Sussex registered their first Division One victory in a decade as they finished off Somerset on the ultimate day of their Rothesay County Championship clash at Hove, whilst Warwickshire stunned Durham with a one-wicket victory.
Having ended their long wait to reclaim a seat at the highest table with last 12 months’s Division Two title win, Sussex followed up last week’s draw against Worcestershire with a powerful 260-run success.
Already without their sidelined former England seamer Ollie Robinson, they resumed on the fourth morning missing fellow quick Sean Hunt through injury.
Hunt had taken nine of their 15 wickets within the match thus far but West Indian strike bowler Jayden Seales stood up in his absence, taking three of the six scalps still needed to assert maximum points.
Somerset were eventually bowled out for 334 within the hundredth over of a stubborn resistance, Tom Abell top-scoring with 96.
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Warwickshire
The opposite end in Division One occurred at Chester-le-Street where Warwickshire successfully chased down 339 because of Ed Barnard’s hundred.
Warwickshire resumed overnight on 12 without loss and half-centuries from captain Alex Davies and Kai Smith boosted their cause, but when Barnard was out for 101, the visitors were 285 for seven.
Durham sensed a possibility and England bowler Matthew Potts – on his approach to three for 79 – claimed the ninth scalp of Michael Booth for 40, with Warwickshire still 15 in need of their goal.
Nevertheless, number 10 Ethan Bamber kept his composure and struck 30 not out with a maximum off Ben Raine enough to seal a memorable victory for Warwickshire.
Surrey
A similarly-thrilling finish at Kia Oval never materialised as Surrey were thwarted of their efforts to force a final-day victory by Nick Gubbins’ 117 for Hampshire.
Hampshire resumed on 35 for 3 in pursuit of an unlikely 377 but Gubbins and Toby Albert, who hit 78 not out, combined for an excellent 243-run partnership for the fifth wicket to make sure the spoils were shared.
Essex and Nottinghamshire fought to a stalemate at Trent Bridge, neither side doing enough to push for a positive result.
Jack Haynes made the sport secure for the hosts with a knock of 142, stretching the result in 365, however the bowlers had just 31 overs to hunt 10 wickets. Ultimately they managed only one as Tom Westley and Paul Walter steered their side to safety.
Division Two
In Division Two the three remaining games at Old Trafford, Grace Road and Bristol were drawn.
Lancashire could be pleased to survive against Northamptonshire, having been forced to follow on. They were indebted to Josh Bohannon, who made 155 in a rearguard of greater than seven hours to carry the visiting attack off.
The Red Rose were 83 ahead on 351 for nine when the edges shook hands, leg-spinner Calvin Harrison having taken a career-best haul of seven for 119.
Glamorgan also drew after being asked to bat again by Gloucestershire. They made 288 for 4, including an unbeaten 77 from Colin Ingram, as the house attack struggled to cause enough problems within the second innings.
Leicestershire made a cautious declaration against Derbyshire, eventually setting them 449. They managed 305 for 4 in response, with skipper Wayne Madsen falling 4 in need of a century.
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