Durham went 14 1/2 points clear at the top of the Championship, twice bowling former title contenders Sussex out for under 120. Onions, Claydon and Urshad claimed all but one of the wickets between them. At the other end of the table, Derbyshire put 2012 runners-up Somerset in even graver danger of relegation while granting themselves a lifeline. Groenewald and Palladino made a mockery of Trescothick's decision to bat on a dewy first morning at Taunton but credit to the home side for at least making a game of it second time out. Another 23 byes past Craig Kieswetter and a defiant 74 not out from Shivnarine Chanderpaul were enough to take Derby to the finishing line by two wickets on a tense Thursday afternoon.
Ollie Rayner had a game to savour as Middlesex gave neighbours Surrey another thumping at The Oval. The tall spinner took 15 wickets in the match and had a hand in all ten first innings dismissals: 8 while bowling and catching the other two! Surrey's own offie, Gary Keedy also claimed nine wickets, but finished on the losing side. If he does so again to Somerset next week, it looks like curtains for them in the top tier. However, their opponents are also enduring a nightmare season, so anything could happen. In the other Division One fixture, Warwickshire and Nottinghamshire played out a draw. Samit Patel made a century and bemoaned his treatment by England selectors. Maybe he has a point but he's beginning to look like yesterday's man despite being only 28.
In Division Two, leaders Lancashire sat it out while Northants and Essex were out for crucial points behind them. The former made little impression on a batsman-friendly Southampton pitch. Jimmy Adams returned to form with 218 but the opposition's young Robert Keogh went three better, more than doubling his entire first-class aggregate in the process! Meanwhile, rising Essex star Reece Topley boosted his Lions credentials by taking 6-29 and 5-56 in his side's eight-wicket victory over Worcestershire. With a game in hand, they can yet spoil Northants' promotion bid in the final furlong.
Glamorgan's Aussie paceman Michael Hogan took 6-65 against Kent, but the lowly visitors to Cardiff were too strong overall in a low-scoring match. The best individual all-round performance of the week, if not the whole season, came from Gloucestershire's Will Gidman. First he demolished the Leicestershire batting with 6-15 in 14 overs. He then thumped 146 to give his county a lead of 399 before returning with the ball to take 4-28 and wrap up a 24-pointer before day three was complete.
They could yet finish in the top two, but need both Northants and Essex to slip up badly in the run-in. At least Gloucestershire have done better than I predicted, and more outstanding efforts from Klinger, Gidman et al could make it a special summer for them. However their next fixture is at home to Lancashire, which is a daunting prospect.
