CC: Somerset go Second

Somerset (22) were the sole winners in the latest round of matches in the Frizzell County Championship as the legendary British weather struck again to render the majority of games draws, some closer than others...

West Indian paceman Nixon McLean ended with match figures of 8/81 as the Cidermen raced to a massive innings and 143-run victory over Glamorgan (3) to go second in the table. All of Somerset's top eight scored between 29 and 92 in an imposing 476/6 declared after McLean demolished the visitors' top order. Needing 277 to make Somerset bat again, Glamorgan fell well short after just five batsmen made double figures.

Leaders Gloucestershire (10) stayed on top after a draw with Hampshire (9) at Bristol, Simon Katich hitting 96 for the visitors and Craig Spearman 103 for the hosts in a game that only saw fourteen wickets fall due to the rain.

Michael Vaughan hit form just at the right time with 103 and 64* for Yorkshire (10) in their draw away to Northamptonshire (12). Vaughan was supported by Richard Dawson (77) in Yorkshire's 399 but was overshadowed by Northants' English-qualified Aussie Phil Jaques who hammered 222 in just under six hours in the hosts' 402/6, before Vaughan's 56-ball 64 that included a massive 15 fours.

Worcestershire (9) couldn't quite force a contrived win at Durham's (7) Stockton-on-Tees, after Kabir Ali's rapid career-best 84* in Worcester's 395. Durham declared at 146/3 and Worcester forfeited in an attempt to force a result, but despite 3 wickets each for Andy Hall and Gareth Batty, Gordon Muchall's 74 was enough to save the hosts.

In the first divison, favourites Surrey (12) were frustrated by the rain as Leicestershire (7) somehow avoided defeat after crumbling to 200 all out. Mark Ramprakash hit 152 and Ian Salisbury 101* in Surrey's 560/8 declared, but allowing Salisbury to complete his 2nd career ton ultimately cost the hosts as Leicester were rained off at 185/8, Virender Sehwag hitting 81.

James Anderson was the star at Old Trafford as he trapped Darren Robinson at gully, Nasser Hussain LBW with an inswinging yorker and Will Jefferson caught behind to reduced Essex (8) to 35/3. James Foster's 57 helped the visitors make 215 but Iain Sutcliffe's 109 and Mark Chilton's 106 saw Lancashire (11) rack up a 160-run lead. Essex were struggling at 42/3 before this game went the way of most of the others this week...

Middlesex (8) continued their Caddick-like tendencies to only perform in the second innings against Kent (12) at Canterbury. Ed Smith was another to hit 103 in Kent's 472 before Martin Saggers took 4/48 to enforce the follow-on despite Ben Hutton's 74. Andrew Strauss (93) and Sven Koenig (96) did enough to get Middlesex just two behind with six wickets intact when the rain caused yet another game to be abandoned as a draw.

CricketWeb Player of the Round - Phil Jaques (Northamptonshire) - 222

Posted by Neil