It's taken almost four months but Durham finally secured their first Championship victory of 2012. They edged a very low-scoring encounter at home against Middlesex. Lord's is hosting Olympic archery this week but Onions and Rushworth struck gold on day three as the visitors were bowled out for 102, just fifteen runs short. Chris Rogers' 59 was easily the highest score of the match while the wickets were shared by both attacks. Durham remain bottom of Division One, four points adrift of Worcestershire, who didn't play this week.
At the other end of the table, Warwickshire and Nottinghamshire are now equal on points after rain prevented both from turning big first innings leads into victories. Jim Troughton and Chris Woakes scored centuries, then Rikki Clarke took 4-46 to make Surrey follow on. However, a combination of the weather and Zafar Ansari's unbeaten 83 allowed Surrey to escape. Notts trebled Sussex's first innings total thanks to big hundreds from Michael Lumb and James Taylor. The latter's first decent score of the season, 163 not out, was perfectly timed as the England selectors suddenly needed to find a new number six. A double-century opening stand by Joyce and Nash frustrated the title hopefuls on the final day.
Warwickshire now travel to Uxbridge to take advantage of their game in hand, while Somerset have a golden chance to go top if they beat Lancashire.
In Division Two, Yorkshire's Adam Lyth carried his bat for a superb 248, at last rediscovering some form. Jonny Bairstow also reached three figures but the weather stopped them claiming maximum points against Leicestershire, who had only three wickets remaining, while nine runs from safety. The result was nevertheless enough to enable Yorkshire to leapfrog Hampshire into the promotion places. It could have been worse for the second-placed side. Kent had much the better of the game as Key and Northeast put on 252 for the first wicket to lead by 175 runs. Only opener Jimmy Adams, with a second 50, and tailender Danny Briggs kept Kent at bay, surviving twenty overs in a vital last-wicket partnership of 42 to force a draw and collect an extra three points. Had Kent won, they would have taken second place themselves.
In a few days' time, at Northampton, Yorkshire have another opportunity to overtake leaders Derbyshire, although the latter will end the week with two matches in hand. The four sides at the bottom play each other, too. Last-placed Glamorgan host Gloucestershire at Swansea, while Leicestershire, just three points ahead, travel south to Essex.
