a commanding first innings lead of 202, Jack Carson top-scoring with 71 and sharing a seventh-wicket stand of 112 with skipper John Simpson, who made 61.
By the close, Gloucestershire had posted 140 for 3 in their second innings and still trailed by 62. Chris Dent was unbeaten on 61, having battled away for 157 balls, while Miles Hammond hit 41.
Related: Rehan Ahmed wastes good start and opportunity to push credentials further
Sussex are edging towards promotion (Dan Istitene/Getty Images)
Northampton (day two of four): Leicestershire 203 & 69-4, Northamptonshire 383 - Leicestershire trail by 111 runs with six second -innings wickets remaining
James Sales hit an excellent career-best 135 as Northamptonshire piled on the runs on day two of this Vitality County Championship match against Leicestershire at Wantage Road.
The Northamptonshire youngster made the most of his recent elevation up the order, stroking 16 boundaries in over four hours at the crease, facing 197 deliveries in an innings of real maturity.
Sales and Rob Keogh (49) extended their overnight partnership to 117, before runs kept flowing during Sales' stand of 131 off just 134 deliveries with a resourceful Saif Zaib. Stroking a run-a-ball 71, Zaib garnered most of his runs from the sweep and reverse sweep as he put the spinners to the sword, a wayward Rehan Ahmed taking the brunt of his offensive.
Leicestershire seamer Ian Holland, who found some inswing with the second new ball to end Sales' innings, helped wrap up the Northamptonshire tail to finish with figures of 4 for 53 as the hosts were bowled out for 383 to take a first innings lead of 180.
When Leicestershire replied, Northamptonshire tied them down, runs coming at a pedestrian rate with legspinner Yuzvendra Chahal finding plenty of turn. The Indian international claimed two wickets as Leicestershire closed on 69 for 4 still trailing by 111.
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Derby (day two of four): Derbyshire 173 & 74-3, Middlesex 358 - Derbyshire trail by 111 runs with seven second-innings wickets remaining
Middlesex are on track for the win they need to keep their Vitality County Championship promotion challenge alive going into the final week of the season after maintaining their dominance over bottom-of-the-table Derbyshire, with opener Mark Stoneman making his seventh hundred for the county before revealing he would be leaving at the end of the season.
Having bowled Derbyshire out for 173 on Tuesday, Middlesex replied with 358, with Josh de Caires matching his career best 80 and Max Holden posting 68 despite a dry, turning pitch that saw six wickets shared among Derbyshire's spinners and 17-year-old fast-bowling prospect Harry Moore impress with 3 for 55 in only his second first-class match.
Needing 186 to make Middlesex bat again, Derbyshire lost two wickets in the first five overs of their second innings and another from the last ball of the day to close on 74 for 3.
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