By Matt Somerford
Staffordshire maintained their healthy lead in the Unicorns Championship Eastern Division with a six-wicket win over last-placed Buckinghamshire at Burnham.
Alex Thomson was the star with bat and ball as the 20-year-old’s off-spin claimed 4-15, to help bowl Bucks out for 162, before he dug his side out of early trouble with a patient century.
Thomson struck 120, after Staffordshire fell to 25 for three, and with Michael Hill combined in a 167-run stand for the fifth wicket that was the bulk of their 319 for eight declared – a lead of 157 runs.
Kadeer Ali’s 5-43 then restricted Bucks to 251 before his unbeaten 59 at the top of the order steered Staffordshire to their third win in four games this season.
That ensured they ended the latest round of fixtures 14 points clear of nearest rivals Cumberland, who were 10-wicket winners away to Norfolk.
The hosts were twice bowled out cheaply, for 133 and 192, with Scott Lees taking 6-49 in the first innings.
In between half-centuries from skipper Gary Pratt, Jon Miles and Liam Parkinson helped Cumberland to 325 for nine declared and when it came to their second innings they needed just a single run, which Neil Longhurst duly picked up from the first ball.
Third-placed Suffolk beat Northumberland by 146 runs at Jesmond on the back of Michael Comber’s second-innings 194.
The 24-year-old right-hander had come in at three for three, after the top three all made ducks, to eventually set a victory target of 421.
Thomas Huggins ripped out 7-74 as Northumberland’s chase relied too heavily on a century from number eight Micky Allan.
Lincolnshire slipped down to fourth following a thrilling one-wicket defeat to Hertfordshire at Cleethorpes.
Tim Graham and BA Waring were the Hertfordshire heroes as their unbroken 76-run last-wicket stand got the visitors home for their first win of the campaign.
Herefordshire enjoyed a 163-run win over Berkshire, who were unable to recover after being bowled out for 117 in their first innings.
It was a similar story at Bedford Modern Scholl where Bedfordshire slumped to a seven-wicket loss to Cambridgeshire after they were skittled for 94 in the first innings.
Joe Dawborn was the destroyer with 6-12 and while Cambs were only able to take a 46-run first-innings lead, that was decisive in a low-scoring contest, in which seven of the home side’s players made ducks.
The top-of-the-table clash between Wiltshire and Devon in the Western Division ended as a draw at Devizes.
Wiltshire were 214 for four chasing a victory target of 329 when stumps were drawn and the stalemate allowed third-placed Cheshire to close the gap after their six-wicket win over Wales Minor Counties.
Cheshire had trailed by 35 runs after the first innings but, after rattling out the visitors for 137 second time around, opener Calum Rowe’s unbeaten 83 guided them to victory at 175 for three.
Ben Sanderson took seven wickets in each innings as Shropshire beat Cornwall by six wickets at St Austell.
The 25-year-old right-armer, who was a former England Under-19s international, snared 7-57 and 7-51 in a devastating display.
Oxfordshire were narrowly denied a first win of the season as Dorset's last-wicket pair Sam Thomson and James Hayman survived the final 22 balls of the match to claim a draw at Bournemouth.
It was a nervous end for Dorset after they had been in control earlier in the match after opening pair Mansoor Khan (102) and Michael Porter (96) put on 206 in their first innings