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Tuesday 12 April 2016

County Championship Round 1 Day 3/4

Division One

Nottinghamshire 446 v Surrey 225 & 297-5

Opener Arun Harinath hit an unbeaten century as promoted Surrey avoided the prospect of an innings defeat on day three against Notts at Trent Bridge.

The left-hander made 114 not out after the start of play was delayed until 14:00 BST because of a wet outfield.

He shared a stand of 142 with Kumar Sangakkara, who was caught behind off Jake Ball for 83 soon after tea.

Pace bowler Ball claimed 3-77, but Surrey reached the close on 297-5, having followed on, a lead of 76.

Harinath scored 568 runs in eight first-class appearances for Surrey last summer, including two centuries.

He again showed a clam temperament to hold the innings together with one six and 15 fours after Rory Burns (17) was lbw to Ball in only the second over of the day.

Sangakkara also looked in good touch before he and Steven Davies departed in similar fashion in the same Ball over.


Jason Roy made a typically assertive 37, but was then lbw to Brett Hutton, leaving Harinath to bring up his century with a sweep for three off Samit Patel.


Hampshire 202 v Warwickshire 283-6

Warwickshire captain Ian Bell made his first century in 10 months to give the England selectors a nudge and earn a first-innings lead against Hampshire.

Bell's six-hour vigil for an unbeaten 130, his 51st first-class hundred, has given the Bears a slim hope of victory.

After Monday's lost day, it took just four overs for the Bears to wrap up Hampshire's first innings for 202.

Warwickshire then struggled to 132-5, before Chris Woakes (66) helped Bell steer them to 283-6 at the close.

Building on Keith Barker's five-wicket haul on the first day, Rikki Clarke got the third day off to a good start for Warwickshire with two early wickets, starting with Ryan McLaren, to earn him figures of 3-43.

Having rescued Hampshire from 87-7 on Sunday, McLaren only added one to his overnight score before playing a Clarke bouncer onto his own stumps, departing for 85.

West Indian Fidel Edwards then slapped a four straight down the ground to earn a batting point before holing out, leaving James Tomlinson stranded on 23.

Edwards then gave Hampshire the perfect start by removing both openers, former Bears captains Ian Westwood and Varun Chopra.

But helped by partnerships of 49 with Jonathan Trott (27) and Sam Hain (25), and with Hampshire short of the injured Reece Topley, Bell took control.


Just a day after his 34th birthday, and on the same day that the sad news of James Taylor's early retirement broke, he shared a 151-run stand with Woakes, his fellow England hopeful, although the latter fell lbw to Edwards with the final ball of the day.



Durham 256 & 223-4 v Somerset 179 (no play Tuesday, rain)

Durham were denied the chance to press home their advantage against Somerset as bad weather prevented any play on day three at the Riverside.

The home side were set to resume on 223-4, 300 runs ahead, with opener Keaton Jennings on 105 not out.

Rain during the morning meant that a prompt start was impossible.


And umpires Rob Bailey and Nigel Cowley took the decision to abandon play for the day shortly before 14:45 BST after inspecting conditions in the middle.



Division Two:

Worcestershire v Kent (no play Tuesday, wet outfield)

Worcestershire's opening County Championship Division Two game against Kent has been washed out for the third day running at New Road.

The already saturated ground was topped up by further overnight rain.

Following a 12:30 BST inspection, match umpires Ian Gould and Richard Illingworth had no option but to abandon play again.

And given the forecast for Wednesday, it is unlikely that there will be any play on the final day either.

Meetings between Worcestershire and Kent have been blighted by bad weather since Worcester's great flood in 2007.

All four days were lost at New Road, as was the case in the next home game against Lancashire, and only the final day's play was possible in the return Kent-Worcestershire game at Canterbury later in the season.


Also, in 2014, the last time the clubs met in the Championship, at Tunbridge Wells, only 17 overs were bowled on the final three days.



Northants 481-7 v Sussex (no play Tuesday, wet outfield)

Northamptonshire opener Ben Duckett remained 18 runs short of a triple century as rain prevented play on day three against Sussex at Wantage Road.

Umpires Richard Kettleborough and Billy Taylor made a series of inspections before abandoning play at 15:45 BST.

Duckett is 282 not out, having hit two sixes and 38 fours, with his side on 481-7 and a draw seemingly inevitable.


Chris Rogers was the last triple centurion for Northants, making 319 against Gloucestershire in 2006.


Essex 385 & 34-0 v Gloucestershire 262 & 215

An impressive day with the ball helped Essex move to the brink of victory against Gloucestershire at Chelmsford.

The hosts were bowled out for 385 with Josh Shaw taking four wickets on debut but Gloucestershire lost two wickets in the first over of their second innings as Jamie Porter (3-53) starred.

Gareth Roderick and Jack Taylor hit half-centuries but the away side were bowled out for 215, a lead of just 92.


Essex reached 34-0 from the remaining nine overs and require 59 runs to win.

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