Most Championship games this week were drawn but Warwickshire stirred things up by mashing Middlesex in under three days at Edgbaston. Chris Rogers must have regretted his decision to bat first as Chris Wright and co left the visitors ailing at 66-8. Things could have got even more embarrassing but for a last-wicket stand of 61 between Roland-Jones and Finn! Tim Ambrose proceeded to match Middlesex's total of 167 all by himself and, with Jeetan Patel reaching three figures for only the second time, Warwickshire racked up a lead big enough to ensure an innings victory. Patel again took 4-78 to crown a great all-round performance, and the Midlanders are now in pole position.
Sussex lurk just one point behind after a tame draw against Lancashire. Mike Yardy ended a miserable run with the bat by compiling 139, Steve Magoffin claimed 4-36 and Chris Nash made a welcome return after injury. Somerset are third after a tough four days for bowlers at Taunton. Samit Patel and Phil Jacques each scored more than 200 runs in the match, although Peter Trego's pre-declaration blast of 86 in 71 balls brought the contest to life briefly on day three.
It was another run-fest at Chester-le-Street. Yorkshire made the game safe by accumulating almost 600 in their first innings. Gale and Lyth each scored hundreds, while Bairstow and Williamson were dismissed in the 90s. Stoneman and Richards also made centuries for Durham and Jennings' 54 not out prevented any chance of an unlikely last day win for Yorkshire. Northants and Durham are the only Division One counties yet to win and look unlikely to change that next week as they travel to Notts and Sussex, respectively.
In the second flight, Kent leapt to fifth by beating Surrey by eight wickets. In two innings, only Jason Roy passed 50 for Graeme Smith's outfit, while Rob Key and Brendan Nash each fell for 126 in the Kent cause. 22 year-old spinner Adam Riley captured nine wickets and Doug Bollinger strangled the Surrey run rate.
Worcestershire remain top, running out of hours in which to snaffle the final three Glamorgan wickets at Cardiff. Wagg and Cosker bowled well for the Welsh side but two centuries from Daryl Mitchell - taking his season average into three figures - and excellent bowling by Gareth Andrew and Saeed Ajmal kept Worcs in the driving seat for most of the match. The Essex-Leicestershire fixture petered out into a draw. Ned Eckersley kept wicket and contributed 110 for Leicester against an Essex attack lacking both Masters and Napier. Monty Panesar's 6-111 in 50 overs stemmed the flow of runs but there was never a chance of a home success.
Next week, Hampshire have an excellent chance of leading the division, hosting Glamorgan. Surrey will sink to the bottom if they lose to Gloucestershire and Derbyshire overcome Kent. How I will laugh....
