COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION TWO ROUNDUP: It was tough going for bowlers across the division on day two, with just one match into the third innings
Bristol (day two of four): Gloucestershire 546, Glamorgan 146-3 - Glamorgan trail by 400 runs with seven wickets remaining
Bowlers on both sides were made to strive hard for wickets on the second day of Gloucestershire's County Championship Division Two match with Glamorgan at the Seat Unique Stadium, Bristol.
The hosts began by extending their overnight first innings score of 368 for 3 to a mammoth 546 all out, claiming four bonus points to Glamorgan's two. Miles Hammond contributed 54 and Graeme van Buuren 48, while Zain ul Hussan was the pick of the Glamorgan attack with 2 for 66 from 24 overs.
In reply, the visitors had reached 146 for 3 by the time bad light ended play at 5.40pm, Sam Northeast making 50. They still require a further 251 to avoid the possibility of following on, but can sleep soundly in the knowledge that a third-day Bristol pitch is unlikely to offer any greater challenges.
Related: Cameron Bancroft leads from the front after Gloucestershire's Australians touch down
Stephen Eskinazi second top-scored for Middlesex as they built a lead over Kent (Alex Davidson/Getty Images)
Canterbury (day two of four): Middlesex 222 & 222-6, Kent 218 - Middlesex lead by 226 runs with four wickets remaining
Middlesex have batted themselves into a commanding position at the end of day two of their County Championship match with Kent at Canterbury, reaching 222 for 6 at stumps, a lead of 226.
Stephen Eskinazi gave them a platform with 57 before Ben Geddes cashed in after being dropped twice to make 73 not out.
Earlier, Kent were all out for 218, handing the visitors a four-run first-innings lead. Grant Stewart made 56 and Harry Finch 52, but their 101-run partnership was broken in the second over of the morning session.
Blake Cullen had Middlesex's best figures with 4 for 60, while Ryan Higgins took 3 for 37.
Old Trafford (day two of four): Northamptonshire 496, Lancashire 139-4 - Lancashire trail by 357 runs with six wickets remaining
Lewis McManus made 95 as Northamptonshire posted 496 all out – their highest-ever total at Old Trafford – and then took four wickets to consolidate their advantage on the second day of this County Championship match.
Justin Broad took two wickets to have Lancashire in early difficulties before Keaton Jennings and Marcus Harris steadied matters with a partnership of 84 before the latter fell just before the close, followed by nightwatchman Anderson Phillip in the final over to leave Lancashire 139 for 4, trailing by 357 runs.
Jennings, whose lowest effort in his three early season innings is 49, looked in great touch, pulling consecutive deliveries from Broad for four and six on his way to his half century, and he ended the day on 60 not out. It feels that a lot will rest on their skipper if Lancashire are to make progress towards Northamptonshire's total tomorrow.
Broad struck twice following his introduction to the attack in the 11th over, his fourth delivery finding just enough movement to trap Michael Jones lbw for 14 with the score on 22 before removing Josh Bohannon for five with a delivery that ripped out the batters off stump.
Harris played some free-flowing drives in making 43 but fell to a great diving catch at midwicket by Broad off Raphy Weatherall five overs before stumps.
Related: Signs of Kent positivity on return home despite Middlesex fightback
After two wickets with the ball, former Lesicstershire seamer Zak Chappell added a valuable 37 with the bat (David Rogers/Getty Images)
Leicester (day two of four): Leicestershire 484, Derbyshire 346-8 - Derbyshire trail by 138 runs with two wickets remaining
Martin Andersson's maiden first-class century led a Derbyshire fightback after Netherlands all-rounder Logan Van Beek looked to have given his new side the platform to push for a handsome victory on his Leicestershire debut in the County Championship.
Ex-Middlesex allrounder Andersson finished unbeaten on 101 as Derbyshire recovered from 139 for 6 in reply to Leicestershire's 484 to close on 346 for 8, still 138 behind but having confounded expectations by avoiding the follow-on.
Van Beek added 3 for 87 to go with his 83 not out, but Andersson emerged as the man of the day, finding valuable support first from Anuj Dal (43) in a seventh-wicket stand of 110 and then from ex-Leicestershire man Zak Chappell (37).
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